Jesus Says No To Temptation

Children's Sermon: Jesus Says No to Temptation (Matthew 4:1-11)

How many of you know how to play the game "Simon Says?" If Simon says to do something, you do it, but if Simon doesn't say to do it, you don't do it. Are you ready to play? 

Let's play.

Simon says, "Raise your hand." (Pause.)

Simon says, "Raise your other hand." (Pause.)

"Okay, put your hands down." (Pause.) Uh-oh! I caught some of you on that one, didn't I? Did Simon say, "Put your hands down." No! Well, let's try again.

Simon says, "Put your hands down." (Pause.)

Simon says, "Flap your elbows." (Pause.)

Simon says, "Clap your hands." (Pause.)

Touch your nose. (Pause.) Oops! I caught some of you again. Let's try one more time.

Simon says, "Touch your nose." (Pause.)

Pull your ear! (Pause.) Good! I didn't trick you that time. You’re catching on to the game now.

In the game of Simon Says, we do what Simon says to do, but in real life we should do what the Bible tells us to do. There was a time in the Bible when God’s enemy, the devil, tried to trick Jesus into doing something He knew was wrong, but Jesus didn’t fall for it because Jesus knew what the Bible says.

Sometimes the devil wants to trick us, too. Like if someone hurts us...the Bible tells us not to hurt others back, but the devil wants us to think it’s okay because they hurt us first. We can tell the devil, “I don’t hurt back because I follow the Bible!” (Have kids shout, “I follow the Bible!”)

Or if we accidentally break something...the Bible says to tell the truth, but the devil might want us to think it’s better to hide it so we don’t get into trouble. We can tell the devil, “I tell the truth because I follow the Bible!” (Have kids shout, “I follow the Bible!”)

When the devil tried to trick Jesus, He told the devil, the Bible tells me to do something different! I follow the Bible! (Have kids shout, “I follow the Bible!”)

Dear God, help us do what Jesus did. Help us do what the Bible tells us to do instead of listening to what the devil wants us to do. In Jesus’ name, amen.