Joyful Moments in Christ

This Bible study lesson is for people who are learning English (ELL or ESL students). It is made for advanced beginner and intermediate English learners. Children who speak English or adults who prefer easy English may also enjoy it and learn from it.

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Lesson Icebreaker Question

What is something small you have seen grow into something big or special?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn about how Jesus describes the Kingdom of God using small, everyday things. We will also talk about what it means to follow Jesus and how people from all over the world are invited to be with him.

Vocabulary List (GNT)

1. Abraham — A man in the Bible whom God chose to be the father of the Jewish people.
2. Able — Having the power or skill to do something.
3. Ate — The past tense of eat; to have had food.
4. Batch — A group of things made or done at the same time, like dough for bread.
5. Begin — To start doing something.
6. Bird — An animal with feathers and wings that can usually fly.
7. Branch — A part of a tree that grows out from the trunk.
8. Bushel — A large basket or container used to measure dry things like flour.
9. Close — To shut something, like a door.
10. Come From — To have a home in a place.
11. Compare — To show how two things are alike or different.
12. Cry — To shed tears when sad.
13. Door — A piece that opens and closes to let people in and out of a place.
14. Dough — A soft, thick mixture of flour and water used to make bread.
15. Drank — The past tense of drink; to have taken a liquid into your mouth.
16. East And West And North And South — The four main directions on a map. When written together, a way to say “everywhere”.
17. Feast — A big, special meal with a lot of food.
18. Field — A large open area of land.
19. First — Before all others.
20. Get Away — To leave or go away from a place.
21. Gnash — To grind or press your teeth together, usually when angry or upset.
22. Grows — To get bigger or older over time.
23. Isaac — The son of Abraham and father of Jacob in the Bible.
24. Jacob — The son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham in the Bible.
25. Kingdom Of God — God’s perfect place where he is King and everything is good and right. It is a real place in heaven, and it also lives in the hearts of people who love and follow him.
26. Knock — To hit a door to make a sound so someone will open it.
27. Last — After all others; at the end.
28. Making His Way — Moving toward a place.
29. Master — A person in charge of a house or workers.
30. Mixes — To stir things together so they become one.
31. Mustard Seed — A very tiny seed that can grow into a big plant.
32. Narrow — Not wide; thin in width.
33. Nest — A place made by a bird to lay eggs and keep its babies.
34. Parable — A short story that teaches a lesson about God.
35. People — Men, women, and children.
36. Plant — To put a seed in the ground so it can grow.
37. Plants — Living things like flowers, grass, and trees that grow in the ground.
38. Prophet — A person chosen by God to speak his message to others.
39. Rises — To grow bigger or go up.
40. Saved — Kept safe from danger or sin.
41. Sit Down — To rest your body by bending your legs and sitting.
42. Surely — Without a doubt; for sure.
43. Teaching — The act of helping people learn something.
44. Thrown Out — To make someone leave a place.
45. Toward — Moving in the direction of something.
46. Town — A place where people live, smaller than a city.
47. Tree — A tall plant with a trunk, branches, and leaves.
48. Try — To make an effort to do something.
49. Village — A small group of homes and people.
50. Whole — All of something; complete.
51. Wicked — Very bad or evil people.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells about three important things Jesus said. Jesus often taught people by telling stories called parables. These simple stories helped people understand more about God.

First, Jesus told a story about a mustard seed. This tiny seed can grow into a big tree. Birds can make their homes in it. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is like this. It may start small in a person’s heart or in the world, but it grows big and strong.

Then, Jesus told a story about a woman using yeast to make bread dough rise. Yeast is very small, but it makes the whole dough grow big. In the same way, God’s kingdom grows in the world, even when people cannot always see it.

Last, Jesus talked about a narrow door. He told people to try hard to go through this door. This means following Jesus with all your heart. Jesus warned that one day it will be too late for some people to enter. People will come from all over the world to be in God’s kingdom, but those who reject God will be left out.

This passage shows us that God’s kingdom is growing, even in small ways, and people from everywhere are welcome. But it also teaches that we should follow Jesus now and not wait.

Read The Passage

The Parable of the Mustard Seed
18 Jesus asked, “What is the Kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it with?
19 It is like this. A man takes a mustard seed and plants it in his field. The plant grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make their nests in its branches.”
The Parable of the Yeast
20 Again Jesus asked, “What shall I compare the Kingdom of God with?
21 It is like this. A woman takes some yeast and mixes it with a bushel of flour until the whole batch of dough rises.”
The Narrow Door
22 Jesus went through towns and villages, teaching the people and making his way toward Jerusalem.
23 Someone asked him, “Sir, will just a few people be saved?”
Jesus answered them,
24 “Do your best to go in through the narrow door; because many people will surely try to go in but will not be able.
25 The master of the house will get up and close the door; then when you stand outside and begin to knock on the door and say, ‘Open the door for us, sir!’ he will answer you, ‘I don’t know where you come from!’
26 Then you will answer, ‘We ate and drank with you; you taught in our town!’
27 But he will say again, ‘I don’t know where you come from. Get away from me, all you wicked people!’
28 How you will cry and gnash your teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, while you are thrown out!
29 People will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down at the feast in the Kingdom of God.
30 Then those who are now last will be first, and those who are now first will be last.”

Luke 13:18-30 (GNT)

Most English learners should use the New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) or the Good News Translation (GNT) because they are easy to read. If you want to try something harder, you can read one of the other Bible versions:

• Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 13:18-30 (NIRV)
• Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 13:18-30 (GNT)
• Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 13:18-30 (NLT)
• Hard: New International Version: Luke 13:18-30 (NIV)
• Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 13:18-30 (ESV)

Comprehension Questions

1. What is the Kingdom of God like in the first story?
2. What happens to the mustard seed in the story?
3. What is the Kingdom of God like in the second story?
4. What does the yeast do to the dough?
5. Where was Jesus going while he taught the people?
6. What question did someone ask Jesus about being saved?
7. What did Jesus say about the narrow door?
8. What happens when the master of the house closes the door?
9. Who did Jesus say people will see in God’s Kingdom?
10. Where will people come from to join the feast in God’s Kingdom?
11. What did Jesus say about those who are last and first?

Application Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus used small things like a seed and yeast to talk about God’s Kingdom?
2. Have you ever seen something small turn into something wonderful? What was it?
3. What do you think it means to follow Jesus with all your heart?
4. Why is it important to follow Jesus now and not wait?
5. Who do you know that you can invite to learn about Jesus?

Theological Insights

1. God’s Kingdom starts small but grows strong and beautiful.
2. Jesus invites people from every place and nation into his Kingdom.
3. Only those who truly trust and follow Jesus will be saved.
4. There will be a great feast in God’s Kingdom for his people.
5. The door to God’s Kingdom will not stay open forever, so it is wise to come to Jesus now.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for teaching us about your Kingdom. Help us to follow you with our whole hearts and share your love with others. Amen.

ELL Resources for the Gospel of Luke

More ELL Resources

You can find more Bible lessons for English learners on the main ELL page.

Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version- Second Edition Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.