Jesus Christ and the Fishers of Men Sunday School Lesson

It's important for you to know as a Sunday school teacher that this bible story happened near the beginning of Jesus' ministry. He was only now calling the first of his 12 disciples. This true story happened not long after he was baptized by John the Baptist.

Simon Peter cast out his fishing net just as Jesus said.
Photo: Oxfordian Kissuth, Wikimedia Commons

Fishers of Men Sunday School Lesson

At the beginning of this Sunday school lesson, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John were on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. They had been fishing all night long and their large fishing nets needed to be washed.

You see, these four men were fisherman. It's not like when we go fishing to catch fish. It's not like when mommies or daddies go fishing for the weekend. This was Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John's job. Fishing is how they made money.

Each night, they would go out onto the sea, drop their huge nets into the water and pull the fish back in. The next day, they would take the fish they caught into town to sell them.

On the night when this bible story happened, the four fishermen had worked all night long to catch fish and hadn't caught even one.

As they were working to wash out their fishing nets, Jesus came walking along the shore. He wasn't alone though. Many, many people were following him hoping to hear him teach and to preach.

When Jesus came near Simon Peter's boat, he walked right up to it and stepped inside.


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Song with Lyrics

He told Peter to push his boat out a little ways into the water and Simon Peter obeyed.

That's when Jesus began to teach. He taught all those people sitting in Simon Peter's boat on the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus was finished, he told Simon Peter to take his boat out into the deep water of the sea and let down his net again.

Remember, these men had fished all night long without catching a single fish. They were probably tired and disappointed. They probably didn't want to try again, but because Jesus told him too, Simon Peter obeyed.

When Simon Peter let down his net into the water, the bible tells us that they caught a great multitude of fishes. It was so many their nets began to break. They called the other men on the shore and told them to come and help. When the men arrived in their boats to help, the bible says there was so many fish that both boats were so filled they began to sink.

Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John was so astonished, they realized right then they were standing in the presence of the Messiah.

Jesus told them to not be afraid. He also told them they were to not catch fish anymore.

They were to be fishers of men.

This meant instead of working day in and day out to catch real fish, they were to go out into the world to tell people about Jesus Christ so they might be saved and go to heaven one day.

 

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What We Can Learn from this Sunday School Lesson

 

We learn that just like Simon Peter, we need to obey God in whatever he says to do. Simon Peter could have told Jesus there was no fish in the sea and went about his business. Instead, he obeyed Jesus and caught more fish than ever before.

Sometimes, we may not understand what God needs us to do or why, but we don't have too. We only need to obey because God knows best.

Second, we learn that we are to be fishers of men just like the men in the story.

We should tell everyone about Jesus and how he died on the cross for us. We should let them know they can be saved and go to heaven one day if only they accept Jesus into their hearts.

When we tell others about Jesus, we are being fishers of men.


 

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Fishers of Men - Sunday School Game

Use this fun Sunday school game to teach kids bible verses to go along with the lesson or to reinforce the Sunday school lesson about the Fishers of Men. You can also teach the kids the song "I Will Make You Fishers of Men". It's a cute song for younger kids to learn especially when you use the motions.

Any stick will work to play this Sunday school game.
Photo: Randen Pederson

Sunday School Game

First, you’ll need to prepare several bible verses to hang on the wall or to be printed out for the kids to see.

Gather theses supplies:

• 4 sticks or dowel rods
• 4 pieces of string (about 3 to 4 feet long depending on height of children)
• 8 small magnets
• 8 paper fish
• 4 paper clips
• pencil or pen

Directions for the Sunday School Game:

Write a number on the bible verses (ex: 1, 2, 3 ,4, and so on depending on how many verses you’ve prepared). Next, write a number on each of the fish to go along with the bible verses you've selected. Glue a magnet to the mouth of each fish. Attach the string to the stick to make a fishing pole. Add the paper clip to the bottom of the string to be the hook.

When a child catches a fish, the child will have to find the number on the fish and match it to the bible verse with the same number. They will say the verse two times and get back in line to catch another fish.

You could also print the bible verse on the back of the fish instead of a number.

If you have several helpers, this fishing game will go fast and the kids will be able to catch more fish and in turn say more verses.

Tips:

• We try to use verses for this game that the children are familiar with but do not know by heart.
• Make the game more fun by hanging up a bed sheet in a doorway and let the kids fish over the sheet so they will not know which fish they will catch. Someone can sit on the other side to add the fish to the paper clip.
• Use other things besides fish like paper: boots, seas shells, sharks, bottles, a sunken ship, and so on. You can even add people to the line if you are teaching the Fishers of Men bible story.

May God bless you as you teach children the word of God.

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Fishers of Men Song and Lyrics (Video)

Fishers of Men Song
Photo:
Alex Proimos
Wikimedia Commons

Here is a great song to go along with the Fishers of Men Sunday school lesson. It can be used anytime you need an extra song. We sing it randomly in our Sunday school class and the kids love the motions we've made up.

