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What Shall We Do Then?

A knotted cord, John the Baptist’s brutally specific advice, and the day the heavens opened over the Jordan

  • 🔥 Youth 14–15
  • Week 4
  • 📅 Sunday, January 24, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Repentance isn’t a punishment or a one-time reboot; it’s letting Jesus Christ straighten the crooked places in my life, one specific, doable change at a time, just as He showed the way by being baptized.

I can prepare the way of the Lord in my life by making specific changes, keeping my baptismal covenant, and seeking the Holy Ghost.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3)
Know the chapters

John the Baptist was the least polished preacher imaginable. He wore camel’s hair and a leather belt and ate locusts and wild honey, in Matthew 3:4. Yet all of Jerusalem and Judea went out to hear him. His message was simple: “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” in 3:2. He described his mission with a picture from Isaiah. Valleys filled, mountains brought low, crooked paths made straight, rough roads made smooth. That’s Luke 3:4–5. It’s what the Savior does in a life that makes room for Him. The manual calls repentance a mighty change of mind and heart. It’s a joyful kind of change.

Luke 3:10–14 is gold for teenagers. The crowds asked, “What shall we do then?” John didn’t give vague advice. He gave each group something specific. If you have two coats, share one. Tax collectors, stop overcharging. Soldiers, don’t bully, don’t lie about people, and be content with your pay. He warned the proud not to lean on their family tree, saying “We have Abraham to our father,” in Luke 3:8. He told them to bring forth “fruits worthy of repentance.” Repentance shows up in behavior. For the Strength of Youth teaches the same thing in “Jesus Christ Will Help You.” President Russell M. Nelson taught it in April 2019, in “We Can Do Better and Be Better.” Repentance is a daily process of becoming better, not a one-time event for big sins.

Then Jesus came to be baptized. John said he needed to be baptized by Jesus, not the other way around. Jesus answered that it was right “to fulfil all righteousness,” in Matthew 3:15. The Savior had no sin. He was baptized by immersion, by someone with proper authority, to obey His Father and show us the way. Second Nephi 31:5–9 explains it. As He came up out of the water, the heavens opened and the Spirit came down “like a dove.” The Father’s voice said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” in Matthew 3:16–17. The scene shows the Godhead as three separate beings. Joseph Smith taught that the dove was a sign. The Holy Ghost wasn’t changed into a dove.

Make the priesthood connection. John held the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood. On May 15, 1829, he restored that priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, in Doctrine and Covenants 13. Teachers in your class prepare the sacrament, where we renew our baptismal covenant. In a year or two, many will be priests who can baptize, as Doctrine and Covenants 20:46 says. John also taught that the Savior would baptize “with the Holy Ghost and with fire,” in Matthew 3:11. The gift of the Holy Ghost cleanses, refines and warms us. It’s just as essential as baptism in water.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4–5, 3:10–14 and Matthew 3:13–17. Open with the Knotted Cord, or the Human Knot if you brought nothing. Tell the story from the screen with its questions. Say Mark 1:3 together, then ask What Would John Say? for three modern groups. Finish with your testimony that the Savior can straighten any crooked path.

What to bring3 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Tie the cord into four or five loose knots. It should take about 45 seconds to undo. Put it in a bag.
  2. Read the six story scenes once so you can tell them in your own words. Mark Luke 3:5, 3:10–14 and Matthew 3:13–17.
  3. Think of a time the Savior helped you change something and it brought you peace. You’ll share it briefly at the end.

If your class is wild

  • Keep repentance hopeful, not shaming. Never ask anyone to share their own sins. The crooked place they write at the end stays private.
  • Teens tend to think repentance is only for big sins. Keep bringing it back to everyday changes, like tone, phones, honesty and kindness.
  • Pick a patient volunteer for the Knotted Cord and let the class coach them. The point lands best when someone yanks and it gets worse.
  • What Would John Say? can get hilarious. Let it. Then ask for one serious answer before moving on.

The 25-minute plan23 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

The Knotted Cord

5 min

A quick untangling challenge shows that crooked places get straightened one specific knot at a time, which is what John meant by repentance.

  1. SAY“I need one patient volunteer. You’ll have forty-five seconds to untangle this.”
  2. Pull the knotted cord out of the bag. Start the clock.
  3. Let the class coach. Point out that yanking both ends pulls the knots tighter. Loosening one knot at a time works.
  4. Ask: “What worked?” Take an answer. Then ask how this connects to changing something in your life.
  5. SAY“John the Baptist spent his ministry helping people untangle their lives. His word for it was repent. And his advice was really specific.”
🌪️ If your volunteer finishes in ten seconds, hand the cord to someone else. Tell them to pull both ends as hard as they can. Watch it tighten.

