A Children’s Sermon on Matthew 3:13-17 — The Baptism of Jesus

Sunday is the “First Sunday after the Epiphany” so I bring you a children’s sermon on Matthew 3:13-17. (You can see my regular Monday Meditation on this passage here. There is also a sort of mini children’s sermon within that post — the one that started me writing them regularly. If your church is observing the Epiphany this Sunday, you’ll find a Monday Meditation on that text here.)

A Children’s Sermon on Matthew 3:13-17

Good morning kids! I am so glad to see you. It is just great that you are here in worship this morning.

You know, it was just two Sundays ago that we were celebrating that Jesus was born. We all were picturing him as a teeny tiny baby — so cute, and cuddly. It was the very beginning of Jesus’ story.

Now, only two weeks later, our story from the Gospel is about Jesus all grown up! But you know what? It’s still the very beginning of Jesus’ story. It’s the beginning of all the good things he did to show everybody how much God loves us all.

Here’s what happened.

John the Baptist

Before Jesus had started his work in the world, his cousin John was telling people to get ready for him.

John went way outside town, way out into the country. He went down to the side of a river — the river Jordan.

Somehow everybody knew that John was out there. People came from the towns and the villages to listen to John.

John told them to get ready because the messiah was coming.

And he said the main thing to do was to get washed in the river.

They would wash off all their old ways of thinking. Then they could start thinking about living the way God intended.

Jesus and John

Well, when Jesus was ready to start dong all the good things he planned to do, he went out to see John by the river Jordan, just like everybody else.

When John saw Jesus coming he ran right over to him John gave Jesus a big hug and said “Hey, cousin! Good to see you!”

“Good to see you too, John,” said Jesus.

“I’ve been telling everybody to get ready for you,” said John. “Did you come out to see everybody getting washed in the Jordan?”

“Not exactly,” said Jesus. “Actually I came so you could wash me in the river too — just like everybody else.”

“No way!” said John.

“Yes way!” said Jesus.

“But why?” asked John. “You’re the messiah! I want you to wash me in the river instead.”

“No way!” said Jesus.

“Yes way!” said John. “It’s totally backwards for me to wash you!”

“Really,” said Jesus. “I came to show everybody how to live God’s way. I want to do every good thing I ask other people to do. I want them to get washed, so I need to get washed too.”

“Whatever you say,” said John. “You’re the Messiah!”

Into the Water

So down they went, Jesus and his cousin John, into the river Jordan.

John held on tight to Jesus, and lowered him down into the water. Then John lifted Jesus back up and the water poured off of him.

And then something very surprising happened.

Jesus looked up into the clouds and saw something flying down. It moved just like a dove. Was it a bird? No! It was the Holy Spirit fluttering down from heaven.

And Jesus saw the Holy Spirit land right on him. Maybe it landed on his head. Or maybe it landed on his shoulder.

But then Jesus looked back up to the sky and a voice started to speak right out of the clouds. Everybody could hear it.

The voice said,

“Hey everybody! Look at Jesus!
He’s my very own son!
I love him so much!
I’m so happy about who he’s grown up to be!”

Wondering

• I wonder what John felt when he baptized Jesus?
• I wonder what Jesus felt when he saw the Holy Spirit flying down toward him?
• I wonder what the crowd thought when they heard God’s voice talking about Jesus?

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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.

• You can let me know that you are using it, either in the comments below, or using the contact form above.
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