Large Group Game Name of the Game MAGNA-FISH Luke 5:1-11. Jesus Calls the First Disciples. What to say: God wants us to cast our nets and draw our friends to Jesus. and hockey seasons begin. It s the time of year when we go back to school and Directions start Directions: a new year. It s the time of the year when the temperatures drop, when the leaves change 1. Split colors, the and room we start into anticipate teams (smaller three very services exciting holidays: can be Halloween, split into 2 teams, larger services can be split into 2-4 teams) 2. They will have 3 minutes (let a whole song play) for their team to catch as many fish as they can. Once the first player catches a fish, place it into their team bucket and pass the rod to the next person in line In many places harvest is a time of celebration, marked by harvest festivals and As we move into the fall season, we re going to enjoy a fall festival of our own. We re going to take a stroll down the midway, and we re going to stop to play a few games along the way. If you haven t guessed, today s game is one of the easiest to play: the 3. They will have 3 minutes (let a whole song play) for their team to catch as many fish as they can. Once the first player catches a fish, place it into their team bucket and pass the rod to the next needed. person You pay in your lineticket or your dollar, you cast your line over the curtain, and you reel in a prize. Everyone gets a prize, and everyone is a winner. 4. The team with the most fish at the end of the game in their bucket wins! Real fishing isn t nearly as easy as the fishing game, and neither is the kind of fishing Jesus talks about in today s scripture. Real fishing takes time and patience. But real
Intro to Bible Story: The fall is an exciting time of year for many reasons. Fall is the time of year when base- Kids will ball be gets encouraged exciting to bring as we their head friends into to the church World to hear Series. the good Fall is news also of when Jesus. football, basket- ball, and hockey seasons begin. It s the time of year when we go back Luke to 5:1-11. school Jesus and Calls start the a First new Disciples. year. It s the time of the year when the temperatures drop, when the leaves change colors, and we start to anticipate three very exciting holidays: Halloween, we and move hockey into seasons the fall begin. season, It s the we re time going of year to when enjoy we go a fall back festival to school of and our own in As Fresh start a Start new year. Kids! It s Along the time the of way, the year we re when going the temperatures to stop to play drop, a when few the games. leaves Today s game change is..(drumroll colors, and we start please!) to anticipate The fishing three very game!! exciting holidays: Halloween, The fishing game is one of the easiest games to play. In fact there s not really any needed. In many places When harvest you play is a time this of game celebration, at a festival, marked you by harvest pay your festivals ticket and or your skill dollar, fall festivals you cast filled your with rides, line food, into the and pool, lots of and games. you reel in a prize. Everyone gets a prize, and everyone is a winner. Real going fishing to take isn t a stroll nearly down as the easy midway, as the and fishing we re going game, to stop and to neither play a few is games the kind of along the way. If you haven t guessed, today s game is one of the easiest to play: the fishing Jesus talks about in today s scripture. Real fishing takes time and patience. But real fishing is rewarding when it pays off, and the kind of fishing Jesus wants us The to fishing do game even is more one of so. the easiest games to play. In fact there s not really any skill needed. You pay your ticket or your dollar, you cast your line over the curtain, and you We re reel in going a prize. to Everyone read a gets story a prize, in Luke and to everyone see what is a Jesus winner. says about fishing but not the kind you might be thinking of! READ Luke 5:1-11
Main Point What did Jesus ask to borrow from the fishermen? A boat! That wasn t by accident. Jesus had a plan for the men in the boat, and he had something to show them.the fishermen told Jesus that they had been out on the water all night, and they had no luck catching any fish. But did they do what Jesus asked Luke 5:1-11. them Jesus to do? Calls Yes! the First With Disciples. Jesus in the boat, they pulled in a larger catch than any of them had ever seen! and hockey It wasn t seasons just begin. so It s the the men time could of year go when home we go after back to their school long, and fishermen? start a new year. It s the time of the year when the temperatures drop, when the leaves change colors, and we start to anticipate three very exciting holidays: Halloween, Why do you think Jesus perform this miracle? Why did he do this for these unsuccessful days. It was because Jesus had bigger fish to catch, and he wanted the fishermen to be a part of that. These fishermen - Peter, Andrew, James, and John - became the first disciples he called. They would later become leaders in his church, spreading throughout the world to be fishers men. In many places harvest is a time of celebration, marked by harvest festivals and of Jesus is calling to us through this story to follow in their footsteps. Jesus isn t telling going to us take all a to stroll go down out the onto midway, the water and we re and going fish to for stop real to play fish a is few he? games No! He is talking along the about way. If the you haven t people guessed, in our today s lives that game don t is one come of the to easiest church. to play: Our the friends, teachers, even family members. He wants us to invite our friends to come to church with us, just like these fishermen cast their nets to catch real fish. He wants needed. us You to pay share your the ticket good or your news dollar, that you he cast has your come line over to the be curtain, our Savior. and you He wants us reel to in be a prize. fishers Everyone of men. gets a prize, and everyone is a winner.
Relate Back to Kids A lot of Christians like to look over this passage. They look at the story of the fishermen and they think, Well, that s about them, but it s not about me. I just don t have the gift for sharing the good news with others. Luke 5:1-11. Jesus Calls the First Disciples. Sometimes talking about God with your friends might be hard. You might be a little scared of what they will say. But guess what, before he left Earth, he told all his followers to go and preach the gospel. Being fishers of men is everyone s responsibility. And overtime you talk to someone about God or invite one of your friends to church, God is right there to help you! and hockey seasons begin. It s the time of year when we go back to school and start a new year. It s the time of the year when the temperatures drop, when the leaves change colors, and we start to anticipate three very exciting holidays: Halloween, It may take a while for a friend to respond to that invitation, just as it takes time to get a fish to bite on your line, but when your friend says yes, that s when Jesus does his part. By bringing your friends to church, you give them a chance to hear about Jesus. If they hear about him, they have the opportunity to receive him as their Savior. And when a friend receives In many places harvest is a time of celebration, marked by harvest festivals and going to take a stroll down the midway, and we re going to stop to play a few games along Jesus... the way. let me If you tell haven t you, guessed, there is today s no greater game is feeling one of the than easiest that! to play: the You can win some cool prizes at the fishing game at the fall festival, but the real prize is right here. It s in God s Word, and it s free to all who will receive it. As we continue this series on fall festivals, let me encourage all of you to cast your nets, and bring your friends. Ask someone tomorrow. Ask your parents to give your friend a ride. Make it a point to find someone to come needed. You pay your ticket or your dollar, you cast your line over the curtain, and you reel in a prize. Everyone gets a prize, and everyone is a winner. fishing with you is rewarding next week. when it pays off, and the kind of fishing Jesus wants us to do is