Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome (1 minute)

Welcome back to the second lesson of our Superbook adventure called “Jesus in the Wilderness.” Raise your hand if you have ever been tempted to do something that you knew was wrong. Children respond. Leader also raises hand.

My hand went up, too! As long as we are in the world, we will all face temptations. The good news today is that we have someone who will help us to resist and defeat all temptations. Who is the One who will help us? Jesus!

Now, let’s stand and praise Him as we sing, “You Are the One.”

Play Video Song: You Are the One (2.5 minutes)

Preview the song so you can help the children sing along with the music.

You Are the One

SuperTruth and Discussion (2 minutes)

Our SuperTruth today is: “Jesus helps me defeat temptation.” Every day we are tempted with many things in many ways. Some are easy to resist, and some are hard. The Apostle Paul wrote about this struggle in Romans: 7:19:  

We can’t defeat temptation on our own—we need God’s help! Let’s watch a short version of our Bible story, “Jesus in the Wilderness.” If you have seen it before, watch carefully to answer this question later. The devil offered to give Jesus all of the kingdoms and glory of the world if Jesus would do one thing—what was it?

Introduce Condensed Bible Story (1 minutes)

If all children watched the Bible story video in the previous lesson, you may skip it here and go straight to the Bible Background Video.

Play Video 4: Condensed Bible Story (10.5 minutes)

Superbook takes Chris, Joy and Gizmo to meet Jesus—first when He is a boy, speaking to the elders at the Temple, then when He is a man, resisting Satan’s temptations in the wilderness. The children learn how the Word of God can help them stand strong.  

Condensed Bible Story

Discussion (2 minutes)

Why was Jesus in the Temple with Jewish teachers who were much older than He was? He was listening to the teachers and asking questions. 

What was their reaction to Jesus? They were amazed at His understanding and answers. 

What was Jesus’ answer to Mary about why He didn’t stay with His family? That He must be doing His Father’s (God’s) business or work. Jesus understood that God is His Father, and He must do His Father’s work. 

Even so, when Jesus returned home to Nazareth, did He obey or disobey Mary and Joseph? He obeyed them. 

After Jesus was baptized, why did He immediately go into the wilderness? The Holy Spirit led Him there. 

Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness. This meant that He did not eat food for that period of time in order to pray and seek God. Although Jesus was physically weak from not eating, He was strong in His Spirit. He was able to resist and defeat Satan’s temptations. Because Jesus was victorious, we can defeat Satan’s temptations, too!

Introduce Bible Background Video(1 minute)

Now let’s watch our Bible Background Video to learn more about “Jesus in the Wilderness.” Be ready for Gizmo’s questions! Wait for him to give some answers, then call out the one you think is right!

Play Video 5: Bible Background(7.5 minutes)

Bible Background Video

Play Video 10B: SuperVerse Graphic(1.5 minutes)

Graphic loops 1.5 minutes without audio; turn off or freeze video after children repeat the verse.

10B SuperVerse 411

SuperVerse Discussion (1 minute)

Our SuperVerse today is Hebrews 2:18. Let’s say it together:

Why is it important for us to know that Jesus was tempted just like we are? Because we know we can be victorious with His help. He makes it possible not to give in to temptation. We aren’t powerless and helpless against the devil.

Jesus came to Earth and lived as a human so that He could feel and experience all that we do. He resisted temptation and did not sin. He will help us win against all the temptations that we will ever encounter!

Let’s say the SuperVerse again. Hebrews 2:18:

Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group. If any children are not able to memorize the entire verse, be sure they understand its meaning.

Prayer and Send-Off (1 minute)

Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, Jesus suffered and was tempted, yet He was strong in Spirit and defeated the devil. Help us follow Jesus’ example, to be strong in the power of the Holy Spirit and to rely on His strength and not our own. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

In Small Group today, you are going to play a fun game called “Temptation Knockdown!” Are you ready to defeat some temptations together? Let’s go play!

Teachers take children to Small Group classes for Grades 1–3 and 4–6. If the combined group is small, all children may stay together for Small Group time.

