Scripture: Matthew 3:13 – 4:11 (focus on 4: 1-11)
Memory Verse:
“Jesus understands every weakness
of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin!” Hebrews 4:15 (CEV)
Offering: Hospice of
Concepts:
Objectives:
1. Older children will locate the stories of Jesus’
baptism and temptation in their Bibles. Younger children will learn that the
story is in Matthew.
2. The children will read or hear the story.
3. The children will play a game that illustrates looking
to Scripture for help in times of temptation.
Procedure:
Welcome and Introductions: (10:00)
1. Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. Make sure the children
are wearing name-tags. If not, ask the shepherd to supply a temporary badge.
Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week who
may not know you.
2.
Open with a brief
prayer (optional, as they have just prayed in Great Hall).
3. Explain the purpose of this workshop. Today we’re
going to learn how to resist temptation the way Jesus did.
Scripture/Bible Story: (10:05)
1.
Grades 1-2 will
not use Bibles, but do open yours to show them where the story is. For grades
3-5, make sure everybody has a Bible. The shepherds will have extra
Bibles. Help the students to find the
book of Matthew. (Get the shepherds to go around the room and help with this.)
2.
If necessary,
review the organization of the Bible: The Bible is divided into two big parts,
the Old and New Testaments. Each part is made up of books, which are divided
into chapters and verses. Have them figure out whether Matthew is in the Old or
New Testament (it’s about Jesus so it’s in NEW Testament). Show them that if
they open their Bible in the middle, they’ll usually land in the book of Psalms
in the OT. Point out that the book name is at the top of each page. After
finding Psalms, if they then take the pages on the right side and divide them
in half, they’ll land somewhere near the beginning of the New Testament. Remind
them that the first four books of the NT are Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
After
they’ve found Matthew, help them find chapter 3, then verse 13. Some of the
children will confuse chapters and verses. Show them that chapter numbers are
the big ones, and also are at top of every page.
3.
Read the story or
review it using the summary below as a guide. Either way, be dramatic! Unless
this is the first Sunday of the rotation, let the children help you tell the
story. This will give you an idea of how much they already know. Other ideas
for reviewing the story in later weeks:
Story Summary
Before Jesus began his ministry, he went to
the
In the desert, Jesus went without eating for
forty days and nights, and he was VERY hungry. Then the devil came to him and
said, "If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread."
Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: No
one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.' "
Next, the devil took Jesus to the holy city
and had him stand on the highest part of the temple. The devil said, "If
you are God's Son, jump off. The Scriptures say: `God will give his angels
orders about you. They will catch you in their arms, and you won't hurt your
feet on the stones.' "
Jesus answered, "The Scriptures also
say, `Don't try to test the Lord your God!' "
Finally, the devil took Jesus up on a very
high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms on earth and their power. The
devil said to him, "I will give all this to you, if you will bow down and
worship me."
Jesus answered, "Go away Satan! The
Scriptures say: `Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.' "
Then the devil left Jesus, and angels came to
help him.
Application: (10:15)
Ask: “What did Jesus do when he was tempted?” He quoted Scripture that contradicted the devil’s suggestions. “We
can do the same thing when we’re tempted to do something wrong. We can look to
the Bible for guidance. And now we’re going to play a game where we practice doing
that.”
See end of lesson plan for three lists of Bible verses and corresponding
situations. Each Bible verse should be written on a separate piece of paper
large enough for the class to read when it is taped to the wall. Use them in
the lists and order given.
Grades 1-2: Have the first group of 9 verses taped to the wall
(use painter’s tape to protect the mural), one on top of the other with #9 on
the bottom, so that only verse #1 can be seen. When verse #1 is removed, verse
#2 will be revealed. On another wall, have the second group taped in the same
manner. Don’t use the third group of verses with grades 1-2.
Read the top two verses out loud to the children. Then say: “Now I’m
going to tell you a situation where you might be tempted to do something wrong.
You are going to vote on which Bible verse can help you in that situation.”
Read the first situation (choose from either list) and say, “Now go and
stand beside the Bible verse that you think can help you.” If there’s
disagreement or confusion, discuss. Then remove the verse that applied in that
situation, so that the next verse in the stack is revealed. Leave the other
stack alone.
Continue reading the two verses, then reading a situation, voting, and
removing the applicable verse. On any given turn you can read a situation from
either list, but read from the list in the order given so that the matching
Bible verse will be on display.
It’s conceivable that you might have a situation where both of the
displayed verses could apply. If that happens, acknowledge it, but remove the
one that’s indicated on your list.
Grades 3-5: Post the verses in the same way, but use all three
groups. You can play the voting game (probably the best choice with
third-graders) or you can use the buzzers.
