SESSION 5

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 FISHERS OF MEN
Lesson Goal: To learn that Jesus calls us to follow Him and tell others about Him.

Lesson Summary: So far, we’ve learned how we how we should repent and follow Jesus. In this session, we will
explore what it means to follow Him and share the gospel with others.

Memory verse: I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19

WELCOME AND PRAYER

Review the previous sessions.

GAME: WHO IS THE LEADER

Game Type: Strategy
Age: Any
Number of Teams: None
Playing Area: Indoor
Equipment or Supplies: None
Object of Game: To identify who is the leader in the group

How to Play: Sit children in a circle.

Directions:
1. Choose one child who will become the guesser. They should be taken out of the room.
2. Next choose one child who will be the leader. All the other children in the room should copy
whatever that child does.
3. The guesser is then brought back into the room and stands in the middle of the circle.
4. The leader must then try to switch actions without being spotted.
5. The guesser has three attempts to find out who the leader could be.
6. Repeat by allowing other children to become the leader and guesser.

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 GAME: FISH A CHALLENGE
Game type: Challenge.

Number of teams: Two or more

Playing area: Indoors or Outdoors

Equipment and supplies needed: A stick, a piece of yarn, a magnet, and fish flash cards numbered 1-6.

Objective of game: Pick a fish and complete the challenge.

HOW TO PLAY:

Preparation: Create a fishing pole using a string with a magnet tied to the end.
Lay fish number side down on the ground.

Directions:

Step 1: Split the children into teams.

Step 2: A child from team A will pick one fish and have to answer the challenge to win a point.
Step 3: Teams take it in turns until all players have picked a fish.
Step 4: Team with the most points at the end win.

Challenge ideas:
1. Whole team must stand on one leg until next turn.
2. Tell everyone a clean joke.
3. Complete a worksheet by your team’s next turn.
4. Whole team must do a funny dance.
5. Act out a charade. Your team has three guesses and must guess the correct answer.
6. Congratulations, no challenge for you.

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 GAME: OBEY THE CAPTAIN
Game type: Listening

Number of teams: None

Playing area: Indoors or Outdoors

Equipment and supplies needed: None

Objective of game: Successfully complete the command of the captain.

HOW TO PLAY:

Preparation: The captain (a leader) should explain the commands and the relative actions that go with
each command to the children. They must be able to understand each command.

"Port" = run to the left side of playing area.

"Starboard" = run to the right side or playing area.
“Hit the deck!” = The crew must immediately drop to their stomachs.
"Climb the rigging" = pretend to climb a rope.
“Scrub the deck!” = The crew must drop to their knees and pretend to scrub the deck.
“Attention on deck!” =- The crew must salute and yell, “Aye, aye, Captain!” No one may move again until
the captain shouts, “At ease!” (Note: you can trick players with this command, as they cannot carry out the
next command unless you first say, “At ease!”

Directions:

Step 1: Begin with a few practice rounds for players to build familiarity with the commands.
Step 2: When ready to play, the captain shouts out a command.

Step 3: The players do the actions associated with the commands.

Step 4: Players that do the wrong action are out.

Step 5: The last player(s) still playing wins.

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 SESSION 5: FISHERS OF MEN
In this session we will learn what it means to follow Jesus and to fish for people. Our text Is found in Luke 5:1-11. Some
of the key points we will study are--
 Jesus wants us to follow Him.
 Jesus calls us to tell others about Him.

