(adapted from messages by Mark Jones and Dan Webb)
SERIES: “FATAL TEMPTATIONS”
TEXT: JAMES 1:14-15; EPHESIANS 6:1-4
TITLE: “TEMPTATIONS THAT CHILDREN FACE”
INTRODUCTION: A. Last week I started a new series called “Fatal Temptations”
1. It’s based on James 1:14-15 – “Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire,
he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to
sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
2. You see that I hold before you several things:
--Bug spray and roach motels; I really wanted to use a bug zapper, too, but I didn’t
have one and didn’t know anyone that would loan me theirs
a. I mention each one of these things because bugs are all tempted by different
things: some by taste, some by scent, and some by that fascinating light in the
bug zapper
b. All bugs are not drawn by the same things
3. Human beings are the same way
a. We’re not all tempted by the same things but we are all tempted
b. And as James reminds us, if we give in to those temptations, it will lead us to
places we don’t want to go
--like the bugs, we can be lured to our death
c. Prov. 14:12 – “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads
to death.”
4. Last week, the message was “Temptations Women Face”
--a fitting message for Mother’s Day
5. Other messages in this series are “Temptations Senior Citizens Face”
“Temptations Teenagers Face” and “Temptations Men Face”
B. Today’s message is very important
--It’s “Temptations Children Face”
1. Since a lot of this message is for you, we’ve dismissed children’s church today
--Let’s have all of our kids from kindergarten through sixth grade stand and wave
your hands (Please be seated)
2. Young people, I have high expectations for you this morning
a. I want you to do your best to pay attention
b. Stay awake and stay with me
c. Try not to go out of the auditorium
d. If you’ll look at the bulletin insert, it’s made so that you can follow along and fill
in the blanks.
e. Ask the adults around you to help out
--If you need something to write with, ask an adult or come up front right now
and get a pen or pencil
f. When we’re finished this morning, if you’ll show me a completed sheet with all
of the blanks filled in, I’ll give you a treat for being attentive
2. Adults, don’t zone out on me either
a. There are some important instructions for you, too
b. You set the example for attentiveness and for good manners
C. God, our Creator, loves little children
--But He also has high expectations for them
1. Prov. 20:11 – “Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure
and right.”
2. There are several occasions in the Bible where God used children to play important
roles in accomplishing His will
a. Isaac was probably about twelve years old when he willingly allowed his father to
offer him as a sacrifice to God on Mount Moriah.
--Thankfully God provided a ram for sacrifice!
b. Samuel was a very young boy serving in the tabernacle when God called his name
in the middle of the night and gave him a message for Eli, the High Priest.
c. Josiah was just eight years old when he became king, and he honored God for
thirty-one years in that important position.
d. Prov. 22:6 – “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not
turn from it.”
e. Jesus welcomed children into his lap and used a young boys lunch to feed 5000
people.
--Mk. 10:14 – “"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the
kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
E. Because Satan also knows the importance of children, he stalks children early and
cleverly to seek to drag them down to his level.
1. It’s important that both adults and children recognize those temptations and work
together to counter them.
2. 2 Cor. 2:11 counsels us not to let Satan “…outwit us. For we are not unaware of
his schemes.”
3. Let’s talk about three very common temptations that Satan uses to try to separate
children from God.
--And if not corrected they can be fatal in the end.
I. SELFISHNESS
--Kids, write “selfishness” in the blank next to Temptation #1
A. Children are born with a tendency toward selfishness
1. What is most important to a child?
--Their needs!
a. A hungry baby doesn’t wake up at 2:00 a.m. and think, “My mom had a long day. She’s probably
really tired. I just lay here and try to go back to sleep.”
--babies just cry louder and louder until they get what they want!
b. When a toddler sees her mom holding her baby sister, does she patiently wait until the baby’s nap
so mom can giver her some attention?
--Of course not. She wants attention NOW!
c. When mom starts cutting pieces of cake for dessert, do the kids say to each other, “No, really, you
take the first piece.”
--I don’t think so! Everybody scrambles for the biggest piece
2. Phil 2:3 – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better
than yourselves.”
--Kids, write “selfish” in the blank
a. Kids, have you ever heard yourself say something like this?
--“That’s not fair!” “I get to sit in front!” “I want the big piece!” “I had it first!” “It’s my turn!”
b. God wants you to be unselfish because He is unselfish
--He gave His one and only Son for us
B. Adults must cultivate an attitude of unselfishness in children
--Mt. 18:6 – “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him
to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
--what do we have to do as adults?
