I Will Be With You

Luke 3:15-17, NIRV

¹⁵ The people were waiting. They were expecting something. They were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Messiah. ¹⁶ John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I am will come. I’m not good enough to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His pitchfork is in his hand to toss the straw away from his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.”

New International Reader's Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Luke 3:21-22, NIRV

The Baptism and Family Line of Jesus

²¹ When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened. ²² The Holy Spirit came to rest on him in the form of a dove. A voice came from heaven. It said, “You are my Son, and I love you. I am very pleased with you.”

New International Reader's Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Objects:

• Craft sticks and flour
• Bring a pan with clean craft sticks placed at the bottom. Cover them with a fine layer of flour that can be blown off the sticks. Print on each stick phrases such as, “I love you – God”; “Obey God”; “Listen to God”; and “Follow Jesus.”

Message:

Last week, we learned a new word. Does anyone remember what that word was? It was the word that described Jesus’ appearance to the wise men. (Allow children to respond.) That’s right, the word was Epiphany. Today, then, is the first Sunday after the Epiphany.

Today, we remember the time when Jesus was baptized by his cousin, John. Before Jesus came to him to be baptized, John had been baptizing people in the Jordan River.

Many people were coming to John to be baptized. They had decided to follow God and put God first in their lives. They had decided to change. Some people might have decided to change after hearing what John said about the coming of Jesus. John said, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His pitchfork is in his hand to toss the straw away from his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.”

From what John said, does it sound like it would be better to be the wheat gathered in the barn or the husks on fire that can’t be put out? The wheat was stored in the barn. But what happened to the husks? (Allow children to answer.) By a show of hands, who would want to be the wheat stored in the barn? (Allow children to raise their hands.) Who would want to be the husks on fire? (Again, let children raise their hands.)

The husks were the straw that covered the wheat. To separate the husks from the wheat, farmers used big pitchforks to toss the mixture into the wind. The wheat was heavier, so it fell to the ground, but the wind blew away the lighter husks, and it landed in a pile farther away. The pile of useless husks was then set on fire and burned. The good wheat was kept and made into bread and cakes. (If any children raised their hand to be “husks,” ask again.) Does anyone still want to be the husks? (Allow children to change their minds.)

The people who came to be baptized by John also did not want to be like the husks. They wanted to be useful by serving God. So, they stopped doing things they knew they shouldn’t and started to listen to God and to obey God.

When Jesus came to John to be baptized, something incredible happened! John didn’t feel worthy to baptize Jesus, but Jesus insisted. John agreed, and he tipped Jesus into the river until Jesus’ head and body went under the water. When he raised Jesus back up, John saw something flutter in front of his face. It was a dove. John and the crowd of people who were there became silent as a voice boomed from the sky. “You are my Son, and I love you. I am very pleased with you.” As Jesus waded out of the water and walked toward the desert, John turned to the crowd of people on the riverbank, and said, “The man you just met is Jesus. You need to follow him.”

I would like to show you what the husks from this scripture passage were like. I have some messages written on these craft sticks. But the sticks are covered up. The sticks are like wheat, and the flour that covers them is like the husk. I will blow the “husks” away and then show you the messages. (Blow to remove the flour, then pass the sticks around.) When we don’t follow God, we are like the husks. We cannot be useful or helpful to God if we don’t follow him. But when we listen and follow God, we are like the precious wheat. Let me ask you one last time. Raise your hand if you want to be like wheat? (Allow children to respond.) Raise your hand if you would rather be like husks? (Allow children to raise their hands.) As John reminded the people on the Jordan riverbank and reminds us today: You need to listen to God. You need to obey God. You need to follow Jesus!

Prayer:

God, help us to listen and follow you. Forgive us when we fail to obey you. Amen.

Between the Sundays: Epiphany Edition: Family Conversation Starters

We have added conversation starters to each children’s message series to help spark conversations within families during the week. We encourage families to use these questions to guide them through conversations and subject matter discussed during the worship service, including the children’s messages on Sundays. These conversations will reinforce learning and nurture faith formation for the entire family.

1. As a family discuss what “Jesus is the light of the world” means to you. What do you think about when you hear those words? How does this statement make you feel?
2. Where did you place your “star.” Discuss with your family why you chose to place it where you did. Talk about a time during the week that you remembered Jesus as the light.
3. Use your star as a template to create a star made of cardboard and aluminum foil to give to someone else. Whom did you choose? Why did you select that person? Spend time explaining to other family members why you chose who you did.
4. Share your understanding of John the Baptist’s words, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I am will come. I’m not good enough to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His pitchfork is in his hand to toss the straw away from his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.” As a family, take turns putting this quote in your own words and context as a family in 2025. What comparison could you make that would seem more appropriate in your family?
5. What phrase was written on your stick? As a family, talk about three times this week that you remembered the phrase written on your stick. In that moment of remembering, how did you feel? Did the words on the stick help you? Uplift you? Encourage you? Explain how.
6. At Jesus’ baptism, the dove descended from heaven, and a voice boomed, “You are my Son, and I love you. I am very pleased with you.” As Jesus waded out of the water and walked toward the desert. John turned to the crowd of people on the riverbank as Jesus passed through them, and said, “The man you just met is Jesus. You need to follow him.” Share with your family examples of how you followed Jesus this week. What did you do? When you did it, how did you feel? Did it change the way others looked at you? Did you show Jesus to others through your actions?