Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Story Summary
(note: this story also occurs in Mark 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-13 )
This is a short story and is best read directly from the scripture. Jesus was tempted 3 times by Satan, and gave 3 answers from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy.
First Temptation
Jesus was hungry from fasting for 40 days, so Satan tempted him by saying, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:3)
Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 and told Satan that there is something more important than food and that true satisfaction in life comes from doing God's will.
Second Temptation
Satan took Jesus to the highest point in the temple at Jerusalem and tempted him to throw himself down and have angels save him (quoting Psalm 91:11-12).
Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 and told Satan that you should not test the Lord your God. Jesus wasn't interested in magic tricks to wow the crowds. He had a much bigger purpose than that.
(Satan used scripture too! Just knowing scripture and quoting it isn't enough. God gives us his Word because he loves us and wants us to be like him. We can twist his words when our goal isn't the same as God's goal.)
Third Temptation
Finally, Satan took Jesus to the top of a tall mountain overlooking the land, and offered to give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if he would just worship Satan.
Jesus turned him away and quoted Deuteronomy 6:13, saying “Worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you should serve.”
Connections with Other Parts of the Bible
Some have noted a parallel between the 3 temptations of Jesus, both looking backwards into Israel's history and looking forward into the New Testament.
Looking back to the Garden of Eden, Satan tempted Eve in the same way:
- Eve saw that the tree was “good for food”
- Eve saw that the tree was a “delight to the eyes”
- Eve saw that the tree was good to “make one wise”
Looking back to Israel's story, Jesus is proving that he is the true Messiah of Israel by passing the tests that they failed in the wilderness.
- They grumbled against God for food in Exodus 16
- They put God to the test by demanding water at Massah in Exodus 17
- They worshiped a golden calf instead of God in Exodus 32
Looking forward, John (one of Jesus' disciples) wrote in his letter we call 1 John 2:16 that the world tempts us in the same way:
- The lust of the flesh
- The lust of the eyes
- The pride of life
The main points of emphasis for this lesson are:
- Knowing scripture helped Jesus resist temptation
- Jesus did not fall for Satan's temptation and never sinned his entire life
My Notes
What You Will Need
Supplies
- stones
- bread
Video Options
From LifeKids
From Saddleback Kids
From Kids on the Move
From Crossroads Kids Club
Resource Sheet
This coloring sheet depicts Satan trying to tempt Jesus as he was in the desert fasting for 40 days
1 Warm Up get your kids talking and engaged
What do you like to eat when you are hungry?
Today, we're going to learn about a time when Jesus didn't eat anything for 40 days!
2 Teach the Story teach a holistic story
Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.
For older children, read the story from an age-appropriate Children's storybook Bible or read directly from the Bible.
3 Bible Mastery give them basic Bible skills
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud Matthew 4:1-11
4 Comprehension Questions make sure they understand the story
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
- Where was Jesus when Satan tempted him?
- The desert
- How long did he go without eating?
- 40 days
- What did Satan ask Jesus to do first?
- To turn the stones into bread to eat
- What did Satan ask Jesus to do second?
- He told him to throw himself off the top of the temple and have angels catch him
- What did Satan ask Jesus to do third?
- He took him to a high mountain and promised him everything he saw if he would just bow down to Satan
- How did Jesus resist temptation?
- By quoting Bible verses
- Did Jesus ever sin when he was on this earth?
- No
5 Faith Questions open up a conversation about faith and the gospel; close with prayer
- Jesus was able to live a perfect, sinless life because he was God himself, come to earth to be our salvation.
- We all sin, though, because we're not God. Have you asked Jesus, who was perfect, to forgive your sins?
6 Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart
Walk the Line
- Place a masking tape line across the floor.
- Have students take turns trying to walk on the line while their classmates try and distract them and step off.
Jesus in the Desert
- Print Matthew 4:4 on strips of paper or at the top of card stock.
- Spread glue on card stock and sprinkle sand over the glue.
- Use a hot glue gun to attach stones.
- Make a person out of pipe cleaner.
Wait for Snack
- Provide students with a tasty snack, something they are not used to receiving for snack during your time together.
- Lay it out for the students to see, but do not let them have it until the end of class (or possibly 40 minutes).