Lesson Guide:
Ask the child if they know what an apostle and / or a disciple is. Explain that Jesus selected twelve men to teach who
would in turn take His message to others. Talk about Peter and Andrew and explain that they were fishermen. Explain
that they earned their living by going out on boats, throwing nets into the water, and catching fish. If you wish, you
may select a video online to show the child what fishermen do.
Ask the child if they have ever tried and failed to do something. Talk about how the fishermen had tried all night to
catch some fish. Think about how tired and discouraged they must have been. Either reflect on or select a task at your
child’s level that they have not yet learned how to do. Ask them to do it. As they try, point out that they are getting
tired and discouraged just like the fishermen. Point out that they might stop after failing. Speak about a time you were
frustrated and wanted to give up. Ask them if they would want to try again because a stranger told them to do so.
Point out that even though Peter was tired and thought he knew better, he chose to trust Jesus. Talk about how we
should always trust Jesus, no matter how we may feel.
Share how when Peter trusted Jesus and was a miraculous catch. Following this miracle, Jesus invited the fishermen
to leave their business fishing behind and to become His disciples and ‘fish for people’.
Talk about good news. You may use the surprise they just received as an example or select something else about which
your child is excited. Think about how people always want to share good news with others. You may even think about
ways people do so such as wedding announcements or photos of new babies. Ask the child if they would like to keep
something exciting a secret, and if it would be hard to do so.
Remind children again what they’ve learned in the past session. God made a perfect world, but people choose to sin.
That sin means that we are separated from God. Like the flood with Noah, God has to judge sin, but God has provided
a way of salvation. In Jesus we can be safe. Like Jonah, we need to repent, turn from our sin and put out faith in God.
Then like the Israelites were rescued from Egypt, God will resource us, guide us and protect us for all eternity.
What wonderful news. The gospel ‘good news’ is so wonderful we shouldn’t keep it a secret to ourselves, but we
should share it with others.
Point out that we are in possession of very good news. We know that Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Remind your child that we should be telling everyone this exciting news.
Give a brief history of the disciple’s ministry in the early church. Talk about how through these men following other
and telling others the church grew.
Think of what it means to be a fisher of men and how the children can share Jesus with their friends, family and those
around them.
Pray and thank Jesus that we can trust Him. Ask Him to help you always follow Him.

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 FISHERS OF MEN

Simon and Andrew were two brothers.

After a long night of fishing, they caught nothing.
Simon and Andrew were busy sorting their nets, when they heard Jesus
teaching people nearby.
More and more people came to listen to Jesus.
Jesus asked Simon if he would take him out a little in his boat, so that he could
speak to all the people.
When Jesus finished teaching the people, He asked Peter to go fishing.
Simon didn’t think this made any sense. He had fished all night and caught
nothing, but because Jesus asked him, he did it.
Jesus told Simon to throw the net over the other side of the boat.
He caught so many fish, He had to call his friends to come and help.
When they arrived back on Land, Jesus invited the fishermen to leave their
boats behind and follow Him.
Jesus told them, it was time to fish for people and share God’s love with them.
Straight away, the fishermen left everything behind to follow Jesus.

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 FISHERS OF MEN – SCRIPT
Narrator: It was very early in the morning and the fishermen were busy sorting the fish they
caught. Some of the fish were good and others were too small and so were thrown back into the
sea.

A young boy named Ethan, sat listening to the men in the boat nearby as they worked.

(Fred, Peter, and Andrew sorting their fish)

Fred: Which part of fishing do you like best?

Peter: I like putting the bait in the net and getting it ready for the fish to come inside.

Narrator: Fred, being an older gentleman, had been a fisherman a lot longer than the two young
brothers, Peter and Andrew. But they all had one thing in common, fishing was not a hobby, it was
their job.

Andrew: I like that too Peter, but my favorite must be pulling in the net when it is full of fish.
(Makes a pulling motion as if he is pulling up such a net)

Fred: (Rubs his beard thoughtfully) I for one like waiting for the fish to come into the net.

Peter: (Looks puzzled) But all we do is sit and wait for them.

Andrew: And sometimes we don’t even catch anything. So how do you feel then?

Fred: Not too happy. But, we all know that fishing takes time and we have to be very patient.

(Peter and Andrew nod their heads in agreement)

Narrator: They both agreed Fred was right. Fishing was hard work and they had to spend many
nights away from home in order to catch any fish.

Ethan heard all they said. He wanted so badly to be a fisherman just like Peter when he grew up.
He loved listening to Peter tell all his interesting stories of adventures out at sea.

(Fred, Peter, and Andrew work silently for a moment)

Fred: Hey, have you boys heard the news about Nathaniel?

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Andrew: I don’t believe so… What news?

Fred: He told his father that he was thinking of becoming a disciple of Jesus.

Narrator: Now this really grabbed Ethan’s attention. He knew that a disciple was someone who
went around with a teacher, learning from him and wanting to be just like him.

Andrew: You mean he is planning to leave everything to follow Jesus?

