Mark 1: 14-20

Welcome to our online Sunday School Lesson.

This year we shall be using Phyllis Crofts Notes to guide us with us lessons and we will follow the Lectionary for Year B.

Before you begin this lesson to please read Mark 1 : 14-20 from your Good News Bible.

In Galilee there is a very large lake which is actually called either the Lake of Galilee or the Sea of Galilee. This lake is full of fish that provided the people with their main source of food.

Jesus had grown up in this area of Galilee and knew his way around it very well.  He was well known and many people had heard him teaching about God.

This week we learn how Jesus was walking along the shore of the sea of Galilee and how He called two fishermen to follow him. These fishermen were named Andrew and Simon Peter.

Jesus said to them ‘’come and follow mw and I will teach you to be fishers of men’’ At once they left their nets and went with Jesus. A little further along the shore Jesus met up with James and John the sons of Zebedee and he invited them too to follow him.

Jesus wanted Andrew, Simon , James and John to all help him to find people who would love God and follow through with Gods instructions.

The men stopped their fishing and all followed Jesus!

In todays lesson from Mark we hear how Jesus called his first disciples.

It is clear from our reading from Mark that the fishermen of Galilee who became Jesus’ disciples and companions did not hesitate when Jesus called them. They left their work in the middle of what they were doing in order to follow Jesus.

The work ‘’follow’’ can be very misleading. It makes us think that in order to follow Jesus we are going to be walking behind Jesus – always trying to catch up.

However – this is not want Jesus intends from his followers. When Jesus invites us to follow him he wants us to be close to him and to actually walk beside him.

Jesus called those who followed him his close friends. Good friends do not fall behind, they try to stay close to Jesus and invite other friends to join them as well.

Something to think about

·       What do you think it means to be a ‘fisher of men’’ or to ‘’catch people’’?

·       Is it easy for you to talk about God? Why or why not?

·       Why do you think the first disciples were happy to follow Jesus? Was there something special about him that made people want to be with him. What could that somethings special be?

·       Do you need some help in learning to be a ‘’people catcher’ for Jesus? How could we at Sunday school help you to become a good people catcher?

·       Have you ever felt that God was calling you to do something unusual, or special? If so, what was it?

(Get members of the class to share their own experiences)

If you have any questions about the lesson please feel free to contact me on my cell – 0836335085

Thank you to Revd Peta May for today’s Sunday School lesson.