VBS 2023 Night 1

Start it (7 Minutes)

Play “Twists and Turns”

Welcome to our Bible Study Room!

Playing games to help us learn about following Jesus

Following Jesus:

Trusting Him as Savior

Trying to live as He did

Learn more about trusting Jesus as Savior this week at VBS

Show kids “Twists & Turns Banner” and the add-on cards

Add something to banner each day to help learn more about how following Jesus changes everything

Direct kids to stand with backs to any wall

The point of the game is to travel to any wall in the room using the instructions on the chosen “Twists & Turns Game Card”

One card = how many steps to take

Another card = what kinds of steps to take

Continue until all children reach another wall

Like the twists and turns in this game, life has lots of twists and turns.

There once was a kid who was having a great day at school until he relaized that he left his homework on the kitchen table.

Ask: How do you think this kid felt? What might happen because his life has taken a twitst and a turn?

Our group will study the Bible every day to learn about how following Jesus can help us when unexpected things happen in our lives.

Learn It (7 Minutes)

Let’s play a silent game where you listen to different statements that I make

If I mention something that a kid can do, point to yourself

But if I mention something that needs to be done by an adult, point towards a VBS leader.

Also listen for things that only God can do (point up)

List of actions

Drive a car

Take out the trash

Go fishing

Answer a prayer

Work a puzzle

Pray

Work to earn money

Create the world

Brush teeth

Buy a cellphone

Raise your hand if you have ever been fishing!

Today’s story is about an adult who was a fisherman

Our story can be found in either Matthew 4 or Luke 5.

Peter Followed Jesus

Jesus had been teaching large crowds of people about the Kingdom of God,

While Jesus was standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, the crowds began pressing in to hear God’s Word.

Jesus noticed two boats at the edge of the lake.

Some fisherman had left their boats on the shore and were washing their nets from fishing the night before.

Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Peter.

Jesus asked Peter to take the boat into the water a short distance from the shore.

Jesus sat down in the boat and continued teaching the crowds.

After teaching the people, Jesus turned to Peter.

“Take the boat our into the deep water and let down your nets to catch fish.”

Peter answered Jesus. “Master, we worked hard all night to catch fish, and we did not catch anything. But if You say so, I will let down the nets”

Peter and the other fisherman obeyed Jesus.

They took their boat into the deep water and let down their nets to catch fish.

When they did, they caught so many fish that their nets began to tear and break.

The fisherman were amazed!

They signaled for the other fisherman along the shore to come help them.

The men filled both boats with so much fish that the boats started to sink.

When Peter saw this miracle, he recognized that Jesus is holy.

Peter fell down at Jesus’ feet.

“Go away from me,” Peter told Jesus, “because I am a sinful man, Lord!”

Peter knew how sinful he was next to Jesus’ holiness.

“Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told Peter.

“Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”

Peter and the other fisherman brought the boats to shore, left everything, and followed Jesus.

Jesus’ miracle demonstrated that He is Lord of everything, including the sea and everything in it.

Peter saw the fish and knew that this miracle was something only God could do.

He recognized that Jesus is holy and has the power that comes from God alone.

Peter was just beginning to understand who Jesus really is.

Ask: What did Peter discover that only God could do?

Fill the net with fish!

Peter recognized that Jesus is holy and that changed everything for Peter as he began believing Jesus is God’s Son.

Show the “Day 1 Bible Story Picture” and ask the review questions on the back.

Review Questions:

What job did Peter have? (fisherman)

What did Jesus tell Peter to do? (go out into the water and let down his nets to catch fish)

What did Peter say had already happened that night? (He had fished and caught nothing.)

What happened when Peter and the other fisherman put out their nets? (They caught so many fish the nets began to break.)

How many boats were filled with fish? (2)

Why was Peter amazed when he caught so many fish? (He didn’t know Jesus could do that; he had already been fishing and caught nothing.)

Discussion Questions:

Why do you think Peter went fishing when Jesus told him to go?

What does being holy mean?

How did Peter feel after he saw all the fish in the net?

Attack the Day 1 add-on to the banner

Peter was a fisherman, and he probably expected to be a fisherman all of his life.

The discovery that Jesus is holy completely changed Peter’s life.

Peter quit fishing, traveled with Jesus, and learned from Jesus’ teachings and miracles.

Peter’s life was never the same after he met Jesus.

Repeat this phrase after me “Jesus is holy and that changes everything.”

AskKnow It (7 Minutes)

Show the “Theme Verse Poster”

God wants people to know what he wants them to do.

During this week, we will have fun learning this Bible verse and ways we can know God’s ways and paths.

Learning what the Bible teaches, praying, and hearing church teachers are some of the methods for learning God’s ways

Show kids where Psalm 25:4 is located in the Bible.

Psalm 25:4 CSB

4 Make your ways known to me, Lord; teach me your paths.

Let’s play an “Eye Spy” game.

Look around the room and find the first word of Psalm 25:4.

When you spy the word, you can put your hands to your eyes like you have on spy glasses.

Let me get one of you to bring the word to the group and place it on the floor.

Continue in the same way with each word until the verse is complete.

Let’s read the verse together with different voices:

Deep voice

Squeaky voice

Whisper

You already know some of the ways that God wants people to live.

Ask: What are some of them?

Live It (6 Minutes)

Remember: Peter learned that Jesus is holy.

When talking about Jesus, holy describes what He is like.

He is totally unique and different from what He has created.

Because Jesus is holy, we can know that He is perfectly good and righteous.

Peter learned Jesus is holy when he saw Jesus fill the net with fish.

Peter saw how his sinfulness separated him from Jesus’ holiness.

Later, Peter would learn that Jesus came to end that separation between sinful people and God.

What are some other facts you recall from today’s Bible story?

Alright; now we are going to do another activity

I am going to name something that Jesus did, and when I do, I want you to respond with “Jesus is holy.”

Jesus healed sick people

Jesus made a storm stop

Jesus fed five thousand people with just a few fish and a little bread

Jesus made a dead man come alive

Jesus made a blind man able to see

Finish It (3 Minutes)

Hand out the Day 1 Memory Maker bags

You will collect different items each day of VBS to help you remember what you have done and learned about Jesus

Give each kid an index card and pencil.

You are going to write “Jesus is Holy” on one side of the card, and then add “and that changes everything” to the other side of the card.

You can put this card in your bag after you are done making it

Hold up one fish shape from “Let’s Go Fishing”

Ask: How were fish important in today’s Bible story?

Ask: What was unusual about Peter’s second try at fishing?

Provide the Day 1 Memory maker tags for kids to add to their bags.

Ask: What can the picture of the fish on the tag help you remember about today’s story?

Pass a basket or bowl for kids to leave their Memory Makers for the next day.

PRAY