Day 1- 01 THE STORY

John the Baptist’s mother Elizabeth was cousins with Jesus’ mother Mary. This made John the Baptist Jesus’ second cousin. John the Baptist loved the Lord. God gave John the Baptist the role of preparing the way for Jesus to start His ministry. Jesus is the Savior. He saves you and everyone who has ever lived of their sins. Jesus died on the cross so we could have salvation from our sins. The truth is, if you don’t know that you sin, you won’t see the need for Jesus. That is what John the Baptist’s job was. He told people to repent. He challenged them to see their sin and turn from it. God used John the Baptist to help people realize they need Jesus.
Read Matthew 3:1-6
What did John the Baptist tell people?
What did John the Baptist wear?
Do you think clothes and nice things were the most important thing to John the Baptist?
What was important to John the Baptist?

Repent (v): to feel bad for something bad you did and decide to turn away from the bad thing and not do it anymore.

Day 2- 02 THE WITNESSES

Did you know that John the Baptist experienced being around Jesus when he was in his mother’s womb. John the Baptist also got to baptize Jesus.
Read Luke 1:39-45
What happened to John while he was in his mother’s womb?
When did it happen?

Day 3- 03 THE SOURCE

John the Baptist was a different dude. He lived in the wilderness, ate bugs, wore Old Testament looking clothes, and preached a really tough message to preach. The people of Israel became obsessed about image and status, but John wanted to be really different. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself for his own gain, but he wanted to be different so people would listen to what he had to say about God. You don’t have to eat bugs and wear crazy clothes to be different. That made sense in John the Baptist’s time. You CAN be different in how you act, how you treat others, what you wear, what you listen to, what you watch, and how you talk.
Read Romans 12:2. Why does God tell us not to be like the world?
Why is it good to be like God instead of being like the world? How can being like the world hurt you? How can you be more like God and less like the world?

Day 4- 04 THE MOTIVE

Read 2 Peter 3:9
Why does God have patience?
What does He want everyone to do?
How does this verse explain why God sent John the Baptist to tell others to repent?

Day 5- 05 CAUGHT IN THE ACT

This week you learned about why God wants you to repent. He wants you to realize you need Jesus AND wants you to be protected from how sin can hurt you. Write down a sin that you have done this week. Did you know that Jesus has already forgiven that sin?
Pray to Him today and tell Him you’re sorry. Ask Him to help you not do it anymore.

Write down on your character sheet what you learned from this part of the story of John the Baptist.