1. Model generosity
--Don’t just be generous with your money
a. Show concern for the well-being of others
b. Share with others without complaining
c. Serve others who need help
--when kids see unselfishness modeled are more likely to demonstrate it themselves
2. Remind children to think of the feelings and needs of others
a. If you throw a candy wrapper towards the garbage can and miss, someone needs to remind you that
your mother shouldn’t have to pick up after you all the time
b. Maybe your watching a video and Dad wants to watch a ballgame
--Since your video is on tape or DVD, you can finish watching it later. Dad would like to watch
Kentucky whip Indiana on live TV!
3. Make sure you affirm any unselfish behavior
a. Recognize when they’re considerate or show compassion
b. Commend them when they behave responsibly
c. Encourage them to keep up the good work
1). Ken Blanchard, The One Minute Manager, points out that good employers should catch
employees doing something right and tell them about it
2). The same is true for adults and children
II. LYING
--Kids, write “lying” in the blank that follows Temptation #2
A. Lying come naturally to most children
1. A little girl came running into the kitchen yelling, “Mommy, mommy, there’s a lion in the front
yard!” The mom tried to calm the little girl down. Using a calm tone of voice, she said, “Honey, there
aren’t any lions around here.” The little girl insisted: “I promise, mommy, there’s a lion in the front
yard. You have to come and see!”
The mom went to the living room window and looked outside. She turned to the little girl and said,
“Honey, that’s not a lion. It’s the neighbor’s St. Bernard.” The little girl kept saying it was a lion.
Finally the mother got tired of it and said, “I want you to go upstairs and pray for God to forgive you
for telling a lie.” The girl marched upstairs and closed the door to her bedroom.
About ten minutes later, she came back downstairs all smiles. Her mom asked, “Did you talk to
God?” The little girls said, “Yes.” The mother asked “What did He say?” The little girl responded,
“He said the first time He saw the neighbor’s dog, He thought it was a lion, too!”
2. Children constantly face the temptation to lie
a. “Did you eat those cookies when I told you not too?”
b. “Were you copying off your neighbor’s paper?”
c. “Didn’t you hear me calling you for supper?”
3. Telling the truth may bring some serious consequences so many kids think it will be better if they lie
--I heard about a young fellow who tried to justify his “bending of the truth” by misquoting two
scriptures back to back: “A lie is an abomination to the Lord ... but an ever-present help in times of
trouble.”
4. Prov. 12:22 – “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.”
a. It’s so much easier to tell the truth
--even when it’s hard
b. When you tell the truth, you maintain integrity before God and you don’t have to remember which lie
you told to whom in order to continue covering your tracks
c. Eph. 4:25 – “Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we
are all members of one body.”
--Kids, write “truthfully” in this blank
B. Adults have the responsibility to nurture honesty in their kids
--what can we as adults do?
1. Demonstrate honesty at all times
a. A nosy neighbor calls and you don’t want to talk to them so you tell the children to say you’re not
at home
b. You compliment the preacher on the sermon after church but then the child hears you talk about the
“sleeper” that Mike preached this morning.
2. Discipline children for the slightest hint of deceit
a. It seems easier just to overlook “little white lies” when we’re tired or when things are going pretty
well
b. Prov. 13:24 – “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he loves him is careful to discipline him.”
--notice that the key word is “discipline”
3. Insist that they make things right by confessing the truth
-- I remember when I was little, maybe three, I took a piece of bubble gum at the checkout
counter at the grocery store. When my mom went to put me in the car, I was chewing down on that
bubble gum. She asked me where I got it. I told her that I got it in the store. She told me that since no
one had given it to me that I had stolen it. She gave me some pennies, marched me into the store, and
I had to confess to the store owner that I had taken it. Was I scared! I cried and paid for the gum. It
was a great lesson in truthfulness.
III. DISRESPECT FOR AUTHORITY
--Kid, write “authority” in the blank next to Temptation #3
A. Most children struggle with a natural tendency to rebel
1. In a Christian elementary school, one of the cafeteria workers had placed a large bowl of red juicy
apples on a table. Beside the bowl, she placed a sign that said, “Take only one. Remember, God is
watching.”
At the other end of the table was a tray of chocolate chip cookies still warm from the oven.
Beside the tray was a note written in a child’s handwriting. It said, “Take all you want. God is
watching the apples.”
