Youth Sermon: Follow Me

Jesus' First Followers

Today, we're diving into the lives of Jesus' first followers, His original squad. You know what's cool? They were just regular dudes, like you and me. They weren't superstar preachers or smooth talkers. They were fishermen, working hard and getting their hands dirty.

Picture this: Jesus walks up to Simon and Andrew, who are busy casting their nets into the sea. He says, 'Follow me, and I'll make you fishers of men.' And you know what they do? They drop their nets right then and there and follow Him. Same thing with James and John. They were fixing their nets, and when Jesus calls, they leave their dad in the boat and follow Him.

Jesus' invitation is simple. He's not promising a life of fame and fortune. He's saying, 'Follow me. Be part of my crew. Help me change the world.'

Our Role

Now, let's do a quick object lesson. Imagine you have a net in your hands. It's your job to cast it out and gather as many people as you can. You don't need to worry about who's worthy or who's ready. That's not your job. Your job is to invite everyone. Jesus did the same. He didn't care if you were a fisherman, a tax collector, or even a sinner about to be killed. His invitation was for everyone.

The response of the disciples was instant. They dropped everything and followed Jesus. When Jesus calls, we gotta answer and obey.

So, what's our role? We gotta extend the invitation to others. Some will jump on board right away, others might take their sweet time, and some might never respond. But our job is to invite everyone and let God do His thing.

Following Jesus isn't a walk in the park. It takes humility, courage, and letting go of our own plans. But the payoff is huge: eternal life, a community that loves you, and a deep relationship with God.

So, let's drop our nets, step out of our comfort zones, and answer Jesus' call. Let's invite others and share the good news. Following Jesus is the best adventure you'll ever go on.

Prayer

Let's pray together.

God, give us the courage to follow you, to drop our nets and step out of our comfort zones. Help us to invite others to join us on this incredible journey. Amen.

Small Group Breakout Questions

1. What does it mean to you to be a "fisher of men"?

2. What might you need to leave behind to follow Jesus?

3. How can you extend the invitation of Christ to others?

4. How does it feel to know that Jesus calls ordinary people like us to follow Him?

5. What challenges might you face in following Jesus and how can you overcome them?

Get the Full Youth Group Plan

• Icebreaker: Fishing for People
• Group Activity: Dropping the Nets
• Youth Challenge: Invitation Challenge