VBS Curriculum Day 2 Copy

Day 2

Download the PDF for this lesson.

Overview

Bible Lesson—Jesus Calls the Disciples
Key Verse—2 Corinthians 6:2b – “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

Get Ready

You will need:

Bible Story signs that say, Peter, Andrew, James and John (Included in the PDF version of this lesson.)
Signs for today’s Key Verse: Now, Is, The, Day, Of, Salvation (Included in the PDF version of this lesson.)
Something to mark today’s game area.
Items for the Drawing Challenge
Snack items such a popsicles or snacks and drinks.

Preparation:

Make sure your snack items are ready and that you have easy access to them
Mark off your game area
Print or make the signs for today’s Bible story and key verse.
Have your Bible marked at Matthew 4:18-22 and 2 Corinthians 6:2

Get Started

Leader: “Who should be #1 in your life?” The kids: “Jesus!”

Throughout the day, keep asking them this question at random times, especially when you want to re-focus them or as you are changing from one part of the lesson to another.

Sing a Song

Teach and sing Al-la – You can find this song in the VBS Training Session on Leading Songs.

Leader: “Who should be #1 in your life?” The kids: “Jesus!”

Get Familiar

Ask the Kids — If you could have a super power, what would it be? (Let everyone answer.)

God created you for a reason. He has designed you for a purpose and has great plans for your life. Those plans begin by you making the decision to be a follower of Christ. Today we’re going to see a story about how Jesus called some men to follow Him but first, I want you to hear someone’s Salvation Story. This is their story of when they were saved and how they became a follower of Christ.

Have a leader or student briefly tell about when he or she was saved.

Group Identity

Let your group know the winner of the Photo Competition from yesterday.

Before we get into today’s lesson, we’re need to come up with a Group Cheer. We’ll video our cheer later in the week and send it to our VBS Director to compete against other VBS groups.

Let your kids make up a cheer or chant for your group. If you see that this is taking too much time, proceed with your lesson. You’ll can work on your cheer more tomorrow.

Bible Lesson—Jesus Calls the Disciples

Tell your group that when they hear you say the word “immediately,” they are to stand up, turn around and sit back down.

Practice: “Immediately”

Read Matthew 4:18-22 from your Bible. (Check your translation: It should use the word “immediately” twice.)

Ask the Kids — When Jesus called them, how did they follow Him? (Immediately— Stand up, turn around, sit back down.)

They didn’t wait to follow Jesus—Right then, right there, they dropped what they were doing and they followed Him.

God has plans for your life too and when Jesus calls, don’t wait to follow Him. Follow Jesus immediately (Stand up, turn around, sit back down.)

Explain the story

Choose 2 volunteers—Give one a sign that says Peter. Give the other one a sign that says Andrew.

Peter and Andrew were fishermen who were casting their nets into the sea. But Jesus came and said, “Follow me.” And they left their nets immediately (have kids touch two walls and run back).

Have students REPEAT: And they followed Jesus.

Choose 2 other volunteers—Give one a sign that says James. Give the other one a sign that says John.

James and John were fishermen who were mending their nets in the boat with their father. But Jesus asked them to follow him. And they left their nets and their father immediately (have kids touch two walls and run back).

Have students REPEAT: And they followed Jesus.

KEY: Jesus called these men to follow Him. Jesus still calls people to follow him. (Refer back to the leader or student who shared his Salvation Story.) In fact, there will be a time in each of your lives that God will call you to give your life to Jesus. But Jesus doesn’t call you with your ears. He doesn’t appear and say, “Give your life to me.” Instead, you know in your heart that you need to give your life to Jesus. Or, perhaps you begin thinking about heaven and realize that you can’t go to heaven unless you give your life to Christ. For some people this is even kind of scary, because they realize they need a Savior. But, when that time comes for you, if it hasn’t already, talk to someone who can tell you what the Bible says about this. This week you can talk to one of me or to any of the other leaders you see around.

Leader: “Who should be #1 in your life?” The kids: “Jesus!”

Sing a Song

Sing Whose Side – Do variations from yesterday and feel free to add your own.

