Jesus calls His disciples — and they left everything and followed.
⏱ 20–25 minutes👥 Best for 8–30 kids📖 Matthew 8 · 9 · 12 · Mark 2–3 · Luke 5–6 · 9
In this week's passages, Jesus does something remarkable again and again: He looks at ordinary people — fishermen, a despised tax collector, a mixed crowd of outsiders — and says two words: "Follow Me." And they go. No hesitation. No negotiating. They leave their boats, their tax tables, and their old lives behind.
This game puts kids in the middle of that story. They'll race to answer questions about the disciples Jesus called, the conflicts He faced, and the kingdom principles He taught — all from Lesson B 23's passages.
How to Play
Setup
No materials needed — this is a verbal call-and-response game.
Divide kids into two teams. Teams sit on opposite sides of the room or stand in two lines.
The leader reads each question aloud. The first team to raise a hand (or the leader calls on alternating teams) gives the answer.
A correct answer = 1 point. An incorrect answer = the other team gets a chance to steal.
Play all 12 questions. The team with the most points wins.
Variation for large groups: Give each team a bell or a buzzer sound (clap, stomp, or a noise-maker). First team to buzz in gets to answer. If wrong, the other team steals. Keeps energy high!
Bonus Round Rule
Questions marked "Follow Me Bonus" are worth 2 points. For these, a team must answer and give the Bible reference to earn both points. If they answer correctly but miss the reference, they earn 1 point.
The Questions
1What was Matthew (Levi) doing when Jesus called him to be a disciple?
Sitting at the tax collector's booth, collecting taxes.
Matthew 9:9 · Mark 2:14 · Luke 5:27
2After Matthew followed Jesus, what did he do to celebrate? Who did he invite?
He threw a great banquet at his house and invited tax collectors and other "sinners."
Luke 5:29 · Mark 2:15
3The Pharisees complained that Jesus ate with sinners. What did Jesus say He came for — sick people or healthy people?
He came for the sick — those who need a physician, not those who think they are well.
Matthew 9:12–13 · Mark 2:17
4Follow Me Bonus The Pharisees criticized Jesus' disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath. What was the name of the Old Testament king Jesus used as an example in His defense?
King David — who ate the consecrated bread from the tabernacle.
Matthew 12:3–4 · Mark 2:25–26
5Jesus said something very important about the Sabbath and people. What did He say the Sabbath was made for?
The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath.
Mark 2:27
6Jesus healed a man with a shriveled hand on the Sabbath. Why were the Pharisees so angry about this?
They believed healing was "work" and violated their Sabbath rules — they were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus.
Matthew 12:10–14 · Mark 3:1–6
7Follow Me Bonus Jesus used a parable about wineskins to explain why His ministry was something new. What happens if you put new wine into old wineskins?
The old wineskins burst — the wine spills out and the skins are ruined. New wine must go into new wineskins.
Matthew 9:17 · Luke 5:37–38
8Jesus went up a mountainside before choosing His twelve apostles. What did He do there the night before?
He spent the entire night praying to God.
Luke 6:12
9Name at least four of the twelve apostles Jesus officially chose.
Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas Iscariot.
Mark 3:16–19 · Luke 6:13–16
10A man told Jesus, "I will follow You wherever You go." What did Jesus say to him about foxes and birds?
"Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head" — following Jesus means sacrifice.
Matthew 8:19–20 · Luke 9:57–58
11Follow Me Bonus Another man said he would follow Jesus, but first wanted to go bury his father. What did Jesus reply?
"Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Following Jesus must come first.
Luke 9:59–60 · Matthew 8:21–22
12What familiar Old Testament prophecy about a gentle servant did Matthew quote to describe the way Jesus treated people — not breaking a bruised reed or snuffing out a smoldering wick?
The prophecy of Isaiah — referring to God's Servant who would bring justice gently to the nations.
Matthew 12:18–21 · Isaiah 42:1–4
Closing Discussion
Matthew left his tax booth the moment Jesus called. What do you think was going through his mind? Would it be easy or hard for you to do the same?
Jesus said the Sabbath was made for people, not the other way around. What do you think that means for how we treat the Sabbath today?
The people who followed Jesus "immediately" didn't know exactly where they were going. What makes it possible to trust someone enough to follow them like that?
Big Idea
Jesus didn't call the most qualified or the most religious people — He called ordinary people willing to say yes. Tax collectors, fishermen, and outcasts became His closest friends. His call is still the same today: "Follow Me." The question is always whether we will go.
Main texts: Matthew 8:18–22; 9:9–17; 12:1–21 · Mark 2:13–3:19 · Luke 5:27–6:16; 9:57–62
