Jesus tempted in the wilderness

Lesson: Jesus Victorious in Temptation 

1.    Story:

Tell the story of Jesus' temptation based on Luke 4:1-13.

• Last week, what did we learn about Jesus? (He was baptised by John)
• After being baptised, Jesus was filled with Holy Spirit and was led to the desert.
• He prayed in the desert and didn’t eat anything for 40 days.
• There, the devil decided to tempt Him. The devil wanted Jesus to trust His own strength and abilities rather than trust God.

• First: the devil told Jesus: “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
• How many of you have not eaten for 1 day? How did you feel? Yes, Jesus was very hungry too. But Jesus didn’t want to depend on His own strength and power to satisfy His hunger. He knew God would take care of Him and provide for Him.
• Jesus replied: “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’

• Second: the devil took Jesus to a high place and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. The devil said that he would give Jesus all the authority and splendour if Jesus would worship him.
• Jesus knew that God was the source of everything and He was the only one worthy to be worshipped. He said, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.”

• Third: The devil took Jesus to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here.” After all, the devil said, God had promised that His angels will protect Jesus.
• Jesus knew He didn’t have to do anything to prove that He was God’s son. God already told Him that He is God’s beloved son when He was baptised, remember? So Jesus said, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

• The devil realised that Jesus did not fall into temptation. Jesus had won!
• So the devil left Jesus, and God sent angels to minister to Jesus.

2.    Lesson: Good News for today!

• Jesus was tempted by Satan, and He was victorious.
• A long time ago, the first man, Adam, was tempted by Satan in the Garden of Eden. Does anyone know how the devil tempted Adam? (to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil)
• Adam wanted to be like God, to be able to know good and evil. He didn’t want to depend on God; he wanted to use his own wisdom. He was tempted, and he failed.
• Because of Adam’s failure, all of us became sinners and are separate from God.
• Because of Jesus’ victory, all of us are righteous before God and can have a relationship with Him.
• Because of Jesus, we have victory over temptation too! We can stand firm on God’s truths and promises whenever the devil tries to tricks us into believing his lies.
• Memory verse: “Jesus was tempted in every way, like us, yet was without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15b)
• Let’s thank Jesus for what He has done for us!

3.    Activity ideas:

   a. Craft: Victory Medal

• Prepare some yellow card paper and ribbon.
• Cut yellow card into circles.
• Write "name of child is victorious in Jesus!" on it.
• Staple ribbon onto circle so that child can loop it over their neck like a gold medal.

b. Activity Sheet: Match & Colour

c. Activity Sheet: Fill in the blanks

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Youth Bible Study

Leader's Guide

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness

1. Read Luke 4:1-13.

2. After Jesus was baptised, he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days. He ate nothing during those days and was hungry.

3. The devil wants to tempt Jesus to trust in His own strength and abilities than to trust in God.

Temptation #1: Turn stones into bread

The devil wanted Jesus to use His own power to satisfy His hunger. But Jesus knew God would take care of Him and provide for Him. He said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

Temptation #2: Worship me and I’ll give you all the kingdoms of the world.

The devil lied that he had authority of the world. But Jesus to knew that God was the source of everything and He was the only one worthy to be worshipped. He said, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.”

Temptation #3: If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from the temple, and God’s angels will protect you.

Jesus knew He didn’t have to do anything to prove that He was God’s son. God already told Him that He is God’s beloved son when He was baptised, remember? So Jesus said, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

4. Write down your memory verse: Heb 4:15

   “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet he did not sin”

5. Who was the first man God created, and how was he tempted by the devil?

     Adam was tempted by the devil in the Garden of Eden to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil — the only tree God said he could not eat from. Adam wanted to be like God, to be able to know good and evil. He didn’t want to depend on God; he wanted to use his own wisdom. He was tempted, and he failed.

6. What were the consequences of this man’s actions? (cref Rom 5:17)

Because of Adam’s failure, all of us became sinners and are separate from God.
“For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many.”

7. What were the consequences of Jesus’ victory over Satan?

Heb 5:18-19: Jesus was victorious over Satan’s temptation, and through His death for us, we are all righteous and justified before God.

1 Cor 10:13: Because Jesus was victorious in temptation, I can also be victorious in temptation.

Let’s thank Jesus for what He has done for us!