Additional Scriptures 

Isaiah 9:1–4; Psalm 27:1, 4–9; 1 Corinthians 1:10–18 

Prelude 

Welcome and Community Sharing 

Call to Worship 

Reader 1: Listen, O people of the Restoration—you who would become a prophetic people… 

Reader 2: Listen to the Voice that speaks from beyond the farthest hills, from the infinite heavens above and the vast seas below. 

Reader 3: Listen to the Voice that echoes across the eons of time and yet speaks anew in this moment. 

Reader 1: Listen to the Voice, for it cannot be stilled, and it calls you once again to the great and marvelous work of building the peaceable kingdom, even Zion, on behalf of the One whose name you claim. 

Reader 2: Listen carefully to your own journey as a people, for it is a sacred journey and it has taught you much of what you must know for the journey yet to come. 

Reader 3: Listen to its teachings and discover anew its principles. Do not yearn for times that are past, but recognize that you have been given a foundation of faithful service, even as you build a foundation for what is yet to be. 

—Based on Doctrine and Covenants 162:1–2b 

Opening Hymn 

“You Walk along Our Shoreline” CCS 598 

OR “The Summons”  CCS 586 

Invocation 

Response 

Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:12–23 

Hymn of Reflection and Contemplation 

“Listen in the Silence” Sing several times  CCS 153 

OR “Spirit Fill Us” CCS 160 

Continue playing this hymn as a background to the spiritual practice. 

Dwelling in the Word

Print or project the scripture text. For information on how to lead a Dwelling in the Word spiritual practice. 

First Time Reading: Consider what words, phrases, or images draw your attention. 

Second Time Reading: What do you need to leave behind to follow Jesus? How are you being called to “fish for people?” 

You may use the questions for silent, personal contemplation or for small group sharing. 

Prayer for Peace 

Light the peace candle. 

Prayer 

For those who seek a Saviour 

we lead them to the Stable 

To the One who was born 

To bring freedom 

Forgiveness 

Liberty 

For those who seek Assurance 

we lead them to the Light 

To the One who opens eyes 

to understanding 

God’s Word 

Truth 

For those who seek Forgiveness 

We lead them to a Grace 

beyond comprehension 

To wholeness 

Healing 

Peace. Amen. 

—© John Birch, 2016, www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Epiphany.htm.
Permission granted to reproduce for worship. 

Hymn of Calling 

“Jesus Is Calling” CCS 578 

OR “While Moses Tended Jethro’s Sheep”  stanzas 3 and 4  CCS 595 

Message

Based on Matthew 4:12–23 

Hymn of Response

Encourage participants to sing in languages other than their own. 

“I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” CCS 499 

OR “Jesu, Tawa Pano/Jesus, We Are Here” CCS 71  

Disciples’ Generous Response 

Scripture: Doctrine and Covenants 162:7a 

Statement 

God gives and loves graciously and generously! All that we are and all that we have are gifts from God. We seek to share generously what we have received as an act of faith and thanksgiving for all that God has provided. To be generous for the sake of others, we must grow in our capacity to share our gifts from God.  

The six practices of A Disciple’s Generous Response help us to manage and share our resources: 

Receive God’s Gifts 

God gifts each person with boundless grace and unending love. God’s gifts for each of us are expressed through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.  

Respond Faithfully 

When we faithfully respond to the ministry of Jesus Christ we become accountable to one another, God, and ourselves. Our response to God’s gifts of love and grace is to serve others and let generosity become part of our nature. 

Align Heart and Money 

Managing the money we have, no matter the amount, expresses our desire to love and help God, neighbors, ourselves, and the world. When we focus our giving on God’s purposes, our hearts become more aligned with God’s heart. 

Share Generously 

Tithing is a spiritual practice. It is a gift of thanksgiving to God in response to God’s generous gifts to us. When we share our tithes, the church can spread joy, hope, love, and peace around the world so others can experience God’s generosity, too. 

Save Wisely 

Saving is a way to prepare for the future. It gives us the chance to extend our love and create a better tomorrow for our families, friends, the church’s mission, and the world. 

Spend Responsibly 

Responsible spending is a commitment to live a healthy, happy life together with God and others. The teachings of Jesus challenge us to make lifestyle choices that are often countercultural. 