Peter: Nathaniel must be crazy. That is a big and serious decision to make.

Narrator: Peter and Andrew had already met Jesus Christ. They found His teachings interesting
and were even thinking that He could possibly be the Messiah. But they were busy fishermen and
were only able to follow Him around after work.

(Ethan acts out what is said next)

Narrator: Ethan gathered up his fish and went along the shore towards home. He too had heard
about Jesus and His miracles, and the villagers talked a lot about Him. Ethan wished he could meet
Jesus for himself.
As he walked along, he saw a Man coming toward him and He gave Ethan the kindest smile he had
ever seen and when he looked into the Man’s face, it was full of love.

Ethan: (Stops walking and says to himself) Who was He…?

(Ethan turns around and follows the Man)

Narrator: The Man went toward the boat where Peter, Andrew, and Fred were almost finished
sorting the fish.

(Peter looks up and notices Him, then says to himself)

Peter: What could Jesus be doing here so early in the morning… Maybe He wants fish?

Ethan: (Standing a little way off with wide eyes) Wow! I can’t believe it. It’s...Jesus!

Narrator: Jesus preached to the people from Peter’s boat. When He is finished, Jesus and the
fishermen set sail for the deep waters. They soon return with boats full of fish. So full, they are
almost sinking.

Jesus: Peter, Andrew, I want to ask you something.

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Peter and Andrew: (They look at Jesus surprised) Us?

Jesus: (In a gentle tone) How would the two of you like to become fishers of men?

Andrew: (Has a puzzled look) Fishers...of men?

Jesus: Yes, like you spend your time looking for fish, I want you to spend it looking for people to
come into My kingdom.

Peter: But how can I do this, Jesus? I don’t know how to catch men.

Jesus: If you follow Me, I will teach you everything you need to know.

(Peter and Andrew look at each other)

Narrator: Peter and Andrew didn’t know what to say. Jesus was asking them to give up everything
they knew and follow Him. Immediately, all the reasons why they couldn’t do it came to their
minds. But something in Peter’s heart told him differently.

Peter: Come on, Andrew. Let’s follow Jesus. (Turns to Fred) I am sorry Fred, but we need to go.

Narrator: Before Fred could say anything, they jumped down off the boat and began following
Jesus. Ethan stood watching in amazement. Then he saw Jesus go to another boat which belonged
to Mr. Zebedee. Jesus said something to his two sons, James, and John, and they too left their
fishing boat and followed Jesus.

Now for the second time, Ethan set off for home. He was so happy! He had actually seen Jesus
Christ, face to face. Maybe he couldn’t become a fisherman until he grew up, but he could be a
fisher of men right now!

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 FISHERS OF MEN – STORY
It was very early in the morning. The fishermen were busy sorting the fish they caught. Some of the fish
were good and others were too small and so were thrown back into the sea.
Ethan was listening to the men in the boat near him talk as they worked.
“Which part of fishing do you like best?” asked Fred, an older man with a thick beard.
Peter immediately answered, “I like putting the bait in the net and getting it ready for the fish to come
inside.”
He was tall, had big muscles and his hair was reddish brown hair. He and his brother Andrew were
fishermen. It wasn’t a hobby, it was their job.
“I like pulling in the net when it is full of fishes,” said his brother Andrew.
“I like waiting for the fish to come into the net,” said Fred.
“But all we do is sit and wait for them,” said Peter.
“And sometimes we catch nothing. So how do you feel then?” Andrew asked.
“Not too happy.” said Fred. “But, we all know that fishing takes time and we have to be very patient.”
They knew that this was true. Fishing was hard work and they had to spend many nights away from their
home to catch the fish.
Ethan heard all they said. He too wanted to be a fisherman like Peter when he grew up. Ethan liked
listening to him. Peter always had an interesting story to tell about his adventures at sea.
The men worked quietly for a while. Then Fred spoke again.
“Hey, have you heard the news about Nathaniel?” he asked.
“What news?” asked Andrew.

