Temptation of Jesus Sunday School Lesson for Kids (Lord’s Prayer Part 7)

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Flip-Side Plate temptation craft, both sides - the Fall of Adam and Eve on one side and the cross of Jesus on the other

Part 7 of our Lord’s Prayer series for kids: “lead us not into temptation”. Teaching the whole prayer? Start with the free sample lesson from Prayer Power Lab (Week 1, Matthew 6:5-9).

When Temptation Strikes: children’s sermon on temptation

This lesson’s children’s message — the cookie object lesson, the full script and the repeat-after-me prayer — has its own page: Children’s Sermon on Temptation (Lord’s Prayer Part 7).

Flip-Side Plate and Dark and Light Collage: temptation crafts for kids

This lesson’s two crafts — the Flip-Side Plate and the Dark and Light Collage, with supply lists, step-by-step directions and photos — have their own page: Temptation Crafts for Kids: Flip-Side Plate and Dark and Light Collage (Lord’s Prayer Part 7).

Lead Us Not Into Temptation: temptation of Jesus Sunday School lesson and discussion questions

In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray that God would lead us not into temptation. But what is temptation, and how can we react when God does allow us to be tempted? This lesson guides children to understand and combat temptation.

This lesson is the seventh in a series on The Lord’s Prayer, examining the prayer line by line to understand what it means for us and how it helps us have a blueprint for prayer. This lesson focuses on temptation, both what it is and how we fight it as Christians. Two contrasting Biblical accounts are featured: the Fall of Adam and Eve (Satan wins) and the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (Jesus wins!).

Passage: Genesis 3:1-15; Matthew 4:1-11

Target Audience: Kindergarten-6th grade

Materials Needed: Small treats, Bibles

Lesson Opening

Temptation is something most children face regularly, whether they realize it or not! Illustrate temptation with some opening activities. Here are some suggested ideas:

  • Simon Says: This is an old classic, but a good way to demonstrate the importance of listening to and following the right voices in our lives. Challenge students to follow (or not follow!) instructions preceded by “Simon (or the teacher’s name) Says”.
  • Temptation: Provide students with a small treat (cookie, candy, etc.), and instruct them not to eat it. Then invite them to look at it, smell it, etc., and talk about how it can be tempting to disobey if the object of temptation seems desirable.
  • Don’t get hooked! Invite kids to use a toy fishing pole to “hook” items in a kiddie pool. Explain that temptation tries to catch us, but we can escape and not get hooked!
  • Don’t give in: Have one student selected as “it,” and let the other students try to make them laugh with any tricks they can. The it student should resist the temptation to laugh.
  • The floor is lava: Designate “safe spots” around the room, and tell students that the rest of the room is “lava.” Invite them to run around to the safe spots and run away from danger, just as we are called to run from sin and temptation.

Talk about temptation and why it’s important to not give in when tempted. Be sure to point out that temptation isn’t a sin, but doing the wrong thing is. Remind students that temptation is part of the Lord’s Prayer, where we ask that God would not lead us into temptation. Sometimes we speak of temptation in terms of foods that aren’t healthy. While this can be a form of temptation, emphasize for kids that temptation is when we want to do something bad that goes against God’s wishes.

Ask: What kinds of things can be tempting?

Bible Lesson

This lesson features two stories about temptation. Genesis 3 is an example of the consequences that can result when we give in to temptation and disobey God. In contrast, the Gospel shows how Jesus fought temptation and didn’t give in. Both of these accounts can be acted out or simply narrated. Students should be able to take turns reading verses, or you can read aloud for younger audiences.

Start with some highlight verses about temptation.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You must not eat of it or touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not surely die,” the serpent told the woman. “For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves. —Genesis 3:1-7

If students aren’t already familiar with the creation account, explain how God made all things in creation, and placed Adam and Eve in a beautiful garden. But he gave them one specific instruction: not to eat the fruit of a certain tree. This should have been a simple thing to obey, but Satan came along and challenged God’s orders. He told Eve that she should eat the fruit, and instead of trusting God, she listened to him, and ate the fruit. Adam did, too, and they suddenly felt shame and exposure.

Teacher note: Genesis calls him “the serpent.” Later Scripture tells us who he was: “that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan” (Revelation 12:9).

Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?” “I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” “Who told you that you were naked?” asked the LORD God. “Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” And the man answered, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.”

So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” —Genesis 3:8-15

Before disobeying, Adam and Eve had fellowship and closeness with God. They lived in a perfect world. But when they listened to the devil and went against God’s instructions, they tried to hide from Him. God knew what they had done, but He asked them anyway. He then gave them consequences, kicking them out of the beautiful garden and promising pain and hard work. Satan was punished, too, and given a warning. He would bruise the heel of men– but one day his head would be bruised (and crushed!). In that, there is a promise of a Savior. Jesus was the one who would destroy the power of sin and Satan.

Ask: Why do you think Adam and Eve listened to Satan instead of God?

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” —Matthew 4:1-4

The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness, where He was challenged in many ways! He fasted, not eating, for 40 days! That’s a long time to go without any food. And even though He was God, He was also fully human, and so He got hungry when He didn’t eat! This also made Him vulnerable, so when the Devil came along, he really wanted to eat. Satan challenged His physical desires and His ability, saying that if He was really God, He could just turn the rocks into bread. But Jesus didn’t give in. He responded with Scripture, using God’s words to challenge Satan. Satan didn’t give up right away, though. He challenged Jesus two more times.

Then the devil took Him to the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple. “If You are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” Jesus replied, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.” “Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him. —Matthew 4:5-11

After challenging Jesus to yield to hunger, Satan tried to make Him prove who He was, and even tried to ask Him to worship him instead of God! But Jesus didn’t give in. He knew the Bible better than Satan, and He used it to combat Satan’s lies. Finally, the devil knew that he was beaten, and he left Jesus, who was helped by angels.

Ask: What is special about knowing that Jesus was tempted?

Jesus gives us a great example of how to fight temptation, using God’s word to stand up against the desire to do wrong and the words of Satan. But it’s also helpful to know that He faced temptation, because we do, too. Knowing that He was tempted reminds us that He understands our temptations, and can help us fight them. We can always ask the Lord for help if we feel tempted, and He will fight alongside us!

Review questions about the lesson

  1. What should we do when we feel tempted?
  2. Can you think of any other people in the Bible who were tempted?
  3. Why is it important to obey?

Close with prayer, asking God for His help to fight temptation and obey His Word.

More Lord’s Prayer Resources

The Lord’s Prayer Series for Kids

Heads up: we also have older posts on this same passage — “The Temptation of Christ” Sunday School Lesson and Activities (Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13, Mark 1:12-13), which includes printable PDF downloads, and Journey to the Cross, Lent Series Sunday School Craft Activities (Matthew 4:1-11).

Related Sunday School Activities:

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