John’s Ministry Began
(Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3; John 1)
September 20, 2026
Sunday Recap
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Sunday Recap •
Hey Fams!
The early ministry of John the Baptist is recorded in all four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This preacher whose dress, diet, and living conditions may have seemed eccentric to some, proclaimed the good news of One greater than himself: Jesus, the promised Messiah.
Two Old Testament passages tell us about John the Baptist, the first being Isaiah 40:3—a verse cited not only by the Gospel writers but also by John himself when questioned about his identity. The second passage is Malachi 3:1, in which the Lord declares, “See, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me.” The people were expecting to witness the arrival of the Messiah and wondered if John was the one they had been waiting for. Many were drawn to John, traveling from far away to confess their sins and be baptized.
John, however, embraced his role of a messenger to the Messiah. John began his ministry, humbly declaring both his unworthiness and the supremacy of Christ. He ventured throughout the area near the Jordan River calling the people to repent and receive forgiveness from sin. He spoke against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Sadducees, calling them, too, to repent and be changed through faith.
The crowds asked what God would have them do. John called them to love one another and be content with what they had. He exhorted them, yet proclaimed the good news, professing that Jesus is the Son of God and the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. These were weighty statements for one man to say about another, but John trusted God’s Word and proclaimed the same gospel we hear today—the same gospel you will teach to boys and girls this week.
Pray that the Holy Spirit would go before you to prepare the hearts of the children in your care to receive the good news for themselves. Ask the Lord to give you words to faithfully proclaim the truth that He alone is worthy of our repentance and trust.
***Next Week: John’s Ministry Began (Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3; John 1)
Family Discipleship Plan
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Family Discipleship Plan •
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Read Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:2-8; Luke 3:1-18; and John 1:6-8,15,19-28 from the Bible.
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No pilot would just jump in a plane and take off. Before they fly a plane, pilots have a special checklist—a list of important things to check to make sure the plane is safe and ready for the flight. Pilots check the engines, the fuel, the controls, and more. Every step is necessary to make sure they are prepared to fly.
John the Baptist wore simple clothes and ate simple food, but his message was very powerful. He told people to “repent,” which means to turn away from doing wrong and turn toward God. John’s message was like a checklist for our hearts. He helped people prepare and make sure their hearts were ready for Jesus—checking for anything that might get in the way of recognizing Him as the promised Messiah.
John’s message reminds us to get our hearts ready for Jesus. But no one can prepare perfectly on their own—because we all sin and do things that separate us from God. That’s why Jesus came! He died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins and rose again to give us new life if we repent and believe in Him.
John prepared the way for Jesus by calling people to repent of their sins. If we turn away from our sins and trust in Jesus, we will be saved.
Pray: Dear God, thank You for sending John to help people get ready for Jesus. Help us turn away from sin and follow You with all our hearts. Amen.
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Preschool:
“The Word became flesh and lived among us.”John 1:14
1st-5th:
“The Word became a human being. He made his home with us. We have seen his glory. It is the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father. And the Word was full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 NiRV
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Mornings
Ask God to help you recognize when you need to repent—to say you’re sorry and turn away from sin. Pray for a heart that is ready and eager to follow Jesus today.
Evenings
Thank God for His forgiveness when you choose to sin. Thank Him for sending Jesus to pay the price for our sin and offer us forgiveness when we put our trust in Him.
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For Fun
Create an obstacle course in the living room or outside. Be sure there are several obstacles scattered along the path. Divide the family into two teams and explain the goal of the race is to remove the obstacles as quickly as possible. Each player runs part of the course, removes one obstacle, and then tags the next runner to do the same until all obstacles are removed. Remind kids that God gave John the Baptist a special mission to prepare the way for Jesus.
To Serve
Use white paper sacks and battery-operated tealights to create lanterns. During the day, use chalk to write Bible verses or encouraging phrases like Jesus loves you on the sidewalk or driveway. Line the lanterns around the writings and invite neighbors to walk through the pathway that evening. Share the message that Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness and people can find hope and guidance in Him.