Matthew 9:9-13 Foundation of Love

Learning Objectives

• Students will recognize that Jesus loves them no matter who they are.
• Students will realize that they cannot earn Jesus' love.

Materials

• Tool bag with the following tools

Introduction

The text in the notes here is intended to be a rough approximation of what you might say, it should not be something that is just read.

Text

• SAY: Do you have tools at your house? I have my toolbox here. Let’s take a look at what I brought here here.
• DO: take out each tool while explaining what they are used for
  • Nails - Useful for holding boards together.
  • Hammer - Useful for pounding nails into boards to build things like walls.
  • Tape Measure - Useful for measuring the length of a board to make sure it is the right length.
  • Circular Saw - Useful for cutting boards to size.

Transition

• SAY: No matter what you are building, one of the most important pieces is the foundation, the bottom, the part that holds it all up. Without a firm foundation, the building will just crumble. In life we need to build a strong foundation of what we believe. Today we are going to learn about the disciple Matthew and how Jesus loved him. The love that Jesus has for each of us is an important part of our foundation.
• If you have a Bible then I want you to turn to Matthew 9:9-13. The Bible is God's Word for each of us. It is completely true and completely trustworthy. The events described in the Bible help us to better understand what God wants us to know.

Main Body

• <quote>9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”</quote>

Conclusion

• Ask:
  • Do you know that Jesus has called you to follow him?
  • What does it mean that Jesus has called you to follow him?
  • Are you willing to follow Jesus?
  • What if he asks you to give up...?

• Discuss

Not only did Jesus call Peter to follow him. Jesus also called on Peter to become a fisher of men.

• Ask:
  • What does it mean to be a fisher of men?
  • Who do you know that you could tell about Jesus today?
  • Are you willing to obey Jesus and become a fisher of men?

• Offer
  • Present Jesus as calling each and every one of us to a life redeemed from sin.
    • Admit
    • Believe
    • Confess
  • Will you do that today?