Year B. 1st Term. Lesson 3. JESUS SERIES: Baptized Jesus

Advanced notice: For this lesson you need paper and envelopes that can be sealed. Instead of envelopes, you could use a sheet of paper that is then folded and sealed with masking tape or sticky tape, or candle wax.

Scripture: for teacher background:  Luke 3

Making contact:

Have a bucket, towel and soap and let all the children wash their hands.

If possible, give them each a tiny taste of honey or give them a sweet to suck while you tell the story.

 Exploration:

While Jesus had been growing up, so had his cousin John, Elizabeth and Zechariah’s son. John had been dedicated as a Nazarite (remember Samson who was also dedicated to God in this way, and was never supposed to drink wine or cut his hair.) 

When John was grown up, he went to live alone in the desert. His clothes were made of rough camel’s hair. He had a belt of leather and he ate locusts and wild honey. 

He went to the river Jordan and started preaching to the people, telling them that their Messiah was coming and they must get ready and repent from their sins. 

They had to change their lives and start doing the right things. 

He baptized them in the river to wash away their sins. He told them to share their belongings and not to cheat.

Jesus was 30 years old by now and one day He arrived there and wanted to be baptized. 

John said that he needed to be baptized by Jesus and things were the wrong way around. But Jesus insisted that this was what God wanted. 

As He came out of the water He heard a voice saying, “You are My own dear son. I am pleased with you.”

Application 

A discussion on Baptism might be helpful. (But don’t get side tracked into lots of arguments about infant baptism etc. If there are problems, rather say you can talk afterwards and maybe draw in the minister.)

 What does Baptism today mean? 

 We are in Christ and belong. Many churches ask the parents to bring their children to be baptized as babies and then when they older they must confirm this decision for themselves.  They are therefore INCLUDED and members of the church.

Other churches prefer if children wait until teenagers or adults to make this decision for themselves. This often takes place at their conversion, when they decide to follow Jesus. They are then immersed in water as Jesus was. 

When we are a "CHRIST-IAN"  person it means a change in our ways. We can’t be a Christ follower and do wrong things. We need to change our ways and become more like Jesus.

Jesus wanted to be baptized by John, not because He needed to repent, but to identify with the people- to show us He is WITH us.

John the Baptist was baptizing the people in water to get them ready for Jesus. They needed to repent and change their ways.

Get the children to write a letter as to how they want to change. This will be sealed and kept by the teacher, sealed. Later on in the year, perhaps on Resurrection Sunday they can be handed back for the children to open, to see if anything has changed and to pray with them.

We all need time alone to think, time to repent and pray. Send the children out to a “desert “place…..somewhere on their own outside to sit and think and pray and maybe write their letter. John the Baptist lived in a desert. The quiet and peace brings us closer to God.

God spoke to Jesus as HE came out of the water and He told Him He was His beloved, precious wonderful Son and that He was pleased with Him. God loves you too – you are His precious, precious child.

If you were not baptized as a baby, then one day you can choose to be baptized. So this is something to think about. Some even decide to be baptized as adults even if they were baptized as babies. Some churches will not allow this.

Each one needs to listen to what God is saying.

But let us not join in with those who argue badly over this issue.  

Challenge to Mission

 John lived a very simple life in the desert, close to God. How can we simplify and be free from materialism and be closer to God?

Is there something we can give away? 

Next week bring along something you feel you should give up to live more simply and we will pass it on to someone who really needs it.

 Consolidation

Make a poster for the children to stick up on a wall somewhere at home – I am me and that’s okay because God don’t make no junk!”

There is a worksheet with pictures of John the Baptist preaching and Jesus being baptized for the children to colour in.

 There is also a picture of a wheelbarrow. The children can write or draw what they want to give away to simplify their lives.

Memory verse

“If we confess our sins to God, He will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing.

1 John 1:9