Fishing for people
Children's sermon
Object:
a fishing pole with something other than a fish attached
to the end (in this example it is an old boot)
(Begin with the fishing gear in plain sight and the boot
hidden.) Good morning! How many of you like to fish? (Let them
answer.) I see that some of you do indeed enjoy fishing. Would
you want to tell me something about your last fishing trip? (Let
them answer. If there is time let the children elaborate on
their fishing experiences.) I see that you enjoy fishing and
have done it some.
Today's reading from the Bible is about a fishing trip.
Several of the people went fishing often because they were
fishermen. That is how they earned their money. Fishing was a
job for them. So when they went fishing, it was important that
they catch something. This time, however, they didn't catch
anything -- even though they had fished all night long! But
Jesus told them to go out into the deeper waters and let down
their nets and they would catch fish. Peter, one of the
fishermen, tried to explain that they hadn't caught anything.
Nevertheless, they obeyed Jesus. And what happened? (Let them
answer.) They caught lots of fish! They caught so many that
their nets were beginning to break.
Peter and the other fishermen were so amazed at all the fish
they caught that they were frightened. Jesus told them something
very interesting: "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be
catching people." And the fishermen became followers of Jesus.
We call those followers "disciples."
We are also fishers of people. We do what we can to bring
people into God's kingdom. For Peter and the other disciples, it
was like they were fishing for the wrong thing on the lake that
day. (Here pull up the old boot on the end of your line.) But
Jesus told them what they would be fishing for from that time on.
And, since we are also "disciples," we fish for people too!
Dear Jesus: Help us do everything we can to bring people into
your kingdom. Amen.
hidden.) Good morning! How many of you like to fish? (Let them
answer.) I see that some of you do indeed enjoy fishing. Would
you want to tell me something about your last fishing trip? (Let
them answer. If there is time let the children elaborate on
their fishing experiences.) I see that you enjoy fishing and
have done it some.
Today's reading from the Bible is about a fishing trip.
Several of the people went fishing often because they were
fishermen. That is how they earned their money. Fishing was a
job for them. So when they went fishing, it was important that
they catch something. This time, however, they didn't catch
anything -- even though they had fished all night long! But
Jesus told them to go out into the deeper waters and let down
their nets and they would catch fish. Peter, one of the
fishermen, tried to explain that they hadn't caught anything.
Nevertheless, they obeyed Jesus. And what happened? (Let them
answer.) They caught lots of fish! They caught so many that
their nets were beginning to break.
Peter and the other fishermen were so amazed at all the fish
they caught that they were frightened. Jesus told them something
very interesting: "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be
catching people." And the fishermen became followers of Jesus.
We call those followers "disciples."
We are also fishers of people. We do what we can to bring
people into God's kingdom. For Peter and the other disciples, it
was like they were fishing for the wrong thing on the lake that
day. (Here pull up the old boot on the end of your line.) But
Jesus told them what they would be fishing for from that time on.
And, since we are also "disciples," we fish for people too!
Dear Jesus: Help us do everything we can to bring people into
your kingdom. Amen.
