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Week Two: Purpose

Suggested Scripture reading: Mark 1:16-20

 

Lesson/Devotional:

Right after Jesus was baptized, He began teaching. He chose some men to come with Him as He traveled and preached and these men we know as His twelve disciples. You might think these guys were special somehow; like maybe they had EVERYTHING in the Bible memorized, or they spent more time praying than sleeping, but the truth is, they were just regular guys just like us.  They sinned just like we do, they weren’t perfect, and they didn’t do anything to deserve traveling with Jesus or to become one of His disciples.  

But they did do one thing that made them kind of special; they dropped EVERYTHING. The first two men Jesus called were brothers, Simon and Andrew.  Simon and Andrew were fishermen, so they spent their days out on the Sea of Galilee together casting nets and catching fish.  Fishing was very important in those days because it provided food and money for their family. Jesus saw them casting their nets and called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Mark 1:17 NIV) And they did! The dropped EVERYTHING and followed Jesus.

Now a little while later Jesus did this again to brothers John and James and they also dropped EVERYTHING to follow Jesus. Now these days, we don’t have to drop EVERYTHING to be a follower of Jesus, but God does want us to follow Jesus according to our purpose. What is our purpose? Something that is done on purpose is done because it needs to be. God wants us to spread the love of Jesus and to do that we do need to give up some things. What could you give up to make sure that you are following God and spreading love like Jesus? Maybe instead of watching tv you could read the bible more. Maybe you need to give up saying mean things about others.

God sent Jesus to teach people about being kind, forgiveness, and love and that is YOUR purpose too! 

 

Pray:

God, help me to give up the things that hold me back from being a disciple of Jesus. I want to live according to Your purpose for me and to show people how to love like Jesus did. Thank you, God. Amen

 

Suggested Family Activities

Below you will find a list of activities to complete throughout the week. Pick and choose which activities you’d like to do or try them all! If you’d like to print out the list click on the pdf to download and you can cut them out to make a paper chain as you complete each activity!

Feel free to share any pictures of your family completing these activities on our CYF facebook page

  • Print and color the “D” is for disciple coloring page. Try to memorize all 12 disciples names this week and talk about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus
  • Memory Verse: “And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’” Mark 1:17
  • Pray good things for someone who has been unkind to you
  • Clean up a mess someone else made, without complaining
  • Donate some of your old toys that you don’t play with anymore
  • Trace your foot on piece of paper. Write on the picture of your foot what you can do to be a follower of Jesus

 

Don’t forget to add a rock to your Lent Place
and pray this week to know your purpose and to spread the news of Jesus!

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