2. When kids intentionally defy rightful authority, their behavior must be confronted
a Eph. 6:1-3 – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and
mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise— ‘that it may go well with you and
that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’”
b. 1 Pet. 2:13-15 tells us that we should do what the governmental authorities tell us to do because it
is right in the eyes of God
c. Heb. 13:17 tells us that we should obey our leaders in the church
3. At home, defiance to parental authority shows itself in facial expressions, loud sighs, stomping out of
the room, slamming doors, dirty looks, a disrespectful tone of voice
--I’ve heard of families who have kids like that!
4. If that behavior is tolerated, it only gets harder to control
B. The Bible says that adults should both earn respect and expect respect from children
--Eph. 6:1-3 tells children to be obedient. Eph. 6:4 says, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children;
instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
--How do we as adults earn respect without being exasperating?
1. We earn respect by practicing what we preach
a. Did you notice that each section of this message about helping children overcome temptation
starts with the example of adults?
b. How faithful are we in respecting authority?
1). If we constantly speak disrespectfully of the President, our boss, police officers, children
influenced by us will probably develop a disdain for authority figures
2). If we habitually take the Lord’s name in vain or regularly gripe about the church, children
influenced by us will probably lost their respect for the Lord
c. We, as adults, need to follow our own rules
2. We encourage respect by being clear in our expectations
a. When kids aren’t sure what you want from them, it’s difficult for them to be cooperative
b. If there is a change in the expectation, then it should be explained clearly and carefully
3. We encourage respect by immediately confronting defiance
a. When a toddler is told not to touch something, and he hollers, “NO!”, he needs to be restrained for
a few moments so he experiences some unpleasantness and if the behavior insists, further
discipline
is necessary
b. When a six-year-old is told to clean their room and they refuse to do it or pretends to forget, there
needs to be a swat on the bottom or some other appropriate disciplinary measure take
c. When a fifth or sixth grader is told to stop arguing but still has to get in the last word, the may
need to be sent to their rooms
--Actually, if you really want to punish them, send them to your room! It’ll be a lot more boring
d. In reality, kids want boundaries placed on their behavior
--They find security in knowing that adults are keeping an eye on them and that somebody else is
in charge
4. We promote respect when we insist on first-time obedience
--this is an area where a lot of adults drop the ball. I know that we’ve struggled with it sometimes in
our household
a. What happens when a child is told to turn off the TV and come to supper?
--Do they come right away or do they wait until the next commercial? Have they been trained to
know that you’re going to tell them three more times anyway?
b. Children need to learn to obey right away
1). It establishes your authority and prepares them for those times when instant obedience is
essential
2). Suppose a child is chasing a ball toward the street and you see a car coming but he doesn’t?
--if the child has never learned first-time obedience, the consequences could be severe
CONCLUSION: A. Let’s all be honest: we face countless temptations every day
1. However, for those who struggle with temptations, the Bible does give good news
2. 1 Cor. 10:13 – “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And
God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when
you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
3. Kids will never be perfect in this life – none of us will
--but God promises that we can have victory over temptation through Jesus Christ
B. I mentioned several weeks ago on Youth Sunday that we can afford a youth minister if
we would do some extended giving
1. A youth minister would be an excellent way to encourage our youth at this church
2. If 30 people would give an extra $10 a week on top of their regular giving (don’t
neglect your regular tithe), we’d be able to offer an excellent part-time package
3. If 50 people would give an extra $10 a week on top of their regular giving, we could
offer a decent full-time package
4. Some of you have already donated to this cause
a. We appreciate what you’ve given
b. But, in order to do this job, we need you to sign-up for this cause
--We don’t want to start moving in this direction unless we’re sure we have at least
the thirty people needed to proceed.
c. That sheet is on a clipboard on the back table
--Please sign up. Take some time to pray about it and do what God is asking you to
do
d. If some of you can do more, it will be appreciated. If you can only do $5.00 a
week, we can still do an okay salary with 25 people doing $10 a week and 25 people
doing $5 a week
--But that’s the absolute minimum. Don’t do the “least”; do the best
C. Sam Stone, long-time editor of the Christian Standard, told about a time that he and his
wife were returning from a trip to the Holy Land with their friends Harvey and Mary Ann
Bream. As their plane taxied up to the gate in Cincinnati, Mary Ann looked out the and
said, “OHHHHH!” Everyone asked, “What is it?” She said, “Look! All our children are
here!”
1. Adults, that’s the goal
--To someday walk the streets of heaven and have the satisfaction of knowing, “All our
children are here.”
2. Mt. 118:14 – “Your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should
be lost.”
--and so we do everything we can to lead our children into a saving relationship with
the Lord
