MATERIALS: Print Sports Symbols. Balloons. Photocopy Colouring pages, quizzes and crosswords. Print Bible Verse Visual Aid. Blue cloth, Jesus outfit, (white and blue wraps) Johns outfit (black and green wraps) Dove template, Roll of paper, chair.

AS KIDS ARRIVE PRIOR TO THE LESSON:
Welcome Teacher/Trainers, Trainers and students. Get the children colouring Visual Aids and Bible Verses, older ones doing the quizzes, games and crosswords.

1. WELCOME GAME: (10 minutes)
SYMBOLS CIRCLE: Have the children form a large circle. Pass a bag around containing objects that have a "logo" or a "symbol" for something, such as a T shirt or cap with a logo Sports Symbols from Visual Aid Manual. Get the children talk a bit about each team or sport. Let children know that Baptism is a SYMBOL that lets other people know that we are followers of Christ and have asked Jesus into our hearts. "Baptism" is a SYMBOL that we are in God's family!

2. TEAM GAMES: (10 minutes)
PASS THE BALLOON: If you have at least 10 kids, split them into even groups and have them stand in parallel lines, each child approximately half a metre apart. Give the end person an inflated balloon. Once you call START, the teams are to pass the balloon under legs then over the next person’s head until it reaches the first person in the line. The winning team is the first to hold their balloon up at the front of the line.

3. ACTIVE PRAISE CHORUS: (10 minutes)
Jesus is the one (Use music video and lyrics from Visual Aid Manual)
When I am baptized (Use music video and lyrics from Visual Aid Manual)

4. INTIMATE WORSHIP: (5 minutes)
Oh how I love Jesus (Use music video and lyrics from Visual Aid Manual)

Prayer: Father we thank you that although Jesus never sinned, He saw it fit to follow God’s plan for man by being baptized in water so that He could be an example to man. Thank you Jesus for humbling yourself and allowing John to baptize you. We know God that you are pleased with us when we obey You – thank you Holy Spirit for helping us to become obedient to God in the same way the dove came upon Jesus and God said He loved Him and was delighted in Him, let our lives be a delight to You.

5. TEACHING:
a. “Back Track”
Optional: Baptism of Jesus (Use teaching video)
The Woman at the well (Use teaching video)
Last week we compared Well water to Fountains of Living Water that Jesus was offering:
*Is Well water good to drink when you're thirsty? (No)
* What do Fountain of Living Water soften? (Our hard hearts so it will absorb His love.)
* Is Well water good for putting out fires? (Yes)
*What sort of fires does Fountain of Living Water puts out? (Fires of temptation in our hearts)
* Is Well water good for washing? (Yes)
*What do Fountain of Living Water wash? (Our hearts that are dirty from sin)
* What do growing plants, trees and fruit need? (Well water)
* What sort of fruit do Fountain of Living Water produce? (Fruit of the Spirit)

b. Sword Play (Give each child a Sword Play track to take home)
Ready…Swords up… Matthew 3: 17… CHARGE
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3: 17) (Use Visual Aids)

Optional: Baptism Military Cadence (Found in Visual Aid Manual)

(Read Matthew 3: 13-17 - Dramatize the Bible reading)

Get two volunteers to hold the blue cloth at each corner about 3 foot off the ground.
“We’ll pretend this is the water of the Jordan River.“
Get a child actor to dress up like Jesus and stand behind the “water.”
Get a child actor to dress up like John the Baptist to stand next to Jesus with his hand on ‘Jesus’ shoulder as if he is getting ready to baptize Jesus.
Get another child to stoop on a chair, hiding behind Jesus, with the dove template.
Get an adult male to be the voice of God the Father. Use a roll of paper to make his voice loud.
Read out Matthew 3: 13-17 slowly and get the children to dramatize the passage. John will lower Jesus below the ‘water’ and as He comes out Jesus will raise His hands to Heaven and the child with the dove will hold it above His head, and God ‘s voice then thunders out. “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

c. Teach the Lesson
NUGGETTS:
• Although Jesus never sinned, He saw it fit to follow God’s plan for man by being baptized in water so that He could be an example to man
• Jesus humbled himself by allowing John to baptize him because it was important to Jesus to do things God’s way.
• God is pleased with us when we obey Him – the Holy Spirit in us helps us to become obedient to God in the same way the dove came upon Jesus and God said He loved Him and was delighted in Him
• Baptism is a SYMBOL that lets other people know that we are followers of Christ and have asked Jesus into our hearts. "Baptism" is a SYMBOL that we are in God's family! We will learn all about this over the next few weeks.

One of the things John preached about was fruit. He talked about trees being cut down if they did not produce the fruit of repentance. (That is being sorry for our wrongdoing and turning from that way of life)

Can you tell when someone is sorry for something bad he did to you? God can tell if you are really sorry when you repent, and tell Him you are sorry for bad behavior. John told those people that the ax was waiting at the base of the tree. And that all trees that did not bear fruit would be cut down and thrown into the fire.

If a tree is unhealthy, will it produce good fruit? (No) If a tree is diseased, a farmer will cut it down because he does not want the disease to spread to other trees. So John preached to these people and told them that if they really did not repent and mean it, then they would be cut down, gotten rid of, and thrown into the fire.
What does the fruit of repentance look like? The fruit of repentance is understanding in your heart, not just in your head, that you are a sinner and that you deserve to be cut down and thrown into the fire. It is understanding that God is in charge of everything. Everything is in His kingdom, including you. Are you producing the fruit of repentance?

John told us that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Jesus was coming. And in order to recognize Jesus for Who He was, the hearts of the people, our hearts, must be prepared to make way the paths of the Lord. The fruit of repentance is the humble acceptance of God’s grace to forgive.

Extracts from www.futureflyingsaucers.com

6. APPLICATION / ENCOUNTERING GOD: Refer to our Encountering God Handbook for ideas for this important section of the session. Experience the Holy Spirit Learning Centers creating an atmosphere.

CLOSING PRAYER:
Thank you God for sending Jesus. Though it seems like he wouldn’t need to be baptized he loved us so much he wanted to (identify with our humanity) join with us in baptism. Thank you also for so powerfully sending the Holy Spirit to be upon him and that you can fill us with that same Holy Spirit today. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

TAKE HOME PAGE:
Optional: ‘Take Home Quiz’ books are available for the children at the end of this session.