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Nevertheless at Thy Word

The tempter’s three sales pitches, a hometown that turned on Him, and a tired fisherman who tried one more time

  • 🧭 Youth 12–13
  • Week 5
  • 📅 Sunday, January 31, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus Christ drew close to His Father before He served, answered every temptation with scripture, and when I trust His word even before it makes sense, He can make far more of me than I could alone.

I can draw close to Heavenly Father, answer temptation with truth I already know, and say “nevertheless at thy word” when the Lord asks me to try again.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 4; Luke 4–5 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 4; Luke 4–5)
Know the chapters

Matthew 4:1–11 opens right after Jesus’s baptism. Before He healed or taught anyone, He spent forty days fasting in the wilderness; the Joseph Smith Translation says He went there “to be with God.” Then the tempter came with three offers: turn stones into bread, throw Yourself off the temple so angels have to catch You, and bow down in exchange for the kingdoms of the world. The manual notes that President David O. McKay taught that nearly every temptation fits one of these three kinds: appetite (my body wants it now), pride (look at me), and power or riches (I want to win, get or control). Jesus answered all three with “It is written,” quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16 and 6:13. Two details your 11–14s will catch: Satan opened with “If thou be the Son of God,” right after the Father had called Jesus His beloved Son, and in verse 6 Satan quoted scripture himself (Psalm 91), twisted out of context. The Joseph Smith Translation also clarifies that the Spirit, not the devil, carried Jesus to the temple and the mountain.

Luke 4:16–30: in His hometown synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus read Isaiah’s prophecy about the Anointed One who would heal the brokenhearted and free captives, then said it was fulfilled that day. The people who had watched Him grow up couldn’t accept it (“Is not this Joseph’s son?”) and tried to throw Him off a cliff, but He walked through the middle of them. It’s a good warning for teenagers who grew up in the Church: “I already know this” can keep us from really meeting Him.

Luke 5:1–11 is today’s readers’ theater. Simon Peter, a professional fisherman, had worked all night and caught nothing. A carpenter’s son told him to go back out into deep water and try again, which may have made little sense to an expert after a whole night of nothing. Peter answered, “nevertheless at thy word,” and the nets broke. Then Peter fell at Jesus’s knees feeling unworthy, and Jesus said, “Fear not.” The manual frames this as trusting the Lord to help us reach a potential we couldn’t see ourselves. For brand-new deacons and Young Women, that fits: a first time passing the sacrament, a class presidency calling, a Children and Youth goal that feels bigger than they are.

Calendar check: January 31 is a fifth Sunday; the bishopric decides the topic and whether youth and adults meet together or separately, so confirm with your bishopric whether your class meets. Next Sunday (February 7) is fast Sunday. Deacons in many wards gather fast offerings, and youth can choose a purpose for their fast. Youth can decide with their parents how to fast; the purpose and the prayer are what make it a fast.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Luke 5:1–11 and Matthew 4:1–11. Tap “I brought nothing,” so every step uses its no-supplies version. Do the Tried Everything hook. Hand out the three reading parts for Nevertheless at Thy Word. Read the three temptations, and teach Matthew 4:4. Play Appetite, Pride or Power? with the situations in the plan. Close by asking what “deep water” the Lord might want each of them to try.

What to bring3 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Write one situation per card. 1, autoplay at 12:40 a.m. 2, a whole bag of chips after skipping lunch. 3, a roof jump for a viral video. 4, roasting the new kid. 5, posting only the perfect photo. 6, a hack for top rank. 7, a small lie for a phone. 8, stealing a friend’s idea. Cards 1–2 are appetite, 3–5 pride, 6–8 power.
  2. Pick three confident readers for Narrator 1, Narrator 2 and Simon Peter. Text them their parts before Sunday.
  3. Think of a time you did what the Lord asked before it made sense. You’ll share it in two sentences at the end.

If your class is wild

  • This age loves catching trick details. Lead with the “If” and the “Satan quoted scripture” discoveries, and let them feel smart for finding them.
  • Readers’ theater means reading, not performing. Readers stay seated, and the rest of the class has a listening job on every scene.
  • The corner game gets loud. Walk fast, never run, and sit down to claim the corner.
  • Don’t ask anyone to confess their own temptations. Keep examples about “a kid your age,” so nobody feels exposed.
  • Give the leaders jobs. You need a scorekeeper, a card reader and a youth to read the discussion questions.

