Your information will be kept confidential and not be used for solicitation. He explains that he is the true shepherd who enters through the gate, while thieves and robbers do not. Teacher's Guide . God would use John to begin to turn His people away from the temple and toward Him. John baptized them by immersing them in water. All requests for other uses will be considered. The true story of Easter straight from the Bible text in a way for children to not only understand but also to participate! They did not fear God properly. Matthew (disciple of Jesus), Mark (missionary with Paul & Silas), John the Baptist Sunday School Lesson For Kids: BOTTOM LINE: God has a purpose for you life right now. 3. After Elizabeth became pregnant with John, her cousin Mary from Nazareth visited her. born a Nazarite. Jesus! Also called the Word, Jesus Christ emptied Himself of His privileges as a spirit being and came in the likeness of men Please ask. Instead of the sumptuous meals eaten by the priesthood, he ate locusts and wildhoney. The 2,000-year-old john the baptist This series explores the character of John the Baptist and his mission to prepare the way for Jesus. This is called the Trinity of God. purpose for us! piece, but God knows how each piece fits into the finished puzzle. someone read their prophecy with reference and other person read the fulfillment John's responsibility was to prepare people for the coming of the Messiah. What responsibility do we have to teach the truth? Birth of John the Baptist (Elementary Lesson) Mikal Keefer, The Ministry Spark Team Lessons 8 Minutes Celebrate how great God is at the impossible in this grab-and-go lesson for kids. Can you tell when someone is truly sorry for something bad he did to you? Lord, for Jesus. If we were to begin a journey we might see mountains and valleys ahead of us but no safe, smooth road to travel on. their place in the puzzle. Advent and Christmas Children's Sunday School Lessons. Rather than serving in the temple with its corruption and misdirection, he taught in the wilderness. From the very beginning of his life, God focused attention upon John so that people would take notice of him and listen to him. Copyright Ministry-to-Children. We've included a creative object lesson to help communicate the role of John in pointing people to Christ. Not only will it not produce good fruit, but it might spread disease to other trees. me to share Your love with others. He also would identify Jesus as the Messiah. what we have touched, what we have tasted and even smelled yes, the Bible They confessed their sins and John baptized them in the Jordan River. Rather than the elegantly decorated clothing of the priests, he wore simple camels hair clothing. witnesses, telling people about me everywhere in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, We believe that children and parents benefit from a strong Christian education program in the church. Read more for my statement of beliefs. and ask God to show them how special and important they are right now! Finally they were able to make some sense of his wordless story and determined he must have been given a vision. Baptist, but John the disciple of Jesus & brother of James). John the Baptist was a prophet. That means no permission is needed as long as you credit this Ministry-To-Children.com in the final work. Church Presents,Union Gospel Press' Sunday School Lesson # 10,Entitled: The Good Shepherd,Lesson Text Comes From: John 10:7-18,Date: Sund. Traveling like that would be dangerous and would take a long time. Is this repentance? Relate this to how God wants us to help others reach the How did John the Baptist prepare the peoples hearts for the coming of the Messiah? Psalms, well find a book named after Isaiah. listens for what is the same in each. Every moment was laid out before a and has a plan for them to shine for Him now! Learn about priorities with this Say, Every time you hear either of these word groups, I want you to stand up, turn around, say new life and sit down. Briefly introduce the following terms. John himself was not Because of John, the people would not look to the temple or priesthood for the coming Messiah. So ended the life of a great prophet of Godthe messenger who prepared the way for the Messiah. (Luke 1:17). to see & hear someone today that may have looked very weird to the He did that by Download this biography worksheet about the life of John the Baptist. The neighbours had been puzzled by Zechariah's inability to speak. (Herald Press Bible School Series, 1989). John the Baptist and the Importance of Pointing to Christ https://ministry-to-children.com/matthew-3-1-12-childrens-sermon-object-lesson/Main Objective: Kid. John the Baptist had the mission of preparing people's hearts for the coming Christ. The Lord's Kingdom affects this world, but His victory will not be won by the sword it will be won by the gospel. He wildly waved his arms in a futile attempt to communicate without words what he had just experienced. Jesus is the king of a kingdom "not of this world.". Sign up below for three lessons from the Victory in Jesus book you can use now to jump start your object lesson Bible teaching plan. Look at Matt. But how were they supposed to prepare their hearts? Shop our Sunday School Curriculum and Bible Lessons for Kids. Since his pride was so great, Herod could not be embarrassed in front of the crowd by not fulfilling his promise, so he directed that John be murdered write about these things after they happened? heard? Lets pray and thank God for His amazing love. Pause for thought: How would you communicate with others if you suddenly lost the ability to speak? Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, knows his sheep and calls them by name. John the Baptist was uniquedefinitely even weird! What fruit do you think he was looking for? So ended the life of a great prophet of Godthe messenger who prepared the way for theMessiah. verse with reference. He sounds pretty strange doesnt he? But not John. (Matthew 3:4), I want you to decide if the people in this story have really repented of their sins. The main focus of Johns responsibility would be to make ready a people prepared for theLord.. Have you ever heard of Samson? We Invite a volunteer to come to the front of the class. Have each camper in your group first group silently read Matthew 3:1-3 again the second group read Mark Try to pick a child who has already been baptized or your own child. However, Christ is the discerner of the heart and He knows exactly the character and nature of the two brothers. (Luke 3:16). Open your Bibles to the first book in the New Testament In this lesson, children learn about the miracles and events surrounding the birth of John the Baptist. devotions & worship.). var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; And thank you that I can do incredible God. See if anyone can guess who this is. Luke 7:28). It is little wonder why Jesus said of this great man, Among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist Take a few minutes to pray over them (Read with emotion and pause often to engage the children with the reading.) The steep sides of the hills were full of caves. John the Baptist was the messenger that God chose to bring this good news to His people. She knows that God said lying is wicked. The angel, later identified as Gabriel, explained that Zachariass and Elizabeths prayers had been heard by God, and He was going to act on them. If time allows, ask campers to share one or two things that Yet scholars found very little Give He must have spent hoursmaybe even daystrying to communicate what had happened. but we are then set apart to share the Good News of the Gospel with The temple and its services had become very corrupt. They watched and waited. Children's Version. Its turning away He was the voice in the desert preparing the way for the Lord as foretold by the Prophet Isaiah. It is HIS divine will that young people come to faith in Jesus Christ and find salvation through the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit to bring them to faith. affiliate marketing links, which means we may get paid commission on from sin that leads to death and turn to Jesus Who is THE Life! Let us help you keep up with what's new at Creative Bible Study with free Bible study lessons and ideas straight to your email! John was born! from the direction you are going (our own way) and turn around and go towards All through their married lives, they had prayed fervently to God asking for children. Remind kids that God has "planted" them in a certain family, in a certain neighborhood, on teams, etc. It is HIS divine will that young people come to faith in Jesus Christ and find salvation through the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit to bring them to faith. say had spoken words about this plan for Johns life? groups of two or three to help each other. This frightened Zacharias and greatly troubled him. It occurred just as the angel had said it would. In this John the Baptist Object Lesson you will discuss repentance and what fruit the Lord wants to produce in those who choose to follow Him. Say, Today we are going to learn about the special job that God gave to John the Baptist.. Have the Say: Today we are going to learn about a man named John the Baptist. God had a special plan & purpose for each of their Jesus loves us even though we are broken and sinful and we dont have to do anything to make us more lovable to Him. (Try to lead them to John told us that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Mark 6:25). But baptism preceded by repentance makes us spiritually clean. Copyright 2007-2023 CreativeBibleStudy.com Repentance is like the soap that cleans us up. Matthew 19:14 - "Let the Children Come to Me." Coloring Sheet. ], If a tree is unhealthy, will it produce good fruit? He also wants us to point To the Jews of that day, the presence of the temple was proof that God was withthem. For Permission to Quote Information visit, Bible Story of Easter - Interactive for Kids. This picture of Jesus in the water, with the Holy Spirit like a dove upon Him, and Gods voice coming from heaven shows us THREE parts of God. David was right in Psalm 139God knows everything! Whether you are a veteran teacher or in your first year, this guide provides a step by step process to effective lesson planning and provides 250 suggestions for activities and teaching strategies. (tell about what single day had passed., Think about all the people in the Bible we have talked about Martens. sweet perfume. in 2 Corinthians 2:14all that we knowall that we arewe are content is not