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Jesus' Baptism

Video Workshop 

Summary of Lesson Activities:

In this workshop, the learners will view a movie version of Jesus’ baptism (Jesus of Nazareth DVD) and discuss it in relation to our baptisms. They will also view a baptism ceremony at Brookhaven. They will become familiar with the story of Jesus’ baptism and understand the sacrament of baptism with its promises.

 Scripture Reference:

Matthew 3:13-17


Supplies List:

  • Bibles
  • video # 1 of the film “Jesus of Nazareth”, cued to the baptism scene
  • video #2 of baptism of a child from your congregation, cued to the beginning of the baptism service
  • popcorn


Teacher preparation:

  • Read the Bible passages. Read over the background material included in your teacher packet. See that popcorn is made to be distributed during watching of videos.


Presentation

Opening-Welcome and introductions:

Greet the children and introduce yourself. Remember that you are interacting with a different group of students each week—some may not know you. Wear your nametag and make sure that the children are wearing theirs if there are visitors.

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:

Lesson Plan:

1. Distribute Bibles. Help the children find the story (Matthew 3:13-17). Read it, or have one of the students read it.

2. Briefly discuss the story. Ask:

  • Where did the story take place? (at the Jordan River)
  • What took place here? (John baptized Jesus; dove descended; voice)
  • Why was John baptizing people? Why did Jesus feel it was important to be baptized by John?
  • How do you picture the scene in the story? How do you picture the events taking place? (Let them tell you how they imagine the events taking place.)

3. Explain that there are many ways of interpreting the events of this story, and many ways people picture it. There are also many movies that show someone’s interpretation of this event, and that we will watch one. Watch the baptism scene of the movie “Jesus of Nazareth.” (This scene is only about 3 minutes long. Be prepared to rewind slightly and rewatch if the children would like to see it again.)

4. Discuss this portrayal of the story. Let the children tell you their impressions. You may want to ask some questions to elicit responses to the video:

  • What was John like? Why do you think there were people coming to the river to see and hear him?
  • What was Jesus like? Why did he come to see John?
  • What happened in this video when Jesus was baptized? What do you see in the video that is different in the Bible story?
  • What would you have thought about the events if you were in the crowd that day?

 
5. Explain that Jesus’ baptism, with the coming together of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in this one event, is a model for our baptisms, even though we can’t know for sure how it took place from this story. Read the following from the Cumberland Presbyterian statement of faith, the Confession of Faith:


“Baptism is a sign of God’s love for us and of Christ’s grace extended to us. In baptism God claims persons as God’s own and marks them as peculiarly God’s, heirs of the covenant of grace. . . . It proclaims that God’s grace and love reach out to people before they are able to respond, and it affirms our new identity as members of the body of Christ. It sets people apart from the rest of the world, and claims them as participants in the ministry of Jesus Christ.” (p. 99)


6. Ask them what they remember about baptisms at Brookhaven. How are they similar to Jesus’ baptism as portrayed in the movie? How are they different?

Watch the video of the baptism of Cara M. (Ask the questions comparing the baptisms again if they couldn’t remember much about baptisms here.) Talk about how some people are baptized as infants and others are baptized when older. (You may get some “why” questions here. Be sure to convey that the age of the person and the method of baptism are not important, but that the sign of God’s grace and the participation in the covenant community are the important elements.)

Closing:
Read Matthew 28:19. Connect the presence of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit at Jesus’ baptism with our baptisms “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” 

Journal Time:
Help the shepherd pass out the journals. Ask the children to write down how they feel when they watch a child being baptized.

 Close with a prayer of your own, or use the following:
Gracious God, at Jesus’ baptism we heard you tell the world that he is your beloved child. Help us to live as your beloved children, too. Amen.



A lesson written by Jan Marshall from: Brenthaven Cumberland Pres.
Nashville, TN

 A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

 

Last edited by Luanne Payne
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