Trust God!
Big Point: Trust God! Big Verse: Matthew 6:13 (NIrV), “Keep us from sinning when we are tempted. Save us from the evil one.” Big Story: Jesus is Tempted: Matthew 4
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Large Group Full Program
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Large Group Full Program Instructions
Countdown / Rules
Question of the Day: Which food is more tempting: chicken nuggets or chocolate cake?
WelcomeMaterials: Lab Coat (2), Buzzer, Candy Bar
Host and Co-host enter.
Host
Welcome to the Lab!
Co-host pinches the Host.
Host
Why did you do that?
Co-host
What?
Co-host pinches the Host.
Host
Ow! That!
Co-host
This?
Co-host pinches the Host.
Host
Stop pinching me!
Co-host
Sorry, I wasn’t planning to. It wasn’t like I was awake all night thinking about it. The thought popped into my head as we walked on stage. It was like this voice said, “Hey, pinch that dork next to you.” Couldn’t resist the urge.
Host
Yes, you can.
Co-host sticks his/her tongue out at the Host and makes a mocking face.
Co-host
But, it’s hard to say no.
Host
I’ll show you that it’s possible to resist. We have two kids to help us. They are going to resist the urge to press the buzzer until I say, “Go.” That’s the only word that matters. If you buzz early, you’re out.
Have the kids stand by the buzzer and wait until you say, “Go.” You can also give them a free pass for the first mistake if you like. Have fun by trying to trick them.
Co-host
So, you’re saying I don’t have to do this.
Co-host pinches the Host.
Host
If you pinch me one more time…
Co-host
Don’t give in to the temptation. Why do you have that crazy look in your eyes? Why don’t you stand up and get ready to worship while I run?
Engage 1Materials: Lab Coat (2), Red Horns, Plastic Pitchfork, Red Bow Tie
Host and Co-host enter.
Host
Does anyone think that Slater shouldn’t be listening to Skip? I think so. He is tempting Slater to head down the wrong path.
Optional, play the song “My Girl.” Co-host enters. He/She is wearing red devil horns and carrying a pitchfork.
Host
Why are you playing that song, and why are you dressed like that?
Co-host
The group that sings that song is called “The Temptations.” Get it? Temptation? You said we’re talking about our enemy, the devil, and how he can control our every action and thought.
Co-host pokes the Host with the pitchfork.
Host
Stop poking me. You’re wrong. First of all, the Bible does not say that Satan looks like that. Secondly, he can’t control us. Let’s see what we can do when we feel tempted.
The Host and Co-host choose a kid to volunteer.
Host
Let’s all say it together: Trust God! When we feel tempted, we should trust God to help us resist the urge to do wrong.
Co-host
How can God help us?
Pokes the Host again.
Host
Stop doing that. Let me share this verse with you. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIrV), “But when you are tempted, God will give you a way out. Then you will be able to deal with it.” Let’s look at some scenarios and talk about how God might help us choose a different action.
Show the scenarios and ask kids to suggest alternative actions that God might lead us to do instead of giving in to temptation. Have the kids discuss the danger of staying near the temptation.
Deciding whether to do homework or play with your friends outside.
Copying someone else’s test.
Staying up late to play on your tablet.
Watching a show your parents said was off limits.
Eating more snacks than your mom or dad said was allowed.
Co-host
So if you stay too close to the temptation too long, you’re probably more likely to give in to it.
Host
Yes, the better choice is to trust God to provide a way out. He will help us escape temptation, but we still have to make the choice.
Co-host
That does sound better than being controlled. I hope Slater will escape from Skip.
Engage 2Materials: Lab Coat (2), Cupcake
Host and Co-host enter.
Host
Can you believe that Slater was going to let Sophia take the blame for the tablet?
Co-host
That was pretty bad. He’s really letting that temptation win.
Host
A better choice would be to pray and follow the Big Point, Trust God! Let’s choose an assistant to reveal the Big Verse from the Bible.
Host and Co-host choose a kid to volunteer.
The Big Verse says, “Keep us from sinning when we are tempted. Save us from the evil one,” Matthew 6:13 (NIrV).
Co-host
It’s hard sometimes because even when I think about not doing the wrong thing, it’s all I can think about.
