Jesus Was Baptized (Matthew 3; Mark 1)

Dear families,

What gives you hope? It seems like a simple question, and most of us who regularly attend church likely know the “right” answer to the question. However, it’s the most important question for every person who has ever lived because your answer will determine your security and eternity. Unlike the hope the world has to offer, we can have a sure and steadfast hope that will never fail. 

In the Gospel accounts of Jesus' baptism, we see John the Baptist offer words of warning that lead us back to the question, what gives you hope? 

John warned the Pharisees sternly that no family, tradition, or outward practice is sufficient to save people from the wrath of God due to them for their sin. People are saved only by the grace of God received through faith and repentance. 

The same is true today. Though we may be tempted to find our hope in the faith journey of our parents, grandparents, or even children, those experiences are not sufficient to save. Though it is a gift to have family members who have placed their faith in Christ, our hope does not come from them. 

Similarly, no tradition is sufficient to save either. Though we may uphold the traditions and practices—baptism, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, and so forth—those practices alone are not able to save from sin and secure eternity with God. 

John the Baptist made it clear that the faith that leads to repentance brings the certainty of salvation. The larger context of the New Testament reminds us that this repentance is always paired with genuine faith. When these are present, the believer will bear the fruit of the Spirit. 

What gives you hope? The only true answer is that we must put our hope in Jesus. Only faith in His finished work on the cross rescues us from sin and death, empowers us to live for Him, and promises us life with God forever.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.

FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

  • Babies & Toddlers: People are baptized to show they follow Jesus. 

  • Younger Preschool: Baptism reminds us that Jesus died and came back to life. People are baptized to show they follow Jesus. 

  • Older Preschool: Jesus never did anything wrong, but He was baptized like sinners are baptized. Baptism reminds us that Jesus died and came back to life. People who know and love Jesus are baptized to show they are following Jesus. 

  • Kids: Jesus never sinned, but He obeyed God and was baptized like sinners are baptized. Baptism reminds us of Jesus’ death and resurrection. It reminds us that when we trust in Jesus, we turn from sin and start a new life—a life lived for Jesus. 

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.

  • Younger Preschool: What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. 

  • Older Preschool: What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. 

  • Kids: What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. 


KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.

  • Babies & Toddlers: Jesus takes away the sin of the world. John 1:29

  • Younger Preschool: Jesus takes away the sin of the world. John 1:29

  • Older Preschool: John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

  • Kids: John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

** Next week: Jesus Was Tempted (Matthew 4; Luke 4)

 Jesus Was Dedicated (Matthew 2; Luke 2) 

Dear families,

As the narrative of Jesus’ early days on earth unfolded, several unique people are introduced who teach us lessons about our own journey. We find the wise men who sought Jesus with persistence, Herod whose power was threatened by this newborn King, and others such as Simeon and Anna—both who demonstrated a remarkable devotion to the Lord. 

In Luke 2, Simeon and Anna are described as people who are deeply committed, faithful, and devout followers of God. Simeon is described as one who was old in years—near death—and desperately waiting for the Messiah to come. So, you can imagine the significance of that moment as Simeon saw the Christ child and rejoiced. 

Anna, also old in years, had been faithfully worshiping God through fasting and prayer in the temple for 84 years. It is easy to imagine the joy she had upon seeing Jesus in the temple and her eager desire to tell everyone about this glorious child. 

Both Simeon and Anna came upon the incredible blessing of seeing, celebrating, and worshiping Jesus because of their faithfulness to the Lord. Both were in the place the Lord wanted them to be, faithful to God over the years, and daily looking for the Lord in everything they did. 

Imagine if your daily decisions were influenced by similar factors. You were deeply committed to being in the places God wanted you to be, you were seeking to be faithful over the decades, and in all that you did you were pursuing what the Lord might have for you. What would have to change in your life, in your motivations, and in your decisions to make this true of you? In what ways would you see and experience the blessings of God’s good gifts even more? 

Faithfulness like that of Simeon and Anna doesn’t earn any additional degree of salvation before God. But it can produce more opportunities to see the work of God in your life, even if it’s only because you’re more attuned. What a blessing that would be for each of us as well.

