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Reply to "ART and SCIENCE Workshop Lessons and Ideas for the Temptation in the Wilderness"

Temptation of Jesus

Art Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Kids will make a "Wax Resist" painting by first drawing with white crayon objects and scenes from the passage as you tell the story and discuss it. Then, after the story is finished they will apply watercolors to make their illustrations be "revealed." The watercolors become a metaphor for "understanding" and being inspired by the story --making it come alive and mean something to our faith and lives.

Scripture Reference:

Matthew 4: 1-11
Also found in Mark 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-13


Leader Preparation:

  • Fill a bowl and a water pitcher with water.
  • Also in advance each week, pour a small amount of dishwashing detergent in a small cup.
  • Gather the materials.
  • Read the scripture ahead of time.

Supplies List:

  • white crayons
  • some crayola water color trays and brushes
  • and heavy white paper roughly 8x14.
  • dishwashing detergent


Presentation

Opening-Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Welcome kids warmly to your workshop. Introduce yourself and tell them one thing about yourself that will make them say “Wow!”.

Say: After Jesus’ baptism, Jesus was led to the desert by the Holy Spirit. In some translations it’s called the wilderness. Jesus was there for 40 days and nights with no food.

Accept all answers when you ask the following “I wonder” questions:

I wonder … what is a desert like?
I wonder … do you think Jesus was hungry after 40 days in the desert with no food?
I wonder … why would Jesus want to go to the desert?
I wonder … what kind of things do you think Jesus thought about all by himself in the desert?

For 2nd/3rd grade and 4th/5th grade, have them get Bibles (share with a partner if not enough) and find Matthew 4:1-12. The K/1st grade group you will just read to them from the Bible.

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:

Drawing Project

Now.... Give each child a piece of water color paper.

Have them write their name on the paper in pencil. Then turn over the paper and hand each of them a white crayon. With the white crayon, have them divide the paper into 4 squares by drawing one line across the page and one line down the paper. Tell them that they will be able to see the lines … later!

Read verses 1- 3 together (or aloud to the K/1st).

Ask:

  • Why would turning stones to bread be a temptation for Jesus right now? (he’s hungry and has been 40 days without food)

Read Jesus’ reply: verse 4

Ask:

  • What do you think this means?
  • What are some things you depend on God for?
  • What does it take to depend on God?

Say: What are 2 symbols (things to help you remember) this part of the story? (rock and bread).

DRAW a picture of a rock and bread on the white board. Write the word TRUST near them. Encourage the kids to do the same on their paper in one of the squares using the white crayon, using the same symbols or something else to help them remember we should trust God and have faith that he will give us what we need.

Remind them they will not be able to see the picture they’ve drawn … yet.

Read verses 5-6 together.

Ask:

  • What is the devil trying to make Jesus do? (jump off a high place)
  • For what reason? (to prove that he is the Son of God)
  • For what reasons might this be a temptation for Jesus?


Review Jesus’ reply in verse 7.

Ask:

  • What do you think Jesus is trying to say when he refuses to jump? (that he does not need to prove who he is, or that God would save him, or that he has special power)


Say: We can be tempted to test God, too, by trying to make God do what we want. Here are some ways we might try to do that ….

Please God, I know I didn’t study for this test, but I won’t get to watch t.v. all next week if I don’t make at least a B on it. Help me pass!

Please God, let me get this one special toy for my birthday. If you do, I promise I will read my Bible just as much as I play with the new toy!

Please God, my cat got hit by a car. The vet is trying to help him, but things don’t look so good. If you make him well, I promise I’ll never tease my little brother again!

Please God, don’t let my mom find out that I broke her vase. I promise I’ll never play football in the house again or run or slam a door or anything just as long as I don’t get in trouble for this.

Please God, help my team win this game so that we can play in the championships.

Please God, make Sally trip in the lunchroom and fall with her tray and make a fool of herself. She has been spreading rumors about me and I want to get revenge!

Ask: What symbol could we use to remember this part of the story? (something to symbolize test --- or the word TEST with a line through it?)
Draw a picture of it on the white board and write “do not test” near it.