“He told his father that he was thinking of becoming a disciple of Jesus.”
Ethan knew that a disciple was someone who went around with a teacher, learning from him and wanting
to be just like him.
“You mean that he is planning to leave everything to follow Jesus?” Andrew asked.
“He must be crazy,” said Peter. “That is such a serious thing to do.”
Peter and Andrew had already met Jesus Christ. They found his teachings interesting. They were even
thinking that he could possibly be the Messiah.
But they were fishermen and could only follow him around after work. They were always so busy.
Ethan gathered up his fish and went along the shore towards home. He too had heard about Jesus and his
miracles. The villagers talked a lot about Jesus. Ethan wished he could meet him.
As Ethan walked along, he saw a man coming toward him and gave him the kindest smiles he had ever
seen and when he looked into the man’s face, it was full of love.
Who was he? Ethan wondered. He turned around and followed the man.

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The man went toward the boat where Peter, Andrew and Fred were almost finished sorting the fish.
Peter was the first one to see the man. “Jesus, what are you doing here?” he asked himself. Did he want
some fish?
“Wow!” Ethan could not believe it. This was Jesus, the man he heard so much about.
Jesus asks to use Peter’s boat. Jesus preached to the people from Peter’s boat. When He is finished, Jesus
and the fishermen set sail for the deep waters. They soon return with boats full of fish. So full, they are
almost sinking.
Jesus said, “Peter, Andrew, I want to ask you something.”
Now Peter and Andrew were really curious. What did Jesus want so early in the morning?
“How would the two of you like to become fishers of men?” Jesus asked in a gentle voice.
“Fishers of men?” asked Andrew, with a puzzled look.
“Yes, like you spend your time looking for fishes, I want you to spend it looking for people to come into my
kingdom.”

Peter quickly asked, “But how can I do this, Jesus? I don’t know how to catch men.”
Jesus replied, “If you follow me I will teach you everything you need to know.”
Peter looked at Andrew and Andrew looked back at Peter. Jesus was asking them to give up everything
they knew and follow him. Immediately, all the reasons why they could not do this came into their minds.
But something in Peter’s heart told him he should follow Jesus.
He said to his brother, “Come on, Andrew, let’s follow Jesus.”
Then turning to Fred who was standing nearby, Peter said, “Sorry, Fred, we need to go.”
Before Fred could say anything, they jumped down off the boat and began following Jesus.
Ethan stood watching in amazement. Then he saw when Jesus went to another boat that belonged to Mr.
Zebedee. Jesus said something to his two sons, James and John, and they too left their father’s boat and
followed Jesus also.
For the second time, Ethan set off for home. He was so happy. He had seen Jesus face to face. Maybe he
could not become a fisherman until he grew up, but he could be a fisher of men right now.

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© 2022 truewaykids.com
© 2022 truewaykids.com
 Matching pairs game
For best results, glue some coloured paper onto the back before cutting so that you cannot see through the card /
paper. Turn cards upside down. Take turns to turn two cards over at a time. If the cards match, the player gets to
keep them.

For older children, you could print two copies and play , 'Go Fish'.

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 Craft: Fisher of Men

What you need:

• Template page on card
• Colouring pencils
• Scissors
• Glue
• Wool
• (Optional) CD

What to do:
• Colour in the template pages. Leave circle blank if using cd.
• Cut out the fish, eye and Bible verse.
• If using a cd glue onto fish
• Make some holes on either side of Bible verse and on mouth.
• Thread Bible verse onto wool and tie to mouth.

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Fish Template

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© 2022 truewaykids.com
I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19
Fishers of Men Fishers of Men
I will make you fishers I will make you fishers
of men. of men.
Matthew 4:19 Matthew 4:19

Fishers of Men Fishers of Men

I will make you fishers I will make you fishers
of men. of men.
Matthew 4:19 Matthew 4:19

Fishers of Men Fishers of Men

I will make you fishers I will make you fishers
of men. of men.
Matthew 4:19 Matthew 4:19

Fishers of Men Fishers of Men

I will make you fishers I will make you fishers
of men. of men.
Matthew 4:19 Matthew 4:19

Fishers of Men Fishers of Men

I will make you fishers I will make you fishers
of men. of men.
Matthew 4:19 Matthew 4:19

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 PRAYER
Pray to conclude the session with the children.

Thank God for the wonderful news of the gospel.

Ask Him to help you to share this good news with others.

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