Host
I know what you mean. Let’s do a little test. I have a cupcake. (Show the cupcake) Let’s bring up someone to help. Preferably someone who loves to eat cupcakes. Someone who would want this cupcake. (Bring up a child) Does it look delicious? It does. You can’t have it. I want you to stare at the cupcake, and I want you to think in your mind over and over, “Don’t eat the cupcake.” Just repeat that until I tell you to stop.
Have the child look at it and think about it.
Co-host
This is torture. All I can think about is wanting that cupcake.
Host
Did thinking about the cupcake help you not want it? Probably not. The tricky thing is, we often think the way to avoid doing something wrong is to keep telling ourselves not to do it — but that usually just makes us think about it even more.
Co-host
What do we do, then?
Host
What works better is to think about better things, like God’s truth from the Bible. Trying not to think about temptation is like relying on your own power. Why do that when God wants to help us? Check out this verse.
Co-host
“So don’t live under the control of sin. If you do, you will think about what sin wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants.”
Host
Let God help you think about Him and what He wants. He will help you think about other things when you feel tempted, things that actually help you. In a moment, we’ll see how Jesus handled temptation.
Big Story
Optional, play soft instrumental music.
Storyteller
One of the best tools for fighting temptation is God’s Word. That’s because the best way to fight sin and lies is with truth. That’s why it’s so important and helpful to read the Bible every day. The more we put God’s Word in our hearts, the more weapons we have to fight our enemy. So let’s practice that by meditating on our Big Verse. That simply means we pray the Scripture. Let’s pray that Scripture a couple of times out loud together. “Keep us from sinning when we are tempted. Save us from the evil one,” Matthew 6:13 (NIrV). (Repeat) Now I’m going to use that verse to pray over you all.
Engage 3Materials: Lab Coat (2), Tug of War Rope
Host and Co-host enter.
Host
It’s helpful to know that even Jesus was tempted, but He never gave in to those temptations and sinned.
Co-host
Being tempted to do something wrong doesn’t mean you’re bad. Everyone is tempted. What matters is what we choose to do with that temptation. Thankfully, we can choose to, Trust God!
Host
That would be a great story to share as you do this week’s Big Do. For fun, place a really tempting dessert on the kitchen counter and see who can resist it the longest. Then, talk about how we can trust God to help us resist temptation.
Co-host
Let’s play a game of tug of war. For round one, we have three kids vs. ten kids. Who do you think will win? Let’s see.
Play optional game music. Have the kids play.
Host
That was pretty unfair. That’s how it feels sometimes to face temptation alone. But we don’t face it alone when we are followers of Jesus. We have help. Let’s play again, but this time we’re adding three adults to the team of three kids. Let’s see how this round goes.
Play optional game music. Play the game.
Co-host
That was a big difference. Remember that you have God’s power. Let’s gather in our small groups and discuss what we’ve learned.
Small GroupMaterials: Small Group Questions
Gather the kids into small groups and discuss the following.
What is one thing at school that is a hard temptation to resist? What about at home?
How did Jesus fight Satan’s temptation? (He quoted the Bible) Why do you think He used the Bible to respond to the devil? (God’s word is truth. It has power. It put the focus on God.)
How could you copy what Jesus did this week? How would that help you when you faced one of the temptations at school? What can you pray when you feel tempted?
What is the Big Do?
Big ReviewMaterials: Wheel, Game Show Podium
Play optional game music. Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question. The first kid to buzz in and correctly answer the question will win a small piece of candy and the opportunity to spin the wheel for a bonus.
Our Big Point says Trust !
God
Yourself
Who tempted Jesus?
Friends
Satan
God sometimes tempts us to do wrong.
True
False
What did Satan tempt Jesus to do with the stone?
Throw it
Turn it into bread
The Bible says that God will provide what when we are tempted?
A way out
A more fun option
Matthew 6:13 (NIrV), “Keep us from sinning when we are tempted. Save us from the __.”
Evil one
Christians
What did Satan tempt Jesus to do in exchange for all the kingdoms in the world?
Bow down to Satan
Give Satan money
Each time Jesus was tempted, what did He use to fight Satan?