When we are talking about being 'fishers of men' we pretend like we are holding our fishing rod and casting out the hook. Then, we reel it back in. At the part where it says, 'if you'll follow me' we do a follow me motion.

For the last part, we hold up our hand to one ear to 'hear Christ calling'. And last, we put both hands beside our head like we are sleeping at the 'give you rest' part.

If you need something extra, play the Fishers of Men Game!

Hope you enjoy!

Fishers of Men Song and Lyrics

Be sure to pass this along to anyone you think could use it.
 

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Only a Boy Named David Song for Sunday School (Video)

David and Goliath is an all-time favorite bible story for many. Whether you're telling the story of David and Goliath or not, this is a cute song for your Sunday school class. The video of the song doesn't have the words, so I added them below.

 

It's amazing to think that this young boy, David, not only had the courage to face a giant but he ended up a king. We often have our own giants we face in our daily lives. I know I have. The good news is that we don't have to face them alone. God is with us and he is always on control just as he was in David's life.

 

Only a Boy Named David Song and Lyrics

 

Lyrics

Only a boy named David
Only a little sling
Only a boy named David
But he could pray and sing
Only a boy named David
Only a rippling brook
Only a boy named David
But five little stones he took.

And one little stone went in the sling
And the sling went round and round
And one little stone went in the sling
And the sling went round and round
And round and round
And round and round
And round and round and round
And one little stone went up in the air
And the giant came tumbling down.
 

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Miracles of Jesus - Jesus' First Miracle

In this Sunday school lesson, we are going to be talking about Jesus' first miracle - Jesus turns the water into wine. After Jesus was baptized by John and tempted in the wilderness by Satan, he began calling his disciples.

During this time, he along with his mother was invited to a wedding. Our Sunday school lesson begins here.

Miracles of  Jesus
Sunday School Lessons
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Miracles of Jesus - Water Into Wine

Ask the children, "How many of you have ever been to a wedding?"

Wait for answers.

Weddings today normally last a few hours or, in some cases, the better part of a day. In bible times, weddings would last several days even a week. Those getting married would be in charge of food and drinks for all the guests for all the days the wedding lasted. It must have been a lot of hard work.

At one particular wedding, Jesus was invited. He along with his disciples and his mother attended the wedding.

There must have been quite a few people there because all of the wine the guests were drinking at the wedding had been drank long before the wedding feast was over.

A feast is sort of like a huge party with lots of food and drinks. Today, we would call it the reception.

Mary, Jesus' mother, overheard the servants talking about the wine being gone.

She immediately went to Jesus to tell him so that he could fix the problem. When Mary told him the wine was gone he said, "Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come." (John 2:4 KJV)



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Jesus' First Miracle Maze

 

When Jesus called his mother 'woman', he was doing it out of respect.

Then, Jesus' mother went to the servants. She told them to do whatever Jesus told them to do. (John 2:5 KJV)

Nearby, six very large stone water pots sat. In those days, it was custom to wash your guest's feet. These water pots had held the water the servants had washed the guest's feet with, but now they were empty.



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Jesus told the servants to take the water pots and fill them with water again. The servants did as Jesus
said. They took the pots and filled them up to the brim with water.

Then, a miracle happened. It was Jesus' first miracle that we are told about in the bible. Here is what happened...

Jesus told the servants to dip from the pot and take it to the governor of the feast to drink. The servants did as they were told. When the ruler tasted the water, it wasn't water at all! Jesus had turned it into delicious wine.

The servants, Jesus' mother, and his disciples knew that he had performed a miracle.

This was the first miracle of Jesus, but not the last. While Jesus was here on earth, he perform many, many miracles.






 

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First Miracle of Jesus Maze - FREE Sunday School Activities

Jesus performed many miracles while here on earth. Some included healing the sick and the lame while others involved raising people from the dead and casting evil spirits out of others. All amazing in their own way.

We, as Sunday school teachers, can not only learn a lot from these miracles, but we have the opportunity to teach kids about them too.

Below is a FREE Sunday school activity to use with Jesus' First Miracle Sunday school lesson or you can use it as a time filler for any Sunday school lesson you choose.

Sunday School Activity

(double-click to print)

 

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Book of Judges - Free Coloring Pages for Kids

Here is the book of Judges free coloring page many of you have been wandering about. The book of Judges has many interesting events that happen inside its pages.

It's not just about the judges that lived during that time. It was a time of war - a time when the children of Israel turned to idols. They married the daughters of idol worshipping countries.

The bible tells us in Judges 3:7 KJV,

An the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord,

and forgat the Lord their God,

 

 

Over and over again, the children of Israel turned to idols, then to God, then back to idols. We see in the next chapter of Judges 4:1 KJV,

 

 

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord,

 

 

As long as the children of Israel had a judge, they turned to the Lord. When the judge died, they turned back to idols.

 

You can find more FREE coloring pages for kids and Sunday school lessons on our site. I hope you find what you need to teach the Word of God.

