A Children’s Sermon on Mark 1:4-11 — The Baptism of Christ

Preface for Parents and Pastors

This Sunday is “The Baptism of the Lord,” the first Sunday after Epiphany, so I bring you a children’s sermon on Mark 1:4-11. 

Some churches will be celebrating Epiphany, since that’s the bigger holy day, technically, and it didn’t fall on a Sunday. If that’s true for you, you can find a children’s sermon for the Epiphany Gospel reading through this link. 

A Children’s Sermon on Mark 1:4-11

Good morning kids! I’m so glad to see you in worship today. Thanks for coming up to hear the children’s sermon.

Today in the Church year we think about the day Jesus got baptized. Maybe you’ve been in church when we baptized someone. Sometimes it’s a little baby, whose parents love God and follow Jesus. Sometimes it’s a grown-up who has just started loving God and following Jesus.

Either way, that person comes up to the water. That person gets washed in water — either a tiny bit of water or a whole lot of water. 

And as they are washed in the water, we speak God’s promises to that person: God promises to love that person forever and for always. God promises to wash away the bad things that person has done or will do. Because of God’s promises, the baptized person can always know they are loved, and accepted, and forgiven, no matter what. 

People who love God were getting baptized even before Jesus was around! Here’s how it all got started.

John the Baptist

Our story today happens before Jesus started to do all the famous things he did. It was before Jesus healed sick people. It was before Jesus taught people about the Kingdom of heaven. 

Before Jesus did anything to show he was the Messiah, Jesus’ cousin John was working hard to help people get ready. 

John went way outside of town, out in the wild lands by the Jordan River. Out in the wild lands, John would tell anyone who would listen that the Messiah was coming. 

Somehow lots of people from the towns and villages heard about John. Lots and lots of people went out to the wild lands, and John would help them to get ready for the Messiah.

John’s Clothes

One day John was sitting by the river bank when a group of people arrived to listen to his message. There were a couple kids in the group. The kids were curious. So they went up to ask John some questions.

“Are you John the Baptist?” the boy asked.

“Yep!” said John. “My name is John, and I baptize people—I dip them in the water—so people call me ‘John the Baptist.’”

“We were wondering” said the girl, “Why you wear that rough wooly blanket for clothes.”

“Oh this?” said John. “I wear this because it’s all I have. I made it myself!”

“You did?” asked the girl. “How did you do that? And—why did you do that?”

“Well,” said John, “It’s kind of a long story. A couple years ago I moved out here to the wild lands.”

“Yeah,” said the boy, “Why did you move out here, away from town?”

“I wanted to get ready for the Messiah,” said John, “And long ago, the prophet wrote, ‘Prepare a way for the Lord! Make a path in the wild lands!’ So I thought I would do that.”

“Oh,” said the boy. 

“Well,” said John, “After a while my clothes were wearing out. But there were lots of camels out here. Every year camels shed their old wool coats and grow new ones. So I gathered all the camel hair I could, and made this. Just in time too, because my old clothes fell apart! I hold it on with this leather belt, see?”

“Yeah,” said the girl. “I see. But it looks funny.”

“Yeah,” said John. “It does look funny.”

John’s Food 

Just then the boy noticed John was having lunch.

“What’s that you’re eating?” he asked. 

“Bugs,” said John. “Want some?”

“Ew! Gross!” said both kids, backing away a bit. 

“It’s locusts,” said John. “They aren’t that bad if you roast them. Here, you can dip them in this honey.”

“No thanks,” said the girl. 

“Why do you eat that?” said the boy. 

“Because I’m hungry,” said John. “Like I said, I’ve been out here a couple years. I’ve had to learn what I can eat so I can stay alive. But God put all kinds of good things in the world. You sure you don’t want some?”‘

“Uh, no thanks,” they said. 

The Messiah?

“Hey John?” asked the girl after a bit. “Are you the Messiah? A lot of people think you’re actually the Messiah.”

“Nope,” said John. “The Messiah is coming soon though. He’s gonna be so great—I’m not even good enough to tie his shoes.”

“What’s the Messiah going to do that’s different from you?” asked the boy.

“I just wash people’s outsides with water,” said John. “But the Messiah will wash people inside, with the Holy Spirit. And look! Here he comes now!”

Just then Jesus came up to John and gave him a big hug.

“Hi cousin!” Jesus said, “Time for you to baptize me, just like everybody else.”

“Okay,” said John. “If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” said Jesus.

Jesus Baptized

So Jesus and John went down into the water. John dipped Jesus in the River Jordan, just like everybody else.

When Jesus looked up, God the Holy Spirit was fluttering down from the sky and landed right on Jesus’ shoulder.

And as they listened, the voice of God the Father said, “Jesus, you’re my very own son! I’m so happy to see the person you’ve grown up to be! I’m so proud of you!”

Wondering

I wonder what it was like meeting John with his funny clothes and funny food?

I wonder what it was like being with Jesus, and the Spirit and the Father all at once?

I wonder how we should live, if we’ve been baptized too?

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You are, of course, free to use this children’s sermon, or adapt it as you find most useful. But, if you use it, please do one (or more!) of the following.

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