Big Idea: Being a follower of Jesus means letting him be the leader

Need

• two square pieces of paper for each person in the devotions
• a blanket and a sheet
• a Bible to read the story

Opening Activity

• Use the instructions here to make an origami boat before your start your family devotions
• Give each person a piece of paper and see if they can figure out how to make the boat on their own
• After they try on their own, ask them if they need help
• Show them how to make the boat
• Ask: “What was it like to try and make the boat on your own without the instructions?”
• Ask: “How did you end up doing the boat the right way?”
• Say: “Today we are going to learn about how Jesus and some guys who had to listen to Jesus’ instructions”

Story

• Say: “This story is about some guys who were hanging out in a boat so let’s sit down on this blanket and act like it is our boat. This sheet is our net.  I want you to sit in the boat and throw out your sheet like it is your net to catch fish.”
• Say: “As I read the story I want you to act out what is going on.”
• Read Luke 5:1-11 and guide your children through acting it out and have some fun with it

Discussion Questions

• At the beginning of the story, how many fish were the men catching? (none)
• When Jesus asked them to go back out and go fishing what do you think they were thinking?
• What happened when they following Jesus’ instructions and let him be the leader? (they caught tons of fish)
• At the end of the story what did the men do? (they followed Jesus)
• How do we follow Jesus today?
• What are some ways that we let Jesus be the leader in our lives now?
• Give your kids some scenarios that happen on a regular basis and have them decide how they would follow Jesus in those scenarios
• Have your kids pick one scenario that it is really hard for them to choose the right thing and focus on following Jesus in that during the week

Prayer

• Close in prayer and allow your children to say whatever they want to God

Snapshot

• Take a picture of your children holding up their boats and save the picture
• Save the picture because we will use this to make a collage at the end of Lent

Here’s a link to the Family Lent Devotions for 2012