This lesson teaches children that God planted His people like a vineyard and wants them to grow good fruit of fairness and kindness, and that He is faithful even when they do not. It is best for ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including a story, a few questions, and one simple activity.
Big Idea
God takes great care of His people, and He wants them to do what is right and fair. When we choose wrong, we can still come back to Him, because He is good.
Memory Verse
Isaiah 5:7
For the vineyard of the LORD of Armies is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but, behold, oppression; for righteousness, but, behold, a cry of distress.
(WEB)
Have the children hold up both hands, fingers spread, like a vine growing up. Then slowly bring their hands down in a sweeping motion as they say, “God looks for fair and kind fruit.” Repeat it three times, getting a little quieter each time.
The Story: Isaiah 5 for Kids
Long ago, there was a farmer who loved his vineyard. A vineyard is a field of grape vines. The farmer picked a hill where the soil was rich and good. He dug up the ground, took out the rocks, and planted the best vines he could find. He even built a tower to watch over the fields and a press to make juice from the grapes.
The farmer waited for sweet grapes to grow. He waited and waited. But when the time came, the vines only gave wild, sour grapes that nobody could eat. The farmer was sad. He asked the people who lived nearby, “What more could I have done for my vineyard?”
The prophet Isaiah told the story of this vineyard. The vineyard was a picture of God’s own people, the people of Judah and Jerusalem. God had given them good land, a safe place, and His careful love. But they did not treat each other fairly. Rich people took land from poor people. Some people cheated and told lies. The cries of people who were hurting went up, and no one helped them.
God said that He was sad about this. He wanted His people to be fair, kind, and honest. He wanted them to care for one another the way a gardener cares for a vine. But they had forgotten Him, and they had let wrong things grow instead of right things.
Isaiah warned that a time of trouble would come, because God wants people to turn back to Him. Even then, God did not stop loving His people. He still wanted them to return to Him and to grow good fruit.
Read It Together
Isaiah 5:1-2
1 Let me sing for my well beloved a song of my beloved about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. 2 He dug it up, gathered out its stones, planted it with the choicest vine, built a tower in the middle of it, and also cut out a wine press therein. He looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.
(WEB)
Point out that God planted the vineyard with great care and expected good fruit from it. Ask the children what they think a vineyard needs to grow well, such as good soil, water, and someone to look after it.
Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
(WEB)
Explain that this verse describes people who call wrong things right and right things wrong. Help the children see that God wants us to tell the truth about what is good and what is bad, and to always choose the good.
Isaiah 5:16
But the LORD of Armies is exalted in justice, and God the Holy One is sanctified in righteousness.
(WEB)
Point out that God is described as holy and fair, and that He stands up for what is right. Tell the children that because God is good and fair, we can trust Him to make things right in the end.
Talk About It
- What do you think a vineyard needs so that it can grow sweet grapes?
- What kind of fruit do you think God hopes to see grow in the lives of His people?
- How can you show fairness to a friend or a brother or sister this week?
- Why do you think it is hard sometimes to tell the truth, and how can God help us do it?
- When we make a wrong choice, what can we do to turn back to God?
Activity Ideas
Draw a Vineyard of Good Fruit
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and grape stickers or small circles cut from colored paper. Have each child draw a vine with a few branches. Then ask them to add grapes, and write or draw one good action on each grape, like sharing a toy or telling the truth. Talk about how good actions are the fruit God hopes to see in our lives.
Vineyard Walk Game
You will need a open space and a few chairs or cones. Set up a “vineyard” with the chairs as vines. Have the children walk slowly through the vineyard like farmers looking for fruit. Each time they find a “good fruit” card you have hidden, they say one fair or kind thing they could do. Keep the game short and cheerful.
Fruit Reminder at Home
You will need a small paper plate, glue, and some colored paper. Have each child make a paper grape cluster on the plate, writing one kind or fair action on each grape. Encourage them to bring it home and place it on the kitchen table or near their bed. Each evening, ask them which grape they will try to act on the next day.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter is a sober picture of God’s care for His people and His hope for justice and righteousness among them. The vineyard image shows that God has done everything needed for His people to flourish, so when injustice and oppression grow instead, it grieves Him. Isaiah also reminds us that God is holy and exalted in justice, and that He will act to set things right.
With children, avoid overstating the judgment and warnings in this chapter. Be careful not to make them feel that God is simply angry or waiting to punish them. Focus instead on God’s loving care, His desire for fruit that comes from loving Him, and the good news that He welcomes us back when we turn to Him.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for caring for us like a gardener cares for a vineyard. Help us to be fair, kind, and honest in everything we do. When we make wrong choices, help us turn back to You, because You are good and always ready to forgive. Help us grow good fruit that shows Your love to everyone around us. Amen.
