Segment 4: Baptism of Jesus by John (Luke 3:21-22)
Looking Back
Care For One Another
Pray for one another
Share from your lives (health issues, family, finances, spiritual needs, sports, etc.)
Celebrate Together
With song, instrument, dance or testimonies
Cast vision For Your Group And Each Other
That we would be better followers of Jesus
That our community would draw closer to God
Giving and Sharing
Give something tangible from what God has given you to help others
Looking Up
Introduction
This part of Luke begins the public ministry of Jesus. Jesus had walked from Galilee to the river Jordan to be baptized by John. Jesus was not baptized by John to show any sorrow for His sin, because He never sinned. He was baptized to show to all the world that He was representing us in both His life, as well as in His death
Step 1 Watch the segment twice
Step 2 Ask a member of the group to tell the story of the segment in their own words
Step 3 Allow the group to fill in any gaps in the story or make any corrections.
Step 4 Discussion questions:
1. What did you like the most about the story? What caught your attention?
2. What do you think John was talking about when he said people should “repent?”
3. Since Jesus had never sinned, why do you think He wanted to be baptized?
4. When God spoke from heaven, why do you think God was pleased with Jesus?
5. The Bible teaches that God exists in three persons, yet He is one. This is called the “Trinity.” Can you find all three members of the Trinity in this passage?
Who are they?
6. What does John say will be Jesus’ purpose in life?
Conclusion
Jesus did not need to be baptized for any sins, He was baptized to identify with people. In the Bible “repentance” means to change your mind about Jesus and live in a new way. We learn here that the purpose of Jesus’ ministry is to take away the sin of the world.
Looking Forward
Application
Share together in your group how you believe God would want you to respond
Practice
telling the story (from step 2) to each other
Share
today’s story with others and invite them to come to your next group time.
Prayer
Thank God for what we learned today.
Pray for others in our community.
Pray for one another in your group