The 25-minute plan24 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

Tried Everything

3 min

A quick stand-up question connects Peter’s empty night to the things youth have tried and given up on.

  1. SAY“Stand up if you’ve ever tried something over and over, and it still didn’t work. A game level. A free throw. A hard class.”
  2. Ask two or three who stood, “Did you quit, or try again?” Then ask, “What made the difference?”
  3. SAY“Today we meet a fisherman who worked all night and caught nothing. Then Jesus told him to try once more.”
🌪️ Go first and name something you tried for years. It makes it safe for them to stand.

Class screen: 🔁 Tried it over and over and it still didn’t work? · Stand up if that’s you

2. Story

Readers’ Theater: Nevertheless at Thy Word

7 min

Hearing Peter’s night of failure and morning of miracles read aloud shows what happens when we trust the Lord’s word before it makes sense.

  1. SAY“Three readers, no acting. Everyone else, your job is to listen for the one word that changes everything.”
  2. Tap Roles in Teach Mode and give out Narrator 1, Narrator 2 and Simon Peter. Readers stay seated. You read Jesus’s words.
  3. Show each scene. The readers read, and the class listens for the cue on the screen.
  4. After scene 5, ask, “Why is Peter’s first reaction ‘Depart from me’?” At the end, ask, “Peter was the expert. Why did he listen anyway?”
🌪️ Pick readers who like reading aloud. A tired, flat “Master, we have toiled all the night” from Peter gets a laugh and lands the point.

Class screen: 🎣 All night. Nothing. Then Jesus said, try again. · Luke 5:1–11

3. Scripture

The Tempter’s Three Pitches

6 min

Teams break down each temptation and find that Jesus beat all three kinds with the word of God He already knew.

  1. SAY“Before He called Peter, Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness to be with God. Then the tempter came with three pitches.”
  2. Make three teams: Matthew 4:3–4, 4:5–7 and 4:8–10. Each finds what was offered and how Jesus answered. They report in thirty seconds.
  3. Point out “If” and Matthew 3:17. Ask who quotes scripture in verse 6. It’s Satan, twisting Psalm 91. Ask, “How do you beat truth used wrong?”
  4. Teach Matthew 4:4 with the motions. Say it twice together, then once with motions only.
  5. SAY“Peter lived by Jesus’s word in the boat. Jesus lived by His Father’s word in the wilderness. He already knew it before He needed it.”
🌪️ Each team picks one reader and one reporter, so no one does it all. A reporter over thirty seconds gets the Sound Board buzzer.

Class screen: 🛡️ Three pitches. Three answers. Break them down. · Team 1 · Matthew 4:3–4 · Team 2 · Matthew 4:5–7 · Team 3 · Matthew 4:8–10 · Offered? Really after? Jesus’s answer?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Scriptures: Bibles, a quad, or Gospel Library on your phone or tablet or phones (one per team of two or three)

The Tempter’s Three Pitches: Read and Spot

  1. SAY“Before He called Peter, Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness to be with God. Then the tempter came with three pitches.”
  2. Read one temptation at a time: Matthew 4:3–4, 5–7 and 8–10. The assigned team says what was offered and how Jesus answered.
  3. Point out “If,” Matthew 3:17, and Satan quoting Psalm 91 in verse 6. Ask, “How do you beat truth used wrong?”
  4. Teach Matthew 4:4 with the motions. Say it twice together, then once with motions only.
4. Game

Appetite, Pride or Power?

5 min

A fast corner game helps youth spot which kind of temptation they’re facing, then answer it with truth.

  1. SAY“Most temptations come in three kinds. Appetite, pride, or power. Each one gets a corner. Teams, start in the middle.”
  2. A youth draws a card and reads it. Teams walk fast to the corner that fits. The first to sit down in the right corner scores.
  3. For a bonus point, one person gives an “It is written” answer in one sentence. It can be a scripture or a truth they know.
  4. After the last card, ask, “Which kind hits people your age most?” Then ask, “Which one is easiest to miss?”
🌪️ Walk fast, never run, and sit to claim. A team that runs loses the point.

