JANUARY 14, 2024

Parents, what a joy it is to serve your precious arrows on Sunday mornings! The Little Reformers team wants you to always have full visibility to what we are teaching your kids. It is important to us that we be effective partners to you, reinforcing what you work hard to teach your children at home. Each week, we update this section of the website to reflect the lesson, the big truth, gospel point, verse, and catechism your child(ren) will learn while in our care. We hope this resource is a help to you and gives you confidence as you train up your children in the way they should go.

Bible Story: Chapter 56. The Sin that Wasn't (Matthew 4)

The Big Truth: Jesus resisted Satan’s temptation through the word of God.

The Gospel Point: The devil wanted Jesus to clamor for bread (like Israel had done), to put God to the test (like Israel had done), and to worship other gods (like Israel had also done). Three times the devil tried; three times he failed. Three times the Son of God was tempted; three times he passed the test. The third test, how- ever, wasn’t Jesus’s last test. He was tested throughout his life to skip suffering and go straight to ruling as king—to take the crown before the cross. His final temptation was on the cross, moments before he died. People who walked by him, as he was suffering on the cross, said to him, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matt. 27:40). Imagine how tempting that must have been. Jesus the powerful Son of God, could have pushed the nails out of his hands and feet, jumped to the ground, and saved himself from death. But he didn’t! Why? Because he knew that the only way to save sinners was to die for sinners, the only way to offer the good news of salvation was to die. How wonderful that Jesus succeeded on the final test so now all who trust in him can be saved.

Memory Verse: Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Catechism: Q: Who made you? A: God made me. (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7, Ecclesiastes 12:1, Acts 17:24-29)

Sources: Bible stories from The Biggest Story Bible Story Book by Kevin DeYoung. Catechisms from Truth and Grace Book 1 by Tom Ascol . The Big Truth and the Gospel Point taken from The Biggest Story Bible by Kevin DeYoung, published by Crossway.