influenced by advertisers or affiliate partnerships. Zacharias was in the temple far longer than would normally have been needed to light the incense. She is the owner of FutureFlyingSaucers Resources where she helps busy parents and church leaders teach fun, flexible, multi-age, budget-friendly bible object lessons that enhance the spiritual growth of children. Every week, thousands of churches use our Bible lessons, craft ideas, printable resources, and coloring pages to teach kids the Christian faith. Humbly doing our work of service without drawing attention to ourselves is a great virtue. about face and turn to God). Zechariah's wife was Elizabeth. (Luke 3:4), Look at how many chapters Isaiah has. Make the paths straight for His coming! Origami is always a fun craft idea for kids to enjoy; Youtube has several options and how-to videos. The Pharisees and Sadducees cared a lot about the way they looked on the outside but they didnt really know God or love Him. John the Baptist is a key figure in the Bible, not only for His place as baptizer of Christ. The Holy Spirit, in the visible form of a dove, descended from heaven and rested on Jesus. Unfortunately they were unable to have children, and it appeared that this would always be the case. Hi! What does the fruit of repentance look like? Say: When we travel long distances we usually go on the highway right? (Ring bell and wait for kids to respond with "Hear ye, hear ye!") John was a very unusual man who wore clothes made of camel hair with a leather belt around his waist. Tell the Story: Many years before John the Baptist was born, God promised that there would be a special messenger who would announce the coming of the long-awaited Messiah (or Savior) for Gods people. Does anyone remember which books of the Bible are called the gospels? The discovery of the scrolls prove that what was written in Too often children are not taught about the meaning of repentance and baptism. If a tree is diseased, a farmer will cut it down. Use this free Sunday School lesson to teach kids about John the Baptist and his role to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus Christ. others! God (His way). Memory Verse. We all need to realize that God has a That probably makes us feel pretty good about ourselves, but no matter how good we are on the outside, our hearts are still like dry deserts without Jesus. even as I go home from camp. In this lesson we will discover what he accomplished, how he prepared the way for the Messiah, and what we can learn from his example. (Jesus). Find a map of the ancient land of Judah and search for the Jordan River. Give them the challenge to reach the You can tell a lot about a person by what they do. the book of Isaiah was indeed written hundreds of years before John or Jesus lives. John Told About Jesus Parents Connect Page But Elizabeth protested and said his name would be John. The dancer (who had actually become his step-daughter through his illegal marriage) asked her mother what she should ask for. We find a very interesting description of him living in the wilderness, wearing camel's hair and a leather belt, consuming a diet of locusts and wild honey. The Trinity is the term we use to describe God as One God and the three persons of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. from Bible study, Rec time, Family Group time, Bunk time, or just a His doubt and request for a sign could be interpreted as limiting the great God. Jesus Loves the Little Children Cut and Paste Activity. John the Baptist was a highly renowned prophet in the Bible. Be sure to pause on the words repent or baptize to allow the children to stand up, turn around, say new life and sit back down. He John the Baptist may have looked and sounded strange, but he was To prepare the way for the Messiah, John would take the Jews focus away from the temple so they might better recognize and respond to the Messiah. But he told them that One would be coming Who would baptize with the fire of the Holy Spirit, and not with water. Talking Jesus Paper Doll Craft. Gabriel announced that Elizabeth would become pregnant and have a son, and they were to name this son John. Many times in life we may only see our puzzle Is this repentance? (John 3:30). John was the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah, a Jewish priest. He told the people that he was not worthy of untying, or carrying, the shoes of the One to come. Depending on the number of kids they might have more than one card. These Bible studies for Sunday School will help you teach the main idea of this scripture passage and show children that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the promises of Scripture. a prophet who prepared the way for the Messiah We need to repentand truly mean it in our hearts. (You can read the story of Johns birth in Luke 1.). An angel suddenly appeared to the right of the incense altar! He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!, Ask: Who do you think John meant was coming after him? dirty, but after it was washed it could be used again. We need to turn from doing life our own way and walk on Jesus path of life instead. Where did he bathe?! tasted? Tell the Story: Among the people coming to hear John were some religious leaders called Pharisees and Sadducees. John the Baptist In this 4-week series, kids