CE: John the Baptist
🦗🐪 John the Baptist
The Man Who Got Everyone Ready for Jesus!
📣 Who Was John the Baptist?
Before Jesus started teaching, God sent someone special to get people ready.
His name was John the Baptist.
John told people:
“Get ready! The King is coming!” “Turn away from sin and come back to God!”
He baptized people in the Jordan River to show they had a clean, new start.
🌵 Where Did John Live?
John didn’t live in the city—he lived in the wilderness!
- He wore clothes made of camel’s hair
- He ate locusts (yes, bugs!) and wild honey
- People came from all around to hear him speak
He was like a prophet from the Old Testament—kind of like Elijah!
📖 What Did the Four Gospels Say?
All four Gospels—Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John—talk about John the Baptist.
They all agree that John:
✅ Lived in the wilderness
✅ Preached about repentance
✅ Baptized people
✅ Was a voice crying in the wilderness
✅ Wasn’t the Messiah—he was preparing the way!
But each one tells the story a little differently…
📘 Mark: Short and Fast
- Mark says John was the messenger God promised in the Bible
- He’s quick and to the point—just like John’s message:
“Turn back to God!”
📙 Matthew: John the New Elijah
- Matthew says John is like Elijah, the old prophet
- He tells people:
“God’s Kingdom is coming!”
- Matthew shares how serious John was about repentance
📗 Luke: A Real-Time Reporter
- Luke tells us exactly when John started preaching
- He lists rulers like Caesar and Pilate to show it really happened in history
- Luke also says:
“All people will see God’s salvation”—even non-Jews!
📕 John: The Witness
- The Gospel of John tells us that John the Baptist wasn’t the Messiah
- He wasn’t Elijah either
- But he was a witness—someone who points to the light (Jesus!)
“I’m not the light. I’m just here to tell you about Him.”
🧠 Why So Many Views?
Each Gospel tells us something different:
- Mark shows John as a messenger
- Matthew shows him as Elijah
- Luke shows his place in history
- John shows him as a witness
And all of them help us see how important John was in preparing people’s hearts to meet Jesus.
📝 Activity Page: Meet John the Baptist!
1. 🧥 What Did John Wear?
Draw a line to match:
| Clue | Answer |
|---|---|
| John’s clothes | A. Wild honey |
| John’s food | B. Camel’s hair |
| John's message | C. Get ready for Jesus! |
2. 🏞️ Where Did John Preach?
Circle the right answer:
A. In the palace
B. In the forest
C. In the wilderness
D. On a mountain
✏️ Why do you think John preached outside instead of in a city?
3. ✅ True or Not True?
Circle T or N
- John the Baptist was the Messiah T / N
- John baptized people in the Jordan River T / N
- John helped people get ready for Jesus T / N
- All four Gospels mention John T / N
4. 🎤 What Did John Say?
Unscramble this message:
“NRETUP EHT GINK SI GNIMOC!” → ____________________________
✏️ What’s something you can say to get ready for Jesus?
5. 🙏 Prayer Time
“Dear God, thank You for sending John to prepare the way for Jesus. Help me get my heart ready too!”
(Draw or write your prayer below)
🖍️ Coloring Page Idea
Title: “John the Baptist: Preparing the Way!”
Illustration Includes:
- John in camel-hair clothes, standing by the Jordan River
- People coming to be baptized
- A scroll with “Prepare the way of the Lord!”
- Bugs and honey in a bowl
- A path leading from the desert to Jesus, shining in the distance
