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🌎 Jesus Came to Earth -June 2026
Key Passage:
John 1:14—"“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (NIV)

Big Picture Question:
Is Jesus God or a human? Jesus is fully God and fully human.

John’s Ministry Began (Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3; John 1)

STORY SUMMARY:

• Near the Jordan River, John the Baptist prepared people for God’s kingdom.

• His message was “Turn from your sins and turn to God.”

• He baptized to show their sin was washed away.

• He told people he was not the Messiah.

• He also told them the Messiah was coming who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

• What are some ways that John the Baptist prepared people for Jesus to come?

• How can we prepare our hearts for Jesus, too? 

CHRIST CONNECTION:
John prepared the way for Jesus by calling people to repent of their sins. It didn’t matter if they were respected religious leaders or despised Roman soldiers or tax collectors. They could be baptized if they turned away from sin to trust and follow God. God’s gracious invitation is for all today, too. He tells us that all who turn away from sins and trust in Jesus will be saved.

STORY POINT:
John prepared and encouraged people to turn from sin and turn to Jesus.

John Baptized Jesus (Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3; John 1)

STORY SUMMARY:

• Jesus came to be baptized by John in the Jordan River. 

• At first John tried to stop Jesus because he knew Jesus was greater than he.

• Jesus wanted to be baptized because it was His Father’s plan.

• After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came down like a dove, and God the Father spoke from heaven.

• The Father said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

• How does this story show Jesus’ obedience to God’s plan?

• What do the Father’s words show us about Jesus?

• How could the Father say these words about you and me?

CHRIST CONNECTION:
Jesus didn’t need to be baptized to show He had turned from sin; He didn’t have any. Jesus was baptized in full obedience to His Father’s plan to save sinners. Similarly, later Jesus would die on the cross, not for His own sins, but for the sins of the world. By faith in Jesus as the Son of God, our Savior, we receive a double blessing: all of our sins are washed away, and we receive the credit of Jesus’ full obedience. God is now our Father, and dressed in Jesus’ righteousness, He is well-pleased with us.

STORY POINT:
Jesus was obeying God’s plan to save us when He was baptized.

Jesus was Tempted (Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4)

STORY SUMMARY:

• After Jesus was baptized, He was filled with the Holy Spirit.

• The Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness.

• There He was tempted by the devil for 40 days. 

• Jesus fought off every temptation with God’s Word.

• Jesus kept all of God’s commands in order to rescue us from sin.

• He has power over sin and the devil.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

• Why is it important that Jesus resisted temptation every time?

• What tools does God give His people to fight against temptation?

CHRIST CONNECTION:
Like all humans, Jesus experienced temptation. But unlike us, Jesus never sinned. As the promised Savior, Jesus had to live a perfectly sinless life, and He did! When we repent and believe Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins and rose again, God credits us with Jesus’ perfect life. He also gives us the power of His Holy Spirit and His very words to fight temptation and live for Him.

STORY POINT:
As the Messiah, Jesus was tempted and never sinned.

Jesus at the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)

STORY SUMMARY:

• John the Baptist humbly and persistently pointed people to Jesus. 

• He called Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

• Jesus invited John’s disciples (and others) to come and follow Him.

• Convinced that He was the Messiah, they invited still more: a brother (Simon) and a friend (Nathaniel). 

• Jesus invites each of us to come to Him and see that He is our Savior and God.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

• What did John mean when He said Jesus was the “Lamb of God”? 

• Why did John the Baptist point his disciples to Jesus?

• How can we follow Jesus and point people to Him?

CHRIST CONNECTION:
Jesus asked a simple question for John’s disciples: “What do you seek?” It was an invitation to be with Him, listen to Him, and trust in Him. Trusting Jesus as the Messiah, His followers also did what their Master did. They said, “Come and see!” Jesus still invites people to come and see that He is their loving Savior and God. As we trust Him, we like John, Andrew, and Philip want people to “come and see” too. So that they may know the Lamb of God who takes away their sins!

STORY POINT:
Jesus invited people to trust Him for forgiveness and follow Him.