Game

Temptation Knockdown: Play a game to overcome with Christ’s strength.

If you were here for the previous lesson, what did we learn? Jesus resisted and defeated all of the devil’s temptations. He understands our weaknesses because He was tempted like us but didn’t sin.

Because Jesus experienced and resisted every type of temptation we will face, He is able to help us win against temptation, too!

Let’s say the SuperVerse together. Hebrews 2:18:

If we are willing to admit that we need help to defeat temptation, Jesus will give us the strength to be victorious. Let’s play a game about overcoming and knocking out some temptations we may face. Each can (or bottle) represents a temptation that we might need Jesus’ strength to overcome.

Divide the children into two teams. Have the teams form single-file lines behind the line or mark.

The first player for each team will step to the line and throw two socks balls, one at a time, to knock down a can—it doesn’t have to fall off the table. Whether or not the player hits a can, the turn ends and the next player takes a turn. Have the players who just tossed the socks retrieve them and give them to the next player on their team. If more than one can is knocked over on a throw, stand any additional cans back up, leaving one can down. Continue the game until all cans are knocked over. The team that does this first wins. Play another round if all children did not get to take at least one turn. When all the cans are knocked over, stand one set of cans back up on a table. Choose a can and read the corresponding numbered temptation from the list. Ask the children to prayerfully consider if this is an area that they have been tempted in. Pause for a moment and then encourage them to resist and overcome with Jesus’ help.

Temptation list corresponding to numbers written on cans or bottles:

Conclusion: In the world, everyone faces temptation—even Jesus did! But we can defeat each one of them with His help!

Teaching

Resistible! Discuss how we can overcome temptations with Jesus’ help.

In Large Group, you were asked to watch for the answer to this question: The devil offered to give Jesus all of the kingdoms and glory of the world if Jesus would do one thing—what was it? Kneel down and worship him.

Did Jesus give in to this temptation or any other temptation in His life? No! He never sinned!

Temptation is the desire to do something that you know is wrong. Jesus refused to give in to temptation and do anything that wasn’t pleasing to God. Even though His human body was weak from not eating for 40 days in the wilderness, He was strong in God’s Spirit and His Word!

Temptation is not something you will grow out of, or that will go away when you are older. It is an ongoing battle that will not stop until we leave this world. As humans, we are tempted by the devil and by our own evil desires inside! This struggle is described in Galatians 5:16–17:  

Raise your hand if you have played tug of war. Call the helper up and give him/her one end of the rope. Have them resist and pull back and forth with you as you speak. When we pull back and forth, it represents the struggle between our sinful human nature and God’s Spirit. The Spirit is always pulling us toward God, giving us power to stay in step with His will and Word. Our sinful nature pulls us in the opposite direction, away from God and toward our own sinful desires. James 1:14 says,

We all face this struggle every day! Yet Jesus gives us power to beat temptation and sin. He will help us win every time—if we look to Him and trust Him. He frees us from the power of sin so that we can follow the leading of God’s Spirit.

Let’s look at some weapons that God equips us with to win the battle.

1. God’s Word

Hold up the Bible. Jesus spoke or quoted God’s Word to defeat the devil’s temptations. The Bible calls God’s Word the sword of the Spirit. It is alive and powerful to cut through deception and lies to reveal the truth. Whenever God’s Word is spoken, it brings results and accomplishes God’s purpose.

2. God’s Spirit

Hold up the headphones. You’ve probably worn these or seen others using them to listening to music. When you wear them, it helps block out some of the noise around you so you can focus on what you want to listen to. God’s Spirit lives in all believers. He directs and guides us into all truth—which is God’s direction. He orders our steps according to God’s Word and purpose.

The headphones represent the Spirit’s voice inside us. We can listen and obey or ignore His voice and go our own way. If we ignore the Spirit’s voice speaking to our hearts, we will miss out on the full life that God has planned for us. Give a good reader the Bible and ask him/her to read Galatians 5:16:

What happens when we allow the Spirit to guide us? We won’t do what our sinful nature desires.

Following the Spirit’s voice brings us victory over our sinful desires and temptation, and fills us with joy!

