Bible Story: John's Special Message
Reference: Luke 3 and John 1
When Jesus was all grown up, the time was near for Him to start His ministry. So, God sent a special preacher named John the Baptist to tell the people to get ready to meet the Messiah. Messiah means “Anointed or Chosen One.” It’s a special title for Jesus.
John grew up in the wilderness where he studied the book of nature and thought deeply about His Bible words. John wore a coat of camel’s hair and ate locusts and honey. All he wanted to do was know God and help people get ready to meet the Messiah.
God sent John the Baptist to preach a special message to the people. “Repent – Stop sinning. Confess your sin to God.” (Point up to God) Image courtesy of Sweet Publishing and FreeBibleImages.org
“Repent – Turn away from sinning,” John said, “Stop doing the things you know are wrong. Turn back to God by confessing your sin.” The people listened carefully to John’s message. Those who felt sorry for all the naughty things they had done came to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Those who were sorry came to the Jordan River, so John could baptize them. (Squat down then stand up) Image courtesy of Sweet Publishing and FreeBibleImages.org
John used baptism to teach the people that God wanted to give them a new life through the work of the Messiah. John explained to the people, “I baptize you with water, but there is One coming who has more authority than I do. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” He must be talking about the Messiah, the people thought. Everyone looked around. Where was the Anointed One? They believed the Messiah would come as a warrior king. But, Jesus was a poor, humble man like them.
John preached to the people and baptized them to get them ready to meet Jesus – the Messiah. (Point to Jesus) Image courtesy of Sweet Publishing and FreeBibleImages.org
Prayer Verse and Prompt
Our Bible story reminds me of the prayer verse, 2 Corinthians 5:17, in which the Apostle Paul explains, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (NKJV). John the Baptist wanted all of us to understand that meeting Jesus Christ is a life changing experience. We will not be the same anymore after knowing Jesus. In fact, we will feel sorry for all the bad things we have done. We will become new people who love to do what is right and pleasing to God. He will change us through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Dear Father God, I want Jesus to make me a new creation. I am sorry for hurting Him with my sins. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Nature Walk: Butterfly Life Cycle
The butterfly life cycle includes the egg, the caterpillar, the chrysalis, and the adult butterfly. Monarch Butterfly photo #1176597 by Margan Zajdowicz courtesy of FreeImages.com.
A life cycle describes how a living thing starts its life, grows up, reproduces (make babies) and dies. Let’s review the life cycle of the butterfly.
A mommy butterfly searches for a host plant on which to lay her eggs. The host plant is a plant that her babies need to eat to live and grow. For example, the host plant of the monarch butterfly is the milkweed plant.
Baby butterflies are called caterpillars (or larva). When they hatch, they eat their egg sack and then get busy eating their host plant. As they grow, they pass through different stages called instars, each time shedding their skin.
When they reach the final instar, they wander around looking for a perfect place to pupate, or transform. They secrete a sticky substance from their bottom and hang very still in the shape of the letter J. Then the caterpillar not only sheds its skin, it dissolves into a sac of goo called a chrysalis. Inside this sac God creates a new creature from that goo. After a number of days, a butterfly emerges.
When we feed upon God’s word and surrender our hearts to Jesus, He transforms us into a new creation, too!
Memory Mastery: The Lord's Prayer
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, I taught them the Lord's Prayer. Image courtesy of Sweet Publishing and FreeBibleImages.org.
Please help your child memorize the Lord’s Prayer this quarter. Add a memory image to each color-coded section to help children remember the words.
Purple/cloud - Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name.
Blue/earth - Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Brown/bread - Give us this day our daily bread. Red/money hands - Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Black/life vest - And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. Yellow/crown - For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Mission Team: A New Church for Serbia
This quarter the world church is raising money to build a new church in Serbia. If you would like to give money to this project, you can give online at Adventist Giving. Go to the World section and check the 13th Sabbath Mission Project. Can you find Serbia on this map below?
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Bible Story: Jesus Goes to Church
Image courtesy of Richard Gunther and FreeBibleImages.org
Before watching the Sabbath School video with your little one, please assemble their worship bin:
Table Time: Going to Church Activities
Try one of these ideas each Sabbath for table time.
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