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After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Activity: In this message we are going to ask the children to make the choice to follow someone or not follow them. You have choices for how you have them respond. You might simply ask them to stand up if they want to follow and sit down if they do not want to follow. Or you could create signs for each child that have “FOLLOW” on one side and “NOT FOLLOW” on the other side and have them hold up the sign they want. For young, pre-reader children, you might create signs with pictures instead of words, like someone standing and someone sitting. Or you can create your own way of having them respond. The overall goal is to have the children act out their choice in some visible way.

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Hi everyone! (Let them respond.) I have a game I’d like us to play today, okay? (Let them respond.) Are you ready to play? (Let them respond.) Great!

One day, Jesus was walking around by the lake and saw a couple of guys fishing. One of them was Simon and the other was his brother Andrew. Jesus stopped and talked to them for a little bit. When he was getting ready to leave, Jesus looked at Simon and Andrew and said, “Follow me.” What do you think they did? (Let them respond.) Simon and Andrew put down their fishing nets and followed Jesus. They were his first disciples.

Then they all walked a little further along the lake and saw two more fishermen, one called James and his brother John. Jesus stopped and talked to them for a while and then asked them to follow him. What do you think James and John did? (Let them respond.) Yep, they got out of their boats and followed him, too.

I’ve always wondered why those fishermen left their nets and boats and followed Jesus like that. You know, I’ve had people have ask me to follow them and sometimes it has been pretty hard to decide if I really wanted to follow them or not. Have you ever had that happen? (Let them respond.) Sometimes I’m not sure I want to go where they are going and do what they want me to do.

There are a lot of people who want us to follow them and do what they want us to do, aren’t there? And it doesn’t matter how old you are because adults have the same problem trying to decide who to follow and who not to follow.

I have a game I’d like to play that might help us decide who we want to follow. It’s easy to play. I will pretend to be someone who wants you to follow them. I’ll say something they might say, and then you decide if you think they are someone you really want to follow. If you think you would go with them, stand up or hold up your “Follow” sign. If you would not follow them and do what they want you to do, stay sitting down or hold up your “Not Follow” sign. Ok? (Let them respond.) Great! Let’s play.

Here is the first one: “Hey, look at this! I saw a lady drop this five-dollar bill and I got it before anyone else saw it. Let’s go to the store and buy some candy with it!”

Would you follow that person or not follow that person? (Let them respond.) I don’t think I want to follow them because it wasn’t their money, was it? And maybe that lady really needs the money. What do you think they should do with that money? (Let them respond.)

Here is the next one: “Hey, I just found somebody’s keys in the hallway. Let’s go give them to the principal so they can find out who’s they are and get them back to them.”

Would you follow that person or not follow that person? (Let them respond.) Yes, I think I would follow that person, wouldn’t you?  Whoever lost those keys probably really needs them don’ they? (Let them respond.)

Here’s one more: “I need your help. I didn’t do my math homework last night. I told the teacher I did it, but told her I lost it on the way to school, and need you to tell the teacher you saw it before I lost it, okay?”

Would you follow that person or not follow that person? (Let them respond.) No, I don’t think I want to follow that person. What do they want you to do? (Let them respond.) Yes, they want you to lie to the teacher. I don’t think that is a very smart thing to do, do you? (Let them respond.)

Now I have a question for you. How did you decide if you wanted to follow these people or not? I think I know how the fishermen made their decision to follow Jesus. The story says that when Jesus talked with them, he told them “Good News” instead of “Bad News.” He told them about things that were good for everyone, no matter who they were.

Now, remember the person who wanted to keep the five dollars? Was that “Good News” or “Bad News?” (Let them respond.) It sure would have been “Bad News” for the lady who lost her money wouldn’t it? And the person who wanted you to lie to the teacher; was that “Good News” or “Bad News?” (Let them respond.) It sure would have been “Bad News” if the teacher found out you lied, wouldn’t it? (Let them respond.) Lying is “Bad News” for sure. And was it “Good News” or “Bad News” when the person found the keys and wanted you to help get them back to the owner? (Let them respond.) I’ll bet it was really “Good News” for the person who had lost their keys, wasn’t it? (Let them respond.)

The four fishermen decided to follow Jesus because he talked to them about some really “Good News” for everyone. And that’s a good way for us to decide if we are going to follow someone or not follow them. Is what they are wanting us to do “Good News” or “Bad News?”

We follow Jesus because he tells us the really “Good News” that God loves us very much and wants us to love and take care of each other.

Let’s say a prayer to ask God to help us remember that “Good News” and ask God to help us always make the right choices about who we will follow.

Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us. Please help us remember the “Good News” that you love us and help us remember to let everyone around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.