The 12 Disciples Sunday School Lesson
The 12 Disciples Sunday School Lesson for Kids:
BOTTOM LINE:
God wants us to follow him.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will state that God wants them to be his followers.
KEY PASSAGE:
Luke 6:12-16, The First Disciples
MEMORY VERSE:
“Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old is gone! The new has come!”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIrV)
SUMMARY:
When Jesus started his ministry, he assembled a team of followers to help him on his mission. Kids will learn that we, even today, can join the Jesus League.
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Thank you for calling us to follow you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
MEMORY VERSE
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
“Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old is gone! The new has come!”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIrV)
LARGE GROUP:
Put the verse on the big screen and read it aloud with the kids.
SMALL GROUP:
Give all the kids a Bible. Then after you read the verse, give them the reference and see who can find it first in their Bible.
SKIT
JOIN THE LEAGUE!
ITEMS NEEDED:
A fishing pole
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
1M, 1F
CHARACTERS:
Debbie - A super hero recruiter
Dougie - A fisherman
Dougie is on stage with his fishing pole, just fishing. Debbie enters.
DEBBIE: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I am here to tell you the most amazing thing you will ever hear! God has sent his Son to Earth! Our God, our Creator, has sent his only Son to save the world!
DOUGIE Really?
DEBBIE: Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the world has been ruled by darkness for far too long! Jesus has come to end the reign of terror. He has come to set us free. He has come to give us new life!
DOUGIE Cool!
DEBBIE: Jesus needs your help. He needs people to take the good news throughout the world. He needs ordinary men, women, boys, and girls, to do the will of the Father. He needs people… (points at Dougie) like you!
DOUGIE What? Me?
DEBBIE: Yes! You!
DOUGIE Oh, no, I don’t think that’s right.
DEBBIE: Oh but it is right! God is looking for ordinary people - for kids, for tax collectors, for… for fishermen!
Dougie looks at his pole and drops it.
DOUGIE I’m not a fisherman!
DEBBIE: For ex-fishermen!
DOUGIE Darn!
DEBBIE: Don’t you want adventure?
DOUGIE No!
DEBBIE: Don’t you want excitement?
DOUGIE No!
DEBBIE: Don’t you want to see first hand what God is doing in our world?
DOUGIE Can’t I watch from the seats? You know, middle, about half way up in the theater? That’s really where I prefer to see everything.
DEBBIE: I won’t lie to you. There will be danger. There will be trouble. There will be times you will find yourself unsure if you can keep going forward.
DOUGIE Then count me out.
DEBBIE: But fear not! The Lord will be with you.
DOUGIE He can be with me in the seats.
DEBBIE: The Lord will give you power!
DOUGIE I don’t want any— wait, did you say power?
DEBBIE: Yes!
DOUGIE Can I shoot laser beams out of my eyes?
DEBBIE: No!
DOUGIE Well then, forget it.
DEBBIE: But God will give you the power to stand up for him in all circumstances. He will give you the power to share the good news. He will use you to save his people.
DOUGIE Me? But I’m a nobody. I’m just a… an ex-fishermen.
DEBBIE: You are God’s child. That’s what he sees. That’s all he needs.
DOUGIE Okay then. Let’s get started! And if there’s any room for discussion on the laser beam eyes, you let me know.
OBJECT LESSON
ITEMS NEEDED:
A flashlight
A small piece of paper cut in the shape of a bat
I brought this flashlight with me this morning to show you something. This flashlight by itself is just a regular flashlight. Turn it on, it gives light in the darkness. It’s a useful tool when you’re camping, hiking at night, or when the power goes off at home.
But look what happens when I take this little piece of paper and put it over the light.
Stick the bat on the flashlight and shine it on a darkened wall where the kids can see.
This is no flashlight. It’s the bat signal! It’s a call to adventure for the Caped Crusader, letting him know that the city needs help tonight!
Today’s lesson is about a call. This call isn’t for a woman with super powers, a man with super powers, or a sad billionaire with enough money to buy a utility belt full of bat-shaped weapons and a cool car. This call is for all of us. Jesus wants us to follow him. He wants us to be part of saving the world. He wants us to share the good news with everyone.
You don’t need super powers to join the Jesus League. You just need to be willing to see the light and answer the call to adventure.
LARGE GROUP GAME
MOST MONKEYS
ITEMS NEEDED:
Two Barrel of Monkeys games
INSTRUCTIONS:
Choose two players for this game, and give each player a Barrel of Monkeys game. The players will be given 60 seconds to try and link as many monkeys as they can. The player with the most monkeys joined together when time runs out is the winner.
VARIATION:
If you have just one game available, make it a 60 second challenge where the player must link ALL the monkeys together in 60 seconds or less.
WHAT’S THE POINT?
Jesus wants us to link up and follow him.
LARGE GROUP LESSON
BOTTOM LINE:
God wants us to follow him.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will state that God wants them to be his followers.
