BAPTISM OF JESUS:

SUB-TOPIC: 1: The fore-runner of Jesus

2: The baptism of Jesus

3: The significance of Jesus Baptism

Sub-Topic 1: The fore-runner of Jesus. Mark 1:1-8; LK 3:1-20

A forerunner is one who prepares the way for another person greater than himself. Before Jesus started
his ministry, God sent John the Baptist as his forerunner. As the forerunner, John’s work was to prepare
the minds of the people by preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He called upon
all the people to repent their sins. John told them that they should not think because they had Abraham
as their father, they need no repentance. Everybody needs repentance and forgiveness of sins.

All the people who listened to John felt sorry for their sins. They confessed all their sins to John who
then baptized them in the River Jordan. He dipped them into the water, and the water covered them.
They rose out of the water as new people ready to live repentant lives. The people asked him what they
should do.

John advised the ordinary people who were selfish and lacked love to show love and kindness to one
another by sharing what they had with those who had none. The tax collectors asked him what they
should do; he told them that they should not collect more than was legal. The soldiers who asked what
they should he told them to stop their violent behavior and be gentle in dealing with people.

All the people then asked John whether he was the Christ, the Saviour. He told them that he was not.
His work of a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was to prepare their minds for the
coming of the Saviour. The Saviour would baptize them with the Holy Spirit.

Evaluation:
 1. What is the official title of the messenger sent to prepare the road for the coming of the Saviour

2. Who came to prepare the minds of the people to understand Jesus and receive him?

3. Where did John the Baptist baptized the people?

4. Define a forerunner.

Sub-Topic 2: The Baptism of Jesus. Matt 3; 3-17, Mk 1: 9-11; LK 3: 21-22

The Baptism and temptation of Jesus constitute the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. When Jesus was about
thirty years old, he heard from some travelers from Nazareth who had visited Judea that a man of God
called John the Baptist was preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins in the River
Jordan. Jesus was directed by the Holy Spirit to go to Jordan and be baptized by John the Baptist

When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming towards him, he immediately recognized him as the Messiah
and Saviour. John the Baptist refused to baptize Jesus because he knew he had no sins to confess. He
said to Jesus “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus said “Let it be so now;
for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness”. When Jesus had said this, John the Baptist agreed
and baptized him. As Jesus was coming from the water, the heaven suddenly opened and he saw the
spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting upon him. At the same time a voice was heard from
heaven saying that Jesus was his beloved son, in whom he was well pleased. Baptism is one of our
Sacraments as Christians.

Sub-Topic 3: The significance of Jesus Baptism.

1. T o prepare Jesus for his ministry

2. It is an act of identification with humanity

3. It demonstrate his humility

4. Fulfillment of all righteousness

5. Jesus was confirmed as the Messiah

Moral Lessons:

1. You must learn to prepare thoroughly for any task you are to perform such as preparation for
your exams.

2. When you grow up you must learn to identify with your people, by mixing with them.
Evaluation:

1. What is the official title of the messenger sent to prepare the road for the coming of Jesus? A.
watchman b. forerunner c. bodyguard.

2. Where did Jesus come from to the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist? A. Judea b.
Samaria c. Galilee

3. Which of the following means baptism? A. immersion b. conversion c. commission.

Weekend Assignment:

 Describe the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness.

WEEK 7

SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES

TOPIC: THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS

SUB-TOPIC 1: The Temptation of Jesus: Matt 4; 1-11, Mk 1: 12, 13; LK 4: 1-13.

2: The significance of temptation of Jesus.

3: Temptations in Nigeria today and ways of overcoming them.

Sub-Topic 1: The temptation of Jesus.

To tempt is to entice or persuade someone to do what he or she is not supposed to do. Therefore
temptation is the process whereby we are enticed or persuaded to do what we are not supposed to do.
The devil tempts us to do things against God’s will.

After Jesus had been baptized, he was led by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by the devil in the
wilderness. He fasted for forty days and nights while he prayed, and meditated on his future work as the
Messiah and Saviour of mankind. At the end of the forty days, Jesus was hungry and wanted food to eat.
The devil then came to tempt him.

In the first temptation, the devil asked Jesus to turn stones into bread if he was really the son of God.
Jesus replied him that the scriptures said that man should not live by bread alone, but by every word
that came out from the mouth of God.

In the second temptation, the devil took Jesus to the holy city, Jerusalem, sat on the highest pinnacle of
the temple, and asked him to jump down if he was really the son of God. The devil added that the
scriptures said, that God would tell his angels to bear him up, so that he would not dash his feet against
stones, Jesus replied that the scriptures also said that thou shall not tempt the Lord your God.