—“We Share Whole-Life Stewardship,” Sharing in Community of Christ, 4th Edition, pp. 40–42 

Blessing and Receiving of Local and Worldwide Mission Tithes 

Focus Moment

“Fishing for People” at www.sermons4kids.com 

Hymn of Calling and Commitment

“Christ’s Partners All Are We” CCS 630 

OR “Jesus, Partner, Lover, Friend” CCS 40 

Sending Forth 

Listen carefully to your own journey as a people, for it is a sacred journey and it has taught you many things you must know for the journey yet to come. Listen to its teachings and discover anew its principles. Do not yearn for times that are past, but recognize that you have been given a foundation of faithful service, even as you build a foundation for what is yet to be. 

Leave your nets, and follow me. 

Leave your burdens, and follow me. 

Leave your fears, and follow me. 

Leave your judgments, and follow me. 

Embrace the journey, and follow me. Amen. 

—from Doctrine and Covenants 162, Matthew 4:12–23, adapted 

Benediction

Response 

Postlude 

Gathering

Welcome

Prayer for Peace

Ring a bell or chime three times slowly.
Light the peace candle.

You are invited to join in prayer and meditation as you close your eyes and imagine yourself held in God’s loving hands. Be aware of your needs at this time, known to you and the One who calls you by your name.

God of my life, may I receive your love, peace, and healing.

Pause 15 seconds.

Imagine someone who is close to you being held in God’s loving hands. Perhaps this person is a good friend or someone with whom you are struggling.

God of relationships, may this person receive your love, peace, and healing.

Pause 15 seconds.

Envision all the people of the world, every nation and tribe, every town and village. Imagine those who live in oneness, as well as those ravaged by war and violence.

God of all peoples, may these communities receive your love, peace, and healing.

Pause 15 seconds.

Behold all that God has created. See the beauty of the Earth. Recognize the brokenness and destruction we have caused. Imagine all the beauty and the damage held in God’s loving hands.

God of creation, may this planet receive your love, peace, and healing.

Pause 15 seconds.

May this spirit of peace and compassion for ourselves, others, all people, and the Earth remain alive in us this day. Amen.

Spiritual Practice

Walking in the Light

During Epiphany and the season after Epiphany our spiritual practice will be “Walking in the Light.” Take a few moments to quiet yourself. When you feel calm, begin by imagining you are walking on a path of light. As we pray, visualize the light surrounding you. As the prayer continues, offer the gift of light to those close to you, to friends and acquaintances, to those you dislike or with whom you are in conflict, and to your community at-large.

Invite the group members to enter silence, close their eyes, release into a sense of calm, and imagine walking on a path of light.

As you hear each sentence, offer the gift of light to those mentioned.

May my loved ones be embraced in God’s light.

Pause 15 seconds.

May my family walk in the light of Christ.

Pause 15 seconds.

May my friends receive the gift of love and light.

Pause 15 seconds.

May my acquaintances sense the presence of light through our interactions.

Pause 15 seconds.

May the one with whom I am in conflict be surrounded by the light of Christ.

Pause 15 seconds.

May my community be blessed by the eternal light of God’s love and grace.

Pause 15 seconds.

Amen.

After the prayer invite people to share, as comfortable, any thoughts, emotions, or images they experienced during the practice of “Walking in the Light.”

Sharing Around the Table

Matthew 4:12-23 NRSVue

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
    on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles—
 the people who sat in darkness
    have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
    light has dawned.”

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

This passage opens with a prophecy from Isaiah 9. Because scholars believe the Gospel of Matthew was written primarily for a Jewish audience, it’s likely that Matthew’s readers would have been familiar with this scripture from synagogue teachings and rabbinic instruction. The prophecy speaks of hope for the region of Galilee, so it’s reasonable to assume it was often taught there. When Isaiah was written, the focus was on the conquered lands of the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali and the trade route through Galilee that foreign powers controlled. To bring hope to an oppressed people, Isaiah proclaimed a vision of restoration — a time when God would shine a “great light” upon the land.