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities. 


FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.

  • Babies & Toddlers: We can tell others the good news about Jesus. 

  • Younger Preschool: We can trust Jesus to save us from our sins, and we can tell others about Jesus. 

  • Older Preschool: God had promised His people that a Savior was coming. When Simeon and Anna saw Jesus, they knew He was the Savior. Jesus came to save people from sin. We can trust Jesus to save us from our sins; and like Simeon and Anna, we get to tell others the good news. 

  • Kids: Throughout the Old Testament, God promised the arrival of a King who would redeem people. When Jesus arrived, Simeon and Anna knew He was the promised Messiah, God’s own Son. We can trust Jesus for our salvation, and like Simeon and Anna, we should share the good news. 


BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

  • Younger Preschool: What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. 

  • Older Preschool: What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. 

  • Kids: What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. 


KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

  • Babies & Toddlers: Jesus takes away the sin of the world. John 1:29

  • Younger Preschool: Jesus takes away the sin of the world. John 1:29

  • Older Preschool: John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

  • Kids: John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29


** Next week: Jesus Was Baptized (Matthew 3; Mark 1)

 Jesus Was Born (Matthew 1; Luke 2; John 1)

Dear families,

How many times have you read or heard the narrative of Jesus’ birth? When interacting with a familiar Bible story, it is easy to simply skim over it and assume we understand all there is to know about it. Rather than taking that approach, spend time this week meditating on Luke 2:1-20. 

The detailed account of His conception and birth, as well as the details between those two events provide the believer with a gift of God’s grace that is far too important to gloss over. This event preceding Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection lays the foundation for a close and thoughtful study of the Gospels. 

The details around the conception and birth of Jesus provide reason for amazement and strengthen our faith. Consider the detail of Mary having been a virgin, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. Jesus was born in the small town of Bethlehem, fulfilling the prophecy of Micah 5:2. He was born into the family line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—fulfilling God’s promises in Genesis 12:3; 17:19; 28:14. 

All of this ought to cultivate a sense of wonder at the divine intervening in the human world, and an amazement at the detail to which God worked out His plan. 

Additionally, recalling the details of Jesus’ birth ought to generate affirmation in the believer’s heart and mind. The uniqueness surrounding the birth of Jesus affirms His claims of being the Son of God. 

Finally, the birth narrative should grow the anticipation of the believer. At the end of the New Testament, the book of Revelation sheds light on the end of sin and death, the final judgment of the living and the dead, and the new heaven and the new earth. These promises can seem distant or unlikely; however, the joy and gratitude that comes from understanding Jesus’ birth narrative can cultivate confidence in and anticipation of the future promises of Jesus. 

Luke 2 invites us to behold our God, who—out of His great love for us—“emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity” (Phil. 2:7). Jesus came to earth to rescue sinners. The angels’ announcement to the shepherds in Luke 2:10 is also for us and for the nations: “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities. 


FAMILY TALKING POINTS

CHRIST CONNECTION

This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.


  • Babies & Toddlers: Jesus came into the world to rescue us from sin. 

  • Younger Preschool: Jesus was born! This was very good news! Jesus came into the world to rescue us from sin. 

  • Older Preschool: Jesus was born! This was very good news! Jesus was not like other babies. Jesus is God’s Son. God sent Jesus to earth from heaven. Jesus came into the world to rescue people from their sins. 

  • Kids: The birth of Jesus was good news! Jesus was not an ordinary baby. He is God’s Son, sent to earth from heaven. Jesus, the promised Savior, came into the world to show us what God is like and to deliver us from sin and death. 

BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER

This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

  • Younger Preschool: What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. 

  • Older Preschool: What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. 

  • Kids: What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead.

KEY PASSAGE

This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit. 

  • Babies & Toddlers: Jesus takes away the sin of the world. John 1:29

  • Younger Preschool: Jesus takes away the sin of the world. John 1:29

  • Older Preschool: John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

  • Kids: John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

** Next week: Jesus Was Dedicated (Matthew 2; Luke 2)