First Thoughts: Although this scripture passage certainly contains many nuances and teaching points on which we might focus, for the sake of simplicity in teaching children we're just going to focus on temptation, or making good choices. The truth is, though, that resisting temptation isn't just about a decision we make in a moment; it's a choice about how we're going to live our lives. Jesus' decisions to forsake the powers of turning stone to bread, flying off the temple, and ruling the world pointed beyond what made sense in the moment. It shaped what his ministry would be in the world. As Gandhi advises us, "Your thoughts become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny." Every day we have the opportunity to shape our destiny by minding our thoughts, our words, and our actions -- by resisting the temptation to be something other than children of God.
Teaching On Your Own: (holds baseball) Hey everybody. I have a big problem I'm working on. It's about baseball. See, we had Little League tryouts this weekend. I'm a pitcher, you know. So when it was my turn to try out, my friend handed me the ball. I realized it felt a little weird. Greasy, sort of. I suddenly realized my friend put Vaseline on the ball. I knew he did it because he knows my screwball is awesome and it would spin even faster if it had Vaseline on it. And he was right. I got on the team. But of course it's against the rules to have anything like that on the baseball. Now I feel really icky about it. I can't help but wonder if I would have made it if I hadn't cheated. Have any of you ever faced a hard choice like I had to face when my friend handed me the ball? Yeah, those times are hard, aren't they? You know, Jesus had some experience making hard choices himself.
In our lesson today Jesus had to face three hard decisions about what his work would look like in the world. First he was offered the chance to turn stone into bread. Then he was offered the chance to jump off a high place and fly to safety. Then he was told he would be able to rule the whole world. But he turned all those things down. Even though those were cool powers to have, they didn't match what Jesus wanted to do in the world. He wanted to teach people how much God loved them and to help them be healed and free of their old lives. All these powers would just distract from his main message. Just like me. Now I'm on the team and that's what I wanted. But because I cheated, I can't really enjoy playing the game. I guess the choices we make every day really do change our lives for the better, or the worse. I think I'll make a different choice. I'm going to talk to my coach this week and ask if I can try out again -- this time without cheating.
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 holds baseball, looks forlorn)
Leader 1: Hey (name), you look a little sad. Is something wrong?
Leader 2: Yeah. I'm thinking about a big problem I have about baseball.
Leader 1: About baseball?
Leader 2: Yes. We had Little League tryouts this weekend. I'm a pitcher, you know. So when it was my turn to try out, my friend handed me the ball. I realized it felt a little weird. Greasy, sort of.
Leader 1: Uh-oh. Do you mean the ball has Vaseline on it?
Leader 2: (looks guilty) Yeah. I knew my friend did it because he knows my screwball is awesome and it would spin even faster if it had Vaseline on it. And he was right. I got on the team. But of course it's against the rules to have anything like that on the baseball.
Leader 1: So how do you feel now?
Leader 2: Not so great. I can't help but wonder if I would have made it if I hadn't cheated.
Leader 1: You faced a hard choice when your friend handed you that baseball, huh? Jesus had some experience making hard choices himself. In our lesson today Jesus had to face three hard decisions about what his work would look like in the world. First he was offered the chance to turn stone into bread. Then he was offered the chance to jump off a high place and fly to safety. Then he was told he would be able to rule the whole world. But he turned all those things down.
Leader 2: Why? They sound like they might be cool things to do.
Leader 1: Right. But they didn't match what Jesus wanted to do in the world. He wanted to teach people how much God loved them and to help them be healed and free of their old lives. All these powers would just distract from his main message.
Leader 2: Just like me. Now I'm on the team and that's what I wanted. But because I cheated, I can't really enjoy playing the game.
Leader 1: The choices we make every day really do change our lives for the better, or the worse.
Leader 2: Yeah. I think I'll make a different choice. I'm going to talk to my coach this week and ask if I can try out again -- this time without cheating.
Closing Prayer: Loving God, help us to make good choices every day -- choices that are kind, loving, and fair. Remind us that every choice we make shapes not only our own lives, but the world around us too. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, spend time unpacking each of the temptations Jesus faced as well as Jesus' response to each one. First look at turning stone to bread. Ask the children why they think that would be a good power to have. You could feed a lot of hungry people that way, and lots of people would gather around you, which means you would be really popular. Ask the children if they can think of a reason why Jesus wouldn't want that power. Maybe Jesus didn't want people to come to him just because he could provide physical food, but because he wanted to focus on our spiritual lives as well. He wanted to feed people on the word of God. Second, talk about jumping off the temple. Why would that be a good power? Because people would be amazed at it and he would get a great audience. But Jesus doesn't want to "wow" people, nor does he want them to focus on him like he's some kind of superhero. He wants to point them to God, to encourage them to pray and to grow in kindness. Finally, talk about the temptation to rule the world. What would be good about it? Jesus could solve a lot of problems if he could tell everybody what to do. He could pass good laws and force everybody to get along. The problem? God isn't just interested in changing our behavior but wants to change our hearts. That happens not when a ruler tells us to do the right thing, but when a friend encourages us to do the right thing. Jesus wanted to be a teacher, a spiritual support, and a friend. That was the ministry he wanted to form, and so he made choices which supported that ministry.
For further exploration, invite the children to come up with three descriptions they want for their own lives. Then help them think of actions that would support those visions, and actions they would need to avoid that would hurt those visions. For example, I want to be a good friend. That means I would share my toys with my friend, and I would not say mean things behind their backs. You can use the template for the children to record their thoughts. Close with prayer.