By the time we encounter Jesus in this narrative, he has left his childhood home, endured personal trials, and is now settling in the town of Capernaum. Matthew connects Isaiah’s prophecy to this moment, identifying Jesus as the “great light” foretold for Galilee. Jesus’ decision to begin his ministry there is more than geographical; it’s symbolic. It signals an invitation for Galilee — a region marked by its complicated past — to step out of darkness and into restoration. Galilee was also a crossroads of commerce, filled with diverse populations, including many Gentiles. From the start, Jesus’ ministry is intentionally inclusive, extending God’s message to all people.

Soon after arriving, Jesus begins to preach about the kingdom of heaven. Matthew situates this moment after the arrest of John the Baptist, showing Jesus stepping forward to continue and expand John’s mission. Like John, Jesus calls the people to repent — to turn away from what separates them from God and one another — and to live in right relationship with both. His message invites restoration, healing, and renewed community as signs that God’s reign is drawing near.

As with anyone new to a place, Jesus begins forming connections. Along the Sea of Galilee, he encounters two sets of brothers — Simon and Andrew, James and John — all fishermen by trade. He invites them to leave their nets and follow him. Moved by trust and conviction, they immediately do so, becoming Jesus’ first disciples. Together, they begin traveling through Galilee, teaching, proclaiming good news, and healing the sick — embodying the light Isaiah promised long ago.

Questions

1. Think about a time you felt surrounded by darkness. How did a person or idea become a great light for you?
2. In the beginning of his ministry Jesus shared the gospel message with both Jews and Gentiles. What might that teach us about the Worth of All Persons and Blessings of Community?
3. Continuing the teachings of John the Baptist, Jesus encouraged people to prepare for the kingdom of heaven. As you think about the invitation to repent and live in right relationships, what relationships do you sense the need to restore to be ready for God’s kingdom?
4. For what job or calling you would drop everything? How would you respond if Jesus asked you to leave your job, school, or life’s plan behind to follow him?

Sending

Generosity Statement

Faithful disciples respond to an increasing awareness of the abundant generosity of God by sharing according to the desires of their hearts; not by commandment or constraint.

—Doctrine and Covenants 163:9

The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing small-group ministries as part of your generous response.

The offering prayer for Epiphany is adapted from A Disciple’s Generous Response:

Revealing God, May we always be generous. You have given each of us boundless grace and unending love. May our response to that love and grace be humble service to others, and may generosity be part of our nature. Amen.

Invitation to Next Meeting

Closing Hymn

CCS 287, “Come and Bring Light”

Closing Prayer

Optional Additions Depending on Group

Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

Communion Scripture

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

—1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NRSVue

Communion Statement

All are welcome at Christ’s table. The Lord’s Supper, or Communion, is a sacrament in which we remember the life, death, resurrection, and continuing presence of Jesus Christ. In Community of Christ, we also experience Communion as an opportunity to renew our baptismal covenant and to be formed as disciples who live Christ’s mission. Others may have different or added understandings within their faith traditions. We invite all who participate in the Lord’s Supper to do so in the love and peace of Jesus Christ.

Let us celebrate the revelation of Christ in the world as we share Communion, and receive it as an expression of blessing, healing, peace, and community.

In preparation let’s sing from Community of Christ Sings 520, “God Extends an Invitation.”

Blessing and serving bread and wine.

Thoughts for Children

Materials: small battery-operated candle, box with a lid (cut a small hole in the side of the box so children can peek inside), small pieces of paper, pencils.

Say: I have a box, and I think it is very dark inside it. Allow the children to peek through the hole to see the darkness.

Darkness sometimes is used to describe how people feel when they are sad, lonely, sick, afraid, or even angry. Sometimes when people are having a difficult time they say, “I am in a dark place.” Have you ever felt that way? Allow the children to share.

What happens to the darkness if I put a light in the box? (Turn on the candle, place it in the box, attach the lid, and allow the children to peek inside to see the light.)

Say: Light chases away the darkness. In the Bible, when people feel hopeful they say, “I saw a great light,” or “a light shone in the darkness.” This means they understand that God cares for them and always will be present with them.

Today let’s share the light of God with others by placing their names in our box of light. Then we can pray that the light of God will be with them.

Whose name would you like to place in the box of light?

Pass out the small pieces of paper and pencils so children and adults can put names in the box of light. Invite the children to collect the names from the adults and place them in the box of light.

When all names have been added, offer a short prayer that the God of love and light will be with all the people, and they will feel God’s love.

