Lesson three - Jesus in the desert (pages 6-7)

Text from the book

Are there times when you want to be on your own? Sometimes we choose to be on our own. Jesus chose to spend time alone.

Learning objectives

Pupils will;

• know the story of the temptations;
• be able to reflect on what it must be like to be alone in a wilderness, a desert place;
• understand that Christians may have to go through a time of testing, hard times in order to be stronger people and to draw closer to God.

Background

Jesus went off into the wilderness for forty days, so the Bible says, to reflect on his future life. What would be the best way to teach, so that people would understand and accept his message? He chose to be alone, giving himself time to think what his life might hold. What would he teach? How would he and others react? Would there be pain and even death? He was tempted by the devil to take the easy way, to become a miracle worker to ensure that people would believe he was the Son of God. Jesus rejected the temptations. He wanted people to arrive at their own conclusions about him, not accept him unthinkingly.

Ways of using the picture

• How often do the pupils want to be on their own? Where do they go if they want to be alone? What do they think about?
• Use Stanley Spencer’s painting to discuss with the pupils what they think would be in Jesus’ mind during forty days in the desert.
• What tempts pupils? How easy is it for them to resist temptation? How easy is it to fail?

Bible references

Matthew 4.1-11, Mark 1.12-13, Luke 4.1-13

Key words

• Temptation
• Contemplation
• Worry
• Thirst
• Hunger
• Fear
• Ponder
• Mindful

Activities

You will need

Art materials
Pictures of desert places
A basket of stones

Look at wilderness and rocky, barren places in different parts of the world such as Russia, Australia, or America.

Reflect and respond to artwork, photos or pictures.

Close your eyes. Imagine you are there. What might you feel/ see/ touch/ smell/taste?

Draw/paint your own wilderness picture.

What will it look like?

Where in the world will it be?

Pass a basket of stones round. Invite the children to take one. Get to know their chosen stone- its’ texture, shape, colour, blemishes etc.

Discuss how we hold different things-holly, smooth or soft things, heavy or slimy things

As they hold the stone, imagine what it might be like to be in such a lonely place, to be really hungry, alone and lost.

Read the story of the Temptation. Would Jesus be still and reflective?

Remind them that Jesus was getting ready for his ministry and went to desert place for 40 days and nights.

If the pupils were Jesus what would they say and do? Do the stones feel like bread?

Look carefully at the picture. What is the artist saying? What might be going through Jesus’ mind? Why a scorpion with a vicious sting? What is the sting for Jesus?

Create a ‘word shower’ or a list of words describing their and Jesus’ feelings.

Learning outcomes

Pupils will:

• be familiar with the Temptation narrative;
• have explored their own ideas about temptation;
• have had the opportunity to express themselves in a variety of creative ways.

Assessment opportunities

Pupils will have;

• produced work together with levels of participation in the group activities;
• acquired knowledge of, and insight into, the Temptation story.

Extension work

As a group compose a poem about Jesus’ feelings.

Compose some music to go with the poem capturing the danger of the days in the desert and some of the feelings they think will be in Jesus’ mind.

Share pictures/ music, poems with the class and use as the basis for an act of worship.

Web site links

www.angelfire.com/ar/stanleyspencer/
One of the better web sites on the works of Stanley Spencer, including a biography and a chronology of his work. For further examples of his work see http://www.artnet.com/magazine/reviews/holmes/holmes4-16-2.asp
And http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/ARTspencer.htm
The Tate Britain web site at www.tate.org.uk/ includes work by Spencer and also other images of the temptation of Christ in the wilderness, by artists such as St John Long, John St John (1798-1834).

© Alan Brown and Alison Seaman, 2002

Top of the page