3. Prayer

In Matthew 26:41, Jesus told His disciples:

Did Satan quit after Jesus’ first temptation? No, he continued to tempt Him in different ways.

The Bible tells us that Satan left until the next opportunity came. (See Luke 4:13.) Satan is relentless. He does not give up easily. He will come back and tempt us in the same way or with a different temptation. It is our responsibility to be alert and to pray for strength to not give in to temptation.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray:

No matter who or what is tempting us, the Spirit will always guide us down God’s path and away from temptation and evil! However, we must pray for His help!

4. Obedience

James 4:7 says:

We are not strong enough to resist temptation. We must humble ourselves and admit that we need Jesus’ help. We may think that the temptation we face is unique or maybe even too difficult for God to help us. This is not true. Jesus experienced every kind of   temptation we will face. Give the Bible to a good reader and ask him/her to read 1 Corinthians 10:13:

Jesus knows everything about us. He will always “give us an out.” Hold up running shoes. That may mean running! Some temptations are so strong that we should not try to stand against them—we should run away! It’s not easy to walk away when your friends are doing something you know is wrong. But sometimes that is our only way of escape!

Read 2 Timothy 2:22:

The last sentence of this verse gives another clue about how to avoid temptation—choosing friends wisely. If you saw the video last week, what did Joy and Gizmo do when Chris was tempted to play that violent video game? They tried to stop him.

By choosing friends who are also pursuing God, we can encourage each other to resist temptation and stay on track! Even with all of the powerful weapons that God has given us, we can choose to follow our own desires instead of the Spirit. When we do, does that mean we’ve failed completely and forever? No, we can confess it to Jesus and receive forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 says:

Now it’s time for our Discipleship Challenge where we are learning to resist temptation by following God’s Spirit!

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Give any child who missed Lesson 1 a Spirit Headphones Craft, plus a craft stem to assemble the craft at home.

Be prepared to assist any children with special needs.

Hold up the sample craft.

Last time, your challenge was to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow God’s leading. Would someone like to share your challenge experience? Children share.

Another part of the challenge was to learn Philippians 4:8. Can anyone say it for the class?  

Tape a #2 ear pad on top of each #1 ear pad. Let’s read the challenge on the #2 ear pads. #2 WHAT I SEE. Hebrews 12:2a (CEV):

At home, tape your #2 ear pads onto your headphones. This lesson is to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading to make wise choices in what you put before your eyes or see. This could be images or words you might see in various forms of media like the internet, TV, movies, magazines, or on your smartphone and social media. Your challenge is to commit to not look at things that are indecent, impure or evil—things that can lead to temptation or harm our minds and hearts. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help every day. The other part of your challenge is to learn, and if possible, memorize the first part of Hebrews 12:2:

SuperVerse

Superbook on Top: Memorize the SuperVerse with a group activity. 

Let’s read our SuperVerse together on the board. Hebrews 2:18:

Let’s say that you are struggling with a temptation. Who would you rather talk with, someone who has not faced the same thing and can’t relate to it or someone who has experienced the same temptation and really understands your struggle? Why? Someone who has experienced the same temptation can understand what I am going through and can share their experience and wisdom.

Jesus is always here for us. He not only suffered with the same temptations—He defeated them! He went through it all so that He could understand and help us! Have you heard the expressions, “Been there and done that!” or “I feel your pain”? Jesus could respond this way every time and then add: “and I will help you!”      

Let’s read our SuperVerse together one more time. Hebrews 2:18:

Erase words in the SuperVerse that are listed in the Word Bank, but do not erase any words in the Word Bank itself.

Read the SuperVerse slowly and stop at each space. Have the children raise their hands to fill in the words using the words at the top. If someone answers incorrectly, call on another child until the correct word is given. Now, erase the words in the Word Bank and do the activity again, stopping at each space and having children supply the missing words from memory.

If time permits, erase the entire verse and ask if anyone can say it from memory.

Prayer

Temptation Prayers: Communicate with God.