Buzzer option: Have the buzzer box on a table. Have the
three stacks of Bible verses posted on the wall behind the table so everybody
can see them. Divide the kids into four lines (they’re not on teams, just
lining up to take their turn. Don’t keep score.) The first player in each line
holds a buzzer.
Read the three verses, then explain: “I’m going to read a
situation where you might be tempted to do something wrong. One of these Bible
verses can help you. If you think you know which verse applies to this
situation, press your buzzer.”
After you read the situation, the first to buzz gets to
give the answer. Be sure they answer quickly; don’t let them buzz and then
figure out the answer. (If you don’t know who buzzed first, look for the color
with both lights on. See details of how to work buzzer system at end of lesson
plan.)
Discuss the answer if necessary, then have those players go
to the end of their line. Repeat with the next four players. As in the voting
game, on any given turn you can pick a situation from any of the three lists,
but don’t mix up the order within each list. Keep playing until you run out of
Bible verses or time. Make sure everybody gets a turn.
Reflection Time: (10:30)
Gather the children back into
a circle and discuss:
What do you think the devil is like? Accept all answers, then tell them:
Some people believe that the devil is a specific person or an evil spirit
or a bad angel. Other people think the devil is not a real person but is a
symbol that represents the evil in the world. When you go home today, ask your
parents what they believe.
Now tell me again, when Jesus was tempted, what did he do? He quoted Scripture. So he must have
really known the Scripture well, and that shows how important it is for us to
study the Bible so we can remember it when we need help.
But here’s something else that’s important: . When the devil tried to
get Jesus to jump off the temple, do you remember what he said? The devil quoted Scripture to tell Jesus
that angels would catch him! Sometimes people misuse the Bible by looking
for passages that support their position. It’s not enough just to read the
Bible; we need to study it with an open heart and ask God to help us understand
the truth.
It’s not always easy to do the right thing, and sometimes it’s not easy
to know what the right thing is. It wasn’t easy for Jesus either, but he set an
example for us to follow. Let’s think about that while we recite the Bible
memory verse. “Jesus understands every
weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin!” — Hebrews 4:15 (CEV)
At 10:35 a.m. pass out the
journal pages and ask the shepherds to pass out pencils/markers. Read the
prompt out loud and offer suggestions if needed. If they don’t know how to
spell a word, write it on the white board. Those who finish early can turn the
page over and do the activity on the back.
At 10:45 ask the students to close their journals and sit quietly.
Encourage the children to
bring an offering next week. Remind them that the offering from this rotation
will go to Hospice of Wake County. Hospice
is an organization that cares for people who are very sick and helps the
patients and their families cope in a sad and difficult time.
Prayer: Close with a brief prayer. Suggestion: Read this
prayer from Psalm 139 that asks God to help us resist temptation: Have the
children repeat each line after you.
Look deep into my heart, God,
and find out everything I am thinking.
Don't let me follow evil ways,
but lead me in the way that time has proven true.
Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help pick up pencils, Bibles, game
materials, etc. When the room is tidy, dismiss the class.
Extra Activity
Grades 3-5: If
you have extra time, play "who can find the passage first." Call out
verses for the students to search and read when they find them -- do this in
pairs if you wish. Suggestions:
Other
accounts of Jesus’ baptism:
Mark
1:1-11
Luke
3:21-22
John
1:29-34.
Other
accounts of the temptation:
Mark
1:12-13
Luke
4:1-13.
Teacher preparation in
advance:
1. Read the scripture passages and attend the
Faith Quest Leaders Bible Study.
2. Prepare opening and closing prayers.
3. Find the small blue fold-up table, stored
behind the puppet stage. It is handy for organizing all your supplies. Optional:
Bring a CD or taped music for background music while you are gathering,
meditative music for Reflection time. A boom box is located in the Puppet
workshop cabinet.
4.
Write the memory verse
on the white board or display it in the room some other way.
5. Write the Bible verses for the game on large
pieces of paper. Tape them to the wall as described in the lesson plan. Use
masking tape so you don’t damage the mural.
6. If you are
using the buzzer box, you’ll find it
in the supply bin along with a bag of wires.
Supply List
Extra Bibles
Pencils (in supply bin; the
shepherds also have pencils)
Journal pages
Dry-erase marker (in supply
bin)
Bible verses written on large sheets of paper
Masking tape
Buzzer box if using
References
Jesus' Temptation - Alone in the Desert! Lesson set from
Bible verses for game
Group 1
Group 2
8.
Dishonesty
does you no good, and telling lies will get you in trouble. — Proverbs 17:12
Group 3
Temptation Situations: Group 1
You go with a friend to the
store. Your friend puts some candy in her pocket and whispers for you to do the
same thing.
Do not steal. — Exodus 20: 15
You’re bouncing a ball in the
house and break a mirror. When your parents ask what happened, you consider
telling them that your brother did it.
