What children should know about the story of John the Baptist and his ministry

1. Children should know that God gave John the Baptist a special purpose, to turn people away from evil and toward God and to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah.
   
   
2. They should know that they too are called to turn away from evil and prepare for God entering their life.
   
   
3. They should consider how they, like John, can turn people toward God by their words and deeds. That God has had a plan for their life since before they were born -- just like John.
   
   
4. John lived in the wilderness to prepare himself for the ministry that God had chosen for him. Children should know that they too are called to clear away the clutter in their lives so that they can hear and obey the message of God.
   
   
5. Children should know that following God’s call resulted in John’s imprisonment and death. Children should know that following God is not always easy or popular, and sometimes requires us to make unpopular or difficult choices.
   
   

Today's children meet John the Baptist and two of his disciples in the Superbook episode 206.

Scriptures:
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1: 13-17)

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” (Luke 1: 41-45)

The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel. (Luke 1:80)
Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. (Matt 3:4) (Mark 1:6)

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matt. 3:2) John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4) John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance.” (Luke 3:7-8)

John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16)
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, 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, “This is my Son, the Beloved with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:13-17)

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” (Matt. 11: 2-6)

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good new of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
(Mark 1:14)

Herod sent and had John beheaded in the prison. (Matt: 14:10)

This fine set of teaching objectives comes from Desoto Presbyterian Church in Texas.
It has been updated by a member of Rotation.org's lesson writing team.