Leader Guide

Video Leader Guide

Welcome (1 minute)

Hello, and welcome, everyone! Today, we begin a new Superbook adventure about a man named Isaiah. He was a prophet who spoke God’s messages to the people. The name Isaiah in Hebrew means “God is Salvation.” Isaiah faithfully served as a prophet during the reign of four kings! But before we learn more about Isaiah, let’s see what Joy, Chris, and Gizmo are up to.

Play Video 2: Intro to Bible Story (2 minutes)

Chris and Joy are excited about inviting people to their baptism. Since their mother's parents were Christians, Chris wonders when and why she stopped believing but hesitates to ask her.

Intro to Bible Story

SuperTruth and Discussion (2 minutes)

What did Chris wonder about his mom? When and why she stopped believing in Jesus. 

Why did Chris hesitate to ask his mom about her faith? He didn't want to hurt her feelings. 

Who did Chris think should talk to his mom instead of him? Pastor Aaron. 

Today’s SuperTruth is “God is looking for people to send.” 

What do you think God wants to send people to do? To talk to others about Him or Jesus; to share the Gospel. 

Why do some people hesitate to share their faith with others? They may feel they aren’t prepared and won’t know the right words to say. They are afraid of being rejected or offending someone. 

Do you think that only pastors and missionaries can tell people about God? No! 

God wants all believers—not just pastors and missionaries—to share about Him. God is looking for people like you and me to share His message of love, mercy, and forgiveness with others.

Let’s watch the second part of the video to see what Chris decides to do. We will also meet the prophet Isaiah, who shares God’s messages even when some people don’t want to listen!

Play Video 3: Bible Story and Resolution (21 minutes)

Superbook takes Chris, Joy, and Gizmo to meet the prophet Isaiah, who warns God’s people to return to Him. The Assyrians have invaded Judah and now publicly taunt the people of Jerusalem, saying that God cannot save them. King Hezekiah prays, then sends for Isaiah, who correctly predicts that the Assyrians will be vanquished. The children learn to trust God and speak His message to others.

Bible Story and Resolution

Video Discussion (1 minute)

Why did King Hezekiah order the gates of Jerusalem to be closed? The enemy army (Assyrians) could attack at any time. 

Was Isaiah right when he prophesied that the Assyrians would not conquer Jerusalem? Yes. 

Why didn’t the people have to fight the Assyrians? God sent an angel to attack the enemy camp, and they returned home without a fight. 

Isaiah spoke the words that God gave him to deliver comfort to the Israelites when they were threatened, and God’s words were fulfilled! God caused the Assyrians to flee without shooting even one arrow!

Play Video 10A: SuperVerse Graphic

The graphic loops 2.5 minutes without audio; turn off or freeze video after children repeat the verse.

Video 10A: SuperVerse Graphic

SuperVerse Discussion (1 minute)

The Israelites had disobeyed the Lord for many years. God needed a faithful messenger to call His people to come back to Him. God did not force Isaiah to go and be that person; He gently asked who to send, and Isaiah volunteered to go! Today’s SuperVerse is Isaiah’s response to God’s call. Let’s say it together: Isaiah 6:8: 

Isaiah did not know all of the details, but he was willing to obey. 

Children will have more time to learn the SuperVerse in Small Group. If any children are not able to memorize the entire verse, be sure they understand its meaning.

Prayer and Send-Off (1 minute)

Dear God, You are holy, high, and lifted up! Yet, You desire to speak through us, even in all our weaknesses, fears, and human imperfections. Thank You for speaking to us and through us. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen. 

In Small Group today, we are going to play a game using a tool that angelic beings (called Seraphim) used in Isaiah’s vision. Does anyone have an idea what that tool is called? Tongs. 

Let’s see how it’s played.

Teachers take children to Small Group classes for Grades 1–3 and 4–6. If the combined group is small, all children may stay together for Small Group time.

Pick Up Game

Reach Your COALS: Play a fun game with tongs.

Seraphim are heavenly beings, like angels. In Isaiah’s vision, what did one of the seraphim touch his lips with? A burning coal. 

Did the seraph pick up the coal with his wings? No, he used tongs. 

The burning coal symbolized Isaiah being cleansed from his sin and guilt. Isaiah saw this in his vision. Would you ever really touch someone’s lips with a hot coal? No! 

Hold up the tongs. In this game, you are going to use tongs to pick up burning coals—sorry, I meant to say marshmallows that represent coals—and place them in your team’s bowl. Was anyone hoping I would say you would place the marshmallows on your lips? 

