Curriculum
Jesus Says No To Temptation
Memory Verse:
“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’” Matthew 4:10
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
Jesus was tempted by Satan, and He resisted that temptation by relying on truths from God’s Word.
Scripture Summary
Jesus had been baptized by John, and God’s Spirit rested upon Jesus. This public display was a beautiful beginning of Jesus’ ministry here on earth.
Satan is a real, fallen angel. This same Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. Just as Jesus’ ministry was beginning, Satan tempted Jesus.
He wanted to distract Jesus from His ministry and what God had called Him to do. Instead, this account of Jesus’ temptation proved that Jesus was the Son of God.
Satan tempted Jesus three times in the wilderness. Each time was specific and also symbolic to Jesus’ life and character.
- Turn stones into bread. Jesus was hungry after fasting for 40 days. Satan was tempting Jesus with His human need for food. Jesus reaffirmed God’s plan for His ministry.
- Call angels to save Him from falling. This time, Satan misused Scripture as he tempted Jesus. Jesus was God and truly had the power to call for angels to do anything He asked. But Jesus knew that God was not a genie in the sky awaiting our next request.
- Worship Satan. Satan was tricky and tempted Jesus with His own reputation and potential fame. While Satan didn’t have the power to provide Jesus with a kingdom, Jesus confirmed that He would worship God alone.
Jesus was able to resist Satan’s temptations because He knew the Scriptures, and He obeyed the Bible. God was with Jesus and provided His truth to combat temptation.
Why Is This Important
Like Jesus, we face temptation. We can be tempted every day to make choices that are not God’s best for us. And just like Jesus, we can combat temptation with truths from God’s Word.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
Hide God’s Word in Your Heart
“I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)
Satan would love nothing more than to distract us, discourage us, and derail us. But we can resist temptation with Scripture that we have hidden in our hearts.
Sheridan Voysey wrote beautiful breath prayers based on the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). She found practical ways to combat temptation with the beautiful truth of God’s Word. Take a moment to read these breath prayers slowly and out loud.
“Lord God, fill me with your Holy Spirit.
I receive your love and release my insecurity.
I receive your joy and release my unhappiness. I receive your peace and release my anxiety.
I receive your patience and release my impulsivity.
I receive your kindness and release my indifference.
I receive your goodness and release my ungodliness. I receive your faithfulness and release my disloyalty. I receive your gentleness and release my severity.
I receive your self-control and release my self-indulgence.”
Did you notice? These Scriptures and breath prayers don’t simply say “resist temptation.” We’re not called to resist temptation in our own strength. Even Jesus, who was perfect, combatted Satan and his temptation with God’s Word. His beautiful truth overcomes and replaces the temptation.
When I’m anxious, I can choose to receive God’s peace. When I’m indifferent, God’s kindness can eradicate the temptation. When I’m discouraged, I can rely on specific promises God has made throughout His Word. And Satan will flee.
What temptations are you facing today? There is a wide variety of temptations: addictions, insecurity, worshipping one’s own reputation, indifference, or dishonesty to name just a few. Trust God to provide a way out. You can resist the temptation, and remember that God is right here with you, with His Word, resisting with you.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for giving me such a beautiful example of resisting temptation. Your Son resisted while He relied on Your Word. Only You and Your Word can battle temptation. Thank You for Your truth that speaks to my soul and against my own temptation. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: Masking tape or chalk, Bible
Get Ready: Draw a Hopscotch grid with tape if playing inside or chalk if playing outside. Write the words in each square like this example. Make a grid for every six children in your class.
“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’” Matthew 4:10
SAY: Jesus fought the devil’s tricky ways by quoting Scripture. We can do the same thing. Today’s Bible memory verse is one of the Scriptures Jesus quoted.
Read Matthew 4:10.
Then lead children in this version of Hopscotch.
- Have children line up at the beginning of the Hopscotch grid.
- Before each time that a child takes a turn, have everyone in line say this together: “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say…”
- As children each take a turn, say the words in order.
