Baptism of Our Lord - January 8, 2023

Bible Study “Baptism of Our Lord”

Share:  Your highs (something that made you happy) and lows (something that made you sad) this week with others around you or write them down.

 

This season of the church year is called “Epiphany” which means a sudden or great revealing or manifestation. It is celebrated on January 6th, and lasts until the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday. It represents the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles—the Gentile’s Christmas. The main theme of epiphany is— Jesus as the light of the world, revealed to all nations, including the Gentiles. The number of Sundays differ every year, depending on when Easter falls, but it always begins with the Baptism of Jesus and end with the Transfiguration.

 

Opening Prayer:  Thank you, God, for sending Jesus who came for all of us. Help us see the ways in which he shows us the way to follow you.

 

Please open your Bibles to Matthew 3:13-17 and read or read the scriptures below.

Matthew 3:13-17 

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Questions: (Answers at the bottom of the page)

  • Why did you think John felt he shouldn’t baptize Jesus?
  • Why did Jesus come to John for baptism?
  • John did not have a baptismal font nor pretty silver dishes, so how did he baptize Jesus?
  • What did they both see when Jesus came up from the water?
  • And what did they hear?

 

Click here for the young learner’s lesson

 

Videos (Click on url)

Jesus Christ Baptism – River Jordan – Matthew 3:13-17 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxb8IMeXaxk  or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_dr9njVzKM

Overview:  Matthew 1-13 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dv4-n6OYGI&t=35s

 

Activities:

Journal:  Pretend that you had been standing on the banks of the River Jordan as all this was happening.  How do you describe what you have just seen so you can tell others about it.  You do not have to use “Bible” language but instead use words you would use to describe what you saw and write it in your journal.

 

Also make some notes in your journal about the way John exercised his power. (He was authorized to baptize, he consented to baptize Jesus.)

 

How did Jesus exercise his power? (By honoring John’s power and asking him to perform the baptism.)

 

What did Jesus see in John to make him authentic enough to follow? (Jesus recognized that John was probably the last in a long line of prophets.  John knew the stories of previous prophets and used their messages in his talks.)

 

What, then, did John see in Jesus, to choose to follow him? (John knew that the Messiah, the Son of God, was coming and this man had all the attributes he expected in a Messiah.)

 

Have you ever had the experience of suddenly just knowing something.  An: “I got it!” kind of a moment.  Write it in your journal.  Is it hard to find the exact words to describe what happened?   What if you were watching someone else have an “I got it!” moment?  In what ways would it be hard to describe what happened to them?   Identify the author of today’s Gospel who was not an eyewitness to the event and yet still had to describe it.

 

These notes can help you when you are choosing who to trust and when we are seeing what is involved in following Jesus.

 

Baptism Banner:  Title the banner as BAPTISM:  OFFICIAL ADOPTION CEREMONY.  Decorate with water and a picture depicting someone being baptized.  Add the prayer at the bottom of the bottom of the banner that is our closing prayer today.  https://www.pinterest.com/arrington52/banner-drawing-how-to/

 

The Baptism of Jesus – Crossword Puzzle:  https://sermons4kids.com/baptism_jesus_matthew_crossword.htm?fromSermonId=79

The Baptism of Jesus Decoder: https://sermons4kids.com/baptism_jesus_matthew_decoder.htm?fromSermonId=79

The Baptism of Jesus fill in the Blank: https://sermons4kids.com/baptism_jesus_matthew_cloze.htm?fromSermonId=79

Baptism of Our Lord Word Search:

 

Prayer: Thank you, God, for John who helped Jesus begin his ministry. Help us hear your voice telling us that we are your beloved. Amen

 

 

Answers to the Questions:

  • Why did you think John felt he shouldn’t baptize Jesus? (John knew that his job was to get people ready for Jesus, so he thought his job was done.)
  • Why did Jesus come to John for baptism? (It had been John’s job to baptize people and Jesus wanted to recognize John’s authority in this matter.)
  • John did not have a baptismal font nor pretty silver dishes, so how did he baptize Jesus? (They walked together into a river. John plunged Jesus down into the water, and then helped him up.)
  • What did they both see when Jesus came up from the water? (something “like” a dove)
  • And what did they hear? (a voice from heaven)