Stick
The Bible
Jesus was tempted but never did wrong.
True
False
What is this week’s Big Do?
Trust God! Instructions
Countdown / Rules
Question of the Day: Which food is more tempting: chicken nuggets or chocolate cake?
WelcomeMaterials: Lab Coat (2), Buzzer, Candy Bar
Host and Co-host enter.
Host
Welcome to the Lab!
Co-host pinches the Host.
Host
Why did you do that?
Co-host
What?
Co-host pinches the Host.
Host
Ow! That!
Co-host
This?
Co-host pinches the Host.
Host
Stop pinching me!
Co-host
Sorry, I wasn’t planning to. It wasn’t like I was awake all night thinking about it. The thought popped into my head as we walked on stage. It was like this voice said, “Hey, pinch that dork next to you.” Couldn’t resist the urge.
Host
Yes, you can.
Co-host sticks his/her tongue out at the Host and makes a mocking face.
Co-host
But, it’s hard to say no.
Host
I’ll show you that it’s possible to resist. We have two kids to help us. They are going to resist the urge to press the buzzer until I say, “Go.” That’s the only word that matters. If you buzz early, you’re out.
Have the kids stand by the buzzer and wait until you say, “Go.” You can also give them a free pass for the first mistake if you like. Have fun by trying to trick them.
Co-host
So, you’re saying I don’t have to do this.
Co-host pinches the Host.
Host
If you pinch me one more time…
Co-host
Don’t give in to the temptation. Why do you have that crazy look in your eyes? Why don’t you stand up and get ready to worship while I run?
Engage 1Materials: Lab Coat (2), Red Horns, Plastic Pitchfork, Red Bow Tie
Host and Co-host enter.
Host
Does anyone think that Slater shouldn’t be listening to Skip? I think so. He is tempting Slater to head down the wrong path.
Optional, play the song “My Girl.” Co-host enters. He/She is wearing red devil horns and carrying a pitchfork.
Host
Why are you playing that song, and why are you dressed like that?
Co-host
The group that sings that song is called “The Temptations.” Get it? Temptation? You said we’re talking about our enemy, the devil, and how he can control our every action and thought.
Co-host pokes the Host with the pitchfork.
Host
Stop poking me. You’re wrong. First of all, the Bible does not say that Satan looks like that. Secondly, he can’t control us. Let’s see what we can do when we feel tempted.
The Host and Co-host choose a kid to volunteer.
Host
Let’s all say it together: Trust God! When we feel tempted, we should trust God to help us resist the urge to do wrong.
Co-host
How can God help us?
Pokes the Host again.
Host
Stop doing that. Let me share this verse with you. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIrV), “But when you are tempted, God will give you a way out. Then you will be able to deal with it.” Let’s look at some scenarios and talk about how God might help us choose a different action.
Show the scenarios and ask kids to suggest alternative actions that God might lead us to do instead of giving in to temptation. Have the kids discuss the danger of staying near the temptation.
Deciding whether to do homework or play with your friends outside.
Copying someone else’s test.
Staying up late to play on your tablet.
Watching a show your parents said was off limits.
Eating more snacks than your mom or dad said was allowed.
Co-host
So if you stay too close to the temptation too long, you’re probably more likely to give in to it.
Host
Yes, the better choice is to trust God to provide a way out. He will help us escape temptation, but we still have to make the choice.
Co-host
That does sound better than being controlled. I hope Slater will escape from Skip.
Engage 2Materials: Lab Coat (2), Cupcake
Host and Co-host enter.
Host
Can you believe that Slater was going to let Sophia take the blame for the tablet?
Co-host
That was pretty bad. He’s really letting that temptation win.
Host
A better choice would be to pray and follow the Big Point, Trust God! Let’s choose an assistant to reveal the Big Verse from the Bible.
Host and Co-host choose a kid to volunteer.
The Big Verse says, “Keep us from sinning when we are tempted. Save us from the evil one,” Matthew 6:13 (NIrV).
Co-host
It’s hard sometimes because even when I think about not doing the wrong thing, it’s all I can think about.