Class screen: 🪢 45 seconds: can you untangle it? · Yank it, or one knot at a time?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A long charging cord, earbud cord or piece of string, loosely knotted (see prep)

The Human Knot

  1. SAY“Everybody up in a circle. Reach across and grab two different people’s hands.”
  2. Give them about sixty seconds to untangle into one circle without letting go. Keep it gentle. Step over and duck under, no yanking.
  3. Ask: “What worked better? Pulling hard, or one twist at a time?”
  4. SAY“John the Baptist spent his ministry helping people untangle their lives. His word for it was repent. And his advice was really specific.”

Class screen: 🪢 Human Knot: untangle without letting go

🌪️ If holding hands feels awkward for your class, make two smaller circles, or have them link by holding the ends of a sleeve or scarf.
2. Story

The Story: A Voice in the Wilderness

6 min

Hearing John’s message and the Savior’s baptism shows that repentance is specific and that the Savior Himself showed us the way.

  1. SAY“Picture the least polished preacher ever. Camel hair. Bugs for lunch. No stage. And everyone came to hear him.”
  2. Tell each scene in your own words as the screen shows it. Ask its question and take one or two answers.
  3. Slow down at the baptism. Point out the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, all there and all separate.

Class screen: 🏜️ A voice in the wilderness: prepare the way, make it straight

3. Scripture

Scripture Spotlight: Make His Paths Straight

4 min

John’s pictures of repentance turn abstract doctrine into images the youth can apply this week.

  1. SAY“John quoted Isaiah to describe what he was doing. Let’s say it together.”
  2. Say Mark 1:3 together with the motions.
  3. Read Luke 3:5. Each pair picks one image, like the valley filled. They name what it could look like in a teen’s life.
  4. Take a few answers. A mountain could be pride. A valley could be discouragement. Then say Mark 1:3 once more with the screen hidden.

Class screen: 🛤️ Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. · Valleys · Mountains · Crooked paths · Rough ways

4. Talk it over

What Would John Say?

5 min

Writing John-style specific counsel for modern groups shows that repentance is practical and personal.

  1. SAY“John gave tax collectors and soldiers advice that fit them exactly. What would he tell people today?”
  2. Show one group at a time. Pairs get about twenty seconds to agree on one specific, John-style sentence. Thumbs up for the most specific.
  3. Save the last question for a quiet moment. Nobody answers it aloud unless they want to.
💬 Ask the class
  • What would John say to gamers?
  • What would John say to group-chat admins?
  • What would John say to people with lots of followers?
  • What would John say to older siblings?
  • What would John say to you?
🌪️ If answers drift into roasting people in the room, redirect. Say, “John was blunt, but he never shamed anyone by name.”

Class screen: 📣 What would John the Baptist tell people today? · 20 seconds per pair · Specific beats vague

5. Testimony

One Crooked Place

3 min

End quietly with one private, specific change they’ll invite the Savior to help with.

  1. SAY“I want to tell you about a knot the Savior helped me untangle.”
  2. Share your story briefly. Testify that repentance brings joy, not shame.
  3. Hand out sticky notes. Each person privately writes one crooked place they want the Savior to help straighten this week.
  4. Show the challenge on the screen. Invite someone to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🕊️ Let Him straighten one crooked place this week · One specific change · Private · Bring it to the sacrament

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: One sticky note or index card per person, and a few pens

  1. SAY“I want to tell you about a knot the Savior helped me untangle.”
  2. Share your story briefly. Testify that repentance brings joy, not shame.
  3. Invite each person to privately pick one crooked place they want the Savior to help straighten this week.
  4. Show the challenge on the screen. Invite someone to say the closing prayer.
6. Wiggle break

Straighten the Path

2 minBONUS

A silent team challenge turns Luke 3:5 into movement and gets the whole class working together.

  1. SAY“Everybody up in a messy zigzag line. Valley means crouch. Mountain means tiptoe. ‘Prepare ye the way’ means a perfectly straight line. You get ten seconds. No talking.”
  2. Mix up the calls, faster and faster. Anyone who talks during a straighten sends the line back to zigzag.
  3. SAY“The line only straightened because everyone moved. The Savior straightens us, but we move too.”
⏱️ Big Timer (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: ⛰️ Valley! Mountain! Prepare ye the way! (No talking) · Valley: crouch · Mountain: tiptoe · Prepare ye the way: straight line

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A quick team quiz reviews the whole lesson.

