Jesus’ Temptation – Alone in the Desert

Video Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Uses the videos “Temptations In The Desert.” (Jesus: A Kingdom without Frontiers video series), “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (Wolper Pictures, 1971) and scenes from the CBS television mini-series “Jesus” (tape one).

Scripture Reference:

Matthew 4:1-11

Memory Verse:

“It is written: Worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you should serve.” Luke 4:8

Preparation and Room Set Up:

• Review the background information sheets and lesson materials.
• Preview the video clips for each age group.
• Grades 1-2 and 3-4 will first view the temptation scenes from the video “Temptations In The Desert.” (Jesus: A Kingdom without Frontiers video series). After discussion of this video, they will watch a short clip from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (Wolper Pictures, 1971) and discuss modern day temptations.
• Grades 5-6 will view the temptation scenes from the CBS television mini-series “Jesus” (tape one).
• Prepare popcorn before children arrive and have it bagged and ready to distribute so your attention can be given to the children.

Start on time!

Presentation

Opening-Welcome and Introductions:

Gather the children together at the tables with their Bibles. Make sure you are wearing your nametag and the children have picked up their nametags. Welcome the children and introduce yourself. Begin the class with introductions. Remember that workshop leaders rotate often and the children may not know you.

Tell the children, today, we will learn that Jesus also faced temptations. Jesus decided to obey God rather than take the easy way out. We will also discuss ways for us to resist temptation.

Opening Prayer: Pray something like this: “Dear Father in heaven, thank you for all the people who are here to hear about Jesus. Guide us when we have temptations in our lives to be obedient to you, to make the right decisions and resist the temptations as Jesus would have. AMEN”

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:

Bible Passage: Each workshop begins with the Bible passage! One of our primary is to improve the children’s Bible literacy!

Always tell the children where in the Bible the story is found. Have them locate the story in their Bibles. (refer to the teaching handout on How to Help Children Learn to Use Their Bibles) Shepherds can help with this. If children do not have their own Bibles, use the extras in the room. Encourage the children to bring their Bibles each week!

For Younger children: Read the story “Jesus is Tempted in the Desert,” on pages 295-296 of The Little Kids’ Adventure Bible. Be sure to read the Did You Know and Let’s Live It notes on those pages and discuss with the children. Make sure children understand the meaning of the words: fast and temptation.

For Older children: Tell the children that this Bible story is found in three places (Matthew, Mark and Luke). Choose either the Matthew or Luke version to read, but older children can practice locating both stories. Have the children locate the scripture and follow along as you read, or let the children take turns reading aloud. After reading the text, find the Let’s Live It note in Matthew 4:1-11 and the Did You Know note in Luke 4:4. Read these together and discuss briefly.

NOTE: Teacher, as the rotation progresses, and the children become more familiar with the Bible story, modify the way you lead this part of the lesson (allow the children to tell the story, fill in with details, add more details, and in-depth discussion depending on age group).

Discussion: Use the Background information and suggested questions for discussion to briefly discuss the Bible reading with the children. Make sure children understand the meaning of the words: fast and temptation.

Memory Verse: Have children locate the memory verse in their Bibles. (p. 296 in Little Kids’ Adventure Bible) Review the memory verse with the children. Our goal is for the children to memorize one memory verse each rotation.

“It is written: Worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you should serve.” Luke 4:8

Video – Grades 1-2, 3-4

Jesus: Kingdom without Frontiers video —Temptations In The Desert clip is about 13 minutes long.
Begin with the roaring lion and stop when Jesus says, “It is time to return to Galilee.”

