Luke 5:4-8, New International Reader's Version

⁴When he finished speaking, he turned to Simon. Jesus said, “Go out into deep water. Let down the nets so you can catch some fish.”

⁵Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and caught nothing. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

⁶When they had done so, they caught a large number of fish. There were so many that their nets began to break. ⁷So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

⁸When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord!” he said. “I am a sinful man!”

Objects:

Bring some fishing supplies to use as props. Don’t use a pole, as the story will refer to nets. If you have the song “Following the Leader” from the Walt Disney movie Peter Pan available, use the sound system in the church to play it or bring an old-fashioned “boom box” and play a CD. (Be sure to play only the first verse and chorus, as the second verse has some inappropriate phrasing.)

Message:

What amazing things have you seen recently? (Allow children to share an amazing story. Be prepared for a variety of responses.) Wow! Those are some pretty amazing stories.

Today’s Bible story involves an amazing story, a lot of fish, and following the leader. Have you ever sung the song, “Following the Leader”? It’s from the Walt Disney movie Peter Pan. I remember from my childhood, the song that went like this:

Following the leader, the leader, the leader
We're following the leader.
Wherever he may go.

Tee dum, tee dee, a teedle ee do tee day
“Following the Leader” lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company
(See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D-otI-JZ-0. Just use the verses above from the song, as other words are dated and inappropriate.)

Simon Peter was an expert at catching fish. He was a good fisherman. It was his job. It’s what he did. To be a good fish catcher in those days, you had to be pretty strong. When Simon Peter went fishing, he didn’t use a fishing pole, as some of you may have done. In those days, fishermen would lift a heavy net and throw it off the side of the boat and into the water. They used their muscles to pull the net back into the boat.

Let’s pretend that we are fishing with Simon Peter. Everyone stand up! (Get the children to stand up.) Cast your net into the water. (Pantomime you are throwing a “net” into the water. Get children to help “cast” their nets.) Now, everyone together, PULL! Let’s pull the net back into the boat! (Pantomime a pulling motion mimicking the net being pulled onboard.). How many fish are in your net? (Allow children to answer.) Wow! That’s a lot of fish.

Imagine if you didn’t catch any fish and your net is empty. Then you have to go through this again, and again, and again (becoming more disheartened as you say it).

On this particular night, Simon Peter and the others had been fishing all night. Guess how many fish they caught throughout that entire night? (Allow children to guess.) They didn’t catch a single fish all night long! Not one fish.

But then Jesus told Simon Peter to put his nets into the water one more time. I wonder how Simon Peter felt because he was exhausted from spending all night throwing the net into the water, pulling it in, and then throwing the net into the water again. (As you talk, pantomime the net being cast and pulled back in.) Simon Peter didn’t think it was going to work. But he let his net down anyway, and something amazing happened. Do any of you know what happened? (Allow children to answer.) That’s right; the nets were so full of fish that they began to break. The boats were so full of fish that they started to sink. Can you imagine the nets breaking and the boats sinking from the number of fish? All because Jesus told him to lower his nets. Simon Peter had never caught so many fish in his whole life.

(At this point, if any children earlier stated that they had caught a considerable number of fish, you can point out that this was an even larger amount.).

At first, Peter was frightened. He told Jesus to go away, so that he could go back to his old life of catching fish. Peter wanted to return to his life that was familiar and where he felt comfortable. But, deep down, Peter knew after this encounter with Jesus that his life was going to be about more than just catching lots of fish.

When Jesus told him to leave his old life of catching fish behind and to follow him, Simon Peter did just that. He decided that following Jesus was what mattered more than anything else. The most important thing in his life, Simon Peter discovered would be found in following Jesus. Jesus gave Simon Peter the courage he needed to follow him.

It must have been hard for Simon Peter to drop everything in his life and follow Jesus, making Jesus the most important part of his life. I love how the Bible stresses that Simon Peter, immediately, left everything and followed Jesus. For he knew instantly that he should be following the leader. Peter began to follow the leader wherever he may go.

(Begin to sing the song “Following the Leader” again.)

Following the leader, the leader, the leader
We're following the leader.
Wherever he may go.

That song reminds me of a hymn in The United Methodist Hymnal (UMH 593), “Here I Am Lord.” (Sing the refrain.)

Refrain: Here I am, Lord. Is it I Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I wonder if Jesus is calling you to follow him. I wonder what you might have done if Jesus had asked you to follow him. Would you be afraid? Would you feel the need to ask someone else for advice? Would you instantly leave everything behind and immediately follow Jesus? I wonder if you have heard his voice calling in the night. Will you go? Will you go if he leads you? Jesus is the leader you should follow in your life wherever he may lead you.

Prayer:

Here I am Lord. Lead me, guide me, show me the way throughout my life. Give me the courage to follow you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Between the Sundays: Family Conversation Starters

We have added conversation starters to each children’s message series to help spark conversations within families during the week. We encourage families to use these questions to guide them through conversations and subject matter discussed during the worship service, including the children’s messages on Sundays. These conversations will reinforce learning and nurture faith formation for the entire family.

How do you think Simon Peter felt when Jesus asked him and the others to cast their nets on the other side of the boat? How do you feel when someone who cares for you asks you to do something that you have already tried to do several times? Do you do it reluctantly or graciously?
Why do you think Simon Peter responded the way he did? Why do you think this series of events frightened him?
Share a moment this week where you may have felt pressured to act or do something that didn’t make much sense at the time. Why did you feel unsure? How did you manage this situation? More importantly, what did you learn from this situation?
Jesus chose regular fishermen instead of highly educated scholars or religious leaders to be his first followers. Discuss as a family why Jesus made that choice. What does that tell you about the type of person God wants to be a part of God’s work in this world? Name five characteristics you possess that you could use to do God’s work in this world.
Either play or sing the hymn “Here I Am, Lord,” The United Methodist Hymnal, 593.

What words from the hymn speak to you the most? Which line of the hymn seems to be the most powerful? The most challenging? The most important?