Jesus chooses us

Matthew 4v1-22

Something to say

After Jesus was baptised he went into the dessert and there the devil came to him to tempt him and try and distract him from what he had come to the world to do. He tried to get Jesus to disobey God just like he did to with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden – but Jesus didn't fall for it. Jesus was set on doing God’s will. He had a mission just like a super hero and was going to accomplish it, but to do this he was going to need some people to help him along the way (ask the kids about their favourite super heroes or characters and their sidekicks – e.g. batman and robin, Jake and the Neverland pirates etc).

Jesus went out and asked 12 ordinary people to follow him on his mission. He chose them to be his helpers – these are the people we know as the 12 disciples. At the time it didn't seem like there was anything special or extraordinary about these guys – they were fishermen mostly, but they obeyed Jesus because they realised they needed him and that was all Jesus was looking for. Jesus chooses us, not because of how we look, or how good we are, or because we are the best at football, or the best dancer, he chooses us because he loves us.

Something to show

Choose a couple of children to come up front. Their mission is to save the world and ask them to choose 3 or 4 people to be on their team as their helpers. They can choose anyone (fictional, real life, dead, alive etc) Ask them to give the reasons why they have chosen each person (e.g. maybe superman because he can fly). Now explain to them that God chooses us for a very different reason. He does not look at the outside, or our abilities, nor does he choose us because we have been good. He chooses us because he loves us.

Something to pray

Lead the children in a prayer and for them ask God to show them that they are chosen by Him, because he loves them. Ask God to remind them of this truth always and to let them know that they are always special to God and it is not based on any other thing than the love God has for them.