Feel free to pause the video and discuss what they are watching. After the video discuss some of the following with the children:

• How much time did Jesus spend in the desert? (40 days)
• What happened to Jesus there? (fasted, prayed, tempted by devil)
• What were the three temptations told in this story? (food/physical desires, power/bowing down to Satan, miracles/testing God)
• Why did Satan tempt Jesus to turn stones into bread? (he was hungry from the fast)
• What did Jesus mean when he said, “man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God?” (physical things are not as important as spiritual, we need to depend on God, not try to do everything on our own)
• What did Satan show Jesus he could be in charge of? (all the kingdoms of the world)
• What would Jesus have had to do to have that power? (worship Satan)
• Jesus knew that only God should be worshiped and put first in his life. What types of things do we “worship” today by giving them priority in our lives and making them more important than God? (toys, TVs, money, game boys, video games, computers, etc.)
• What are you most tempted to worship?

Say: Now we’re going to watch another short video clip about temptation that may be more familiar to us.

The Willy Wonka clip is just under 3 minutes. Five children have won the much coveted prize of a personally guided tour of the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory. But here’s the catch-- before entering, they must sign a contract agreeing not to eat anything. Talk about temptation! They are surrounded with candy on all sides! Will they be able to resist the mouth-watering temptations? One by one, each child succumbs. Augustus gives in first, but as he kneels to drink from the milk chocolate river, he falls in! Willy Wonka seems more concerned about contamination of the river than about Augustus’ safety. Being a large boy, Augustus gets stuck in a pipe, but enough pressure builds to send him rocketing into the fudge room.

Start at 1:10:02 with “This stuff is terrific.” Stop at 1:12:54 with “Like the Oompah-Lumpah doopidie do. Doopidie do.

(source: Videos that Teach by Doug Fields and Eddie James, Zondervan Publishing)

After this clip discuss some of the following with the children:

• How much time did Jesus spend in the desert? (40 days)
• What happened to Jesus there? (fasted, prayed, tempted by devil)
• What were temptations told in this story?
• What did Jesus mean when he said, “man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God?” (physical things are not as important as spiritual, we need to depend on God, not try to do everything on our own)
• In the first video, what did Satan show Jesus he could be in charge of? (all the kingdoms of the world)
• What would Jesus have had to do to have that power? (worship Satan)
• In the second video what did the children put first?
• Jesus knew that only God should be worshiped and put first in his life. What types of things do we “worship” today by giving them priority in our lives and making them more important than God? (toys, TVs, money, gameboys, video games, computers, etc.)
• What are you most tempted to worship? What makes it so hard to resist?
• Do you see any similarities between Willy Wonka and Satan – the way they work, how they tempt, their attitudes?
• What happens when we are greedy and selfish?
• Why do you think so many people are not content with what they have?
• Sometimes too much of a good thing can be bad. Give examples.
• Think about the first video and our Bible reading. How did Jesus respond to the temptations? (resisted them, quoted scripture, let the Holy Spirit strengthen him)
• Who strengthened Jesus in the desert? (Holy Spirit within Jesus)
• What else helped Jesus resist temptation? (his knowledge of the scriptures)
• Why do you think God allowed Satan to tempt Jesus? (to test his human nature, to strengthen him and prepare him for his ministry, to give us an example to follow)
• How can temptation be a positive or good thing? (strengthens our faith, helps us lean on God, shows us where we need to grow, helps us become better disciples)
• What can you do to resist temptation?
• Jesus decided to obey God rather than take the easy way out. Why do you think even Jesus had to obey God? (to fulfill his plan, to prepare for his ministry, to live a sinless life)
• Whom should you obey? (parents, teachers, Bible, God) 

Grades 5-6 - Video

The “Jesus” (CBS mini-series) video clip is about 10 minutes long.

Begin with John the Baptist baptizing Jesus and end after the temptations with Jesus on his knees in the desert.