  1. SAY“Two teams, one captain each. Huddle for ten seconds. Then only the captain answers.”
  2. Tap Scripture Showdown.
  3. Use the steal rule. If a team misses, the other team can steal by naming the verse.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

Object lesson

A Voice in the Wilderness

Matthew 3; Mark 1:1–11; Luke 3:2–22 ↗

Scenes

  1. 🏜️🦗 The least polished preacher ever draws a crowd

    Out in the wilderness near the Jordan River, a man started preaching. He wore camel’s-hair clothes. He ate locusts and wild honey. No stage. No lights. No following. Yet people came from Jerusalem and all of Judea to hear him. His message was simple. Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

    🙌 Ask: “Why would crowds walk into the desert for a message like that?”

  2. 🎩🪓 “We have Abraham to our father”

    Some proud religious leaders came too. John warned them not to lean on their family tree. Being born into the right family wasn’t enough. They needed to show real change in how they lived. He said an axe was already at the root of every tree that didn’t bear good fruit.

    🙌 Ask: “What do people our age lean on instead of actually changing?”

  3. 🧥💰 “What shall we do then?”

    The crowds asked what they should actually do. Share your extra coat and your food, John said. The tax collectors asked. Stop taking more than you should. The soldiers asked. Don’t bully anyone. Don’t accuse anyone falsely. And be content with your pay. Every answer fit the person asking.

    🙌 A youth reads Luke 3:10–11. Ask: “Why so specific instead of just ‘be good’?”

  4. 👟🔥 “One mightier than I cometh”

    People started wondering if John was the Messiah. He shut that down right away. I baptize with water, he said. But someone far greater is coming. I’m not even worthy to untie His sandals. He will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

    🙌 Ask: “What do you think fire has to do with the Holy Ghost?”

  5. 🌊🙏 “Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness”

    Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized. John tried to stop Him. John said he needed to be baptized by Jesus, not the other way around. Jesus answered that this was right. It would fulfill all righteousness. So John baptized Him, fully immersed in the water.

    🙌 Ask: “Jesus never sinned. Why did He need to be baptized?”

  6. 🕊️☁️ The heavens opened

    As Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened. The Spirit of God descended like a dove and rested on Him. And a voice from heaven said this was His beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased. The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. All present. All separate.

    🙌 Read Matthew 3:16–17 slowly. Then hold three seconds of silence.

Key verse

Mark 1:3 ↗
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
In plain words: John was the voice out in the wilderness saying: get ready for the Lord, and clear a straight path for Him, in the world and in your own life.
🙌 “The voice of one crying” (hands cupped around mouth) · “in the wilderness” (sweep an arm across) · “Prepare ye the way of the Lord” (both hands pushing a path open) · “make his paths straight” (one hand slicing straight forward). Say it three times, then once with the screen hidden.

More verses

Luke 3:5 ↗
“Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth”
In plain words: The low places will be lifted, the proud places brought down, the twisted parts straightened, and the rough parts smoothed. That’s what the Savior can do in a life.
Luke 3:10–11 ↗
“And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.”
In plain words: “So what should we actually do?” John said: if you have two coats, give one away. If you have food, share it.
Matthew 3:15 ↗
“Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.”
In plain words: Let it happen. This is the right thing to do; this is how we do everything God asks.
Matthew 3:16–17 ↗
“and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
In plain words: The heavens opened, the Holy Ghost came down like a dove, and Heavenly Father said: This is My Son, whom I love, and I am so pleased with Him.

Forehead Guess words18 words

  • 🗣️ John the Baptist
  • 🏜️ Wilderness
  • 🐪 Camel’s Hair
  • 🦗 Locusts
  • 🌊 Jordan River
  • 🔄 Repentance
  • 🧥 Two Coats
  • 💰 Tax Collector
  • 🛡️ Soldier
  • 🪓 Axe
  • 🌾 Wheat and Chaff
  • 🕊️ Dove
  • 💧 Immersion
  • 🔥 Fire
  • ☁️ Godhead
  • 📜 Aaronic Priesthood
  • 🛤️ Straight Path
  • 📲 Patch Notes
Clues for each word
  • John the Baptist: The voice crying in the wilderness
  • Wilderness: Where John preached, far from the city
  • Camel’s Hair: What John’s clothes were made of
  • Locusts: John’s snack, with wild honey
  • Jordan River: Where Jesus was baptized
  • Repentance: A change of mind and heart, John’s main message
  • Two Coats: If you have these, share one
  • Tax Collector: Told to stop taking more than appointed
  • Soldier: Told not to bully or accuse falsely
  • Axe: Laid at the root of trees with no good fruit
  • Wheat and Chaff: One is gathered, one is burned
  • Dove: The sign of the Holy Ghost at Jesus’s baptism
  • Immersion: Going all the way under the water
  • Fire: The Savior baptizes with the Holy Ghost and this
  • Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Ghost, three separate beings
  • Aaronic Priesthood: John held its keys and restored it in 1829
  • Straight Path: “Make his paths ___”
  • Patch Notes: Today’s way to describe small, ongoing changes
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown10 questions

  1. What did John the Baptist eat in the wilderness?
    • A. Figs and bread
    • B. Locusts and wild honey
    • C. Fish and barley
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Locusts and wild honey Matthew 3:4. Not a glamorous menu, but people still came.

