Children’s Sermon

Matthew 21:33-46

What is Expected?

By Lois Parker Edstrom

Objects suggested: A grocery sack of produce. Cut up fruit and vegetable snacks to share with the children if appropriate to your situation.

One of my favorite things to do is to go to the market and look at all the beautiful fruits and vegetables. It is like looking at a lovely work of art; the yellows, purples, oranges, reds, and the many different shades of green.

Many of our fruits and vegetables are grown on nearby farms. Have you ever visited a farm? What did you see there? Pumpkins? Cherries? Corn? Apples? Blueberries? Pears? Tomatoes?

Certain types of fruits and vegetables, that don’t grow where we live, are shipped to us from other parts of the world. Can you think of examples? Yes, pineapple, bananas, grapes, asparagus, strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, and oranges are a few examples.

We are blessed to have farmers who work the soil, plant and tend the crops, harvest fruits and vegetables and ship beautiful produce to our markets for our health and enjoyment.

Jesus tells a story in the Bible about a landowner who planted a vineyard (a place where grapes are grown) and asked the tenants (renters) to take care of the plants. The landowner expected that at harvest time he would receive produce, in this case grapes, from the tenants. The tenants grew grapes, but they did not want to share what they had grown.

Jesus uses this story to teach us that when we hear about the miracle of God’s love he expects that our lives will bloom and grow, bearing beautiful fruits of the spirit such as kindness, love, and joy. It is expected that we will want to share the fruits of God’s love so that others can enjoy and benefit from that love.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible

Copyright 2008, Richard Niell Donovan