The night before Jesus gave His life for us by dying on the cross, He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Jesus took along His closest disciples—Peter, James and John—and asked them to pray. Jesus knew everything that was about to happen. He wanted to be ready, and He wanted them to be ready, too! 

Read Matthew 26:40–41:

Jesus said to watch and pray! That means to be alert and on guard for the tricks and schemes of the devil. It means to acknowledge our weaknesses and ask for help to strengthen our spirit. Jesus’ closest friends must have had a strong desire to stay awake and pray with Him, but in their human weakness, they failed.

Like them, we want to do the right thing, but we are humanly weak. So let’s close our eyes and bow our heads. Think of some things that you are tempted by; something you struggle with—maybe you feel pressure from your friends to do things you know are wrong. Silently tell Jesus about these things and ask for His strength to overcome them. He will give us the power to follow Him and obey God’s Word! Allow children to pray silently.    

Pray: Dear Jesus, You suffered and were tempted, yet You defeated the devil and lived in this world without sin. We praise You that You are now standing ready to help us when we cry out to You. Help us to rely on Your strength instead of our own. You know what each day holds for us. Help us to listen to Your Holy Spirit speaking in our hearts, showing us what is right and wrong, and guiding us about what to do and what not to do. Fill us with Your power to stand against temptation, and give us Your wisdom to know when we should run away from temptation. We thank You that we have the victory in Jesus’ name! Amen.       

Action Game

• Twenty paper plates, plus extras
  
• Cardstock—about 30 sheets  
  
• Two washable markers
  
• Posterboard
  
• Whiteboard and marker or chalkboard and chalk    
  
• Optional: painters tape or masking tape
  
• Two 5^th or 6^thgrade volunteers to write temptations
  
• Two leaders or volunteers to watch for “stepping” violations
• Bible or the Superbook Bible App

Use the marker to write “PRAYER” in large letters on the posterboard.

Place a line or mark at one end of the room.

Lay out the paper plates in two separate paths on the floor. Use half sheets of cardstock to leave spaces between the plates for the “Temptation Cards” to be added later. There should be about 3 inches between each card and plate. (See illustration.)

Place the “PRAYER” poster board between the two paths. 

Note: You may add plates and Temptation Cards to make the course larger. You can also design your own custom path. You can also play as one group against time with one larger course. Play two rounds for the best time.

Watch Your Step! Play a game to follow the Spirit instead of our own desires. 

Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “Jesus helps me defeat temptation.”  

As we discussed in the Teaching, Jesus will help us defeat temptation, yet we must do our part. One of the most important things we can do is to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us. Psalm 37:23 says:  

By following the Spirit, we avoid temptation and sin and ultimately please God. When we follow our sinful nature, we give in to temptation and sin. This hinders us and leads us astray. 

Choose two 5^th or 6^th grade volunteers. Give them each ten sheets of cardstock. They will write one temptation on each sheet of cardstock as you list them on the board. Abbreviate longer ones. In the previous game, we discussed some common temptations we all face. Let’s list some that you remember, and add some that we didn’t discuss.      

1. Argue and fight   2. Disobey   3. Lazy   4. Gossip   5. Cheat   6. Prideful  7. Selfish   8. Bad words   9. Unforgiveness   10. Mocking

Have the children then place the “Temptation Cards” between the plates. Verify that there is a gap between each card and plate.  

Divide the children into two even teams; one child may need to play twice.    

Have the teams make two single file lines behind the line or mark.

The plates represent steps on God’s path for us. The cards are temptations we might face along the path. Players must step only on the plates to complete the course and return back to your team. Go as quickly as you can, but be careful! You may need to step sideways or balance on one foot to avoid stepping on a Temptation Card! If you “fall” to temptation, you must walk over to the “Prayer” posterboard and stand for 3 seconds. We will count aloud for you; then, you can return to the plate that comes after the Temptation Card you stepped on. Remember, when we give in to temptation and sin, it hinders us and takes us off God’s path. BUT, we can always come to God for forgiveness and ask His help to overcome it—that’s what this poster board represents! Jesus forgives us and gives us a fresh start!  

As children walk the path, have their teammates cheer them on! The team to finish first wins.  

