THE WORSHIP Who God Is: The King Who Is With Us Leader s Guide: Ages 12-14 Kings & Kingdoms Part 1: The Life of Jesus Unit 1, Lesson 2 Jesus Is Baptized Lesson Aim: To study the relationship between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. THE WORD What He Has Done: God the Father claimed Jesus as His beloved Son. Scripture Focus: Mark 1:1-11 Key Verse: Mark 1:11 Christ Connection: Isaiah 40:3-5; 53:12 THE WAY The Big Question: What is most mysterious to you about the Trinity? UNIT 1 FOCUS VERSE How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to Your word. I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands. I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:9-11 Unit 1: The King Who Is With Us Bible Story What He Has Done Lesson Aim 1 Jesus in the Temple Courts, Luke 2:41-52 God came to earth and grew up as a boy of faith. To seek opportunities to ask your questions about God. 2 Jesus Is Baptized, Mark 1:1-11 God the Father claimed Jesus as His beloved Son. To study the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 3 Jesus Is Tempted, Matthew 4:1-11; 1 John 2:16 Jesus resisted temptation and battled Satan using God s Word. To study the three kinds of temptations we most often face. 4 Jesus Calls His Disciples, Luke 5:1-11 Jesus called regular people to follow Him. To know Jesus does extraordinary things through ordinary people. 5 Jesus Cleanses the Temple, John 2:13-22 Jesus cleared the temple of the merchants price gouging there. To treat God s house and our lives as special and holy to God. 6 Jesus Is Transfigured, Matthew 17:1-9 Jesus appearance changed and He spoke to Moses and Elijah. To know Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. LEADER S ENCOURAGEMENT This week, read Galatians 3:26-28. Please join us in praying, Thank You for speaking to us about Your Son. Thank You for Your love and approval. Amen. Lesson Aims are based on reflecting God s character as we participate in His actions to, for, and in the world. Take Home Elements: The Journal Entry, Action Card, and Family Discussion Card may be sent home to encourage students to reflect on the lesson. The Journal Entry is an in-depth personal study. The Action Card is a visual reminder of the Bible story, God s action, and how we can join into that action. The Family Discussion Card gives parents and guardians a way to engage their students in what they are learning. Leader s Tip: For larger gatherings, teach THE WELCOME, THE WORSHIP, and THE WORD in a large group setting and divide into small groups for discussion with THE WAY. Permission is granted to reproduce these materials. Not for resale. Use is subject to the Terms of Use available at ResourceWell.org. Terms are subject to change without notice. All other rights are reserved. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 1, Lesson 2 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 1 of 6
Getting started THE WELCOME Suggestion: Choose a game that focuses on concepts related to the lesson such as relationships, baptism, water, dunking underwater, doves, or approval. ACTIVITY OPTION 1: UNDER THE WATER Purpose: To use a version of the Limbo Dance to introduce the story of Jesus baptism. Supplies: Rope Have two leaders or students hold the rope at waist level. This rope stands for the top of the water in the Jordan River where Jesus and many others were baptized. You are going to dip underwater by going under the rope. Each time you do, think about how Jesus went underwater and came back up when He was baptized. Directions: 1. Have the remaining students stand in a line on one side of the rope. 2. Students take turns swimming underwater (under the rope). They must go under the bar with their backs facing the floor and they cannot touch the rope. Encourage students to be creative in how they swim, pretending to swim the backstroke, doggie paddle, tread water, etc. 3. Students who touch the rope or fall are eliminated from the game. Students who successfully swim underwater return to the end of the line after their turn. 4. Each time everyone has taken a turn, lower the rope a few inches. 5. The contest ends when only one person is able to successfully swim underwater. ACTIVITY OPTION 2: THE DOVE S VIEW Purpose: To introduce the concept of the dove mentioned in today s story. Supplies: None, optional: chair, stool, or ladder for the judge In today s story, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove. In this game, we will make shapes that can be seen from the view of a flying dove descending from the sky. Directions: 1. Divide students into equal teams of 4 or more. 2. The leader announces an object (a spoon, a dove, a book, a flower, etc.) 3. On your signal, the groups have 20 seconds to form the shape of the object by lying on the ground and using their bodies. Everyone in the group must be used in some capacity. The object should be recognizable if someone was looking down from the sky. 4. You may wish to have the leader stand on a chair, stool, or a ladder to judge the shapes. After 20 seconds, instruct the groups to freeze in place. The leader judges which group has the most recognizable or most creative version of the shape. 5. Repeat as often as you like. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 1, Lesson 2 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 2 of 6
