This free Bible lesson is based on John 1:43-51 when Jesus begins calling his disciples. It is designed for children’s church or Sunday School. Please modify as best fits your ministry.
If your church follows the Revised Common Lectionary, this teaching plan would correspond to Year B – 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany, Gospel Reading – John 1:43-51.
Lesson Introduction Game “Leading the Blind”
Supplies – blindfolds, classroom furniture or found objects
Before class set up a maze in the classroom using tables, chairs, trashcans, cones, etc., leading from the door to the furthest corner.
When children arrive line them up in the hall and blindfold the first in line. Guide them through the maze using only verbal instructions. When they reach you, take off their blindfold and have them guide the next child in line. Continue in this pattern until all of the kids have made it through and the maze.
Bible Lesson (John 1:43-51) Come and See
You all did an amazing job! You made it through a maze without being able to see, AND you helped each other make it too!
Do you think it would have been easier or harder if there was no one to help you? It would have been much harder, and I bet you would have run into everything. But thankfully you had a friend to guide you to me. Which makes me super happy because I just love spending time with you!
Speaking of friends – if you have any friends, can you snap your fingers? Wow! Just what I thought – everyone has friends! Friends are good to talk to or play with. Friends are fun and exciting!
Let’s try another one – if you love Jesus, can you whistle? It sounds like birds are in here with all of this whistling! And that is GREAT news – it means you all love Jesus! And what’s not to love about Jesus? He loves us, and forgives us, and helps us, watches over us, and listens to us.
Last one – if you love telling your friends about Jesus, can you make a buzzing noise? Do I hear a bee in here?
That last one is actually a little harder. It can be scary to tell someone about Jesus. You never know what they might think! What if they say something mean, or stop spending time with you? No one wants that to happen.
But do you know what? It’s totally worth it! How amazing would it be to be able to help someone else get to know Jesus and spend eternity with Him in heaven? All I can think of is just AMAZING!
Did you know that in the Bible some of twelve disciples came to Jesus through their friends? Phillip was called to be a disciple by Jesus Himself. But his friend Nathaniel came to Jesus through Phillip. Phillip was so excited about meeting and following Jesus that he ran to tell one of his friends. Nathaniel ended up becoming one of the twelve disciples, living and travels with Jesus as He shared of God’s love.
Jesus could have have gone to Nathaniel Himself, but instead He had Phillip bring Nathaniel to Him. Jesus wants us to tell others about His love and forgiveness, and the opportunity to live with him forever in heaven. Just like Phillip and Nathaniel, Jesus chooses US to be His messenger, and bring people to God.
See, I told you it was worth it! Even if it is a little scary, you can ask God to help you, and He will be right there with you the whole entire time. And just maybe you can lead someone to Jesus just like Phillip.
Activity A – Come and See – Bible Verse Challenge
Supplies – Bibles
Verse – John 1:43-46
Pass out Bibles to students. Bibles should be closed and sitting on the table face up in front of each child. When you say go, have the kids look up this week’s Bible verse. As each child finds the verse, have them stick one finger on the verse and quietly raise their other hand. The first one to find the verse gets to read it to the rest of the class.
Help younger kids and new kids find the verse by following these steps.
Look in the Table of Contents for the book you are looking for. Make an effort to show them if it is found in the Old Testament or New Testament to help them in the future. Then open the Bible to the page number listed in the Table of Contents.
Show them the large numbers in the text, known as the chapters. Flip through pages until you find the large chapter number you are looking for.
Then scan through the text with them pointing out the smaller verse numbers until the correct number is found.
Activity B – Come and See – Telephone Cups
Supplies – 8oz (or larger) paper cups, drawing utensils, scissors, string, tape
Give each child two cups to decorate. While they are decorating, cut the string into 8-10 foot lengths. Poke a hole in the bottom of each cup and thread the string inside. Tape the end of the string to the inside of each cup.
Have the kids pair up and practice sharing about Jesus using their telephones. They can recite verses, tell Bible stories, or just say “Jesus Loves You”
Activity C – Come and See – Dominoes Object Lesson
Supplies – dominoes
Find directions and demonstration here.
Closing Prayer – Come and See
Ask for a volunteer to pray for the class before leaving, and encourage them to ask God to be with them and help them tell others about His love and forgiveness.