Balloon Game

• About 20 round balloons of different colors  
  
• Four paper plates—two are extras
  
• Four paint-stirring sticks—two are extras
  
• Child-safe, quick-drying glue  
  
• Marker
  
• Painters tape or masking tape  
  
• Yardstick or tape measure
  
• Timer, such as a stopwatch, clock or watch with second hand, or timer app
  
• Optional: as an alternative to the paint-stirring sticks, use paper towel tubes and wrap masking tape around the cardboard to strengthen them

Use the marker to write “PRAYER” on two plates and “GOD’S WORD” on two plates.

Blow up 20 balloons and tie them closed—or have the children and other leaders help you do this before the game.

Make two sets of paddles by gluing and/or taping the paint-stirring sticks to the back of the plates. Leave enough length on the stick to use as a handle. One set of paddles is extra.     

On the floor in the middle of the room, tape a rectangle measuring 8 feet by 6 feet.

Tape an 8 foot line 3 feet away from the rectangle, creating a “neutral zone.” See illustration.

Deflect and Defeat! Play a game to resist temptation.

Jesus was filled with God’s Spirit, and He used prayer and God’s Word to defeat temptation.

Show the children the two paddles. Place them just outside the 6 foot side line. 

We are powerless to resist and defeat temptation and sin without Jesus’ help. Jesus is always ready and willing to help us when we ask Him. Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “Jesus helps me to defeat temptation.”  

In this game, three players will play at a time. Two players will be the “Tempters.” Dump all of the balloons behind the 8-foot line opposite the middle line—see illustration. Do not place any balloons in the 3-foot “neutral zone” between the two 8 foot lines.

Walk into the different areas of play while you explain the game. When I start the game, “tempters” will rapidly throw balloons—which represent different kinds of temptations—over the middle line for 10 seconds into the other player’s area. That player tries to deflect the balloons out of the area—without using their arms or hands! After 10 seconds, I will shout, “Grab your Weapons!” Then the player will grab the two paddles to use as weapons to block, deflect, and sweep away balloons for the remaining 20 seconds of the round. The player gets a point for every balloon or temptation that remains in the playing area after time runs out. The player or players with the lowest score(s) wins. Play until all children have a turn both throwing and batting balloons. If time allows, play again. You may also have a playoff if more than one player has the lowest score.

Conclusion: How did you feel during the first 10 seconds of the game without the paddles? Helpless, frustrating, defeated.

On our own, we can easily be overwhelmed and defeated by temptations. The balloons were different colors to represent the many different kinds of temptations we face every day. We need prayer and God’s Word to win. In the game, some temptations were successful. When that happens in our lives, we must go to our merciful God who is faithful to forgive us!

Craft

Whoa—That’s Bright! Make a pair of Gizmo sunglasses.

Today, you will make your own pair of Gizmo glasses. Do you remember why Gizmo needed to put on his sunglasses in the video? The glory or light was very bright around Jesus and the angels that ministered to Him after He resisted all of the devil’s temptations.

Can you name another time in the video that you saw the glory of the Lord or light of the Holy Spirit around Jesus? When He was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and He was filled with the Spirit.  

Give each child a pair of sunglasses, a pencil, and two lenses. Provide glue for children to share. Show the model craft to the children. Tell them not to put any glue on the cellophane lenses. Instead, they should apply just a little glue only around the inside of the lens frame. Show them how to carefully position each lens over the opening on the inside of the frame, trying to avoid getting any glue in the center of the lens. Use the towels or wipes to remove extra glue from the glasses. Allow a few moments to dry before having children try them on.

Note: Remind children that these sunglasses are not real; they are just for fun and they should not look directly into the sun because these lenses will not protect their eyes from harmful rays.

Conclusion: Jesus lived on Earth in a human body; however, He was also full of God’s glory and the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, when Solomon’s Temple was dedicated to God, the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. God’s glory was so strong that people fell face down on the ground and worshiped the Lord! Imagine how bright God’s glory is up in heaven! We will see Him up there someday—and I don’t think we will need sunglasses!

Bible Activity

Don’t Leave Home Without It: Discuss God’s invisible armor. 

