INTRODUCTION

JESUS IS BAPTIZED

Bible Point:

Jesus is God’s Son.

Key Verse:

When we believe in Jesus, we become God’s children (adapted from John 1:12).

Big Picture:

Children will thank God for sending His Son, Jesus, to help all people.

Jesus is Baptized

Matthew 3:13-17

Preschoolers understand the idea of being someone’s child. They know their parents or caregivers, and they understand the importance of being loved by them. Children can also understand that Jesus was a real person. This lesson will help preschoolers see Jesus in a new light—as God’s Son.

BIBLE TIME

This week’s Scripture (Matthew 3:13-17) tells us that Jesus is God’s Son. When John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, the people saw that Jesus is God’s son because God sent a dove. The people also heard God’s voice telling the crowd that Jesus is God’s beloved son. Your child learned that God was very pleased with Jesus. Jesus lived a life that showed God’s love to others, and he was baptized by John the Baptist.

KEY VERSE

When we believe in Jesus, we become God’s children (adapted from John 1:12).

PLAY AND PRAY

Make “Joyful Family” snacks with your child. Set out round crackers, cream cheese, and chocolate chips. Help your child spread the cream cheese onto the crackers. Then help your child put chocolate chips in the cream cheese to form eyes, a nose, and a mouth. As you eat your joyful snacks together, take this opportunity to remind your child that God was very proud of Jesus, and tell your child the different things you like about him or her that make you proud of them. For example, you might share how it brings joy when they are helpful or use kind words and actions.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Take a walk through the park or around your neighborhood, or simply look out your window together and notice the ways God shows us we are loved. Have your child point to things that remind them of God’s love, like the changing of the seasons, that remind us spring will come, or a blanket of snow that remind us that we are wrapped in God’s love. Remind your child that God was proud of Jesus’ kind words and actions and told everyone that Jesus was God’s Son.

READY, SET, GROW! 

This week, your child learned that we can all be part of God’s family. Your child committed to one of the following challenges to remind us we are all God’s children. Help your child grow in faith this week and follow through on the challenge!

• Sing “Jesus Loves Me” as a way to say thank you for Jesus and that you are part of His family.

• Have your grown-up help you make a thank-you card for God. In your card, thank God for sending Jesus to Earth to help us.

• Tell a friend about how Jesus was baptized and how God told people that Jesus is God’s Son.