Class screen: 🎯 Appetite, pride or power? Pick your corner. · 🍔 Appetite · my body wants it now · 📸 Pride · look at me · 👑 Power · win, get, control

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Eight index cards or paper slips, each with one modern temptation scenario (see prep), shuffled

  1. SAY“Most temptations come in three kinds. Appetite, pride, or power. Each one gets a corner. Teams, start in the middle.”
  2. Read one at a time. Autoplay at twelve-forty at night. A bag of chips before dinner. A roof jump for a viral video.
  3. Then read these. Roasting the new kid. Posting only the perfect photo. A hack to hit top rank.
  4. The first team to sit down in the right corner scores. A one-sentence “It is written” answer earns a bonus point.
  5. Ask, “Which kind hits people your age most?” Then ask, “Which one is easiest to miss?”
5. Testimony

Your Deep Water

3 min

Each youth quietly names one thing the Lord may be asking them to try again, and hears the teacher’s witness that He fills nets.

  1. SAY“Deep water is the thing you already tried that didn’t work. Maybe a prayer habit, a friendship, or a goal you gave up on. Think of yours silently.”
  2. Share your two-sentence story of doing what the Lord asked before it made sense. Testify that He sees more in them than they do.
  3. Mention that next Sunday is fast Sunday, and invite them to choose a purpose for their fast. Show the challenge, then ask a youth to pray.

Class screen: 🌊 What’s your deep water? · Nevertheless at thy word. Luke 5:5

6. Talk it over

Deep Water Talk

3 minBONUS

Honest questions connect the wilderness, Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee to a twelve-year-old’s real week.

  1. SAY“Here are a few honest questions. Anyone can pass.”
  2. A youth reads each question from your phone or tablet and picks who answers. Keep answers short so more voices get in. Add one honest answer of your own.
💬 Ask the class
  • The tempter started with “If thou be the Son of God.” What “if” messages do people your age hear about who they are?
  • Nazareth rejected Jesus because they thought they already knew Him. How can growing up in the Church make it easy to stop really listening?
  • Peter was the expert, and Jesus’s advice didn’t make sense. When is it hard to follow counsel before you see why?
  • Jesus said “Fear not” right when Peter felt most unworthy. What does that tell you about how He sees you after a mistake?

Class screen: 💬 Deep water talk

7. Wiggle break

Net-Haul Relay

2 minBONUS

A tapping relay gets everyone out of their seats to haul in the net before the other boat does.

  1. SAY“Two boats. Haul that net before it breaks!”
  2. Tap Tug of War. Teams line up ten steps from your phone or tablet.
  3. One person per team taps for five seconds, then runs back and tags the next. The winning boat shouts “Nevertheless!” and everyone sits.
🪢 Tug of War (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🚣 Haul the net before it breaks! · Tap five seconds, then tag the next fisher.

Readers’ theater

Readers’ Theater: Nevertheless at Thy Word

Luke 5:1–11; Matthew 4:18–22 ↗

Reading parts (volunteers, from their seats)

  • Narrator 1Reads scenes 1–3 from the shared screen, from their seat.
  • Narrator 2Reads scenes 4–7 from the shared screen, from their seat.
  • Simon PeterReads Peter’s words in Luke 5:5 and 5:8 from their seat, like a tired expert about to be amazed.

Scenes

  1. 🌙 A whole night of work. Zero fish.

    Peter, Andrew, James and John fished for a living. They had worked the Sea of Galilee all night. They threw their nets and hauled them back empty. Again and again. Now it was morning. All they had to show for it were sore arms and dirty nets.

    🙌 Narrator 1 reads. Class, listen for how many fish they caught.

  2. 👥 A crowd pushes in to hear Jesus

    They were washing their nets on the shore. A crowd pressed around Jesus to hear the word of God. He stepped into Peter’s boat and asked him to push out a little. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.

    🙌 Narrator 1 reads. Class, where does Jesus sit to teach?

  3. 🤔 “Launch out into the deep”

    When He finished teaching, Jesus told Peter to row out to deep water and let down the nets. Peter knew fishing, and they had just tried all night with nothing to show for it. But listen to what he answered.

