Scripture: Matthew 3:1-6; Luke 1:5-15
Central thought: “I am called & set apart – God has a plan & purpose for my life!
Object Illustration: A Cup – set apart
Points to Emphasize
Overview: God has a plan and purpose for our lives.
Facts:
• John the Baptist was unique…
• John was “set apart” before he was even born – a Nazarite
• We may mess up, but God doesn’t give up on us!
• God had a plan & purpose for John’s life & ours
• John the Baptist answered God’s call in his life
Blindfold Senses Test:
Ask for three volunteers that will take a “senses” test.
Sight – choose something in the room and have them guess what you spy
Hear – blindfold them … have everyone clap their hands & volunteers guess what the sound is; snap their fingers; rub their hands together; click their tongues
Taste – blindfolded, have each one taste one item on the tray & guess
Smell – have them smell one of the items each and guess
Touch – have them touch one of the items and guess
We use our senses to “know” the world around us.
Ask students…what is the strangest thing you have ever tasted? touched? smelled? heard? seen?
Point 1 – John the Baptist was different…
Open your Bibles to the first book in the New Testament – the Gospel of Matthew. We’re going to “see” & “hear” someone today that may have looked very weird to the people of his day…He wore camel hair and ate locusts & honey…he probably didn’t smell to great either living out in a desert! Where did he bathe?!
See if anyone can guess who this is. (John the Baptist)
Have someone read Matthew 3:1-6
John the Baptist may have looked and sounded strange, but he was fearfully and wonderfully made by God
Mat 3:1-6 KJV 1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
Point 2 – John the Baptist was set apart
Object Lesson Activity: A Cup
Show students the dirty cup; ask if anyone would like to drink water from it. (hopefully they will say no!; if someone does say yes, tell them okay, but it was dipped in a toilet! 😉
As you begin washing the cup say: The point is for this cup to be used as it should be, it needs to be washed (inside & out) and then it can be put (set apart) in a cabinet and ready to be used for the purpose it was created…to drink from it
Point 3 – God’s Plan & Purpose for John the Baptist
Divide the class into four groups.
Have the first group silently read Matthew 3:1-3 again – the second group read Mark 1:1-4 –third group read Luke 3:3-4 – fourth group read John 1:23-27.
Ask for a volunteer from each group to read aloud their section of verses as everyone listens for what is the same in each. Explain that each of the four Gospels that tell about the life of Jesus, included God’s plan for John the Baptist’s life.
What KJV Bible Says
Mat 3:1-6 KJV 1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sinsMat 3:1-6 KJV 1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair,
Mar 1:1-4 KJV 1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins
Luk 3:2-6 KJV 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.