Discussion:
Discuss some of the following questions with the children:

• (from last rotation) Who came down to Jesus when he was baptized? (Holy Spirit like a dove)
• Who is the Holy Spirit? (God’s presence with us)
• Where did Jesus go after being baptized by John in the River Jordan? (wilderness, desert)
• Describe the wilderness where Jesus went. (hot, desolate, barren, rocky, hilly, located east of Jerusalem)
• How much time did Jesus spend in the desert? (40days)
• What happened to Jesus there? (fasted, prayed, tempted by devil)
• What were the three temptations told in this story? (food/physical desires, power/bowing down to Satan, miracles/testing God)
• Why did Satan tempt Jesus to turn stones into bread? (he was hungry from the fast)
• What did Jesus mean when he said, “man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God?” (physical things are not as important as spiritual, we need to depend on God, not try to do everything on our own)
• What did Satan show Jesus he could be in charge of? (all the kingdoms of the world)
• What would Jesus have had to do to have that power? (worship Satan)
• Jesus knew that only God should be worshiped and put first in his life. What types of things do we “worship” today by giving them priority in our lives and making them more important than God? (toys, TVs, money, game boys, video games, computers, etc.)
• What are you most tempted to worship?
• What did Satan do to try to get Jesus to jump off the pinnacle of the Temple? (quoted scripture to tell him he wouldn’t be harmed)
• Does Satan know the Bible? (Yes, he quoted scripture, but twisted its meaning)
• Why did Satan tempt Jesus? (tried to stop God’s plan for Jesus’ ministry)
• How did Jesus respond to the temptations? (resisted them, quoted scripture, let the Holy Spirit strengthen him)
• Which Old Testament book did Jesus quote scripture from when resisting the devil? (Deuteronomy)
• Which temptation do you think was the most difficult for Jesus to resist? (no right answer, just explore their answers)
• Who strengthened Jesus in the desert? (Holy Spirit within Jesus)
• What else helped Jesus resist temptation? (his knowledge of the scriptures)
• Why do you think God allowed Satan to tempt Jesus? (to test his human nature, to strengthen him and prepare him for his ministry, to give us an example to follow)
• How can temptation be a positive or good thing? (strengthens our faith, helps us lean on God, shows us where we need to grow, helps us become better disciples)
• What kind of temptations do you face?
• What can you do to resist temptation?
• Jesus decided to obey God rather than take the easy way out. Why do you think even Jesus had to obey God? (to fulfill his plan, to prepare for his ministry, to live a sinless life)
• Whom should you obey? (parents, teachers, Bible, God)
• Activities: Temptations of Today Scrapbook – Grades 5-6

Grades 5 and 6 will put together a “Temptations of Today” scrapbook, focusing on temptations we face today. Each child will illustrate one page for the scrapbook. This scrapbook will be on display in the Holy Word Theatre for the younger children to view. Each page should contain a temptation we face today and what one might do to resist that temptation.

Materials: Most or all materials can be found be in the supply closet or Raiders of the Lost Art Room (scissors, pens, markers, glue, paper, etc.). You can use a three ring binder or pronged portfolio to secure the scrapbook pages. Some children may want to use illustrations from old magazines. Please supply some magazines to recycle for our scrapbook. Each individual will have his/her own ideas to give each page a special uniqueness.

Reflection and Journal Time: The last 10 minutes should be reserved for Journal Reflection time. This is an opportunity for processing and reflection about what the children have learned. Ask the shepherds to pass out the journals and pencils/pens and the journal question sticker for the day. Workshop leaders and shepherds should sit down with children in small groups to facilitate discussion and writing in Faith Journals. Adults should write in journals as well. Memory verse stickers are also included for each lesson. Children may also copy the memory verse and illustrate.

Journal Questions:
Grades 1-2: Draw a picture of Jesus being tempted.
Grades 3-6: Which temptation do you think was the hardest for Jesus to resist? Why?

Memory Verse Review Sheets: If you have extra time, use the attached activities to review the rotation memory verse.

Closing:

Encourage the children to come back next week for another workshop, and to invite their friends. Remind them to bring their Bibles. Ask for prayer requests and pray together.

Clean-up: Have children throw away their popcorn bags and cups. Clean out popcorn machine and sweep up any stray kernels. Put away Bibles, paper, pencils, videos, etc.

Release children only to parents, older siblings, or by prior permission of parents. Make sure children are signed out on the classroom clipboards.

A lesson posted by Jaymie Derden from: State Street UMC

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