Free Bible lesson for kids · Ministry Begins
John Prepares the Way
John the Baptist preached in the wilderness, calling people to repent and be baptized in the Jordan River. He told them that One mightier than he was coming.
- Bible passage
- Matthew 3:1–12 · Mark 1:1–8 · Luke 3:1–18
- Big idea
- Getting ready for Jesus means turning from sin.
- Memory verse
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.
Matthew 3:3 (KJV)- Ages
- Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Included, free
- Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game
The story
John the Baptist preached in the wilderness of Judaea, saying, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1–2). Isaiah had written about him: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord” (Matthew 3:3). John wore camel’s hair with a leather belt, and he ate locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4). People came from all around, confessed their sins, and were baptized by John in the Jordan (Matthew 3:5–6).
John told the people to show by their lives that they had truly turned from sin (Luke 3:8). He told them to share coats and food, to be fair, to hurt no one, and to be content (Luke 3:10–14). Some wondered if John was the Christ. But John said that “one mightier than I cometh,” whose shoes he was not worthy to untie (Luke 3:15–16). That One would baptize with the Holy Ghost (Mark 1:7–8).
Read it in the Bible: Matthew 3:1–12 (KJV)
1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3For 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. 4And 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. 5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Read it in the Bible: Mark 1:1–8 (KJV)
1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. 6And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; 7And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 8I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Read it in the Bible: Luke 3:1–18 (KJV)
1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4As 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. 5Every 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; 6And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 7Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 9And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 10And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? 11He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. 12Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? 13And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. 14And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. 15And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; 16John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: 17Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. 18And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
Questions to ask
Where did John preach?
In the wilderness of Judaea.
What did John wear and eat?
Camel’s hair with a leather girdle; locusts and wild honey.
What does it mean to repent?
To turn away from sin and turn to God.
What this story teaches
- Getting ready for Jesus means turning away from sin (Matthew 3:2).
- Repenting means turning to God for forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4).
- Real repentance shows itself in the way we live (Luke 3:8).
- Sharing with others is a fruit of a changed heart (Luke 3:11).
- Jesus is mightier than even John the Baptist (Mark 1:7).
Jesus Is the Mighty One
John got people ready for Someone greater. Jesus is that mighty One, the Son of God who baptizes with the Holy Ghost.
John 1:33–34
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to help us turn away from wrong. |
|---|---|
| 10 min | The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next. |
| 10 min | Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “Getting ready for Jesus means turning from sin.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say Matthew 3:3 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone. |
| 10 min | Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions). |
| 5 min | Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week. |
- Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
- Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
- Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.
Game time
For kids · game · indoors · about 10 minutes
Make the Path Straight
You need: Pillows and toys scattered as obstacles, paper plates
- Scatter obstacles across the room: this is the crooked, bumpy road.
- Teams race to clear their lane and lay a straight line of paper plates from one side to the other.
- When it’s ready, a leader walks the path like a king, and everyone cheers.
John got people ready for Jesus by telling them to turn from their sins: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”
For youth group · game · indoors or out · about 8 minutes
About-Face
You need: A whistle
- Everyone walks around the room. One whistle: turn around and walk the other way. Two whistles: freeze. Three: high-five the nearest person.
- Anyone who gets it wrong becomes a whistle helper.
- Talk: to repent means to turn around and go God’s way.
John preached, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Turning around starts the journey to Jesus.
Pray
Ask God to help us turn away from wrong.