Jesus defeats temptation
key words
biblical reference
Matthew 4:1-11
lesson objective
To help the children learn what they must do when faced with temptation.
memory verse
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
As elementary-aged children learn to differentiate good from bad, they need to know how to deal with temptations that pull them toward evil. They must learn how to resist the impulses that guide them to sin.
Use this lesson to teach them how to resist temptation through Jesus’ example. Help them understand that although Jesus Christ is the Son of God, he was also human, and was subject to the same feelings and emotions that we have. Explain that, like them, Jesus felt hunger, cold, and fear. He had worries and faced temptations. However, he clung to God’s promises and was able to resist temptation, even in the most difficult moments.
biblical commentary
Read Matthew 4:1-11. Those who witnessed Jesus’ baptism were not the only ones who heard the voice from heaven that said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Apparently, Satan also heard that proclamation. Therefore, he believed that it was time to spoil the divine plan of redemption for the human race. For this, he would try to make Jesus give in to temptations and sin.
In the Scriptures, we see Satan as an ambitious opponent of God and his purposes. He is the father of lies (John 8:44), and his job is to make those who believe in God stumble.
In this passage, we observe that Satan, knowing human weaknesses very well, tried to take advantage of them. However, Jesus showed that through the Word of God, we have the authority to resist the devil and make him flee from us.
The enemy knew that Jesus had just spent 40 days in the desert without eating food. That is why he did not hesitate to appeal to his human needs, tempting him to turn stones into bread.
When Satan did not get the answer he wanted, he asked Jesus to prove the authenticity of God’s promises and throw himself from the pinnacle of the temple; for the angels would come to his aid. Again, Jesus quoted Scriptures to reject the attacks of the evil one.
Finally, Satan wanted to tempt Jesus with power, offering him all the kingdoms of the world. However, aware of his purpose on earth, Jesus clung to the promises of the Father to overcome temptations.
In this passage, Jesus teaches us that through the Word of God, we can overcome Satan’s deceptions and tricks.
introduce the lesson
The deception
For this activity you will need an empty jar or container with something wonderful on the outside wrapper, and a plastic toy snake or a picture of a snake which should be placed inside the jar.
Show the container to your children and ask them: “What do you think this container contains?” Allow them to respond. Then, ask a volunteer to uncover the jar.
Then tell them: “The package does not contain a delicious sweet, but a horrible snake. This serpent represents Satan, because he is hiding behind something that may seem good.”
Talk to the children about the sins that at first seem innocent, but make us fall into Satan’s trap.
Tell them that in today’s session, they will learn how to deal with temptations.
teach the lesson
The temptation of Jesus
Before starting to preach and teach people, Jesus went to see John the Baptist to be baptized in the Jordan River.
After his baptism, Jesus had to face a difficult test. The Holy Spirit took him to the desert, where he spent 40 days and 40 nights without food.
Of course, Jesus was very hungry and weak. Then Satan decided to tempt him. So he approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.”
Jesus looked at the stones, and it is very possible that he thought about the hunger he felt, but he answered with courage, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Jesus refused to yield to temptation. However, Satan tried to tempt him in another way. This time he took him to the highest part of the temple in Jerusalem. There he said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
It would be a spectacular way to begin his ministry! The temple was full. Surely, the religious leaders would recognize him as the Son of God if the angels came to rescue him. But knowing that this was not God’s plan, Jesus said to him, “It is also written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”
Thus, Jesus used another verse from the Old Testament to overcome temptation.
But Satan did not give up, and once again, he tempted Jesus. He took him to a high mountain so that he could see all the kingdoms of the world and its riches, and said to him, “All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me.”
It seemed so simple! Jesus knew that his ministry on earth would not be easy. People expected the promised Messiah to be a great leader. They wanted a king, and Satan was promising that he would make him king. People would not listen to the carpenter’s son of Nazareth, but if Jesus became king, they would all listen to him, and everything would be very easy.
Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan, for it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
The enemy had used these temptations when Jesus was weakest. But for the third time, Jesus used a verse of Scripture to defeat the devil. Satan knew that Jesus had defeated him, and seeing that he could not overcome him, Satan left.
Jesus stayed in the desert, alone, exhausted and hungry, but he had passed the test, resisting the temptations of the enemy. Suddenly, angels from heaven came to where he was to serve and help him.
connect the lesson
Temptation
Pass out Student Activity Sheet #200-A and discuss the temptation suggested in each scene.
Tools to overcome temptation
For the next activity, pass out Student Activity Sheet #200-B with the eight rectangles or cards at the bottom for this activity (the Bible, the running child, the balloons, etc.).
They must fold Student Activity Sheet #200-B along the dotted lines and tape or glue both sides to form a bag or pocket. The children are to cut off the cards and select the ones that represent tools that help us overcome temptation. They can place in the toolbox' bag/ pocket the ones they selected.
Read the following situations, and ask your children to choose the tool they should use to defend themselves against that temptation.
• You really want to eat a sweet/ candy, but you do not have money to buy it. Nobody is watching you and you are tempted to take it without paying. What should you do? (Example: Remember that the Bible says, “You shall not steal” [Exodus 20: 5], pray and ask for God’s help.)
• You are very angry because a child hurt you and you are tempted to take revenge on him. What would you do?
• You did something wrong and you know that your mom will get mad. If you tell a little lie, she may not realize it was your fault. What should you do?
• A friend offers you a cigarette to smoke. You do not want him to think you are not brave, so you are tempted to accept it. What should you do?
Conclude this activity by reading together Hebrews 2:18.
practice the memory verse
Draw a line on the floor, or place a string, which will be the “memory line.” Make a circle with your children. Ask one of them to stand outside of the circle with back to the others. Give this child a tambourine or other musical instrument to make it sound without looking at others.
The others should start walking in a circle, going over the memory line. When the child with the tambourine stops playing, everyone should stop. The person who is on the line or just in front of it will have to say the memory verse. Continue the game until most children have said the biblical text.
wrap-up
Pray
Get together to thank God for today’s session. Ask the group to tell their prayer needs. Pray for your children, also ask God to give them the strength and wisdom to resist temptations.
Encourage
Sing a song or chorus about overcoming temptation.
Invite
Encourage the children to attend the next meeting, and to invite friends. Remember to call or visit the ones who were missing.
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™