KEY PASSAGE:
Luke 6:12-16, The First Disciples
INTRO:
Super hero movies and TV shows have changed a lot over the last fifteen years. When your parents and grandparents were growing up, super hero movies had room for one hero. Whether it was Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, or the Incredible Hulk, the world we saw in these movies had one hero. Sometimes Batman had Robin by his side, and even Batgirl, but the formula never changed. You only had one main hero per movie.
Flash forward to today, and think of how all that has changed. First came the X-Men movies. Then came the Marvel movies, a series of one-hero films that led to the assembling of the great super hero team, the Avengers! The CW network gave us the Legends of Tomorrow and team ups between Green Arrow and Flash. And now, at last, the Justice League of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and more has finally come together on screen.
It takes a major problem or a major threat to the world to bring these super hero teams together, but when they join up as one, they become an unstoppable force. Doesn’t matter if they’re fighting madmen from Earth, renegade robots, or aliens from outer space, when the team comes together, they will stop at nothing to save the world.
Saving the world is also why Jesus came to Earth. Like Superman, he traveled from far away. He was raised by Earthly parents, he had super powers to do miracles, and he did something no human could have done when he died for our sins. Jesus did these things because he is God’s Son. He is the chosen one, the one God promised to send to save us. He alone saved the world.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Before Jesus left Earth, he sent out a call. The call was for everyone who heard his message. It is a call to join him! Jesus wants us to be saved from our sins. He wants us to make him his Savior. But that’s not all he wants. He wants us to join him in saving the world. Jesus did his part when he laid down his life for us. Now he wants us to do our part and tell the world about Him!
READ LUKE 6:12-16
MAIN POINT:
Jesus spent three years traveling through Israel, preaching the gospel and performing miracles, but before he began this ministry, he chose twelve men to form a team. These were no super men by any means. Some were poor. Some may have been crooks before they met Jesus. They were all sinners, and they all had their own doubts and fears to overcome.
In spite of their imperfections, Jesus called them to join his team. He called Peter, a hot-blooded fisherman who would deny even knowing Jesus. He called Thomas, a strong and stubborn man who refused to believe Jesus had risen from the dead until he saw Him for himself. He chose Simon, a former political rebel; Matthew, a tax collector; and even Judas, who betrayed him.
Jesus isn’t looking for super powers. He’s looking for commitment. If you have a willing heart, like Peter and the gang, you too can be a follower of Christ. Jesus calls everyone to join his team. Are you willing to sign on?
DRIVE IT HOME:
Some of you may be thinking to yourselves, “Wait a minute! I’m just a kid! I barely know Jesus. I can’t do anything without Mom and Dad’s okay! Does Jesus really want me on his team right now?”
Yes he does! Jesus can use you, even at your age, to be a witness to others. Jesus can use you to teach your friends, your siblings, even your teachers and parents about His love. Jesus needs kids who are willing to speak up for the Bible. He needs kids who are willing to love the kids no one else wants to love. He wants us to look for opportunities to serve others and then do it!
Don’t let your youth or inexperience keep you from joining God’s team. God isn’t looking for perfection. Jesus spent three years working on Peter, James, John, Andrew, and the others. They still didn’t get it, and none of them did understand fully until they went home to be with Jesus in Heaven. But they were willing to serve, and God used them to do great things.
Are you ready for some adventure? Are you ready to answer God’s call? Wherever you are, whatever you do in a week, God can use you right there to share his love with others.
The invitation has been extended, and Jesus is waiting to hear from you. Are you ready to join the Jesus League?
CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Thank you for calling us to follow you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND)
ICEBREAKER:
Which super hero team would you want to save the world: the Avengers or the Justice League?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIrV)
Give all the kids a Bible. Then after you read the verse, give them the reference and see who can find it first in their Bible.
SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY:
Play some super hero charades. Write down a few super hero names and have the kids draw names that they have to act out.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Read Luke 6:12-16
What did Jesus do before picking his disciples?
Who were the twelve men he picked?
What do you know about these men from other Bible stories?
Does God want us to be on his “team” as well?
How can we tell God yes, we want to be on his team?
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Show us how we can be on your team!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3RD-5TH)
ICEBREAKER:
Which super hero team would you want to save the world: the Avengers or the Justice League?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIrV)
Give all the kids a Bible. Then after you read the verse, give them the reference and see who can find it first in their Bible.
SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY:
Play some super hero charades. Write down a few super hero names and have the kids draw names that they have to act out.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Read Luke 6:12-16
Why do you think Jesus prayed before picking his disciples?
Who were the twelve men he picked?
What do you know about these men from other Bible stories?
How do we know God wants us to be his followers?
What can we do to serve God like the disciples did?
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Show us how we can be on your team!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
For your convenience, you can also download the entire PDF version of this The 12 Disciples Children's Ministry Lesson (just click the link).
Here's a video from Sharefaith kids that you might find helpful to go along with your Sunday School Lesson on the 12 Disciples.
Take a look at the links below for other ideas for teaching a 12 Disciples Sunday School Lesson:
Sunday School Lesson Plan- The Twelve Disciples - DLTK-Bible
'Calling of the Disciples' Sunday School Lesson
Naming the 12 Apostles – Mission Bible Class
Jesus' Disciples (Character Index)- Kids Korner - BibleWise