Temptations
TEMPTATIONS
Objectives:
- Children should identify the devil, Satan, as the one who tempted Jesus.
- Children should know that Jesus did not sin.
Possible Lesson Plan:
- Open with prayer.
- Read the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 180-181, Golden Children’s Bible, pages 362-363 (It’s not in the Beginner's Bible or the Read with Me Bible.), or the really good Arch book, “The Temptations of Jesus”. Where did Jesus go after His baptism? What is the desert like? How long did Jesus spend without food and water? What would that feel like? Who is Satan? Review the story of Adam and Eve. What three temptations did Satan present to Jesus? Did Jesus sin?
- Feed the Elephant True/False Questions:
True False
Satan tempted Jesus. God tempted Jesus.
Jesus went to the desert after His baptism. Jesus went home to Nazareth.
Jesus didn’t eat or drink for 40 days. Jesus had plenty to eat and drink.
- Ask some questions: Have you ever been tempted to do wrong? To disobey God or your parents? What might tempt you? Did you give in and do the wrong thing? Is it hard to always obey God and your parents?
- Play “Pin the Cross on the Devil”: Make a black paper or poster-board devil and tape it to the classroom wall. Make a small paper cross for each child. Glue a red heart on the devil. Blindfold the children one by one and have them pin or tape their cross to the devil. Whoever is closest to the heart is the winner!
- Make Candy Snakes: How did Satan appear to Adam and Eve? We’re making the serpent and then we can eat him up! Have a box of colored ring cereal (e.g. Fruit Loops) and a pack or 2 of Lifesavers. Tie one end of a 12-inch string around a Lifesaver. Then have the children thread on the cereal until they have a nice snake length. Tie another Lifesaver onto the other end. This one’s so easy, the children can make 2 or 3 if they want.
- Close with prayer.