Curriculum
A New Life in Jesus
Memory Verse:
“And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Mark 1:4
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
God planned all along for John the Baptist to baptize new believers and to tell others that Jesus, The Messiah, was coming. Baptism was a symbol of transformation—of a new, fresh life in Christ.
Scripture Summary
Some wonder why the Gospel of Mark begins with John the Baptist rather than the birth of Jesus. But Mark’s audience at the time was predominantly Roman Christians, and the Roman tradition was to begin an account or story with an announcer (or, one who went before someone of importance).
The unique life of John the Baptist, including living in the wilderness, wearing clothes of camel’s hair, and eating locusts, fulfilled prophecy in Isaiah of the one preparing the way for The Messiah.
John the Baptist’s ministry focused on calling others to repent from their sinful ways and to turn toward God. He baptized new believers to symbolize their repentance and the beginning of a new life. John continually preached about Jesus, the coming Messiah.
Jesus, being fully God and fully human, was perfect and sinless. He didn’t need to repent from His sins. But He still had John baptize Him—to support John’s ministry, identify with the humanness of His followers, and begin His own ministry.
During Jesus’ baptism, the Trinity was fully present. Jesus was God the Son. God the Holy Spirit descended onto Jesus as a dove. And the voice of God the Father proclaimed Jesus as the Son.
Why Is This Important
John the Baptist fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies and validated Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. John’s message was true for new believers back then, and it’s true for you and me today. We can be baptized as a symbol of new life in Christ.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
Unworthy
“And this was his message: ‘After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’” (Mark 1:7-8)
John the Baptist had a job to do. It was his lifelong calling to prepare the way for Jesus. John’s life had revolved around the coming Savior, and John recognized his own unworthiness when compared to the perfect and sinless Jesus.
Miriam-Webster defines unworthy as “lacking in excellence or value.” Unworthiness can be a tricky thing if we don’t put it into perspective. That definition is by no means the end of the story for people, and it can be self-destructive to live in that place of unworth. We all are unworthy without Jesus. He is the One who loves us, gives us value, and provides a life’s calling within our hearts.
Take a few minutes and repeat the following phrase several times. If possible, do this out loud and in front of a mirror.
“I am a beloved child of God.”
Ponder your answers to these questions:
- Which word of the phrase stands out most to you?
- How can that word make a difference in your day?
- How did you feel the first time you repeated the phrase compared with the last time you repeated the phrase?
Your identity and value are in God Himself. Through His son, Jesus, He provided a way for a new life. A new life of worth.
Throughout the ordinary, mundane aspects of your day, consider how each interaction, each task, each person, and each thought is worthy of Jesus’ new life in you.
Prayer
Dear God, I thank You for new life. I don’t have to live as one “unworthy” when You have given me a new identity and value. Please help me share my new life with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: Bibles - one per child, Poster board - one per team, Markers
Get Ready: Before class write out today’s Bible memory verse on one poster board for each team. Be sure to fill the whole poster board. Also, use a different col- or marker for each poster board you make. Then cut the poster boards into 10- 12 puzzle pieces each. Hide them in your classroom.
“And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Mark 1:4
- Read aloud Mark 1:4-5.
- Divide the class into teams, and assign a color to each team, depending on the colors you used on the poster boards.
- Explain to kids their goal is to find all the puzzles pieces in their color for the Bible memory verse and then put their puzzle together.
- Once they think they have it in order, have them compare the order to what is written in the Bible.
- When it is correct, have them read it aloud in their teams.
- Then have each team read the Bible memory verse aloud.
Interactive Bible Experience
You’ll Need: Bibles - one per child, Poster board, White coffee filters, Markers, Tape, Fishing line
Get Ready: From the posterboard, cut a pair of wings per small group. Attach each set in the middle with tape.
- Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a pair of wings. Explain that these are dove wings.
- Invite kids to open their Bibles to Mark 1:9-11.
- Have each group read the verses together.
ASK:
- What was most amazing to you about Jesus’ baptism?
- Give each child three coffee filters and instruct them to fold them in half.
- Have kids write one of the following on each of their folded coffee filters: “JESUS,” “You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased” and “heaven torn open.”
