Dear Parent,

The goal of this week’s lesson is to show your child how Jesus provides.  When the disciples fished all night without a single catch, Jesus didn’t provide just one fish the next morning.  He provided 153 fish, in fact.  When we ask for love and forgiveness, Jesus doesn’t just fill our cups to the brim.  Our cups runneth over time and again. His abundance is beyond the scope of our imagination, but we can begin to give your child a glimpse of His abundance today...

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Materials Needed: 153 Pipe cleaners (For older children, christmas tree ornament hooks or twist-ties could be used as a substitute.)

 

Bible Scripture: John 21: 1-11

Afterward Jesus appeared again to the disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias.  It happened this way:  Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.  “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.”  So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.  Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.  He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”  “No,” they answered.  He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”   When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.  Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taking it off) and jumped into the water.  The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from the shore, about a hundred yards.  When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.  Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”  Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore.  It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.  

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Today's Script:

 

Let's do a craft during our bible lesson today.  Do you think that we could make some very simple looking fish with each of these pipe cleaners?

 

(Bend the pipe cleaner into the shape of a fish. Set aside. Repeat and, together, make as many as possible as you follow the script.)

 

Let’s think together about going fishing.

 

Have we ever been fishing? 

 

(Let your child answer.)

 

Would we like to go fishing?

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(Let your child answer.)

 

Fishing is an activity that requires a lot of patience.  Once you bait your hook and cast the line out into the water, it could take a long time to catch a fish.

 

Can you imagine fishing all night long and not catching ANY fish?

 

There is a story about that in the bible.  Can I read it to you?

 

(Turn to John Chapter 21 in the bible, and read verses 1-11 aloud.)

 

When the disciples went fishing, I bet they were hoping to catch at least one fish.  That’s what I would hope for!

 

I bet they were shocked not only when they saw Jesus himself on the shore, but then to catch 153 fish!  What a miracle!  How amazing and fulfilling!

 

153 fish is so many fish!  How many have we made so far?

 

(Count the fish together.)

 

Do you think we could make 153 fish shapes to help us imagine what it looked like on the morning that we read about in the bible?

 

Let’s keep working.

 

Do you know what the fishing story makes me think about?

 

It makes me think about Jesus’ love.

 

Everyday, I ask Jesus to love “little ol’ ” me.  I’m just one person on this great big earth, but I do ask Him to love me.

 

AND, He doesn't just give me a little blessing.  Jesus gives me all His love, gives me all His forgiveness, and He died for me.  For ME.

 

In a way, that makes me feel like the disciples on that morning:  Hoping for one little fish and receiving an entire boat load of 153!  

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Everyday, I try to teach you to ask Jesus to love you.  You're just one little person on this great big earth, but I hope you ask Him to love you.

 

AND, He doesn't just give you a little blessing, does He?  No, Jesus gives you all His love, gives you all His forgiveness, and He died for you.  For YOU.

 

In a way, that might make you feel like the disciples on that morning:  Hoping for one little fish and receiving an entire boat load of 153!  

 

OK, how many fish have we made now?

 

(Count them together.  Keep going if your child is willing an interested.  Try to make 153.  Wonder together about the generosity of our Lord.  Revel in His abundance.  Have fun and Godspeed.)