Fishers of Men

The verse you will be working with your child on this week is Matthew 4:19.

“Come, follow me,’ Jesus said ‘and I will send you out to fish for people. ”

Materials:

• A dowel rod or stick
• a magnet
• construction paper
• scissors
• staples

Directions:

• Attach the string and magnet to the end of the dowel rod or stick
• Cut some construction paper into the shape of fish and put a staple some part of them
• Go over the devotion with your child, and follow the prompt to allow your child to fish
• Say the verse above with your tot.  We suggest that you print the verse off and use it every morning with your calendar time.  If you don’t do calendar time still say the verse each morning with your tot before you begin tot school.

Talk with your child about the following:
This week we are learning all about the polar regions and the animals that live there.  Not many animals are able to live in the cold weather, but penguins and polar bears live there.  Both penguins and polar bears have to find food to eat.  Do you know what type of food they eat?  They eat fish!  They go into the water and go fishing to get food, the same way people sometimes do.  Would you like to go fishing with me?  Okay, lets try and catch some fish. 

That was kind of fun, huh?  When Jesus started to talk to people about God he looked for some very special people to help him.  The special people are called disciples, and they are Jesus’ very good friends.  Some of Jesus’  first friends were fishermen, and they fished the same way we tried to, except they caught REAL fish.  When Jesus saw them fishing he told them to come with him and he would teach them to fish for people!  That sounds kind of funny, doesn’t it?  Now, Jesus didn’t mean that he would teach His friends to catch people with nets like fish.  What he meant was He was going to teach His friends how to tell people about God, and how much God loves them.  Jesus wants to teach us how to do that, too.   He tells us that when we tell others about Him, and that He was God’s son, we are fishing for men.  Jesus wants to tell others about His love, and when they believe in Him, he has captured their heart.  Let’s pray that God will teach us to tell others about Jesus and be fishers of men.

Dear Lord, we know that you sent Jesus to show us how much you love us.  We thank you that you can know us and call us a friend.  We also thank you that you have given us the chance to tell others how much you love them, and about your son, Jesus.  Help us to learn to spread your word and to fish for men the way Jesus would want us to.  We pray this in your name, Amen.

Questions to ask:

• You may want to review last weeks questions with your tot
• Who teaches us to fish for people?  Jesus
• How do we fish for people ? We tell them about God’s love