In this story, Jesus saw Simon (Peter) and Andrew fishing. He said to them, 'Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.' They immediately left their nets and followed him. Then he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee, in a boat with their father mending nets. Jesus called them too, and they left their boat and father to follow him.
Well, in the story, Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee and saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishermen. Jesus said to them, 'Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.' And they immediately left their nets and followed him. Then he saw two other brothers, James and John, in a boat with their father Zebedee. Jesus called them too, and they left their boat and their father and followed Jesus. This was how Jesus began to call his disciples.
The 'Jesus Calls the Disciples' children's story is a great one. Jesus was on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. He noticed some fishermen going about their daily work. He decided that these men could be his followers and help him spread his teachings. So, he called out to them. Simon Peter and Andrew were the first. They were used to casting nets into the water to catch fish. But when Jesus said to follow him, they knew it was something special. They didn't hesitate. Then James and John also got the call. It was a life - changing moment for all of them. They left their old lives behind to be with Jesus and learn from him. This story teaches us about following a calling, even if it means leaving the familiar behind.
Jesus' call completely changed their occupations. They went from being fishermen to being followers of Jesus with a new mission. Their daily activities were no longer about fishing but about learning from Jesus and spreading his message.
Children can learn about following. Just like the disciples followed Jesus without hesitation, kids can understand the importance of following good leaders or good advice.
The significance is mainly in the transfer of knowledge. Jesus passed on his teachings to the disciples so that they could continue his work. For instance, he taught them how to pray.
One of the important aspects of Jesus spending time with his disciples was the teaching moments. He taught them about love, forgiveness, and the Kingdom of God. For example, during the Last Supper, he shared deep spiritual truths and also predicted his betrayal. This time together was crucial for the disciples to grow in their faith and understanding of Jesus' mission.
In the first disciples story, the first ones to follow Jesus were Simon Peter, who was to become a very important figure among the disciples. Andrew was also there, who was likely the one who introduced Peter to Jesus. James and John, the two brothers, were called while they were mending their nets by the Sea of Galilee. Matthew, who worked as a tax collector, which was not a very popular job at that time as tax collectors were often seen as collaborating with the Romans. All of these men left their previous occupations to follow Jesus and be part of His mission.
One possible moral could be about love and forgiveness. Jesus often emphasized these values in his teachings. For example, in the parable of the Prodigal Son, the father's forgiveness towards his wayward son shows that no matter how far we stray, God's love and forgiveness are always there for us.