Host
I know what you mean. Let’s do a little test. I have a cupcake. (Show the cupcake) Let’s bring up someone to help. Preferably someone who loves to eat cupcakes. Someone who would want this cupcake. (Bring up a child) Does it look delicious? It does. You can’t have it. I want you to stare at the cupcake, and I want you to think in your mind over and over, “Don’t eat the cupcake.” Just repeat that until I tell you to stop.
Have the child look at it and think about it.
Co-host
This is torture. All I can think about is wanting that cupcake.
Host
Did thinking about the cupcake help you not want it? Probably not. The tricky thing is, we often think the way to avoid doing something wrong is to keep telling ourselves not to do it — but that usually just makes us think about it even more.
Co-host
What do we do, then?
Host
What works better is to think about better things, like God’s truth from the Bible. Trying not to think about temptation is like relying on your own power. Why do that when God wants to help us? Check out this verse.
Co-host
“So don’t live under the control of sin. If you do, you will think about what sin wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants.”
Host
Let God help you think about Him and what He wants. He will help you think about other things when you feel tempted, things that actually help you. In a moment, we’ll see how Jesus handled temptation.
Big Story
Optional, play soft instrumental music.
Storyteller
One of the best tools for fighting temptation is God’s Word. That’s because the best way to fight sin and lies is with truth. That’s why it’s so important and helpful to read the Bible every day. The more we put God’s Word in our hearts, the more weapons we have to fight our enemy. So let’s practice that by meditating on our Big Verse. That simply means we pray the Scripture. Let’s pray that Scripture a couple of times out loud together. “Keep us from sinning when we are tempted. Save us from the evil one,” Matthew 6:13 (NIrV). (Repeat) Now I’m going to use that verse to pray over you all.
Engage 3Materials: Lab Coat (2), Tug of War Rope
Host and Co-host enter.
Host
It’s helpful to know that even Jesus was tempted, but He never gave in to those temptations and sinned.
Co-host
Being tempted to do something wrong doesn’t mean you’re bad. Everyone is tempted. What matters is what we choose to do with that temptation. Thankfully, we can choose to, Trust God!
Host
That would be a great story to share as you do this week’s Big Do. For fun, place a really tempting dessert on the kitchen counter and see who can resist it the longest. Then, talk about how we can trust God to help us resist temptation.
Co-host
Let’s play a game of tug of war. For round one, we have three kids vs. ten kids. Who do you think will win? Let’s see.
Play optional game music. Have the kids play.
Host
That was pretty unfair. That’s how it feels sometimes to face temptation alone. But we don’t face it alone when we are followers of Jesus. We have help. Let’s play again, but this time we’re adding three adults to the team of three kids. Let’s see how this round goes.
Play optional game music. Play the game.
Co-host
That was a big difference. Remember that you have God’s power. Let’s gather in our small groups and discuss what we’ve learned.
Small GroupMaterials: Small Group Questions
Gather the kids into small groups and discuss the following.
What is one thing at school that is a hard temptation to resist? What about at home?
How did Jesus fight Satan’s temptation? (He quoted the Bible) Why do you think He used the Bible to respond to the devil? (God’s word is truth. It has power. It put the focus on God.)
How could you copy what Jesus did this week? How would that help you when you faced one of the temptations at school? What can you pray when you feel tempted?
What is the Big Do?
Big ReviewMaterials: Wheel, Game Show Podium
Play optional game music. Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question. The first kid to buzz in and correctly answer the question will win a small piece of candy and the opportunity to spin the wheel for a bonus.
Our Big Point says Trust !
God
Yourself
Who tempted Jesus?
Friends
Satan
God sometimes tempts us to do wrong.
True
False
What did Satan tempt Jesus to do with the stone?
Throw it
Turn it into bread
The Bible says that God will provide what when we are tempted?
A way out
A more fun option
Matthew 6:13 (NIrV), “Keep us from sinning when we are tempted. Save us from the __.”
Evil one
Christians
What did Satan tempt Jesus to do in exchange for all the kingdoms in the world?
Bow down to Satan
Give Satan money
Each time Jesus was tempted, what did He use to fight Satan?
Stick
The Bible
Jesus was tempted but never did wrong.
True
False
What is this week’s Big Do?