Use this children’s sermon on Lent to encourage kids to obey Christ more fully during this season.
Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11
Needed: nothing
Children’s Sermon
Read or summarize Matthew 4:1-11.
“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.’
“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
“Then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point 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 answered him, ‘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 splendor. ‘All this I will give You,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’
“Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”’
“Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him.”
Ask students, How many of you have heard of Lent?
What is Lent?
Lent is the 40 days before Easter, and it starts with Ash Wednesday.
Have any of you heard of someone giving something up for Lent? What kinds of things have you heard of?
Other times, instead of giving something up for Lent, people will try to do something good every day for Lent.
They either give something up for the 40 days of Lent, or they try to add something that they’re doing for the 40 days of Lent.
Why do you think people do that?
When people give something up or add something, it reminds them of the 40 days Jesus fasted in the desert. Jesus fasted – He didn’t eat – for 40 days. So, people give something up or add something for 40 days to be like Jesus.
And do you know why Jesus fasted for 40 days?
Jesus was using that time to get ready to start teaching people. He was focusing on God so that when those 40 days were over, He would be ready to start doing what God wanted Him to do.
And that’s why we celebrate Lent too. We do something special during Lent, like giving something up or adding something good to our day to show that we’re getting ready to be used more fully by God. We’re focusing on God for those 40 days so that we can better learn to do what He wants us to do.
Maybe you can think about something God wants you to do or not do this Lent.
Closing Prayer
Father God, we thank You for Jesus’ example of how He spent 40 days focusing on You and getting ready to do the mission You gave Him. We pray that You will help us to especially focus on You during these 40 days of Lent so that we’ll be ready to serve You better and do whatever work You have for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
You can also find this children’s sermon for Kindle or in print in my book, Holy Days: Children’s Sermons for the Holidays.