Jesus Chooses His 12 Disciples: Bible Stories For Kids

One day Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The cool breeze moved gently through his hair and soft waves lapped at the sandy beach. Jesus was on an important mission. He needed special friends to help him share God's love with the world. Soon Jesus saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, fishing by the shore. They were casting their nets into the sparkling water, working hard to catch fish. Jesus called out to them with a warm smile, Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. What? Fishers of men? Yes, Mr. Fish, fishers of men. Simon and Andrew looked at each other in amazement. They could tell Jesus was someone special, sent by God. Without a second thought, they dropped their nets and followed him. A little farther down the beach, Jesus saw two more brothers, James and John. They were sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending fishing nets. Jesus called out to them, Come, follow me. James and John looked at their father, who smiled and nodded proudly. They climbed out of the boat, waved goodbye to their dad, and joined Jesus. As Jesus continued his journey, he called others too. Ordinary people like Philip, Matthew the tax collector, Bartholomew, and more. These men became his special helpers, called apostles. The word apostles means messengers, or those who are sent. Jesus chose them to follow him closely and learn how to share God's love with the world. The apostles didn't have to be perfect or have special skills, they just needed to trust Jesus and be willing to help others. With Jesus leading them, these ordinary people became part of God's extraordinary plan to spread his love everywhere.