- Ask them if it was hard to wait.
- Jesus waited 40 days.
Desert Spot the Differences
Remind the students that both Jesus and the Devil quoted scripture.
- Jesus quoted: Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16 and 6:13.
- Satan quoted: Psalm 91:11-12
As the students are completing the “Spot the Difference” worksheet, have a conversation with them about the difference between how Jesus and Satan used the Bible.
Wilderness, Temple, Mountain Game
Call out a statement from the story, the students have to perform the correct motion, based on where Jesus was.
- Wilderness- Hunch down to make a stone
- Temple- Put hands straight up to make a tall building
- Mountain- make a mountain shape with your hands
Read through the statements quickly!
- Hot sand and dry dirt (wilderness)
- A view of every nation on earth (mountain)
- Do not test the Lord (temple)
- Where the ark of the covenant is (temple)
- Stones to bread (wilderness)
- Worship only God (mountain)
- 40 days and hungry (wilderness)
- Jump off (temple)
- You can rule the world (mountain)
- A building in Jerusalem (temple)
Desert Sand Picture
- Add glue to the cardstock
- Sprinkle sand onto the glue
- Add the Jesus cutout to the picture
Kinetic Sand
Purchase or make Kinetic Sand
Kinetic Sand Recipe
- 5 parts play sand
- 3 parts cornstarch or flour
- 1 part cooking oil
Mix until well incorporated
Allow students to play with the sand
Fasting Lesson
Fasting means to abstain from something, often food or drink. The time you spend abstaining, should be spent with God, either through prayer or Bible study.
The Bible shows examples of fasting for grief or distress, spiritual preparation or repentance. Here are some verses on fasting you could have your students find and read.
- Numbers 29:7
- Judges 20:26
- Kings 19:8
- 1 Samuel 31:13
- 2 Samuel 3:35
- Daniel 10:2-6
- Jonah 3:3-9
- Matthew 6:16-18
- Matthew 9:14-15 (Mark 2:18-20, Luke 5:33-35)
- Acts 13:3
- Acts 14:23
Children should not abstain from food or drink, but you can challenge them to give up something else for a period of time, like:
- tv and video games,
- eating sweets
Brainstorm Ideas for Memorizing Scripture
- Jesus quoted scripture as a way to resist temptation.
- We should follow in Jesus' footsteps and do the same
Examples:
- Print scripture and place it in the bathroom to read while you brush your teeth.
- Put your student sheet on the fridge and review it each night during homework time.
- Take turns going around the dinner table and have each person say a word of the verse.
Idea shared by one of our awesome users- January 2014
- Write the verse reference on rocks and put it their pocket or on dresser so they can be reminded to practice the verse.
"It is Written" Sword Drill
Each time Jesus was tempted, he answered Satan with a quote from Deuteronomy (or "Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil" as Rich Mullins sang).
Have students close their Bible, on the table, hands on their lap. Give them the 3 references to the verses Jesus quoted and see who can find them first.
- Deuteronomy 8:3
- Deuteronomy 6:16
- Deuteronomy 6:13
Spiritual Disciplines Calendar
- Fill in calendar, according to the current month.
- Give each child a sticker sheet.
- They take home the calendar and add a sticker each day as they complete a spiritual discipline.
Truth or Temptation Game
- Divide the room into 2 sections and place TRUTH on one wall and TEMPTATION on the other wall
- Have students line up on the room divider and call out a statement. Some of these come from the Bible story, some are statements they can relate to in their lives.
- If they think this is TRUTH have them run to the wall with the TRUTH sign, or the opposite wall if they think it is a TEMPTATION.
- Optional: if they guess wrong, have them do 5 jumping jacks before coming back to the middle of the room (for fun and to burn off some energy)
Here is a list of statements you could read to get you started:
- “Since you are hungry, turn these stones into bread” (temptation)
- “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (truth)
- “Worship God and serve him only” (truth)
- “You can cheat on this test, no one will know” (temptation)
- “Find someone else to blame if you make a mistake” (temptation)
- “Obey your parents” (truth)
- “The best way to stop someone from hurting you is to hit them first” (temptation)
- “Be true to yourself” (temptation)
- “Do not fear, God is with you” (truth)
- “The only thing that matters is if you win” (temptation)
