John Baptizes Jesus
John the Baptist was baptizing people in the Jordan River. Jesus came to be baptized. The Holy Spirit came down like a dove, and a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son.'
You will learn to...
- Retell what happened when Jesus was baptized.
- Identify the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the story.
- Understand that God called Jesus his beloved Son.
Words to know
- Baptize
- To wash with or put under water as a sign of a fresh start with God.
- Trinity
- The Christian belief that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Read the full lesson (for older kids and grown-ups)
John the Baptist lived in the wilderness, wore clothes of camel's hair and ate locusts and wild honey. He told people to turn back to God and baptized them in the Jordan River.
One day Jesus came to be baptized. John said, 'I need to be baptized by you!' But Jesus said it was right to do this, so John baptized him.
As Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens opened. The Spirit of God came down like a dove and rested on him, and a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'
At Jesus' baptism we see the Father (the voice), the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit (like a dove). Christians call this the Trinity: one God in three persons. Churches practise baptism in different ways, but all see it as an important sign of following Jesus.
Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Family conversation starters
- What does our church believe about baptism?
- What does it mean to be loved by God before we do anything?
Main people: Jesus, John the Baptist · Topics: Jesus, Baptism, The Trinity, God's love · Review status: awaiting theological review