    🙌 Narrator 1 reads, then Simon Peter reads Luke 5:5. Everyone says “nevertheless” with him.

  4. 🐟 So many fish the nets started breaking

    They let the net down, and it filled with so many fish that it began to rip. Peter and Andrew waved to their partners in the other boat to come help. They filled both boats so full that the boats started to sink.

    🙌 Narrator 2 reads. Class, what happens to the nets and the boats?

  5. 🧎 “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man”

    Peter looked at the fish, then at Jesus. He suddenly understood who was in his boat. He fell down at Jesus’s knees. Go away from me, Lord, he said. I’m not good enough to be near You.

    🙌 Narrator 2 reads, then Simon Peter reads Luke 5:8. Hold three seconds of silence.

  6. 🎣 “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men”

    Jesus didn’t send him away. He told Peter not to be afraid. And He gave him a new job. From now on, Peter would catch people, and bring them to God. The same was true for Andrew, James and John.

    🙌 You read Jesus’s words in Luke 5:10. Class, listen for Peter’s new job.

  7. 🚶 They left everything and followed Him

    They brought the boats to shore. It was the best catch of their lives. And they left it all there. Nets, boats, fish. James and John even left their father Zebedee sitting in the boat. Straightway, they followed Jesus.

    🙌 Narrator 2 reads. Then a volunteer reads Matthew 4:20.

Key verse

Matthew 4:4 ↗
“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
In plain words: Food keeps your body going, but you actually live by what God says.
🙌 “It is written” = open your hands like a book · “Man shall not live by bread alone” = hold up an invisible sandwich and shake your head · “but by every word” = swipe a finger across the page · “that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” = touch your lips, then point up.

More verses

Luke 5:5 ↗
“Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”
In plain words: Peter was tired and the plan made no sense to an expert, but he trusted Jesus anyway.
Luke 5:10 ↗
“Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.”
In plain words: When Peter felt unworthy, Jesus didn’t send him away. He gave him a bigger job.
Matthew 4:20 ↗
“And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”
In plain words: Straightway means right away. They didn’t wait until it was convenient.
Luke 4:18 ↗
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted”
In plain words: Jesus read Isaiah’s prophecy in His hometown and told them it was about Him. He came to heal hearts.

Forehead Guess words18 words

  • 🏜️ Wilderness
  • 🍽️ Fasting
  • 🐍 Tempter
  • 🪨 Stones into bread
  • 🏛️ Pinnacle of the temple
  • 👑 Kingdoms of the world
  • 📖 It is written
  • 📘 Deuteronomy
  • 🏘️ Nazareth
  • 🕍 Synagogue
  • 🪚 Joseph’s son
  • 🌊 Sea of Galilee
  • 🧔 Simon Peter
  • 🌊 Deep water
  • 🐟 Breaking nets
  • 🎣 Fishers of men
  • ⚡ Straightway
  • 🤲 Fast offering
Clues for each word
  • Wilderness: Where Jesus went to be with God for forty days
  • Fasting: Going without food to draw closer to God
  • Tempter: Satan’s title in Matthew 4:3
  • Stones into bread: The first temptation, aimed at hunger
  • Pinnacle of the temple: Jump from here and angels will catch you
  • Kingdoms of the world: Offered if Jesus would bow down
  • It is written: How Jesus started every answer
  • Deuteronomy: The book Jesus quoted three times
  • Nazareth: His hometown that tried to throw Him off a hill
  • Synagogue: Where Jesus read from Isaiah on the Sabbath
  • Joseph’s son: What the doubters called Him
  • Sea of Galilee: The lake where Peter fished all night
  • Simon Peter: Fisherman who said “nevertheless”
  • Deep water: Where Jesus told Peter to launch out
  • Breaking nets: What happened when they obeyed
  • Fishers of men: Their new job title
  • Straightway: How fast they left their nets
  • Fast offering: What deacons often gather on fast Sunday
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown9 questions

  1. According to the Joseph Smith Translation, why did Jesus go into the wilderness?
    • A. To hide from Herod
    • B. To be with God
    • C. To find John the Baptist
    Show answer

    ✅ B. To be with God He prepared for His ministry by drawing close to His Father first.

