26-Feb-23 (Matthew 4:1-11)

What's the hardest test you've had so far? What was so hard about it? [Wait for answers]
Today's gospel story talks about a time when Jesus faced a big test. It wasn't about math or reading. It was about what type of person he was. The story tells us that Jesus was tempted to use his power to make bread for himself, to throw himself off the temple so that God would send angels to rescue him, and to bow down to Satan so that he could have power over the whole world. Each time, Jesus responded with scriptures that he had learned his whole life. That wouldn't help much for a math problem, but it really helps when the test is about what kind of person you need to be. That's one of the reasons we have things like Sunday school, so when you face tests like Jesus did, you'll know what God would want you to do.

Let's pray right now and ask God for help with learning well for our tests.
God, we thank you that you have given us good teachers, like the ones we have here at church and like Jesus himself, that show us how you'd like us to live. We thank you that you forgive us when we don't do the right thing, but we also pray that you would help us to learn well and to do well when we get tested.
We pray in Jesus' name.
AMEN.