Let’s say the SuperTruth together. “Jesus helps me defeat temptation.”   

To help us resist temptation and defeat the devil, God gives us invisible armor to “suit up” with and use in the battle. Let’s look up and read about this armor in Ephesians 6:13–18. Have children take turns reading the verses aloud. Assist any inexperienced Bible users in locating the Scriptures.  

Note that the New Living Translation is used for this discussion. If children are using different translations, the text and answers will vary.

Verse 13: We are told to put on every piece of armor. If you were going to play in a football game, would it be okay to wear shoulder pads but leave your helmet at home; why or why not? No, your head could be injured, you wouldn’t be fully protected. You need all of the protective equipment.

It is the same with battling the enemy; we must be fully prepared and protected. Every piece serves a different purpose. If we are diligent and consistently put every piece on, what are the results? We will be able to resist the evil plans and ways of the enemy and we will not be knocked down or out—we will still be standing strong and not moved. We will win and not be defeated. 

Verse 14: We are not to give up ground to the devil—there is no compromise! The first piece of armor is the belt of truth. What is called the truth in the Bible? God’s Word.

Why is it important to know the truth? To recognize or identify the lies of the enemy and the lies we hear in the world. The truth of God’s Word keeps us from harm. You must know the truth to recognize evil and sinful things that oppose God’s Word. The truth exposes false teaching.  

The next piece of armor is called body armor or the breastplate of righteousness. This armor covers the chest and stomach area. What vital or important organ is in the chest area? Our hearts.

Proverbs 4:23 says,

That is very important! Our righteousness needs to be in Christ alone. The Bible says that our own righteousness is like filthy rags. We can only stand before God and against the enemy in Christ and His holiness. When we do that, there is nothing the enemy can say against us!  

Verse 15: The next piece of armor we put on is the shoes of the Gospel of peace. Why is peace important for us as we stand and move? We are secure in knowing we are right with God and there is no need to fear. We have a relationship with Him and He hears us and is with us through tests and temptation.

What does it show others when we walk in peace through difficult times? The peace of God, that God is with us, and that He is real. They can come to know God through the Gospel we share when they wonder how we live in peace despite what is going on around us.

An important part of resisting temptation is choosing God’s path versus the ways of the world that tempt us to sin. When our steps are ordered by God, we avoid traps and snares that can cause us to stumble and fall.      

Verse 16: What does the shield of faith do? It stops the fiery arrows of the devil.

What do you think the fiery arrows are? Things that the devil does or says meant to hinder, scare and harm us.

Satan’s arrows are things that can harm us both physically and emotionally. They can be cruel words, lies, accusations, gossip, and condemnation that the enemy speaks to us or come through other people. Our faith in God and who He says we are and what we can accomplish can shield us from Satan’s lies.   

Verse 17: What does the helmet protect? Our head, mind and thoughts.

The enemy tries to inject negative thoughts and lies into our mind for us to focus on instead of thinking God’s good, peaceful and pure thoughts. God tells us to fill our minds with His thoughts. When we fill ourselves with God’s Word and His thoughts, we protect ourselves from the enemy’s harmful thoughts.  

The next piece is the sword of the Spirit. What is that? The Word of God.

In the Bible story, who used the Word to defeat temptation? Jesus in the wilderness.

How can we use God’s Word as a weapon? Speak and declare it in Jesus’ authority.

We can speak the Word over any situation and believe what God says, not what the enemy says. The Word cuts through lies and negative words.   

Verse 18: What is the last piece of armor listed? Prayer. 

When does the verse tell us to pray—once or twice a day, or maybe only before bed, lunch or dinner? At all times and on every occasion.

We must keep an attitude of prayer and communication with God and His Spirit throughout the day to stay alert and ready for whatever we encounter.

Is it acceptable to only pray for ourselves? No, we also pray for other believers so they can be successful in resisting and defeating the devil, too. 

Conclusion: How do we put the armor on? By reading the Bible and putting our faith and trust in God—and by committing to listen to and follow God’s Spirit over our own plans, thoughts and desires every day!