BIG IDEA: Jesus lived a sinless life.
This free Bible lesson, Jesus is Baptized & Tempted, will teach preschool and elementary students about the baptism of Jesus and His temptation in the desert at the beginning of His earthly ministry.
FOCUS BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 3:13-4:11; Mark 1:9-13; Luke 3:21-22, 4:1-13; John 1:29-34
All of the printable activities and digital slides needed for the lesson, as well as a full printable lesson plan for both elementary and preschool are available.
Below is the outline of the free elementary Bible lesson.
PREP & SUPPLIES
- printed, trimmed, & hole punched Romans 6:23 Memory Verse Cards
- card decorating supplies
- video: God’s Story: Jesus Was Tempted from Crossroads Kids’ Club (link)
- printed and trimmed “What Would Jesus Do” cards
- candy or small prizes for “WWJD” game
- printed & trimmed WWJD bracelets
MEMORY VERSE: “When you sin, the pay you get is death. But God gives you the gift of eternal life. That’s because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done.” Romans 6:23 (NIrV)
THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY:
- Students will get a new card for their Memory Verse Collection today.
- Leaders may choose to:
- allow students to break into tables for 5-10 minutes to decorate their cards and reflect on the memory verse, and then come back to large group
- wait until small group time to pass out memory verse cards and allow students 5-10 minutes to decorate and reflect on the memory verse.
- ALTERNATIVELY: Allow students to get into groups and make up motions for the words of the memory verse and then present them to the large group. This should take 5-10 minutes.
- Leaders: Remind students and parents to add their card to their ring at home.
- If students need to get “caught up” with their collection, please be sure to send home (1) a binder ring, (2) a “title page” cover card, and (3) all of the cards up to this week.
LESSON HOOK ACTIVITY
(SLIDE 3) Last week we talked about how John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Jesus by teaching the people to repent (turn away from) their sins. The people who turned away from their sins were baptized to show that they had decided to follow God more closely. We talked a little bit about how Jesus asked John to baptize Him. Does anyone remember what happened right after Jesus was baptized? (The Holy Spirit came over Him in the form of a dove and a voice from Heaven said: “This is my son, and I love him. I am very pleased with Him.” Matthew 3:17)
Shortly after Jesus was baptized he was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit where He stayed for 40 days and 40 nights. We can find this story in the New Testament of the Bible in all of the Gospel books. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – the books that tell about the life and ministry of Jesus)
Before we get to our Bible lesson, I’m going to give you a pop quiz!
(SLIDE 4) HOW MANY SONGS DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW BY HEART? 10? 20? 30?
I’m going to give you a line from a song, and I want to see if you can sing the next part of the song.
(SLIDE 5) Who lives in a pineapple under the sea… (SpongeBob SquarePants)
(SLIDE 6) The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout… (down came the rain and washed the spider out)
(SLIDE 7) Jesus loves me this I know… (for the Bible tells me so)
(SLIDE 8) Twinkle twinkle little star how I wonder what you are… (up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky)
BIBLE LESSON
Music is a big part of our lives. We hear songs and they get stuck in our heads. We can sing along when we hear them playing, and we can sing many of them without even hearing them.
The more we hear a song, the easier time we have singing it from memory.
In fact, the more we hear or see anything, the easier time we have in remembering it. That’s why it is important for us to practice with our memory verses and read our Bibles as much as we can. Today, in our Bible story we are going to see exactly how Jesus used Bible verses that He had in his memory to help Him when He needed help.
(SLIDE 9) This verse is from the book of Psalms and it says: “Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me.” (Psalm 119:105)
What do you think this verse is telling us?
“Your word” = the Bible
“like a lamp” = lights the way when we can’t see
The Psalmist is saying that the Bible can show us the way and guide us when we need help, or when we are lost, scared, or tempted.
This is exactly how Jesus used His knowledge of the Bible when He was tempted by the devil in the desert after He was baptized. That is what our Bible story is about today. But first let’s look at our new memory verse.
We are going to watch a video to learn about how Jesus was tempted in the desert by the devil. I want you to notice how He uses the Bible verses He had memorized to help Him when He needed help.
Show the video: God’s Story: Jesus Was Tempted from Crossroads Kids’ Club (LINK) [If the video does not work, you can read this summary: After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where He would spend 40 days and 40 nights talking with and listening to God. Jesus didn’t take any food or supplies with him, so he was hungry, thirsty, and tired, but He knew he could rely on God to give Him what He needed. While He was in the desert, Jesus was tempted by Satan three times. Temptation is when we are faced with a choice to do something God’s way or to do it our own way. Even though Jesus is fully God, He didn’t use His power to send Satan away. Instead He trusted God to take care of Him. The first time Satan showed up to test Jesus he said “if you are the Son of God tell these stones to become bread.” But Jesus didn’t use his power to make food even though He was really hungry. He said “man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” That means that we don’t just need food or water to survive. We need to rely on God’s word to help us too. The second time Satan came to tempt Jesus, they stood at the highest point in the temple at Jerusalem. Satan said “if you are the Son of God throw yourself down and see if God will save you.” He probably wanted Jesus to doubt that God was good and powerful or that God was looking out for Him, and again Jesus cared more about God’s words than Satan’s. He remembered Deuteronomy 6:16 and He told Satan “do not put the Lord your God to the test.” The third time Satan came to tempt Jesus he took Him up to a high mountaintop and said that he would give Jesus power and authority over all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would worship Satan instead of God. Jesus still didn’t give into temptation. He knew that we shouldn’t worship anyone besides God so again He used scripture to tell Satan to go away. He said “away from me Satan for it is written ‘worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’ This time Satan left for good and Angels came to stay and care for Jesus. He never once failed the test or sinned. He refused to listen to Satan or give into his temptation. Jesus knew that He was the Son of God and that He could always trust God to take care of Him.]