  2. Which two-letter word did Satan use to attack Jesus’s identity?
    • A. If
    • B. No
    • C. Go
    Show answer

    ✅ A. If “If thou be the Son of God,” right after the Father had called Him His beloved Son.

  3. Jumping from the temple so angels would catch Him was mostly a temptation of…
    • A. Appetite
    • B. Riches
    • C. Pride, showing off
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Pride, showing off It was a stunt to prove Himself. Jesus answered that we don’t tempt God (Matthew 4:7).

  4. Who quoted scripture out of context in Matthew 4:6?
    • A. Peter
    • B. Satan
    • C. The Pharisees
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Satan He twisted Psalm 91. Knowing scripture well helps us spot twisted truth.

  5. Which book did Jesus quote to answer all three temptations?
    • A. Psalms
    • B. Isaiah
    • C. Deuteronomy
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Deuteronomy Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16 and 6:13. He already knew them by heart.

  6. Why did the people of Nazareth reject Jesus?
    • A. They thought they already knew Him
    • B. He refused to read
    • C. He came from far away
    Show answer

    ✅ A. They thought they already knew Him “Is not this Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:22). Familiarity blinded them.

  7. What had Peter caught after fishing all night?
    • A. Two small fish
    • B. Nothing
    • C. One huge fish
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Nothing Luke 5:5. “We have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing.”

  8. What word did Peter use before letting the net down anyway?
    • A. Maybe
    • B. Fine
    • C. Nevertheless
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Nevertheless “Nevertheless at thy word.” He trusted before it made sense.

  9. When Peter felt unworthy, what did Jesus tell him?
    • A. “Fear not”
    • B. “Go home”
    • C. “Try harder”
    Show answer

    ✅ A. “Fear not” Luke 5:10. Then He gave Peter a bigger calling: catching men.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Called to Serve Hymns, no. 249

    Peter, Andrew, James and John were called to serve, and so are new deacons and class presidencies. Find it ↗

  • Come, Follow Me Hymns, no. 116

    Jesus’s invitation at the shore was “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19). Sing it as a promise to keep following. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Launch Out This Week

Pick your “deep water.” It might be a prayer habit, a calling, a Children and Youth goal or a friendship. Try it one more time this week, trusting the Lord’s word. Memorize Matthew 4:4 so it’s ready when you need it. Then choose a purpose for your fast next Sunday, and write it where you’ll see it.

Text the parents

This week in class we broke down Satan’s three temptations of Jesus: appetite, pride and power. Jesus answered each one with “It is written,” in Matthew 4:1–11. We read about Peter fishing all night, then letting the net down again “at thy word,” in Luke 5:1–11. Ask your youth what “deep water” they’re trying again this week. What purpose could your family fast for next Sunday?

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

📜 Is Not This Joseph’s Son? · 4 min

  1. Use two readers. One reads Isaiah 61:1, and the other reads Luke 4:18–21. Ask, “What did Jesus claim about Himself?”
  2. Read Luke 4:22 and 28–30. Ask, “Why was it hardest for the people who knew Him best?”
  3. Ask, “What have you heard so many times that you stopped really hearing it?” Pick one and look at it fresh together.

📺 Satan’s Sales Pitch · 5 min

  1. Teams write a twenty-second, over-the-top commercial for a modern temptation. Make it sound amazing.
  2. After each pitch, the other team answers with “It is written” plus a scripture or a truth.
  3. Ask, “What does the ad always leave out?” The cost, and who you really are.

🤲 Fast Sunday Game Plan · 3 min

  1. Ask a deacon to explain what happens with fast offerings. They help people in need, often right in our ward.
  2. Each youth writes one purpose for next week’s fast. It could be someone to pray for, a question or strength for something hard.
  3. Remind them that how long to fast is a family decision. The purpose and the prayer are what make it a fast.

🏜️ What Did He Do First? · 4 min

  1. Teams guess what Jesus did for forty days before He healed or taught anyone. Then a youth reads Matthew 4:1–2.
  2. Add that the Joseph Smith Translation says He went into the wilderness to be with God.
  3. Ask, “What’s your version of ‘be with God first’ before something big, like a new calling or a hard week?”

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

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