Resources Needed:
- Volunteers to do some acting
- Props e.g. duster, polish, broom, crown, decorating paint brush, obstacles e.g. chairs
Tell the congregation that a VIP is coming- the monarch no less. Act out the anticipated arrival of a King/Queen. Have your volunteers pretend to be painting, cleaning etc ready for the monarch. Make sure that someone is willing to tell them what to do. Make sure that your boss removes the obstacles in the way ahead of the monarch arriving. Have someone dressed up as your monarch- maybe a child- arrive looking regal.
- John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, the King of Kings, to arrive. John says that Jesus is the one we have been waiting for. In the Old Testament it says that the Messiah will have someone prepare the way for Him. John is this prophet sent by God to get God’s people ready and announce that He’s coming. John is a reminder of the Jews’ favourite prophet Elijah- he eats locusts and honey, lives in the desert and a camel haired coat.
- How did John the Baptist, God’s prophet, get people ready? He told them to repent- to get baptised. He asked them to make a new start, to get their lives sorted! He said turn back to God! The one who loves you, who made you, who called you. You are His people. Get your lives sorted. Get rid of the things that get in the way- the things you make more important than God, that you spend all your time on and turn to rather than God. Turn to God, trust Him. That’s the way to prepare and make the road straight for God to come. Make Him number one and get baptised as a sign of turning to God.
- Jesus is someone greater than John, although John was great! This person is so great John doesn’t even deserve to be his slave. This person will baptise with the Holy Spirit, and only God can do that. At Jesus’ baptism God calls Jesus His son. This is the promised one. This is God Himself coming to rescue all of us, the Messiah.