I Want to Live the Gospel

Objective: Jesus Christ was baptized
Song: “I Want to Live the Gospel” pg. 148

Presidency Member: Ask the children how old they need to be before they can get baptized. Ask if everyone is eight years old when they are baptized. Explain that many people are much older than eight when they get baptized. Tell them that John the Baptist taught and baptized a lot of people who were already grown up. Show GAK 207. Tell the children about John the Baptist—that he knew Jesus Christ was coming and wanted to help the people get ready so they would listen and follow Jesus Christ when he came. John the Baptist told the people (open the actual scriptures and read to the children Matt. 3:2 or Luke 3:3) to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. (2 min.)

Share Luke 3:10-14—the people asked what they should do and John told them ways they could live the gospel better. He told them (Luke 3:11) that if they have more food or clothes than they need they should give the extra to someone who does need them. Some tax collectors asked what they should do. John knew that sometimes the tax collectors demanded money than they were supposed to and kept the extra. So, John told them (Luke 3:13) to only collect the amount of taxes they were supposed to. Then some soldiers asked what they should do. John knew that sometimes the soldiers hurt people or said someone did something wrong that they didn’t really do and he also knew that sometimes they grumbled too much about how much they were paid for their work. So, John told them (Luke 3:14) not to hurt people, not to make up lies about people, and to be happy with how much money they got for their work. Ask the children what they think John the Baptist would say if they asked him what they should do. Let the children respond and maybe suggest other ways they can live the gospel like saying nice things about what their moms make for dinner or letting their brothers and sisters play with them (5 min.)

Music Leader: Sing the first verse of “I Want to Live the Gospel” acappella. Ask the children what we will know when we want to live the gospel and what we will do when we want to live the gospel. Sing the song again after each question inviting the piano to play and the children to sing along to help the children get the answer. Then invite the children sing again and this time to imagine they are one of the people listening to John the Baptist as they sing. (5 min.)

Presidency Member: While the children are singing check the TV and DVD to make sure they are still set up—right before Jesus comes to be baptized in the Finding Faith in Jesus Christ DVD. Share John 1:19-28—priest and Levites were sent to ask John the Baptist who he was. The religious leaders were kind of worried that there was someone they didn’t know baptizing people. They thought he might be Christ so John told them he wasn’t Christ. They asked why he was baptizing if he wasn’t Christ. John told them that, sure, he was baptizing with water, but the one coming (Christ) would be mightier than John and John didn’t feel worthy to (in essence) tie his shoes. John also told the people that Christ “should baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (Matt 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16). (2 min.)

Before you show the clip of Jesus Christ being baptized tell the children to watch for John’s reaction when Jesus comes to be baptized. Stop the DVD as soon as you see John’s reaction to let the children tell you what they saw. If they don’t catch it explain that John didn’t think Jesus needed to be baptized because Jesus was perfect—He didn’t have any sins to wash away. Then tell them to listen for what Christ said to John. Stop the DVD again just before Jesus is baptized to talk about how Jesus responded. Explain that “suffer it to be so now” means “please baptize me even though it may seem unnecessary for me to be baptized” and also explain that “to fulfill all righteousness” means that Jesus Christ wanted to live the Gospel—He wanted to follow every part of the plan of salvation so He could return to Heavenly Father. Show the rest of the clip, Jesus being baptized, then turn off the DVD. Explain that Jesus Christ wanted to live the gospel in all he did and in everything he said. (3 min.)

Music Leader: Sing the chorus of “I Want to Live the Gospel” acappella. Ask when I will try to live the gospel (in all I do and say each day). Invite the children to sing and the piano to play along. Sing it again instructing the children to do some action as they sing like stand during the first phrase and sit during the second phrase or raise their hand up and down to the beat (if two hands are used you could call it “raising the roof” for fun). Then sing the first verse and the chorus together (2 min.)

Presidency Member: Share a story from the Friend about a child following the gospel. Emphasize that the prayer was answered and that the child in the story felt happy because she learned to obey. (5 min.)

Music Leader: Sing the 2nd verse of “I Want to Live the Gospel” acappella. Ask when we live the gospel what will happen when we pray and how will we feel when we learn to obey. Sing the song again after each question inviting the piano to play and the children to sing along to help the children get the answer. Sing the second verse and the chorus together. Then review the first verse and sing the whole song. (5 min.)