(SLIDE 10) What is “temptation”? (when we are faced with a choice to do something God’s way or our own way) How many times did Satan tempt Jesus in the desert? (3) Can you think of any examples of ways that we may be tempted to do something that God doesn’t want us to do? (disobey parents/teachers; cheat on a test; tell a lie so we don’t get in trouble; say something unkind)
(SLIDE 11) What was the same about each time Jesus was tempted? (He quoted scripture; He never gave in to the temptation.)
Jesus NEVER gave into temptation and He NEVER sinned throughout His whole life! Can you imagine that? He never had a sinful thought. He never did anything sinful. He never said anything sinful. That is amazing! I wonder how many times each of us have sinned since we woke up this morning?
The good news about this is that Jesus came to live a sinless life, so that He could take our place receiving the punishment that we deserve. Since He died for us on the cross and then rose from the dead, He can SAVE US from our sins when we ask Him to! He will forgive all of our sins and then we get to spend FOREVER with Him in Heaven after we die!
(SLIDE 12) Our Big Idea for this week is JESUS LIVED A SINLESS LIFE. What does this mean? (Jesus was fully human, and even though He was tempted and had to deal with the same struggles that we do, He NEVER sinned! He lived His entire life as a PERFECT EXAMPLE of GOOD.)
Dear God,
Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to the Earth to live a sinless life. We think it is so amazing that Jesus was able to go through life with the temptations that He did and never ever give in and commit a sin. Please help us to look to His example every day and make the choice to live like Jesus in all that we do.
We love you and we pray all of these things in Jesus’ sweet name, Amen.
LARGE GROUP ACTIVITY
(SLIDE 13) Today we are going to play a game called “What Would Jesus Do?”
Have any of you ever seen the bracelets that say “WWJD”?
Those bracelets were designed many years ago to remind us to try our best to make good choices just like Jesus.
In any decision that you have to make, including how you are going to respond to a friend, how you are going to spend your time, or even what show you should watch on television, if you ask yourself “What would Jesus do in this situation?” you are much more likely to make a healthier decision that brings you closer to God than you would if you leave Jesus out of your choices.
To play the game, I will call one of you at a time to come and pick a card. You will read the story written on the card out loud for everyone to hear. Then, EVERYONE will think about how Jesus would act in that situation, or WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?
Then, if you want to share your answer, raise your hand. If I call on you, then you get to share your answer and if it is truly a way that Jesus might respond, then you will get a prize. (Leaders may choose to call on more than one student to share their answer for each scenario, being sure that they are answering with a slightly different response.)
There are 2 other ways to earn a prize during the game.
(1) After the responses are given, if you can think of a similar situation that has happened to you, you can earn a prize for sharing the situation.
(2) You can earn a prize for sharing how you think Jesus would respond to the situation shared by someone else.
Call individual students up to the front of the room to choose a card and read the story. Follow the guidelines above to play through as many as time allows.
SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY
Remember when I asked you earlier if you had ever seen a “WWJD” bracelet? These bracelets were designed many years ago to remind us to try our best to make good choices just like Jesus.
Today you are going to make your own “WWJD” bracelet that you can wear to remind you to think about what Jesus would do in every situation.
When you get to your small groups, you will each get a paper with the bracelet printed on it. Your job is to color and decorate the bracelet. Then you can cut it out, fit it to your wrist, and either tape or glue the band together.
BREAK INTO SMALL GROUPS TO COMPLETE THE ACTIVITY.
[Leaders: If there are any of the “What Would Jesus Do” cards that were not used during large group, you can use small group time to discuss those scenarios.]
Discussion Prompts for Small Group Leaders:
- Is it possible for us to be sinless like Jesus?
- How many Bible verses do you think you have memorized? Which ones?
- The first time Jesus was tempted in the desert, the devil told Him that He should turn the stones into bread. Remember Jesus was very hungry because He didn’t bring any food or supplies with Him. What would you have done in that situation?
- The second time Jesus was tempted, the devil told Jesus to jump from the highest point of the temple and see if God would save Him. He could have easily done that. If you were Jesus, would you have tested God?
- The third time Jesus was tempted, the devil told Him that He could rule the whole earth if He would worship Satan. Do you think Jesus easily resisted this temptation? Why or why not?
- What is this week’s Big Idea? (Jesus lived a sinless life.)
- Can you say this week’s memory verse? (Romans 6:23)
CLOSING REFLECTION
We learned that Jesus was led to the desert by the Holy Spirit where He stayed for 40 days and 40 nights spending time with God. He was tempted 3 times by Satan, but each time He resisted (didn’t give in to) the temptation using Scriptures from the Bible that He had memorized. Jesus lived a sinless life, never once giving into temptation even though He experienced the same struggles that we face. Jesus is the perfect example of GOOD! Jesus came to live a sinless life, so that He could take our place receiving the punishment that we deserve. Since He died for us on the cross and then rose from the dead, He can SAVE US from our sins when we ask Him to! He will forgive all of our sins and then we get to spend FOREVER with Him in Heaven after we die!
Reflection Questions:
- How can you learn and memorize Bible verses like Jesus did?
- Why should you memorize Scriptures from the Bible like Jesus did?
- What does it mean that Jesus is SINLESS?
- Does anyone have any questions about today’s lesson?
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