Jesus Calls Matthew Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “Jesus came to call people like Matthew.”
Matthew was a tax collector. He sat at his tax table. He took money from people for the rulers. Clink, clink went the coins. Many people did not like tax collectors at all. Some tax collectors took more money than they should. Jesus came to call people like Matthew.
Jesus was in the town by the big lake. He had just healed a man who could not walk. Jesus said to him, “Get up, and take up your mat, and go to your house.” And the man got up and walked home! A big crowd came to Jesus, and he taught them.
Then Jesus walked on. He saw Matthew sitting at his tax table. Jesus looked at him. What do you think Jesus would say?
Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Just two words! Follow me means: Come with me. Stay with me and learn from me.
And Matthew got up. He left everything behind, his table and his coins. He followed Jesus. Can you stand up quickly, like Matthew?
Then Matthew made a big feast for Jesus in his house. A feast is a big, happy meal. Yum! Can you rub your tummy? In those days, people lay on soft cushions around a low table to eat.
Many tax collectors came. Other people who had done wrong things came too. They all sat down and ate with Jesus and his friends. There were so many of them! Jesus came to call people like Matthew.
Some leaders called Pharisees saw it. Pharisees tried very hard to keep all of God’s rules. They asked Jesus’ friends, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Sinners are people who do wrong things.
Jesus heard them. He said, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.” A physician is a doctor. A doctor does not stay away from sick people. A doctor goes to them and helps them get well.
Who needs a doctor? Not people who are well. Sick people need a doctor! Can you pretend to be a doctor, listening to a heartbeat? Thump, thump! Jesus came for people who need him. Jesus came to call people like Matthew.
Jesus said, “Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” Mercy means being kind to people who don’t deserve it. A sacrifice was a gift people gave to God at his house. God wants kind hearts even more than gifts. These were God’s own words, from the prophet Hosea, long before.
Jesus said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Repentance means turning away from wrong things and coming back to God. And Matthew had come!
Later, Matthew became one of Jesus’ twelve special friends. They were called the apostles. Matthew stayed with Jesus, listened to him, and learned from him.
Jesus is kind. He calls everyone to come to him, even people that others do not like. Jesus came to call people like Matthew.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think Matthew felt when Jesus said, “Follow me”?
- Why do you think Jesus ate with people that others did not like?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Draw a line to who said it.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“He got up and followed him” — Matthew 9:9 (He got up → stand up; and followed him → walk in place)
Dear Jesus, thank you that you call everyone to come to you. Thank you that you want me, too. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Jesus Welcomes Everyone
Memory verse: “He said to him, "Follow me." He got up and followed him.” — Matthew 9:9 · WEB
The Bible story
Meet Matthew, a tax collector many people did not like, until Jesus walked by, looked him in the eye, and said two words that changed his whole life.
Talk about it
- What was Matthew's job? — Collecting taxes
- Where did Matthew sit each day? — At a tax booth
- How did many people feel about Matthew? — They did not like him
- Who ate dinner with Jesus at Matthew's house? — Tax collectors and sinners
- Who came walking down the dusty road? — Jesus the teacher
- What did Jesus say to Matthew? — Follow me
Where is Jesus in this story?
When Jesus called Matthew, He showed why He came to earth: not to spend time only with people who looked perfect, but to find those who felt lost, lonely, or left out. Jesus is like a loving doctor who searches for hurting hearts to heal them. He still calls each of us today, saying "Follow me," and He promises to love us, forgive us, and never let us go.
What God wants to tell us
This story shows us that God's love is for every single person, even those that others leave out. Other people thought Matthew was too bad to be God's friend, but Jesus chose him, called him by name, and gave him a fresh start. God sees the good inside you and invites you to be His friend, no matter what mistakes you have made. You are always welcome with Him.
Prayer
Thank You, God, for loving me just the way I am. Like Matthew, I want to hear You call my name and follow You with a happy heart. Please help me be kind to people who feel left out, and remind me that I am always welcome with You. Amen.
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