Adult & All Age
For Adults and Young People
- Beforehand, read Matthew 3.13-17. Read and print out a copy of the Bible Study sheet for each group member. There are additional Bible notes here. ?
- In the session, read the Bible passage together, look at the Bible notes and Make connections sections. Use this conversation spark to provoke first reactions from the group: What different gifts do noisy and quiet people give us? ?
- The Explore section guides individuals through the passage to discover what it might reveal to them.
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End with the
Live in Faith and Send out Prayer items for the week.
Young people
Encourage the group to respond to their discussion using one of the respond activities in the CYP Respond to the Word section. There is a specific activity for Young People which you may like to look at first.
A short dramatisation of Jesus' baptism
Matthew’s account lends itself to a dramatised reading for four voices: Narrator, John, Jesus and the Voice of God. A short rehearsal beforehand is recommended.
Narrator: Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptised by him. John would have prevented him, saying,
John: I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?
Narrator: But Jesus answered him,
Jesus: Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.
Narrator: Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptised, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said,
Voice: This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.
The importance of affirmation
Some of us may have been brought up in a culture that is sparing in its praise. Worse still we might have been subjected to constant criticism.
At the very beginning of his ministry the Father publicly acknowledges Jesus in words of delight. Affirmation, being told we have done well, or can do well, is important for everyone. If we have done our very best, it is good to know our efforts are appreciated. If we face a big challenge, it is much easier if we know someone believes in us and is supporting us.
Matthew, Mark and Luke all give an account in their Gospels of Jesus’ baptism by John and in each we hear Jesus affirmed by a heavenly voice. As he sets out on his journey of teaching and healing, making God’s love known, Jesus is assured of love and support. His ministry would be a big challenge, ending in confrontation with the authorities and crucifixion, but as he begins he is assured that he is the Beloved, one empowered to serve.
Mary Ann Bird, a woman born with multiple handicaps, tells in her memoir, The Whisper Test, of the affirmation of her teacher who, in a school hearing test, whispered to Mary Ann, ‘I wish you were my little girl’. These words provided an affirmation that changed her whole outlook of a ridiculed and struggling child. This story is freely available on the internet: The Whisper Test – Long version; Concise version.
Children
Matthew 3.13-17: A way to tell the story followed by ideas for discussion time
Explain that the story takes place in a river. To enhance the experience, tell the story using a parachute. Invite half the children to lie down quietly and close their eyes beneath the parachute, while the other half gently wafts the parachute up and down above them. Release the parachute on the word ‘dove’. Ask the children to change places and tell the story again.
The story can be found here.
Talk about
After reading the Bible story to your group, gather everyone on top of the parachute and use these discussion points.
- What might it feel like to go under the water and come back up again?
- How do you think people felt before and after they were baptised?
- How do you think John felt when Jesus asked to be baptised?
With young people
Ideas to explore the Bible reading here.
A story for children, based on Matthew 3.13-17
For very young children
This week's activity gives us a chance to explore Christ's baptism.
You will need: a blue cloth to represent water, two toy figures (John and Jesus), a dove template
, shells, toy fish and water creatures.
(Optional – a bowl of water with splash mat, towels and plastic figures.)
Share this short paraphrase and actions.
John pushed Jesus under the water to baptise him.
(push hands down)
When Jesus came up out of the water
(lift hands up)
heaven was opened,
(spread hands wide)
and the Spirit of God came down like a dove.
(flutter hands down with thumbs linked)
A voice from heaven said:
(put hand to ear)
‘This is my dear son (hug yourself)
I am very pleased with him.’ (nod)
Repeat so the children can join in.
Invite the children to play with the ‘water’. Help them to retell the story using the toy figures and the dove.