 

Book of Judges Free Coloring Page

 

 

(double-click to print)

 

 

 

 

 



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Book of Joshua - Free Coloring Pages for Kids

The book of Joshua is an amazing book of the bible. Even though many parts of it isn't widely taught for Sunday school lessons, most kids know the bible story and the song "Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho".

Our kids love that song because we march in a circle holding hands and when it comes to the part about the 'walls come tumbling down', we all fall to the ground. I think the kids just like seeing us fall to the ground, but it works and it's fun!

Watch the "Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho" video!

Print more FREE coloring pages for your class!

Book of Joshua - Free Coloring Page for Kids

(double-click to print)

 

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Watch Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho Song and Lyrics

'And the walls came tumbling down..."
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

To go along with the Book of Joshua FREE coloring pages for kids, we wanted to add an extra resource. While this isn't our video, it is a great one for younger kids to watch as it is filled with kids their own age.

The song is played while the kids sing along to the lyrics on the screen. If you want to teach the 'Battle of Jericho' bible story, you can find it in the Book of Joshua chapter 6.

We hope to have this Sunday school lesson up really soon and will link it here when we do. For now, we hope you enjoy the song.

 Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho Song and Lyrics

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Temptation of Jesus Christ | Sunday School Lessons

The temptation of Jesus Christ should be used
as an example to resist temptation using the
Word of God.
Photo: Percita, Wikimedia Commons

Many children don't know that Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil while he lived here on earth.

In Sunday school, kids learn about the many wonderful things that Jesus did while he was here - turning the water into wine, making the blind man see, walking on water, dying on the cross, rising from the dead, and many, many other miracles.

But, not too many teachers teach the temptation of Jesus. I've often wondered why.

This is a great Sunday school lesson to teach kids. Knowing that even Jesus Christ himself was tempted by the devil just as we are each and every day reassures me - I am not alone.

It also gives me a better sense of understanding what I need to do to resist him. Jesus knew the scriptures and used the verses within the scriptures against the devil. We need to learn and teach the scriptures to our class to help them fight the evils of this world too.

Temptation of Jesus Christ Sunday School Lesson

After the baptism of Jesus, he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (Matthew 4:1 KJV). He was in the wilderness forty days and forty nights and the bible tells us that he fasted during that time.

Fasting means to not eat anything.

Ask the kids, "How long have you went without eating?"

Wait for answers.

Many kids will only have gone a few hours while others may have gone a day or two if they have been sick or practice fasting themselves.

It will be hard for young children to imagine not eating forty days. This is okay as long as you get the point across that he was very, very hungry after not eating for so long.

First Temptation of Jesus Christ

The bible tells us that the 'tempter', who is the devil, came to Jesus and said, "If you really are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread so you can eat them.

 

Of course, Jesus could have quickly turned the stones into bread and eaten them because he was so hungry, but he didn't. Instead, he said back to the devil, "Man doesn't live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

Jesus was quoting this scripture from the book of Deuteronomy 8:3 KJV. He meant that bread may keep you alive here on earth, but without God you can't have eternal life. We need to feed our spiritual part too. How do we do that? By coming to church, Sunday school, reading and memorizing the bible, and praying.

Second Temptation of Jesus Christ

Then, the devil took Jesus to the top of the temple. He said to Jesus, "If you really are the Son of God, throw yourself down off this temple. Then, the devil did something that we don't realize he can do - he quoted the scriptures.

He said, "It is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." (Psalm 91:11-12 KJV)

Ask the kids, "Did you know the Devil knew the scriptures?"

Wait for answers.

The devil wanted Jesus to jump or throw himself off the temple then call his angels to catch him so he wouldn't get hurt.

Again, Jesus did not. Instead, he counters the devil with another verse of scripture, "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

Third Temptation of Jesus Christ

The last time Jesus is tempted the devil takes him to a high mountain. He shows him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

The devil says to Jesus, "If you will bow down to me, I will give you all that you see."

Then, Jesus replied, "Get away Satan. For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

The devil left him and the angels came to him.

What We Learn from this Sunday School Lesson

We learn a lot from this Sunday school lesson and it may be hard to teach younger children it all. So, for this lesson we will focus on some important details kids can relate to.

First, when Jesus lived here, he was just like us. He got hungry. He go thirsty. He was tempted to sin. He chose not to sin just like we can choose not to sin. It is a choice and we need to make the right choice.

Second, Jesus knew the scriptures by heart. When faced with doing something he shouldn't, he quoted the verses of scripture to help him through. The devil knows them too.

Third, we need to learn bible verses to help us through each day. Kids may not realize the importance of learning verses and may feel it is too much like 'school'. Don't let that stop you as a teacher. You will just have to find new creative and fun ways to get them learning.

Bible verses can be taught by playing games, having contests, repeating them each time you meet, and many other ways.

Fourth, we are to worship God only.

Fifth, we learn that with God nothing shall be impossible. We need only to lean on him when we are tempted and he will help us through.

Talk to the kids about ways they are tempted in their lives: lying, cheating, stealing, disobeying, or other things your kids may be going through.

Good luck and may God bless you as you teach the word of God.


 

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