will discover how John the Baptist was preparing us for Jesus. sets us apart for His plan and purpose. Find something that might be immersed in water but not come clean without soap (like a dirty bath toy or dirty dish). Did that sound familiar?! When the time came to pass the baton to Jesus, John willingly did so with no fanfare or remorse. (Matthew 14:10; fit to make the puzzle complete. into Heaven are recorded in Acts 1:8lets look at it. Should it be done by sprinkling or pouring? John the Baptist was set apart. These were men who were very proud of the fact that they were so religious, but in reality their hearts were far from God. As John grew to adulthood, it was obvious to all that God was with him. (Luke 1:63). Bible Games for the lesson of John The Baptist. special plan for our lives too. She even goes back and says shes sorry to the people she lied. Nine months later, Elizabeth birthed a beautiful babyboy. The shepherds found Without explanation to the class, pretend to baptize them. You see, John wore clothes made of camel hair and ate locusts and honey. How can you prepare yourself today to meet Jesus in heaven. When John first saw Jesus Christ in the wilderness he pointed to him and proclaimed him to be the Messiah and the Lamb of God. Jesus asked John to baptize him in the Jordan River and John reluctantly agreed saying Jesus should baptize him instead. js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.4&appId=205754619489674"; Prepare the copy in advance by highlighting the significant points to emphasize. in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.. Background: About thirty years have gone by since Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Ask: Who here has ever been on a road trip? The fruit of repentance is understanding in your heart, not just in your head, that you are a sinner and that you deserve to be cut down and thrown into the fire (Romans 6:23). Ask the children if they ever tell their friends about God. (Mark 1:3) John knew it was about God and not Him. (John the Baptist). Have you signed up to receive the free eBook, The Religion Teachers Guide to Lesson Planning. While Zacharias hoped what the angel stated would come to pass, he apparently doubted. The really cool thing is that God also had Isaiah tell about Tell the Story: John the Baptist was the messenger God promised. "Jesus Always has Time for Me" Coloring and Activity Sheet. God has chosen us and made a way for us to choose life, to choose and accept If we turn in our Bibles just a little bit to the right of I'm Susan, and this is (part of) my family! Copyright Ministry-to-Children. Through the testimony of John, the people would hear that God was fulfilling all his promises through Jesus Christ. as the Dead Sea Scrolls. God had a special plan & purpose for Johns life way God has an 2023 Ministry-To-Children.com | Bible Lessons for Kids, Activities for Sunday School, Free Resources for Children's Ministry Leaders. Explain that each of the four Gospels that tell about the life of Jesus, important part of Gods family and they are too! It was not an easy thing for John the Baptist to do. ;). difference between the early and later copies. John knew that by sharing Jesus, he was sharing lifeEternal Life! And he had an important job: to prepare the way for Jesus to come! In fact, John called them a Brood of Vipers!. The Book of Isaiah is referred to as a miniature Bible. encouraging people to get their lives in order and repent of their sins. Active Listening: Ask the children to listen carefully for two special word groups in this passage. God had a plan for both John and Jesus. Zechariah was a priest in the days shortly before Jesus was born. The events surrounding Johns birth were clearly miraculous. Scripture: Matt 3:1-10; 14:1-12, Luke 3:1-20, Main Point: We must prepare our hearts for Jesus. Back then kings and royalty were the lucky ones. purpose for his life just like he does for our lives! He started preaching in the wilderness. He will be there with open arms to receive us back and clean us up so we can be He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah as the voice in the desert preparing the way for the Lord. He gave them specific things to do, such as: share with those who have none, tax collectors should only tax what they ought to, soldiers should not force people to pay them money and falsely accuse people. used for the plans & purpose He has for us! Everyone at the babys ceremony expected that the boy would be named after his father, Zacharias. How many books does the Bible John did not mean fruit like this. No matter how good we try to be, we still need Jesus to save us, and we must prepare our hearts for Jesus. ( Luke 1:36) John's birth as well as Jesus' was announced by the angel Gabriel before they were born. He felt he needed more assurance that it was true. When John the Baptist announced that the Kingdom of God was at hand, he meant that Gods rule was just about to break into the world through the Messiah. (Dr. David Naugle) So as John preached, he continued to tell the people that God was about to do something. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Ministry-To-Children.com helps you tell kids about Jesus by providing age-appropriate Bible study material and Sunday School curriculum all 100% free online.