Check for understanding with this, then tell kids to add this symbol or another and/or words to remind them not to test God in another square on their paper.

READ verses 8-9.

Ask:

  • What is it that the devil is offering Jesus? (power over the world; riches; authority)
  • Can you think of some reasons why this might be a temptation for Jesus?
  • What is it that the devil wants Jesus to do to get this power? (worship him)

Look at Jesus’ response: read verse 7.

Ask:

  • Do you remember hearing something like this before: “Worship no gods but Me.” It’s the first commandment of the 10 commandments. God’s rules for our lives.

Say in your own words:
To worship the devil would mean having something more important than God,
Jesus knew that was wrong. It is still wrong today, but there are many temptations in the world to worship other things. Maybe not worship in the sense of praying to them like God or going to church to worship them, but worshipping them by giving them priority in your life - making them more important than God.

For instance, what are some “things” in your life that you really, really like/collect/etc.

Ask:

  • What other things, either in your life, or in other people’s lives do people seem at least tempted to worship?

What is a symbol we could use for this? (ideas might include an “idol”, money, etc.) Draw a picture of it in another box on your paper.

Ask:

  • What are some things that kids your age are tempted with? (teasing other kids, gossip, fighting with siblings, using bad words, not obeying parents, etc.)

Draw something in the last square that YOU are tempted with.

Resisting Temptation Demonstration:

Say: I have a fun experiment to show you.

Bring out the bowl of water, have kids gather around. Show by example going first and do 1 or 2 shakes of pepper into the water and at the same time name the temptation you have.

Pass the pepper-shaker to one of the kids and have them do the same, continue passing it around the circle till each child has named their temptation. (NOTE: don’t press kids into sharing aloud, although you should try to encourage it. Kids can shake and name their temptation to themselves if necessary.)

Once everyone has had a turn, have the kids note how the “temptations” have covered the water.

Say: In the Bible in 1 Corinthians 10:13 it says:

”Every temptation that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to remain firm. At the time of the test, he will give you the strength to endure it …

AT THIS POINT: Dip your finger in the dishwashing soap and touch it to the surface of the water covered in pepper and SAY:

“ … and will provide you with a way out!”

Ask:

  • What happened to the pepper when I touched it with my finger covered in soap? (it moved the pepper away)
  • What did we say as we shook pepper into the water? (our temptations)
  • How is what happened to the pepper like God telling us he will provide a way out of temptation?

TRY IT:
Let each of the kids touch their finger in the soap, and say “When I’m tempted to _______ (what they named earlier) God will help me to _____________ instead.” You should do it first to model it.

Example: God, when I’m tempted to lie to my parents, help me to tell the truth instead.

Return to the Drawing Project

DISTRIBUTE paint brushes, cups of water, and water colors. The only caution is to remind them not to use too much water --- you may want to demonstrate.

Say: Using any colors you want, completely cover your paper with water colors. As you do that, what do you see happening? (the drawings show through)

This happens because the wax in the crayon resists the water and paint. Just like the soap and the pepper.

As they paint, continue conversation:

Remember the pictures you drew from the story? They’re coming into view now. We can think of the pictures as temptations we have, and the wax as God’s protection so we don’t follow our temptations and sin.

Ask:

  • What are some things God gives us for protection to help us resist temptation? (pray – ask God for help, read the Bible – find stories about people who were tempted and God helped them, talk to parents, stop and think before acting)

Say: Remember the line from the Lord’s Prayer - lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. What does that line mean to you?

As kids finish up painting, you can try to blow them dry a bit with the art dryer in the room. If really wet, they can leave pictures here and they’ll get them the following week. If dry enough, they can take home same day.

Closing:

Allow 5 minutes of time at the end of class for the shepherd to do sharing and prayer with the kids. This may be done while they’re still working on their paintings.


Some ideas/explanations used in this lesson were from other posts at rotation.org.




A lesson posted by Jan Hanson from: First Presbyterian Church
Napa, CA

Last edited by Luanne Payne
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