  2. What was the heart of John’s message in Matthew 3:2?
    • A. “Repent ye”
    • B. “Build a temple”
    • C. “Flee the city”
    Show answer

    ✅ A. “Repent ye” “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

  3. In Luke 3:5, what happens to every crooked path?
    • A. It is closed
    • B. It is guarded
    • C. It is made straight
    Show answer

    ✅ C. It is made straight That’s what the Savior can do in a life that makes room for Him.

  4. What did John tell people with two coats to do?
    • A. Sell one
    • B. Give one to someone who has none
    • C. Keep both for winter
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Give one to someone who has none Luke 3:11. Repentance shows up in what we actually do.

  5. What did John tell the tax collectors?
    • A. Don’t take more than you’re supposed to
    • B. Quit your job
    • C. Pay double taxes
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Don’t take more than you’re supposed to Luke 3:13. Specific, practical, doable.

  6. What did John tell the proud leaders not to rely on?
    • A. Their money
    • B. Their armor
    • C. Having Abraham as their father
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Having Abraham as their father Luke 3:8. A good family tree doesn’t replace real change.

  7. Why did Jesus say He needed to be baptized?
    • A. To be forgiven
    • B. To fulfil all righteousness
    • C. To impress the crowd
    Show answer

    ✅ B. To fulfil all righteousness Matthew 3:15. He had no sin; He obeyed His Father and showed us the way.

  8. What descended like a dove when Jesus came up out of the water?
    • A. The Spirit of God
    • B. An angel
    • C. A cloud
    Show answer

    ✅ A. The Spirit of God Matthew 3:16. The dove was a sign of the Holy Ghost.

  9. What did the voice from heaven say at Jesus’s baptism?
    • A. “Follow him”
    • B. “Hear ye him”
    • C. “This is my beloved Son”
    Show answer

    ✅ C. “This is my beloved Son” Matthew 3:17. Father, Son and Holy Ghost: three separate beings.

  10. John said the Savior would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with what?
    • A. Water
    • B. Fire
    • C. Oil
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Fire Matthew 3:11. The Holy Ghost cleanses and refines us like fire.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • I Need Thee Every Hour Hymns, no. 98

    Repentance is daily, not once in a while, and we need the Savior every hour to change. Find it ↗

  • Baptism Children’s Songbook, p. 100

    A simple song about Jesus being baptized by John in the Jordan River. The older youth can help teach it to a Primary class sometime. Find it ↗

  • Choose the Right Hymns, no. 239

    “Fruits worthy of repentance” means choosing the right in specific, everyday ways. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Straight Path Week

Work on your one crooked place every day this week with one specific action. That’s how John taught each group. Read “Jesus Christ Will Help You” in For the Strength of Youth. On Sunday, take the sacrament thinking about your baptismal covenant and the change you’re making.

Text the parents

Today in class we studied John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus Christ, in Matthew 3, Mark 1 and Luke 3. The crowds asked John, “What shall we do then?” He gave each group specific, practical advice. We talked about repentance as ongoing patch notes, not a scary one-time event. Ask your teen what John the Baptist would tell teenagers today. And how does the sacrament connect to baptism?

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

🌊 Baptism Side by Side · 5 min

  1. Make two columns: “The Savior’s baptism” and “My baptism.”
  2. Compare who baptized, by what authority, where, how and why. Use Matthew 3:13–17 and Mosiah 18:10 and 13.
  3. Ask the priests and future priests what they want to remember when they baptize someday. Read the baptismal prayer in Doctrine and Covenants 20:73.

🤲 If Thou Wilt · 4 min

  1. Read Mark 1:40–42. A leper kneels and tells Jesus, “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”
  2. Point out what Jesus did first. He was moved with compassion and touched a man no one else would touch.
  3. Ask: “How does this story change the way you think about coming to Jesus when you need to repent?”

☁️ Three Separate Beings · 4 min

  1. Read Matthew 3:16–17. List where each member of the Godhead is in the scene.
  2. Cross-check with Acts 7:55–56 and Joseph Smith—History 1:17.
  3. Ask: “Why does it matter that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are separate, real beings who love you?”

📲 Patch Notes · 4 min

  1. Explain that every app gets updates with patch notes, like bugs fixed and features added. Read two or three funny ones about yourself.
  2. Everyone writes one patch note for themselves in about sixty seconds. Silly ones can be shared. Real ones stay private.
  3. Point out that nobody deletes an app because it needs an update. Updates are how it gets better. That’s repentance.

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

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