tempted
WELCOME TO WEEK 3
It’s not always easy to do the right thing. Choosing to obey or doing what we want. Taking care of our health or ignoring what’s good for our bodies. We are tempted by lots of things. Telling the truth or telling the lie to keep out of trouble. Some temptations are not hard to overcome while others are really hard for us. Each of us have different temptations, but the good news is, Jesus has overcome temptations so He can help us overcome too!
BIBLE STORY
Use small colorful food such as M&M’s, skittles, fruit loops or valentines heart candy for your child to throw onto a coordinating color sheet of construction paper. Alternatively you can use a white sheet of paper that has been colored with a crayon or write the color word on the top of the sheet of paper. Set a start line a good distance from the construction papers that are lined up in a row side by side. The goal of this activity is for your child to roll the candy onto the coordinating colored paper and have the candy land on top of the paper. They should try to get as many candies onto the paper as possible within the 1 minute timer.
Today we will play a game with our candies and these sheets of paper. Roll a piece of candy one at a time across the floor and try to get it to land on the coordinating colored paper. You will have 1 minute to roll as many candies on top of the paper as you can. You may not eat the candy as you play and you may not pick up any candies that do not roll far enough to reach the paper.
Was is easy or hard to roll your candies onto the correct colored paper? Were you ever tempted to eat the candy? Were you ever tempted to pick up a candy that didn’t roll very far and was still in reach? We are sometimes tempted to do things that we know we shouldn’t do. Sometimes we feel pressured from our friends to do something they are all doing but we know is wrong. Jesus was also tempted and had to resist the temptations of Satan. This week we will see how Jesus was able to resist those temptations and helps us when we are tempted too.
Materials: colorful candy (M&M’s, skittles, fruit loops, etc) coordinating colored construction paper, start line
Read or listen to the Bible verse for this week: Mark 1:12-13; and Matthew 4:1-11
How long was Jesus in the wilderness? (40 days)
What was Jesus doing in the wilderness during the 40 days? (Fasting and praying)
Who was he there with? (Wild animals and the angels and Satan)
What was the first temptation Satan gave Jesus? (To turn stones into bread)
How did Jesus respond? (Men does not eat on bread along but on the word of God)
What was Satan’s second temptation? (For Jesus to demonstrate he was the Song of God by throwing himself down for the angels to save him)
How did Jesus respond? (Do not test the Lord your God)
What was Satan’s third temptation? (Offering to give Jesus the world if he bowed down and worshiped him)
How did Jesus respond? (Go away Satan, worship the Lord your God and serve only Him)
After the third temptation what did Satan do? (He left and the angels attended Jesus)
BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY
Jesus was tested in the wilderness by Satan 3 times and used the Bible to answer Satan. Jesus was able to defeat the temptations Satan gave because He knew the word of God better than Satan. Because Jesus was able to defeat Satan, we can trust that Jesus will help us when we are tempted as well.
Activity
In life we all have to navigate through temptations that are thrown at us. Just because we have been faced with a temptation, we do not have to give in to the temptation. We can say no or walk away from the temptation. Create a small obstacle course around an open area using simple obstacles such as chairs, blankets, pillows and pool noodles. Print the attached cards and scatter them throughout the obstacle course. Collect the cards that have positive choices we should make to draw closer to God, but avoid stepping on the cards that have temptations we should avoid. Demonstrate the path of your obstacle course so your child knows how to get to the end. Repeat the obstacle course in reverse, if desired, and move the cards to new areas.
Materials: printed and cut temptation cards
Alternate
Listen to the following scenarios and decide what would you do? We are all faced with choices everyday and we have to decide what we would do in that situation. Would we stay or do we flee? Do we stand up for what is right or pretend we don’t see? We are all tempted but we can ask Jesus to help us overcome temptation and make the right choice.
Materials: graph paper or plain paper, pencil, ruler
Create activity:
Use old magazines to cut out pictures and glue them to a sheet of construction paper titled with one of the following statements. “Man does not live on bread alone”; cut out pictures that show different foods you might like to eat. “Do not test God”; cut out pictures of things you might test such as test driving a car or testing how soft a couch is. “Worship and serve only God”; cut out pictures of things you might be tempted to serve other than God and then draw an X on each picture.
Materials: Old magazines, sheet of construction paper, scissors, glue, marker or pencil
ARTS & CAFTS
CRAFT 1
Create a bible poster art. Use the attached images to color and cut, then glue them onto a large sheet of construction paper. Draw additional images and use stickers to add to your bible poster.
Materials: white, yellow and other optional colors construction paper, gold glitter, glue, writing utensil
Craft 2
Coloring page
Materials: printed coloring sheet, crayons
FOLLOW-UP
We can trust that Jesus will help us when we are tempted because he was tempted and overcame those temptations. David also had temptations and sinned but he knew that God could forgive him and help him with his temptations.
Read or listen to Psalm 25:1-10
What are 3 request David made of God?
What are 3 promises of God that you see in this passage?
Can you resist Satan’s temptations on your own?
Who can you call on for help when you feel tempted to do the wrong thing?
Why is it important to only worship and serve God?
How can we be like Jesus when we are resisting temptation?
Practical Application at Home
What are some temptations that you face? Your temptation may be a place, a person or an action. Not everyones temptations are the same, but we all face temptations. When we are being tempted, we can use scriptures of God’s promises to help us do the right things. Read or listen to the following promises God gives to us. We can use these promises when we face temptations in our lives. Find your favorite scripture listed below and illustrate a picture that goes along with it. Think of a temptation and how your verse may help someone who is being tempted.
Matthew 28:20 I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Jeremiah 31:3 Yea, I have love thee with an everlasting love therefore with with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Matthew 6:13 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted; he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Additional Resources
Outings to Reinforce Lesson
Donate to a local food shelter or toy drive this Christmas season. As a family, volunteer together or pick out toys you think another child your age might enjoy.