Following Jesus is the best choice you can make. Choose to be on God’s side.

Leader: “Who should be #1 in your life?” The kids: “Jesus!”

Play a Game – Corner Game

Mark out an area with 4 distinct “corners”.

Choose 1 volunteer—This volunteer is going to be your “number” person (who will participate in this “game” just like everyone else).

Point out four corners or four specific spots (stations) to your students. Tell them that when you say “Go!” that they are to go to one of these areas. Then you will ask your “number” person to give you a number between 1 and 4. Each time you will begin counting from a different area (that you will decide silently while the kids are choosing their spots) and if the number lands on where they are, then they are out. (This is similar to the Dice Roll game many of us played at skating rinks when we were kids.) When they are out, they will come and sit back down. Ready…Go!

The last person in the game is the winner and becomes the “number” person for the next round.

After the first round, have the following conversation:

In the game you don’t want to be chosen because if you’re “chosen,” you’re out. In the game, being chosen is a bad thing. In life being chosen by God is the greatest thing in the world.

Ask the kids if they can say yesterday’s key verse: Romans 5:8

God chose to create you. He chose to love you. And He chose to send Jesus to die and come back to life to make a way to save us from our sins.

Repeat after me:

“God made me.”
“God loves me.”
“God made a way to save me.”

Play the game again.

After the game…talk some more:

Your goal in the game is to be the last person—the winner. Everyone wants to win in life too but winning in life isn’t about getting more stuff or having the most money or being famous. The life you were created to have, the life you will always want, is only found when you follow Jesus.

You were created to know and walk with God. Until a person comes to Christ, there will always be something missing.

Just like Peter, Andrew, James and John, you don’t have to wait to follow Jesus. You can choose to follow Him today.

Snack

While you lead the next part, let your kids have a popsicle or a snack and drink.

Key Verse

Every day we make choices. You choose what to eat, what to wear, where to go. Today we’re going to learn a verse about what the Bible says is the greatest choice of all.

Choose 6 volunteers.

Give each volunteer a sign for the last part of today’s key verse: “Now is the day of salvation.” Be sure NOT to give them in the correct order.

Read the verse in the order the kids are standing. It won’t make sense. (For example, it might say something like: Day Now Is Salvation Of The”

Ask the kids to rearrange themselves to put the words in the correct order.

Once they are in the correct order, read the verse together.

Read 2 Corinthians 6:2b from your Bible:

“I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

In other words, don’t put off giving your life to Jesus. Don’t wait, do it today.

Repeat after me:

“Now”
“Today”
“Is the Day”
“of Salvation”

Jesus is God’s only Son. He came to earth and lived a perfect life. Then He died on the cross. When He died, God punished Jesus for all the bad things you and I have ever done. You see, since He paid the price for our sins, He can take our sins away if we are willing to receive Him as our Lord and Savior. And Jesus didn’t stay dead, He rose again. He’s alive. He’s even here right now and the best choice you can make is to come to Christ and to follow Him every day in every way.

Photo Challenge – Drawing Competition

Our challenge today is to draw a picture either of today’s Bible story of Jesus calling Peter, Andrew, James or John. Or, if you want, you can draw a picture of Jesus on the cross or Jesus raising from the dead.

When you’re done, we’ll take a photo of each of your drawings and send them to our VBS director. Our pictures will be compared to the other groups and winners will be chosen based on creativity, artistic ability and spirituality.

Wrap It Up

Review

Take a few minutes to review today’s lesson:

What was our story about?
Who are the main characters?
What did they do?
What was our key verse?
What did you learn today and how does it affect your life?
Do you have any questions?
Is there anything you want us to pray for?

Pray

Ask your kids for prayer requests. Then pray and pray that your students will give their lives to Christ when the time is right and follow Him always.

Be sure to remind your kids that if they have any questions about what it means to give their lives to Christ or how to be saved, to just ask you.

Leader: “Who should be #1 in your life?” The kids: “Jesus!”

Announcements

Remind your kids of any announcements from your VBS director.

Thought and suggestions on this lesson – Let us know.

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