Prayer (5 Minutes)
- Have everyone share one thing they were thankful for in the week.
- Have everyone share one prayer request.
Song (5 Minutes)
Catechism (5 minutes)
Have everyone read aloud simultaneously or allow everyone to try to answer before revealing the answer.
Q21: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
A: One who is truly human and also truly God. (Isaiah 9:6)
A: One who is truly human and also truly God. (Isaiah 9:6)
Questions from: https://newcitycatechism.com/. Go there to start from beginning or to read more.
Scripture (3 Minutes)
Matthew 3:13–17 (NLT)
Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”
But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.
After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.
After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
Psalm 131 (NLT)
Lord, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I don’t concern myself with matters too great
or too awesome for me to grasp.
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,
like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk.
Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord—
now and always.
my eyes are not haughty.
I don’t concern myself with matters too great
or too awesome for me to grasp.
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,
like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk.
Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord—
now and always.
Discussion (5-10 Minutes)
You can lead through a teaching or use the following questions to start a discussion:
- How can we observe all three Persons of the Trinity in Matthew 3:16–17?
- How is the psalmist in Psalm 131 able to find peace even though he doesn’t understand everything?
- What are some of the distinctions between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit?
- How do we see the unity of God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit?
Closing Prayer (3 Minutes)
From Romans 1:1–4
Dear God, I praise you for being my loving Father who created me. I praise you, Jesus, for saving me and being in charge of my life. I praise you, Holy Spirit, for living in me and giving me new life. Thank you, God, for promising the gospel in your word and for appointing your Son with power through the Spirit of holiness. I praise you, Lord, mysterious Three-in-One—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Dear God, I praise you for being my loving Father who created me. I praise you, Jesus, for saving me and being in charge of my life. I praise you, Holy Spirit, for living in me and giving me new life. Thank you, God, for promising the gospel in your word and for appointing your Son with power through the Spirit of holiness. I praise you, Lord, mysterious Three-in-One—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.