- When a child reaches the last word, have all the children in line say, “Matthew 4:10.”
- Then the child returns to the line.
- Continue playing until every child has had a turn.
After everyone has had a turn, practice saying the verse together. Encourage children to play the game with their families and share their memory verse.
Interactive Bible Experience
You’ll Need: One puppet that can be the devil, One puppet that can be Jesus, A puppet stage, Two people to be puppeteers, One person to be the Narrator
Get Ready: Set up a puppet stage even if you simply turn a table on its side or hold up a blanket.
Follow this puppet script to help children understand what happened in today’s Bible lesson.
NARRATOR: Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. For forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came to Jesus.
DEVIL: “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
NARRATOR: But Jesus wasn’t going to listen to the devil.
JESUS: “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
NARRATOR: Then the devil took Him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and the devil tried to tempt Jesus again.
DEVIL: “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order His angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”
JESUS: “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
NARRATOR: Next the devil took Him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
DEVIL: “I will give it all to you, if you will kneel down and worship me.”
JESUS: “Get out of here, Satan. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’"
NARRATOR: Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
Snack
Graham Cracker Bible Snack
You’ll Need: Graham crackers, Frosting, Candy letters, Fruit Roll-Up snacks, Scissors, Plates, Plastic knife, “Jesus Says No to Temptation How-To Video"
Help children follow these steps to make their "Graham Cracker Bible Snack."
- Lay two graham crackers side by side.
- Cover with frosting.
- Put several letters on the frosting (you do not have to make actual words).
- Cut a 2-inch strip of the Fruit Roll-Up.
- Trim the bottom of the Fruit Roll-Up by cutting out a V.
- Lay the fruit “bookmark” in the center of the Bible.
- Enjoy.
Game
Send Somebody Over Game
Have children play this version of "Red Rover" to practice obeying commands.
Play as follows, encouraging children not to play too roughly:
- Form two teams.
- Have teams face each other and stand about 10 feet apart.
- The children on each team will hold hands or lock arms.
- The first team will shout, “Send [child’s name] over.”
- That child will run quickly to break the line.
- If the child succeeds in breaking through the line, the child can return to his/her team and bring one person back.
- If the child is not able to break through the line, he/she becomes part of that team.
- Continue playing with the other team shouting for a child to come over.
When the game is over, SAY: You obeyed commands in this game and it was fun. It’s also fun to obey God’s commands in the Bible. Jesus obeyed God’s commands and He said no to temptation.
Craft
The Sword of the Spirit
You’ll Need: “The Sword of the Spirit” handout, printed on cardstock, Scissors, Aluminum foil, Glue sticks, Bible
SAY: Jesus used the Bible to say no to temptation and we can use the Bible to say no to temptation too. In a book of the Bible called Ephesians, we learn that God says that the Bible is like a sword.
Let’s read those verses.
Read Ephesians 6:17: “Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
ASK:
- Why would someone choose a sword to fight a battle?
- What does a sword do?
SAY: The Bible is powerful to fight temptation. Jesus used Bible verses as His weapon to say no to temptation.
Help children follow these steps to make a sword.
- Cut out the “Sword of the Spirit.”
- Cover it with aluminum foil.
- Use clear tape to seal any edges.
As you read Ephesians 6:10-13, encourage children to wave their
“Sword of the Spirit” like a sword.
Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer
SAY: Jesus knows what it was like to face temptation. And He said no to temptation. We’re going to pray a prayer that Jesus taught us to pray today. I will pray first and you will repeat after me. Let’s pray.
Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy. (repeat)
May Your Kingdom come soon. (repeat)
May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. (repeat)
Give us today the food we need, (repeat)
and forgive us our sins, (repeat)
as we have forgiven those who sin against us. (repeat)
And don’t let us yield to temptation, (repeat)
but rescue us from the evil one. (repeat)
In Jesus’ name, amen. (repeat)
