Matthew 4:12-23
Lead in: That sunny day so long ago as Jesus walked along the beach of the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers (Peter and Andrew) casting their nets into the sea. Jesus then cast a net of His own. He called out to them, “Follow Me!” In that moment it was as if they grabbed the bait – hook, line and sinker. They immediately left their nets and followed Jesus.
Prompt: Has there ever been a time when it felt like Jesus threw out a net to you and it grabbed your heart – hook, line and sinker?
Lead in: Jesus said to Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, “Come after Me and I will make you fishers of men.” He was inviting them to a way of life that would bring new meaning to their lives.
Prompt: In your life today, what is it that is most lifegiving and meaningful to you?
Prompt: Where in your life would you like to find more meaning and purpose?
Lead in: When Jesus said to the disciples, “Come with Me and I’ll make you fishers of men,” does that mean that if we’re to follow Christ, that we must change our occupations? In the case of the disciples, they did in fact change occupations. But for us, it may be that we stick with our present occupation, but we do it in a new way. We do it in a way that can only be seen in one whose life is centered on Jesus Christ.
Prompt: If you were to change anything in your life to make it a life more centered on Christ, what might that be?
Lead in: After Jesus recruited his team of disciples, we hear how He went around all of Galilee curing every disease and illness among the people. Like at the time of Jesus, people today suffer from many diseases. There are the physical maladies that people suffer like cancer, diabetes, and heart conditions. Then, there are mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
Prompt: Be it physical, emotional, or spiritual, if you were to ask Jesus to heal you of one thing, what would it be?
Lead in: In First Corinthians 1, Paul urges the feuding church at Corinth to put aside rivalries and to work together toward the common purpose of the Gospel. We live in a contentious age where people are divided on many issues. Unfortunately, that kind of acrimony is sometimes found within the church.
Prompt: What do you believe is the first step toward bringing healing in a community divided against itself?
Prompt: What is it that you can do to bring greater harmony in a situation that is split by hurt feelings and misunderstanding?