Thank the children for participating and invite them to return to their seats.

Exploring the Scripture

While scholars disagree about who the author of Matthew was, there is general agreement the book was written by a Jewish writer for a Jewish audience in the last quarter of the first century. This is significant for two reasons as we examine today’s text which marks the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

First, the author points out that Jesus, after hearing of John’s arrest, leaves Nazareth—a Jewish community—to make a home in Capernaum, which is also in Galilee. Jesus’ move fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy about the Gentiles seeing “a great light.” Such a connection to the Hebrew Scriptures is the writer’s way of saying to the Jewish audience, “you need to pay attention to the rest of this story.”

Besides fulfilling prophecy, this account communicates that Jews were not the only people invited to this adventure with Jesus. In the language of Community of Christ Enduring Principles, All Are Called, not just one group of people.

A third theme of major importance is Jesus’ announcement of the kingdom of heaven on Earth. As Matthew addresses a Jewish audience, most of the time he uses kingdom of heaven instead of kingdom of God. He proclaims that, “the kingdom of heaven has come near,” continuing a message John the Baptist had been promoting before his arrest (Matthew 4:17). The message is not one of a place after death, but of the presence of the kingdom here and now—a message he would later reinforce in what we know as the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This message resonates to this day with Community of Christ and its idea of “the peaceable kingdom, even Zion.”

A final theme speaks as much to followers of Christ today as it did when Matthew was written. According to the text, Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John to go with him and they “immediately” leave everything—jobs, possessions, even family—to follow Christ. The author provides no background so we have no details of what made them respond immediately. Some say the fishermen sensed the divine in Jesus and couldn’t resist him. Others think these new disciples also may have sensed Jesus’ expectation for them to respond quickly and completely because the message of the kingdom on Earth was so important.

We are not told how the fishermen or their families would be provided for during the men’s absence. In some of the other Gospels there are similar examples of the expectation for an immediate response. It appears the authors wanted to express the urgency Jesus felt to have active disciples reach out to as many people as possible while striving to live out the kingdom of heaven on Earth.

Central Ideas

1. Jesus brings light into the dark places of the world and in individual lives.
2. All are invited to follow Christ. As disciples, we are blessed to have the opportunity to invite others to follow as well.
3. The kingdom of heaven has come to Earth.
4. The response of Christian disciples today should be like that of the fishermen who “immediately” relegated all other facets of their lives to a secondary role so they could follow Christ and share his mission.

Questions for the Speaker

1. When have you sensed Jesus saying, “Follow me” and how have you responded?
2. How has your life been changed by following Christ?
3. How have you experienced the kingdom being near you? How did that feel?
4. What might “immediately” following Christ look like today?
5. What value, if any, do you see in the author of Matthew using Isaiah’s prophecy?
6. Into what new or different mission might God be calling the congregation to follow Christ?

Focus Scripture Passage

Matthew 4:12–23 

Lesson Focus

All Are Called to follow Jesus as disciples.  

Objectives 

The learners will… 

• hear the story of Jesus calling the disciples to follow him and be fishers of people.  
• learn what it means to “fish for people.” 
• know that All Are Called to follow Jesus as disciples. 

Supplies 

• Bible  
• Images of people (outlines available with this lesson) with phrases written on back 
• A stick or dowel for each child  
• String or yarn  
• Fish shapes (end of lesson) 
• Hole punch
• Crayons or pencils  
• Fishing net (optional)
• Colorful yarn cut into 6-inch/15.24 cm pieces 

Notes to Teacher

In preparation for this lesson, read “Exploring the Scripture” for Matthew 4:12–23 in Sermon & Class Helps, Year A: New Testament, p. 34, available through Herald House. 

Gather

Activates background knowledge, prepares, and motivates for lesson (15% of total lesson time)

Print images of people (end of lesson). If a printer is not available, draw simple people on index cards or paper. On the back of each person, write needs people might have. For example, “I don’t feel like I have any friends,” “I am hungry,” “I am lonely,” “I don’t understand my school work,” “I don’t know who Jesus is,” “I wish I had a church family,” “I don’t feel loved,” “I wish I had a place to belong,” “I’m scared because my dad lost his job,” and “I wonder if God loves me.”  