Do not tell lies about others. — Exodus 20: 16
You go for a bike ride and go
farther from home than you’re allowed to. When your dad asks where you rode,
you think about leaving out some details.
Truth will last forever; lies are soon found out. —
Proverbs 12: 19
Your grandmother has
arthritis and doesn’t get up and down from her chair very easily. She asks you
to bring her a book, then her glasses, then a glass of water. You think about
moving to another room.
Don't get tired of helping others. We should help
people whenever we can. — Galatians 6: 9-10
Your friend has a party and doesn’t invite
you. Your feelings are hurt and you are
tempted to say bad things about her.
Do not try to get even with a person who has done
something to you. — Matthew 5: 39
You see some trash on the
playground so you pick it up and carry it to the trash can. You hope your
teacher is watching.
When you do good deeds, don't try to show off. —
Matthew 6: 1
You’re playing softball.
Someone on your team hits a home run but the other team says it was a foul
ball. Everyone starts arguing and getting madder and madder.
Don't be angry or furious. Anger can lead to sin. —
Psalm 37: 8
You have some delicious
cookies in your lunchbox. You know that the other people at your table would
love to have one, but you’d like to eat them all yourself.
Generosity will be rewarded. — Proverbs 11: 25
Temptation Situations: Group 2
Your mother reminds you to
clean up your room. You want to say, “Leave me alone!”
Respect your father and your mother. — Exodus 20: 17
Your next-door neighbors get
a swimming pool. You wish it was in your yard instead.
Do not want anything that belongs to someone else. —
Exodus 20: 17
You are invited to a sleepover with some of your
friends. One friend starts talking about
someone who isn’t there. You are tempted to say some things too.
Gossip is no good! It causes hard feelings and comes
between friends. — Proverbs 16: 28
There are cookies cooling on
the kitchen counter. They smell wonderful, but you know they’re for the school
bake sale. You think, “Nobody will know if I eat one.”
You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know
all about me….You notice everything I do and everywhere I go. — Psalms 139: 1,3
You and a friend have an
argument and stop speaking to each other. You miss your friend and think about
calling and apologizing, but you think your friend ought to call first.
God blesses those people who make peace. They will be
called God’s children! — Matthew 5: 9
You get an invitation to play
at a neighbor’s house. You say yes, then another friend asks you to go to the
movies at the same time. You really want to see the movie.
Broken promises are worse than rain clouds that don't
bring rain. Proverbs 25: 14
You accidentally bump into
somebody in the hall. She yells, “Hey, watch where you’re going, you idiot!”
This makes you mad and you want to say something mean to her.
A kind answer soothes angry feelings, but harsh words
stir them up. — Proverbs 15: 1
You didn’t study for your spelling test. You can easily see the paper of the person
next to you, and you are tempted to cheat.
Dishonesty does you no good, and telling
lies will get you in trouble. Proverbs 17:12
Temptation Situations: Group 3
A new kid moved into your class and he wears
really thick glasses and different looking clothes. The other kids make fun of
him. You are afraid to stand up for him
because you know the others will make fun of you, too.
God blesses those people who are treated badly for
doing right. — Matthew 5: 10
A girl who acts mean and
hateful in school shows up at Faith Quest one Sunday. You wonder what she’s
doing here among all these nice people. You don’t want to make her feel
welcome.
Jesus said, “I didn't come to invite good people to be
my followers. I came to invite sinners." Mark 2: 17
The soccer game is tied. Your teammate is about to score when one of
their players trips him. The referee is looking the other way. The other team
gets the ball and wins the game. You want to hit somebody.
Be patient and trust the LORD. Don't let it bother you
when all goes well for those who do sinful things. — Psalm 37: 7
You work hard on your science
project but several other people get better grades on theirs. You don’t like
your project anymore.
Do your own work well, and then you will have
something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others.— Galatians 6:
4
A girl at school disrupts the
class a lot. She talks back to the teacher, makes loud comments, ignores
instructions, and sharpens her pencil while the teacher’s talking. You decide
you don’t like her because of her obnoxious behavior.
Don't judge others, and God won't judge you. Don't be
hard on others, and God won't be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will
forgive you. — Luke 6: 37
Your parents suggest that you
give some of your allowance to Pennies for Hunger. You don’t want to.
When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and
when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. — Matthew 25: 35
Your brother is playing with
your toy and breaks it. He feels bad and apologizes. You say “That’s OK, I know
it was an accident.” But then he breaks
another toy, and apologizes again. You don’t feel like forgiving him again.
Peter asked, "How many times should I forgive
someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?" Jesus
answered: Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! — Matthew 18: 21-22
Your Scout troop is having a
cookout. When everybody is ready to eat, the troop leader asks you to serve the
drinks. You want to say, “Why should I have to wait on the others?”
If you want to be great, you must be the servant of
all the others.— Matthew 20: 26-27