In this lesson, children learn that God stays with His people even when they are treated badly for telling the truth. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is always with us, even when people are unkind to us or when we feel like giving up. He is strong, and He keeps His promises.
Memory Verse
Jeremiah 20:11
But the LORD is with me as an awesome mighty one. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they won’t prevail. They will be utterly disappointed, because they have not dealt wisely, even with an everlasting dishonor which will never be forgotten.
(WEB)
Have the children stand tall with both feet firmly planted, then stomp once each time they say “the Lord is with me.” Let them end by lifting both arms high like a strong tree, to show that God holds them up.
The Story: Jeremiah 20 for Kids
Jeremiah was a prophet, which means he told the people what God wanted them to hear. Sometimes the message was hard, and not everyone liked it. One day, a priest named Pashhur heard Jeremiah speaking God’s words, and he was very angry.
Pashhur grabbed Jeremiah and hit him. Then he put Jeremiah in the stocks, which were wooden frames that held a person’s feet and hands still. Jeremiah had to sit there in the cold and the dark for a whole night. Can you imagine how uncomfortable that would be?
The next day, Pashhur let Jeremiah out. Jeremiah did not stay quiet. He told Pashhur that God had given him a new name, Magormissabib, which means “terror all around.” God was saying that trouble was coming, and Pashhur and his friends would be taken away to Babylon.
Jeremiah felt very sad and tired. He told God that people laughed at him all day long. He said, “I wanted to stop talking about you, but your words burned inside me like a fire, so I could not keep quiet.” Even when it was hard, Jeremiah kept telling the truth because God was with him.
Jeremiah was so discouraged that he wished he had never been born. He felt that life was too full of pain. But even in his worst moment, Jeremiah still knew that God was strong and faithful. He chose to sing and praise the Lord, even while he was sad.
Read It Together
Jeremiah 20:7
The LORD, you have persuaded me, and I was persuaded. You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I have become a laughing-stock all day. Everyone mocks me.
(WEB)
Point out that Jeremiah is honest with God about how he feels. Tell the children that it is okay to talk to God about our feelings, even when we are upset or confused.
Jeremiah 20:12
But, the LORD of Armies, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance on them; for to you I have revealed my cause.
(WEB)
Show the children that Jeremiah trusts God to see everything, even things people hide. Explain that God knows our hearts and always knows what is true and fair.
Jeremiah 20:13
Sing to the LORD! Praise the LORD, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evildoers.
(WEB)
Help the children notice that even after a sad story, Jeremiah ends with a song of praise. Remind them that God rescues people who are in trouble, and we can thank Him for that.
Talk About It
- How do you think Jeremiah felt when he was put in the stocks overnight?
- What is something hard you have had to face, and how did you find help?
- Why do you think Jeremiah kept telling the truth even when people made fun of him?
- What can we do when our friends or classmates are unkind to us?
- How can you remind yourself that God is with you on a difficult day?
Activity Ideas
Strong Tower Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a tall tower or castle, then add a small stick figure inside it. Explain that God is like a strong tower who keeps us safe. Let the children write or draw one way they can run to God when they feel scared.
Stand Strong Game
You will need an open space and a few sturdy chairs. Play a simple game where one child sits in a chair, pretending to be in the stocks, while the others call out “God is with you!” Then switch roles. Each time the group speaks, the child in the chair stands up tall, which shows that God gives strength even in hard places.
Take-Home Prayer Card
You will need index cards, a marker, and a hole punch with yarn. Have each child write “God is with me” on one side of the card and draw a heart on the other. Punch a hole at the top and tie on the yarn so they can hang it on a bedroom doorknob or backpack. This helps them remember God’s presence during the week.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that faithful obedience to God can bring real suffering, and that God’s prophets often faced rejection. Jeremiah’s honesty with God, including his complaints and his despair, is part of the Bible’s record of faith. The chapter does not end with an easy answer, but it does end with a call to trust God’s faithfulness.
Be careful not to make the lesson sound like doing right always brings immediate rewards or that a child’s hard days are a sign of God’s displeasure. Jeremiah suffered because of his faithfulness, and the lesson should focus on God’s presence rather than promising that obedience always leads to comfort.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that You are always with us, even when things are hard. Help us to be brave when people are unkind, and help us to talk to You about our feelings. Thank You that You are strong and faithful, and that You never leave us alone. Amen.
