Gone FiShing

Rod: Ahoy there, boys and girls!

Leader: Hey everybody, you remember this guy! It’s Rod Tacklebox!

Rod: Aye, that be me!

Leader: Rod, how’re you doing today?

Rod: I’m feeling finer than a puffer fish painting a parking lot!

Leader: Is that fishing phrase?

Rod: It is now! I just made it up! But I am in a good mood today! I just got off the phone with my big brother, Reel!

Leader: Oh cool! What’d you talk about?

Rod: My big brother Reel and I love calling each other and swapping stories of our lives out on the sea!

Leader: Like what?

Rod: Well, there was the time I arm wrestled a shark!

Leader: You arm wrestled a SHARK?!

Rod: Yep, it was pretty easy. They don’t have arms! (laughs at himself) There was also the time Reel and I were on a fishing trip together and our car broke down. We were out by the beach in the middle of nowhere. We were stranded for hours! Instead of getting all upset and worried, you know what we did?

Leader: What’d you do?

Rod: We asked ourselves “What would our hero, Peter, do?” Well, we went straight to God to ask for help! We prayed and prayed and finally Reel looked at me and said “I think God is telling me we should fish!”

Leader: Do what?

Rod: That’s what I said! But, who am I to argue with God? So, we took our gear out to the beach, and as soon as we had casted our lines, we both got a bite! I reeled this tiny little fish that JINGLED!

Leader: (in disbelief) The fish…..jingled????

Rod: That’s right! I opened up it’s mouth and pulled out a set of car keys!

Leader: That’s weird!

Rod: Not as weird as what happened next Reel had a BIG bite! And I helped him reel in a GIANT fish. I mean, bigger than a house! It opened up it’s mouth and burped out a BRAND NEW CAR that went with the keys I just caught!

Leader: I think that’s one of the craziest stories I’ve ever heard…but it reminds me of another fishing story we’re talking about today. Peter once came to Jesus in a time of need and God did something amazing.

Rod: I know JUST the story you’re talking about! Don’t give away anything yet, though. Just remember boys and girls, when you have a need, don’t walk, but RUN straight to God and miraculous things will happen!

Leader: Thanks for stopping by, Rod! Where are you headed to now?

Rod: Ever heard of a parrot fish?

Leader: Yeah..

Rod: I’m gonna go see if I can catch one and teach it to talk! See you next time, kids! THERE SHE BLOWS, AND HERE I GO!

Today we are continuing the series about the disciple named Peter. He was just an average, ordinary guy that God used to do some amazing things for Him. In our last lesson, Peter left everything to follow Jesus. He left behind his fishing business, his friends, his entire way of life. But, Jesus had some incredible things planned for Peter.

One day, Jesus and the disciples arrived at a town called Capernaum. All of a sudden, Peter was approached by some of the temple tax collectors.

They got in his face and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?” Peter was surprised, but he responded back to the tax collectors, “Of course, he does.”

Now, Peter was in a tough situation. He had just promised these tax collectors that he and Jesus were going to pay this tax. The problem is, Peter had left his fishing business behind. He didn’t have a way of making money anymore. He was probably just a little bit worried about how in the world he was going to actually pay this tax.

Peter had a need. A BIG need. Have you ever been there? Have you ever had a huge need that you just didn’t know how you were going to take care of? Maybe you owed your brother money and you didn’t have the money to pay him back. Maybe you had something you really needed to buy for school, but you just didn’t have the money to buy it.

Peter did something that ALL of us need to do when we have a big need. He went to find Jesus and bring his need to Jesus’ attention. He went to the house where Jesus was staying. He was going to find Jesus and ask Him to help him. That is a lesson for you and I, kids...

Peter didn’t go off trying to figure out how he was going to pay the tax. He didn’t come up with a crazy plan of selling brownies or putting on a magic show in order to raise the money to pay the tax. His first thought was, “I must go talk to Jesus.” Boys and girls, when we have a need, we must go talk to Jesus FIRST. He is the one who can help us with our need.

So, Peter goes to the house where Jesus is staying.

When He walks in, Jesus speaks to him even before he has a chance to tell him why he is there. Jesus says, “What do you think, Peter? Do Kings tax their own people or the foreigners they have conquered?” Peter had to be shocked. Here Jesus was asking him a question about taxes before he even had a chance to say anything to him about why he was coming.

Jesus went on to say, “We don’t want to offend anyone, so we should pay the temple tax.” WOW! Jesus knew what Peter was coming to ask even before Peter asked it. What does that tell us?

Jesus already knew that Peter was worried about the taxes he owed. So, Jesus tells him what to do about it even before Peter asks about it. Boys and girls, sometimes we begin to wonder if God really knows what’s going on in our lives. We wonder if He really knows what we are going through. He knows! He knows about our every need even before we ask Him about it.

Jesus tells Peter what to do next. He says, “Go down to the lake and throw in a fishing line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a coin. Take the coin and go pay the tax for both you and for me.” WOW! What a crazy idea. Jesus tells Peter what to do, and Peter obeys.

Can you imagine what it must have been like for Peter? He goes down to the lake, puts out a fishing line, pulls in the first fish (pick up the toy fish), reaches into the fish’s mouth (reach in to grab the coin from the fish’s mouth), and pulls out a coin to pay the temple tax.

Can you imagine how awesome it must have been for him to go back to those tax collectors

and hand them a coin with fish guts all over it. It must have been so much fun!

What lesson do we learn from this, boys and girls? We learn…

No matter what need you have, God knows all about it. It doesn’t matter how big it is. God is bigger! He may provide for that need in a way that you never would have thought He would. I’m sure Peter never thought that he would be paying his taxes with “fish money”, but God knew. God provides for His children. We must trust Him and expect Him to take care of our every need.

1. What was today’s Big Idea? Answer: “When I Have A Need, God Will Provide!”

2. What is the name of the fisherman who visited us today? Answer: Rod Tacklebox

3. What did Peter owe money for? Answer: The temple tax

4. What did Jesus tell Peter to do in order to get the money? Answer: Go fishing and look in the first fish’s mouth

5. Did Peter find money in the fish’s mouth? Answer: Yes

6. According to our lesson today, “When you have a need, come to Jesus ____________.” Answer: First

7. According to our lesson today, does God know what we need even before we ask? Answer: Yes

8. According to our lesson today, “God will ____________.” Answer: Provide

9. TRUE or FALSE: God can provide for ANY need I have. Answer: True

10. Where was our Power Verse found? Answer: 2 Corinthians 9:8