Jesus Family
JOHN
Wait - how were they related?
Mary, Jesus mom
had a relative - Elizabeth
Elizabeth is John’s mom
JOHN WAS ABOUT 6 MONTHS OLDER THAN JESUS
JOHN’S MOM & DAD
Elizabeth (descendants of Aaron - Levites) and Zechariah (a priest)
Angel Gabriel told his mom and dad before his birth that John was to be a
NAZIRITE
(what is a nazirite?)
who else was a nazirite?
Sa _ _ _ n
John had a special gift, he was to tell people that Jesus was coming.
He worked hard telling the people about Jesus.
He lived in the wilderness
He ate honey and locusts
WE WASN’T ALLOWED TO DRINK WINE or BEER (Luke 1:15)
NO GRAPES or RAISINS
HE WAS PREPARING PEOPLE FOR JESUS
Read Matthew 3:1-6 (John the Baptist)
Discussion Questions:
1. What did John the Baptist eat for food? (Locusts and honey.)
2. What did John the Baptist come to do? (Tell people that Jesus was coming.)
3. Did many people go out to see John? (Yes.)
4. If you were living back then, how far would you walk to see John the Baptist?
5. What did the people do when they saw John the Baptist? (They confessed their sins.)
6. Why was John the Baptist special to God? (He worked hard telling people about Jesus.)
MEMORY VERSE
John 1:29
Activity Idea - MOULD ISAIAH’s WORDS (Matt 3v3)
You will need play dough - give each team plenty of play dough.
Assign each team one of the following phrases from the prophet Isaiah as he describes John the Baptist in Matthew 3:3.
"A voice of one calling in the wilderness"
"Prepare the way for the Lord"
"Make straight paths for him"
Have each team work together to form a visual depiction of their phrase with play dough.
Game idea - JUMP into the JORDAN
Many people came to the Jordan River to look for John the Baptist, but when they heard what he had to say, they did not try to jump away.
Instead, they confessed their sins and were baptized right there in the Jordan River.
This is how John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus.
YOU WILL NEED
A river (towels or mark out with tape)
Make two parallel lines about twelve feet long and two feet apart.
The space between the lines will represent the Jordan River.
Have all the children stand on one side of the river.
You will all sing, "Let's Go to the Jordan River" , and then all jump across (without running) to the other side of the river.
Anyone who cannot jump clearly across is considered in the river.
Tell them, "You found the river, come out and dry off."
Then give them a towel to pretend to dry off and have them return to their seat.
Next, move one line about a foot further away from the other line.
Sing and jump again.
Repeat this making the river wider and wider until all the children cannot jump across.