Strange Fishing
Children's sermon
The Giant Book Of Children's Sermons
Matthew To Revelation
Object: a badminton net
Good morning, boys and girls. I read in the Bible today that Jesus said he was going to make people like Peter and John fish for other people. Do you know what that means? (let them answer) I think it means that they would catch people just like they caught fish.
Did you know that Peter and his brother Andrew, and also James and John were fishermen? That was their job and they were pretty good at it. Every morning they would get in their boats and go out on the lake to catch fish and bring them home to sell. Some days they would catch a lot, and some days they would catch very few. There are not many people who still fish the way they did in those days.
But can you imagine catching people in a net like you catch fish? Do you think that this is what Jesus meant when he said that he would make them fish for people? (let them answer)
Let's suppose that this is what he meant. I have a big net here and I am going to catch some boys and girls. (take the net and throw it over the children) Now, what do I do with you? I don't think this is what Jesus meant.
What Jesus did mean was that he was going to teach the disciples about God's love, so that they could teach other people. Jesus wanted the disciples to learn as much as they could from him so that, when they began teaching other people about God, those people would also become disciples of Jesus as well. That is what Jesus meant. He didn't want to catch people in a net. He wanted to make them disciples. But he knew that Peter and John would understand him better if he told them that they were going to stop catching fish and instead start "catching" people.
Jesus would like to make you fishers of people also. He wants all of his disciples to look for ways to teach people about the wonderful things that God can do for us. If people are going to learn about God, they must first be "caught," or spoken to, by other people like you and me.
Maybe the next time you see a big net, you will remember the time that Jesus told Peter how he was going to make him a fisher of people, and what that really means. I hope you remember also to be a fisher and to teach someone about the good things that God does for you.
Good morning, boys and girls. I read in the Bible today that Jesus said he was going to make people like Peter and John fish for other people. Do you know what that means? (let them answer) I think it means that they would catch people just like they caught fish.
Did you know that Peter and his brother Andrew, and also James and John were fishermen? That was their job and they were pretty good at it. Every morning they would get in their boats and go out on the lake to catch fish and bring them home to sell. Some days they would catch a lot, and some days they would catch very few. There are not many people who still fish the way they did in those days.
But can you imagine catching people in a net like you catch fish? Do you think that this is what Jesus meant when he said that he would make them fish for people? (let them answer)
Let's suppose that this is what he meant. I have a big net here and I am going to catch some boys and girls. (take the net and throw it over the children) Now, what do I do with you? I don't think this is what Jesus meant.
What Jesus did mean was that he was going to teach the disciples about God's love, so that they could teach other people. Jesus wanted the disciples to learn as much as they could from him so that, when they began teaching other people about God, those people would also become disciples of Jesus as well. That is what Jesus meant. He didn't want to catch people in a net. He wanted to make them disciples. But he knew that Peter and John would understand him better if he told them that they were going to stop catching fish and instead start "catching" people.
Jesus would like to make you fishers of people also. He wants all of his disciples to look for ways to teach people about the wonderful things that God can do for us. If people are going to learn about God, they must first be "caught," or spoken to, by other people like you and me.
Maybe the next time you see a big net, you will remember the time that Jesus told Peter how he was going to make him a fisher of people, and what that really means. I hope you remember also to be a fisher and to teach someone about the good things that God does for you.