The King who is with us THE WORSHIP Note to Leader: The instructions below are suggestions only. Adapt this time of worship to suit your environment, resources, and cultural expression. Encourage students to broaden their view of corporate worship by including a variety of expressions such as group prayer, group praise, silent meditation, singing, listening to music, reading scripture, collecting an offering, drama, dance, visual arts, and/or a physical exploration of nature or neighborhoods. Ideas for Optional Visuals: Today, we worship God for who He is and what He has done as the King who is with us. Jesus came to earth not only to be with us, but to fulfill His mission. His mission was to take on the punishment of our sin so all who believe in Him would be in God s presence forever and so God would be with us always! Read Unit 1 Focus Verse: Psalm 119:9-11. Sing worship songs that focus on Jesus presence with us, now on earth through His Holy Spirit and His Word and later in heaven where all who believe in Him will receive eternal life. Read John 1:6-14. Invite students to offer sentences of praise to God by completing the following sentence: Lord, we worship You for. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 1, Lesson 2 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 3 of 6
Jesus is baptized THE WORD Presentation Note to Leader: Adapt this segment to your setting (Sunday School class, youth group, multi-age gathering, youth camp, retreat, etc.). In some settings, you may choose to have a student read the scripture aloud, and then have the leader, in his or her own words, briefly communicate the Teaching Points, the Christ Connection, and the Big Question. In other settings, a teacher, pastor, or other experienced speaker may present a lecture or extended message that includes those same elements. Ideas for Optional Visuals: You may choose to include an object lesson, video clip, drama, dance, song, or work of art to illustrate the teaching points. Option 1: St. Patrick s Bad Analogies (video clip): www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqlfgauoqcw (This clip is a satire on various analogies of the Trinity, illustrating the point that it is a mystery.) Option 2: TEACHING POINTS Consider current culture and influences impacting your students, and adjust the teaching accordingly. Read the suggested scripture and communicate each of the points noted. When Jesus was baptized, He was about 30 years old. Until this point, He had lived and worked in Nazareth. His baptism marks the beginning of His public ministry. The leader or a student reads Mark 1:1-11 aloud. At the baptism of Jesus, we see all three persons of the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit). The word Trinity does not appear in the Bible, but in Genesis 1, John 1, and throughout the Bible we see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one God. At Jesus baptism, the three persons of the Trinity are physically seen and/or heard by witnesses. If you are using an analogy or comparison to explain the Trinity, be sure to preface it with the following teaching point: The Trinity is often described as three in one, but it is truly a mystery and a paradox (something impossible to understand). While analogies and comparisons can be helpful, they are not perfect because the Trinity is like nothing else. Jesus baptism revealed He was God s Son and He was sent as the Savior to take on the sins of the world. God the Father speaking from heaven showed He loved His Son and approved of His mission. God the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus showed He was with Jesus and would empower and equip Jesus for His mission. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 1, Lesson 2 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 4 of 6
