This lesson teaches children that Jesus was hurt and suffered so that we could be made well and forgiven. It is written for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach. You can use it in a Sunday school class or at a family devotion time.
Big Idea
Jesus was hurt for our wrongs, and because of him we can be healed and forgiven. He loved us so much that he was willing to carry our sadness and our mistakes.
Memory Verse
Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.
(WEB)
Put one hand on your chest and gently tap it twice as you say, “By his wounds we are healed.” Then open both hands wide, like a gift being given. Let the children do it with you a few times so the words and motions stick together.
The Story: Isaiah 53 for Kids
Long ago, a prophet named Isaiah wrote down a message from God about a special servant. This servant would be very different from what people expected. He did not come with a crown or fancy clothes. He grew up quietly, like a little green plant pushing up from dry ground.
People did not like this servant. They turned away from him and said unkind things. He knew what it felt like to be sad and sick in his heart. Many people did not want to be near him, and they did not respect him at all.
Isaiah tells us that the servant was not hurt because of anything he had done wrong. He was hurt because of the wrong things everyone else did. Isaiah says, “All of us like sheep have wandered away.” Each person had turned to go their own way, far from God. The servant took the punishment that the rest of us deserved.
When the servant was treated badly, he did not yell back or fight. He was quiet, like a lamb being led to a place it could not leave. He did not argue, even when people were cruel. He trusted God through all of it.
In the end, Isaiah says that God was pleased to use this servant to bring peace and forgiveness to many people. Even in sadness, God had a good plan. The servant would see his family, live a long time, and help many others be made right with God.
Read It Together
Isaiah 53:4
Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted.
(WEB)
Point out the words “he has borne our sickness” and “carried our suffering.” Ask the children to think about a time someone carried something heavy for them. Explain that Jesus carries our hurts and sad feelings in a way that is even bigger than that.
Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
(WEB)
Show the children that sheep wander off when they are not watching the shepherd. Say that all of us have wandered away from God at times. Explain that this verse tells us God put our wrongs on Jesus so we could come back home.
Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he didn’t open his mouth.
(WEB)
Point out that the servant stayed quiet like a lamb. Talk about how hard it is to stay calm when someone is unkind. Explain that Jesus was gentle and trusted God even when others were mean to him.
Talk About It
- What is something that makes you feel sad or hurt inside?
- How do you think Jesus felt when people turned away from him?
- Why do you think Jesus chose to take our punishment for us?
- What is one way you can show kindness to someone who seems lonely or left out?
- How does knowing Jesus carried our sadness make you feel about him?
Activity Ideas
Lamb and Sheep Craft
You will need paper plates, cotton balls, glue, markers, and craft sticks. Have each child glue cotton balls onto a paper plate to make a fluffy lamb, then draw a face and legs with markers. Tape or glue a craft stick to the back so it can be held like a puppet. As you craft, talk about how the lamb stayed quiet and gentle, just like Jesus.
Shepherd and Sheep Game
Choose one child to be the shepherd and have the others be sheep that scatter around the room. The shepherd calls the sheep back by name, and each sheep walks back to stand beside the shepherd. Explain that Jesus calls us back when we wander away. You can play this with a few rounds so every child gets a turn.
Healing Hands Reminder
Give each child a sheet of paper and a crayon, and ask them to trace their hand. On each finger, have them write or draw one way Jesus helps or heals us. Let them take the paper home and place it somewhere they will see it during the week. Encourage them to show it to a family member and tell them the Memory Verse.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Isaiah 53 is one of the clearest pictures in the Old Testament of a suffering servant who bears the sins of others. Christians have read it for centuries as pointing forward to Jesus, who was despised, wounded, and gave his life for the forgiveness of sins. It also speaks deeply about God’s love and the healing that comes through the servant’s sacrifice.
With children, avoid overstating how the chapter’s details map onto every event of Jesus’ life, since younger students can get lost in the symbolism. Focus instead on the simple truths that Jesus suffered for us and that we are forgiven and healed through him. Keep the emphasis on love and comfort rather than on graphic descriptions of pain.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus to carry our sadness and our wrongs. We are sorry for the times we have wandered away from you. Help us be gentle and kind like Jesus, and help us trust you when things are hard. Thank you that we can be healed and forgiven. Amen.