Place the people cards face up on the table, with the words facing down. Ask children if they have ever been fishing. Tell them we are going to fish for people. Invite each child to choose a “person” from the table and turn it over. After reading the back of the card, discuss how we could help that person.  

In our scripture passage today, Jesus invites his disciples to follow him and become fishers of people. We will explore what that means for us today. 

Engage

Invites exploration and interaction (35% of lesson time)

Read the story of Jesus calling the disciples, adapted from Matthew 4:12–23:  

One day, Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee. He saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew, trying to catch fish. Jesus asked them, “Are you catching any fish?” They said, “No, not very many.” Then Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” Right away, Peter and Andrew left their nets and followed Jesus. Then they found two other brothers named James and John. James and John were fishing with their father Zebedee. Jesus called to James and John, and they immediately left their father and followed Jesus.  

Discussion questions:  

• What did Jesus mean when he said, “I will make you fish for people”?  
• Do you think it was hard for them to follow Jesus? Why? 
• Peter, Andrew, James, and John became disciples of Jesus. That means they were Jesus’s followers and special helpers. What worries or fears do you think the disciples had as they started to follow Jesus?  

Game: Follow the Leader 

Invite children to play Follow the Leader. One person gets to be the leader. Ask: Who was the leader in our Bible story today? (Jesus) The others will be the followers. Ask: Who followed Jesus in the story today? (Peter, Andrew, James, and John) The leader leads others in a line around the room. Followers mimic the leader’s motions and actions. 

Respond

Takes the learners from hearing to doing (35% of lesson time)

Say: Jesus called the disciples to follow him. This means he invited them to follow him and help him with his work. In Community of Christ, one of our Enduring Principles is All Are Called. This means in Community of Christ we believe everyone is invited to follow Jesus and help with Jesus’s work. Everyone! That means each of us in this room is called to be a disciple of Jesus and to help with Jesus’s work. Jesus did not call only famous people to do his work. He called normal, everyday people. 

• Do you think the disciples were worried that they weren’t special enough to follow Jesus? Why do you think that? 
• What worries do you have that are the same or different than the disciples worries? 
• What does this story tell us about whom God calls?  

Say: When we started our time together today, we talked about ways we could help people in need. We were being fishers of people! We were helping people know God’s love. Each of us is called to share God’s love with the world. It is not always easy to follow Jesus. The story tells us the disciples left behind their boats and nets and families to follow Jesus.  

• Why do you think these grown men left all of this behind to follow Jesus? (Jesus called them to more important tasks; staying at home was not where Jesus was going; the job Jesus was doing called for them to be on the move; etc.) 
• Our call to be Jesus’s disciple doesn’t call us to leave our home or family. What are some things we might need to give up or leave behind to follow Jesus?  
• What gets in a kid’s way of following Jesus? 

Craft: Fishing Poles 

Help children cut out fish shapes (or prepare ahead for small children), punch a hole in each fish, and tie them to a stick with a piece of string or yarn. Encourage children to write something they learned from today’s scripture passage on each fish. For example, “I can follow Jesus,” “All Are Called,” “We can fish for people,” or “I can help others.” 

Send

Explores how the lesson might be lived (10% of lesson time)

Project: Create a Prayer Net  

Hang a fishing net on a wall of the classroom. Provide pieces of colorful yarn cut into six-inch-long pieces. Explain that this prayer net is a place where the children can tie a piece of yarn to the net to represent a prayer. Perhaps it is a prayer for help following Jesus, a prayer for help as they “fish” for people, or a different prayer. It can even be an unspoken prayer. Allow time for each child to say a prayer aloud or silently and to tie a piece of yarn to the net. The net can be left up for a short time, or it can become a permanent part of the classroom. Remind children that prayer is one way we draw closer to God.  

Note

Adapt the project according to available supplies and meeting space. You may choose to create a prayer wall with fish shapes or allow time for children to offer prayers aloud or silently. 

Bless

Time of prayer, praise, blessing, and hope (5% of lesson time)

Dear God,  

Thank you for calling us to be fishers of people. Thank you for seeing what is special about each of us. Help us to give up the things that keep us from following Jesus. Please help us to see people who need us, so we can share God’s love with them.  

(Give each child a chance to say a prayer beginning with “Thank you for…” or “Please help me…”) 

In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.