THE WORD Presentation continued Notice the Bible doesn't say, a dove descended on Him as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. It says, the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove. Just as God s Son was fully present and took on the form of a man, the Holy Spirit was fully present and took on the form of a dove. John the Baptist had many disciples and attracted crowds of people who wanted to hear him and to be baptized. So, it s likely John was not the only witness who heard the Father s voice from heaven and saw the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus like a dove. Even though Jesus never sinned, His submission to the sinners baptism showed He identified Himself with the sinners He had come to save. The others being baptized were self-admitted sinners. Jesus stepped into the water of baptism with those sinners. If you imagine the Son of God standing in a line of people waiting to be baptized, you ll see a clear picture of Him lowering Himself to save the world. In Matthew 3:14-15, we see John the Baptist was uneasy about baptizing Jesus because Jesus was not a sinner in need of baptism; He was God s perfect Son! Jesus explained that it was proper to do so to fulfill all righteousness. This may refer to the fulfillment of prophecies that would validate John s ministry, Jesus identity, and His mission. Connecting the Old Testament, the New Testament, and Us CHRIST CONNECTION In the whole story of God, what's the connection between this New Testament story and the Old Testament? Approximately 700 years before Jesus was baptized, the prophet Isaiah foretold that John the Baptist would prepare the way for Jesus. The leader or a student reads Isaiah 40:3-5. Isaiah prophesied that the glory of the Lord would be revealed. This came true in many ways throughout the life of Jesus on earth. How do you see His glory being revealed in His baptism? Isaiah also prophesied about a savior who would have to identify with the sinners He came to save. The leader or a student reads Isaiah 53:12. Jesus never sinned, but He took on the punishment for our sin, so we could be forgiven and no longer separated from God. THE BIG QUESTION Introduce and elaborate on this question. Students will answer it in their discussion group. What is most mysterious to you about the Trinity? Kings & Kingdoms Unit 1, Lesson 2 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 5 of 6
Pointing others to Jesus THE WAY Discussion GETTING STARTED Display and review the Discussion Group Covenant below: We will include everyone here, treating one another with respect and kindness. We will encourage everyone here to express their thoughts and opposing views. Every student shares his or her best experience or greatest challenge of the past week. READ IT AGAIN Read Mark 1:1-11 silently or aloud. At Jesus baptism, what were roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? How did John the Baptist point others to the true identity of Jesus? How did the voice from heaven point others to the true identity of Jesus? THE BIG QUESTION Invite students to share their answers. What is most mysterious to you about the Trinity? TAKE ACTION Lead students in a discussion using the questions below. What are some thoughts and feelings Jesus might have had when He heard His Father s words of love and approval and felt the Holy Spirit descend upon Him? What do you think it meant that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove? How can you point others to the true identity of Jesus? Ask each student to complete this sentence: God calls us to point others to Jesus, SO THAT others might. PRAY Share prayer requests and answered prayers. Have students pray with partners, or have the whole group pray together. FINAL FIVE MINUTES When only 5 minutes remain, begin this segment. Give each student Action Card #2 and Journal Entry #2. Take home today s Action Card as a reminder of how we can join in what God is doing. Use the Journal Entry as your personal devotional study. Complete your Journal Entries at home and keep them together in a notebook or in your Bible. Optional: Provide parent or guardian with Family Discussion Card #2. Kings & Kingdoms Unit 1, Lesson 2 ~ Ages 12-14 ~ Page 6 of 6
KINGS & KINGDOMS JOURNAL ENTRY #2 Jesus Is Baptized Mark 1:1-11 WHAT DOES IT SAY? Pray!!! Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what He wants you to learn from this passage. Now read Mark 1:1-11. What did John hear the voice from heaven say to Jesus? WHAT DOES IT MEAN? What would you like to hear God the Father say to you? Some say the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus showed God was with Jesus. Others say it showed the Holy Spirit would equip Jesus to fulfill His mission on earth. What do you think? Use this space to write questions you have about the Trinity (God as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). WHAT CAN I DO? John the Baptist pointed others to Jesus. God the Father s voice from heaven pointed others to Jesus. What can you do to point others to Jesus? What might the role of God the Father be in your life? Baptism is a special sign that we belong to God. At Jesus baptism, how did God show Jesus belonged to Him? What might the role of God the Son be in your life? What might the role of God the Holy Spirit be in your life?