The Animated Stories From The New Testament: The Kingdom of Heaven

Thank you Nest Entertainment for sending us this DVD to review!

Even non-believers will acknowledge that Jesus was a good teacher. Through this twenty-five minute DVD, your kids can experience and learn the meaning of the following parables:

• The tares and the wheat (Matt 13:24-30)
• The pearl of great price (Matt 13:45-46)
• The ten virgins (Matt 25:1-13)
• The sower and the seeds (Matt 13:18-23)

As if the parables were not convicting enough, seeing Jesus' audience leaving after being shamed or convicted from the teachings really drove the messages home. Each of the people leaving Jesus' teachings represent the seeds from the sower that went to the wayside (refuses to understand God's word), had shallow roots (left when persecuted), got choked by thorns (put possessions before God) and those that landed in good soil (receives and follows God's word).

Though the animation is a bit dated, it still looks good and you can see some artistic similarities between these and Disney films. The voice acting and singing is well done. The parable of the pearl has its own song about the man gladly selling his possessions. While the song sounds fine, if my kids were to sing it in public, they would get some silly stares.

The best way to get this DVD is in the Animated Passion Trilogy set which is $9.99 + shipping at Nest Entertainment's website or for $19.65 shipped at Amazon.