Heart Prep:
It may seem strange that Jesus would seek to be baptized as Jesus never sinned and was not in need of God’s forgiveness. Yet, Jesus was fully committed to doing the will of His heavenly Father, which included baptism. Jesus’ baptism modeled how His followers are to publicly profess their faith in Him. Jesus’ baptism would also be His next step in beginning His earthly ministry. Indeed, the very next day, Jesus began calling disciples to follow Him. As Jesus went up from the water, we see a beautiful picture of the Trinity: the heavens opened as the Son prayed, the Spirit descended upon Him, and the Father declared Jesus the Son in whom He is well pleased. Jesus’ baptism represents believers’ death to sin. Just as Christ died on the cross and was raised, so, too, are His followers born again and raised up from the grave into new life. Lead children to see that Jesus lived a perfect life of obedience and died as the sacrifice for our sins before rising again. Help them understand that though we cannot follow God perfectly, we can place our trust in the One who did. Remind boys and girls that Christians are called to obedience through baptism. While baptism does not have the power to save us, it is an outward expression of an inward reality in the life of the believer.
Message:
Day after day, John was leading people to confess their sins and be baptized in the Jordan River. One day, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee to be baptized in the Jordan River by John. When John saw Jesus, he said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I have been telling you about, the one who is greater than me, because he has always existed. I have been baptizing you with water to prepare the way for him, so that he might be revealed to all God’s people.” When John realized that Jesus wanted to be baptized by him, John tried to stop Him. John said, “I need to be baptized by you! Why do you come to me to be baptized?” Jesus answered him and said, “Allow me to be baptized by you. This is the way it must be for us to fulfill all righteousness, by obeying God’s plan.” So, John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens opened up for Him, and He saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove onto Him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Christ Connection: Jesus obeyed His Father by being baptized. Later in life, He obeyed His Father by dying on a cross for our sins and rising again, so that all who trust in Him will receive eternal life.
Main Point:
Jesus obeyed His Father by being baptized. Later in life, He obeyed His Father by dying on a cross for our sins and rising again, so that all who trust in Him will receive eternal life.
Discussion:
If Jesus never sinned, why was He baptized?
Remind kids that Jesus perfectly obeyed God and so did not need to repent of doing anything wrong. Explain that Jesus’ baptism was a picture that showed He would die in the place of sinners and then rise again. (Option: Choose a volunteer to read 2 Corinthians 5:21.)
Is baptism for everyone?
Explain that baptism is an action that shows people how Jesus has changed someone’s heart through salvation. Share that anyone who has repented of their sins and trusted in Jesus as Lord can share about this decision with others through believer’s baptism. (Option: Choose a volunteer to read Romans 6:4.)
Does trusting in Jesus mean that we will obey Him perfectly?
Share that none of us are able to perfectly obey God; that’s why Jesus came! When we trust in Jesus, though we will still sin, God changes our desires so that we seek to be more like Jesus. (Option: Choose a volunteer to read 1 John 1:8-9.)
