Opening Activity

Follow the Leader Game

• Do different actions and ask the children to follow what you do e.g. clapping, jumping, dancing e.t.c

Bible Story

• As Jesus was walking along the Sea of Galilee, He saw a man named Simon and his brother Andrew. Andrew and Simon were fishermen. They were throwing nets into the sea, trying to catch fish. Can you pretend to catch fish in the sea?

• Jesus called out to Simon and Andrew, “Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men!”

• Now what is a fisher of men? Does anyone have any idea what Jesus meant? Jesus meant that instead of catching fish, they would begin to proclaim the Good News and invite people to repent of their sins, believe in Jesus, and follow Him. It would be like catching people instead of catching fish.

• So, Jesus said “Simon and Andrew, Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men!” Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and
  followed Jesus. I wonder how many of us will be quick to stop what we are doing just to follow Jesus.

• When Jesus, Simon, and Andrew had gone a little farther, Jesus saw James and his brother John. What do you think they were doing? (Fishing!) They were getting ready to fish too. As James and John were preparing their nets, Jesus called out to them to come and follow Him. They also left everything behind and followed Jesus just like Simon and Andrew!

• Why do you think these men knew they should obey and follow Jesus? God gave these men the desire to obey Jesus!

• Jesus calls each of us to obey and follow Him too. Even though He is not here as a human anymore, we can still follow Him as our King and be a part of His kingdom! If we have the choice, usually we choose wrong and sin. But God can give us hearts that want to follow Him!

• How can follow and obey Jesus? We can follow Jesus through reading His Word, memorizing His Word, going to church, praying, and loving Him with all of hearts, souls, and minds.

• We can also follow and obey Jesus by looking to Him as an example. In the game Follow the Leader, you followed my actions because I was the leader.

•  Jesus is our leader (our King), and just like you followed me in the game, He wants us to follow and obey His example in things we do each day. We can only follow Jesus’ example when we know who He is, what He did, and what He has taught us.

•  What are some things you know about Jesus that we can follow? (Examples: loving all people, kindness, obedience, knowing Scripture, telling other people the Gospel, etc.)

Questions

1. What should you do if your parents sends you to the shop?
   a. Refuse to go
   b. Tell them you are tired
   c. Run to the shop
2.  What does Jesus want us to do?
   a. Follow him
   b. Play
   c. Go to school
3. James and John were sons of?
   a. Micah
   b. Andrew
   c. Zebedee
4. What were Simon and Andrew doing when Jesus called them?
   a. Eating
   b. Fishing