In the third temptation, the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms
of the world and their glory. The devil told Jesus that if he could bow down and worship him, he would
give him all of them. Jesus replied that he should get away because the scriptures said that thou shall
worship the Lord God and serve him only. After this, the devil left him alone, and angels came and
worshiped him.
Evaluation:

1. After the baptism, Jesus was led by the power of the spirit into the-------

2. How many days and nights did Jesus fast before his temptations started?

3. What happened to Jesus after the temptation?

4. According to Matthew, where was Jesus taken to in the third temptation?

5. What did the devil ask Jesus to do in the first temptation?

Sub-Topic 2: The significance of temptation of Jesus.

1. The first temptation was to make him false to his perfect humanity, i.e. to make him appear as
Economic Messiah.

2. The second was to make him win men’s hearts not by love as required of the Messiah but by
startling signs. i.e. to appear as Miracle Messiah

3. The third was to make him not to win his kingdom through suffering as required of the Messiah
i.e. to appear as Political Messiah.

Sub-Topic: Temptations in Nigeria today and ways of overcoming them.

There are so many temptations in Nigeria today. As children in Nigeria, we are tempted to:

1. Disobey or insult or abuse our parents, teachers, e.t.c.

2. Tell lies or to steal.

3. Quarrel with our friends and fight one another.

4. Be dishonest, selfish, wicked and cruel to those we love and to those around us.
 5. The desire to be rich over night without work.

6. The desire to pass examinations without studying.

7. Greed for political power at all cost.

8. Uncontrolled sexual desire.

9. Play truant or refuse to do our homework.

Ways of overcoming them.

1. Seeking the help of Jesus.

2. Avoiding bad friends.

3. Joining Christian youth associations

4. Working hard at school.

5. Patience and hard work.

6. Avoiding the desire to rule at all cost.

7. Setting realist goals for oneself

8. Avoiding the desire to rule at all costs.

Moral Lessons:

1. Jesus temptations teach us to expect temptations any time and learn how to overcome them.

2. As Nigerians, we should learn to say: No, as Jesus did, to all those who try to tempt us to do evil.

Evaluation:

1. Define temptation.

2. Mention five temptations in Nigeria today.

3. Stat six ways of overcoming temptations in Nigeria of today.

4. List two moral lessons we learn from the temptations of Jesus.

Weekend Assignment:

 Who is disciple?

 Name the first four disciples.

SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES

TOPIC: CALL OF JESUS DISCIPLES

SUB-TOPIC: 1: Jesus calls His first four disciples

2: Jesus calls the Twelve Disciples/Apostles

Sub-Topic 1: Jesus calls His first four disciples. Matt 8: 18-22, Mk 1: 14-20, Luke 5: 1-11

A disciple is a pupil, student or follower who receives instructions from his teacher. The first four
disciples were Peter and his brother, Andrew; and the two brothers, James and John.

According to Matthew and Mark, one day, as Jesus was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Peter
and Andrew casting their net into the sea, for they were fishermen. Jesus called them to be his disciples
saying: “follow me, and l will make you fishers of men.” And immediately, they followed Jesus. A few
meters away from where Jesus called Peter and Andrew, Jesus met the two brothers, James and John,
the sons of Zebedee. They were with their father mending their broken nets. Jesus called them and
immediately, they left their father and followed him.

The gospel of Luke gives another account of how Jesus called the first four disciples. Jesus met Peter,
Andrew, James and John by the Sea of Galilee. They had just returned from fishing all night without
making any catch. Jesus told Peter to go and fish. Peter said they had toiled all night without any fish,
but they would try again at his word. They had a great catch of fish. When Peter, Andrew, James and
John had brought in all the fish, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Evaluation:

 Who were the first four disciples of Jesus according to Luke?

 Who is a disciple?

 What was the occupation of the first four disciples?

Apart from the first four disciples, Jesus called Matthew or Levi, a tax collector to be his disciple and he
did. The Gospel of John also tells us of the call of Philip. Many other people also followed Jesus though
he had not called them. When Jesus saw that there were many people who were prepared to sacrifice
everything to follow him in order to learn from him, he decided to select twelve of them to be his
disciples.

The day before Jesus selected the twelve disciples; he left everybody and went to a quiet place. There he
prayed all night to God to help him select the right men. Jesus wanted honest, faithful and loyal disciples
who would devote all their lives to the service of God. God listened to Jesus prayers and in the morning
he called all the people together and selected twelve disciples from among them. The disciples were:

1. Simon Peter

2. Andrew

3. James and

4. John the sons of Zebedee

5. Philip

6. Bartholomew

7. Matthew

8. Thomas

9. James the son of Alpheus

10. Simon the Zealot

11. Thaddeus

12. Judas Iscariot.

Moral lessons:

1. You must learn to respond willingly to God’s call to serve him as the first disciples did.

2. You must learn to seek God’s guidance in all that you plan to do as our Lord Jesus do
Evaluation:

1. Who of the following apostles was a tax collector? A. Andrew b. James c. Matthew

2. Who of the following apostles was not a fisherman? A. peter b. Thomas c. John

3. Who did Jesus see in a boat with their father mending their nets when he called them?

4. What did Jesus tell Peter he would make him when he called him?

Weekend Assignment:

 State five demands of discipleship.