- After they’ve written on their three coffee filters, instruct them to glue the coffee filters, words out, on the poster board wings like feathers.
- If needed, allow them to fill in other blank spaces with blank coffee filters or other coffee filters that they write on, describing other aspects of Jesus’ baptism.
- After they have finished, hang each set of dove wings from your ceiling with fishing line.
SAY: Today we learned about baptism and that it’s a sign of someone who is a new creation. Jesus didn’t need to become new. He was God’s Son and was perfect. He had no sins to confess. We see this because of how different His baptism is from others. He is God’s Son and was setting an example for us in baptism.
Snack
Baptism Snacks
You’ll Need: Rice cakes - one per child, Blue icing, Teddy Grahams - two per child, Paper plates - one per child, Napkins - one per child, Plastic knives - one per child
- Give each child a paper plate, a rice cake, and a plastic knife.
- Instruct kids to cover their rice cakes in blue icing to repre- sent water.
- Invite kids to take one Teddy Graham and place it horizontal on the water like it’s being baptized. Take the other Teddy Graham and stand it up next to the other one like it’s baptizing the other one.
- Enjoy.
SAY: Today we learned that baptism is a symbol of new life in Christ. As you eat your snack, remember that only Jesus can make us new through His payment for our sins on the cross
Game
Signs Game
You’ll Need: “A New Life in Jesus” handout
Get Ready: Print out the traffic signs from the handout
- Line up the children on the far side of the room.
- Explain that as you hold up a sign they are to do what it says.
- If they do not follow the sign, they go back to the starting line. For example, if you hold up a stop sign and they start walking, they go back. No running in this game.
- The first player to make it to you by following the signs gets to be the next sign holder.
- Play as many rounds as time permits.
ASK:
- Tell about some signs like these in your life that tell you what to do.
- How is baptism a sign of something new in your life?
- What other signs show that God has changed you?
SAY: Baptism is a sign or symbol that someone has placed their trust in Christ. It is a sign that they are no longer their old self; they are a new creation.
Craft
New Creation Butterflies
You’ll Need: White coffee filters - two per child, Markers, Eye dropper, Chenille wires - one per child, Water, Glue, Magnet stips
To make the new creation butterflies, have kids follow these steps:
- Give each child two coffee filters.
- Ask kids to make the coffee filters as flat as possible.
- Invite kids to decorate their coffee filters with markers.
- Using an eyedropper, drop water onto the coffee filters to make the colors spread. Stop when the coffee filters are completely wet.
- Separate coffee filters and allow them to dry. (If you want to save drying time, don’t wet the coffee filters.)
- Fold each coffee filter in accordion folds.
- After each is folded, put one coffee filter on top of the other and hold together in the middle.
- Twist the chenille wire in the middle and make a V with the ends.
- Pinch and roll the ends of the chenille wire in small spirals.
- Pull apart folds in the coffee filters and then shape your butterfly.
- Glue a magnet strip to the back so kids can put on their refrigerator at home.
SAY: The butterfly is an excellent example of something that is a new creation. What starts as a caterpillar turns into a totally new creation; a butterfly. Remember, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Prayer
Confession Prayer
You’ll Need: Water soluble dissolving paper, A large clear bowl, Water, Pens
Get Ready: Fill the bowl with water before class. Cut the water soluble paper into smaller squares.
- Give each child a paper square and a pen.
- Explain that sin is when we disobey God, and confession is agreeing with God about our sins.
- Invite kids to quietly think about a sin they have committed in the last week. Instruct them to draw a picture of it on their piece of paper.
- Explain to kids that as they fold their papers, they can talk silently to God and agree with Him about their sin.
- After they’ve prayed silently, invite kids to come up one at a time to put their folded squares in the water. Allow kids to stay and watch what happens to their papers.
ASK:
- How was what happened like what happens when we confess our sins to God?
- What do you think about how God forgives our sins?
SAY: As the paper dissolves, this is a reminder of what happens to our sins when we confess them to Jesus. In Mark 1:4 it says people were coming to John and confessing their sins before they were baptized. Let’s close in prayer together.
PRAY: Dear God, we thank You for the gift of Jesus. We thank You that through His forgiveness of our sins we can be made new. Help us to see our need for Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.
