Luke 5:1-11 Youth Lesson

The Call to Follow Jesus

Where is the best fishing spot in the area? What’s the biggest fish you have caught?

What things are you “fishing” for now? a job? a car? good grades? a scholarship? a date?

What would you like to be doing five years from now?

Read Luke 5:1–11

In Luke 5:1-11, Jesus calls His first disciples, Simon Peter, James, and John, as they catch a miraculous amount of fish after following His instructions.

This passage teaches us about obedience and faith in responding to Jesus' call. It encourages Christians to trust Jesus even when things seem impossible and to take bold steps in following Him.

This teaches about the transformative power of encountering Jesus. It highlights the importance of perseverance, faith, and surrender in discipleship.

In this passage, Jesus reveals Himself not only as a miracle-worker but also as the One who calls and transforms lives. He is the ultimate example of the kind of radical obedience and trust He expects from His followers.

Through obedience and faith in responding to Jesus' call, we can experience His transformative power and become devoted disciples who follow Him wholeheartedly.

1. Calling the Common

Luke 5:1-3

Now Jesus is shown here not beginning his ministry in the temple among those who are already convinced that he is the messiah but he was on the shores of the lake among ordinary people.

We see how Jesus calls everyone to follow him no matter what their background is and whether they were religious or not. The call to follow him is for everyone.

What character traits does someone you like to be around have?

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?

What type of people does Jesus call to follow Him?

2. Casting Deeper in Faith

Luke 5:4-7

Jesus urges his disciples to cast the nets into deeper water but, at first, their is a lot of skepticism about it from the disciples.

They were like “ok, Jesus but we haven’t caught anything all night but, whatever”

Have you ever had to do something you didn’t want to do or something that felt like you were wasting time with?

Well the disciples obeyed Jesus when they had doubts. This shows that they are trusting Jesus and not their feelings.

How can this example encourage us to have a deeper faith when we cant see how God will provide?

3. Confession and Call

Luke 5:8-10

We see Simon Peter's immediate recognition of his unworthiness in the presence of the divine holiness of Jesus. This moment of humility and acknowledgment of sinfulness is pivotal for recognizing Jesus as not just a teacher or miracle worker, but as the holy Son of God calling us to repentance and transformation.

It encourages believers to approach Jesus with a humble and contrite heart, ready to be transformed and used for His purpose.

Consider verse 8, What caused Peter’s response? Have you ever had a similar experience? Where you didn’t have confidence in what someone was saying to do and you did it anyway and you found out they were right after all?

4. Commitment to Christ

Luke 5:11

Finally, exploring the disciples' decision to leave everything and follow Jesus highlights the total commitment Jesus demands from His followers.

This reinforces the call to not only believe in Jesus but to act on that belief by setting aside our own plans and priorities to follow Him wholeheartedly.

It commands us to be willing to leave behind anything that holds us back from fully committing to Jesus and His mission.

Peter, James and John “left everything and followed him”. Where is Jesus asking you to follow him? What must you give up to follow him?

Maybe it’s your time so you can pray and read the bible more. Maybe it’s an activity so you can be more involved in church. Maybe God is asking you to give up something you are struggling with such as anger, lust, or greed. Only you and God know.