Divide the class into two equal teams; one child may need to play twice. Try to mix older and younger children on each team. The teams will form separate lines a few feet from the front of the table. One player from each team will play at the same time, standing at the opposite side of the table from the teams. Start the timer. Each set of players has fifteen seconds to pick up as many marshmallows as possible and put them in their team’s bowl—using only the tongs. When time expires, players will put the tongs on the table and return to the team line. (Leave all the marshmallows in the bowls.) When the next two players come to the table, start the timer again. Continue until all players have taken a turn. Count the marshmallows in the bowls. The team with the most marshmallows in their bowl wins. 

Encourage players to cheer each other on! Play again if time permits.

Optional: To use just one bag of marshmallows for the whole game, count the marshmallows after each player’s turn and keep a running tally for each team on the board. Place the marshmallows back on the pile for the next player’s turn. 

Close: That looked challenging and fun. I hope that no one burned their fingers! Does God use burning coals to cleanse and purify us? No. 

How are our sins forgiven? Through Jesus; by Jesus’ blood. 

Let’s find out more about being sent by God in today’s Teaching.

Teaching

Send Me: Discuss answering God’s call.

Let’s say today’s SuperTruth together: “God is looking for people to send.” Isaiah was God’s prophet. He answered God’s call to be His messenger during the reign of four of Israel’s kings. Sometimes the message was a word of encouragement, like when God answered Hezekiah’s prayers. Other times, it was an unpopular message telling people to repent, turn away from sin, and turn back to God. Isaiah also predicted important events hundreds of years before they actually happened, such as the birth of God’s Son to a virgin and describing how Jesus would die for our sins. No matter the message, Isaiah answered God’s call.

God gave Isaiah a vision of His throne room with angelic beings called Seraphim. These beings continually circled the throne and praised God. When Isaiah saw all this, did he get excited and happy and say, “Wow! Praise God! This is awesome!”? No.

No, Isaiah said, “Woe is me!” He realized he was sinful and unclean in God’s presence. When we truly understand who God is and how holy and perfect He is, we see we are sinful and need to be saved! In Isaiah’s vision, a seraph touched his lips with a burning coal, cleansing him.

Have you ever been in a class where the teacher was calling on students to do something, but you didn’t want to be called on, so you tried to hide? Children respond. 

Even though Isaiah was terrified in God’s presence, he didn’t try to hide. Instead, he answered boldly. Let’s read what he said in our SuperVerse: Isaiah 6:8:

Today, God is still looking for people who are willing to obey Him. He is waiting for people to answer His call and say, “Here I am; send me!”

Who are some people God may ask you to speak to? A family member, friend, or classmate.

What kind of message could God ask us to speak? Let’s discuss a few possibilities. After each one, if you believe you would be willing to trust God and obediently go if He called you, then stand up and say, “Here I am, send me!” Let’s all practice that right now! “Here I am, send me!” 

1. Remove the blanket over the items on the table. Stack the dominoes into a small tower. Maybe you know someone who feels sad, sorrowful, or disappointed. Maybe they feel like they’ve failed. Knock the tower down. 

Stack the blocks slowly as you speak until the tower is restored. Just like these dominoes that were knocked down, God can ask us to build and lift others up again. He could call you to listen to them or pray for them. He could call you to encourage them or share a Bible verse about His love. If you would be willing to answer God’s call to bring His message to encourage and lift up someone, stand and shout, “Here I am, send me!” Children respond.

2. Hold up the life jacket, ring, or rope. God may also ask us to bring the Gospel message to someone who needs hope. Isaiah brought hope to the troubled king Hezekiah when things looked the darkest. We all need to know that there is hope in God when things seem hopeless. People who are discouraged need to hear that God loves them no matter how bad things are, and nothing is impossible for Him. If you would be willing to answer God’s call to share His message of hope and salvation, stand and shout, “Here I am, send me!” Children respond.

3. Hold up the flashlight. Isaiah shared God’s truth even when it was difficult. Today, God is looking for people who will stand up and not only speak but also live according to the truth—His Word. Jesus calls us to be a light in the darkness—to live as He did and be an example to others. (See Acts 26:18.) Chris’s mom said that seeing him grow in his faith made her miss her own relationship with Jesus. If you would be willing to live by God’s Word and let your light shine, stand and shout, “Here I am, send me!” Children respond.

How can we know what someone needs at any given time? How do we know what to say and where to go? Children respond.

The Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us. He will give us the words to speak.

Read Matthew 10:20:

Optional: When God called Moses, he said he wasn’t good with words. In Exodus 4:12, God told him: 

God wants us to trust Him, to answer His call, and to be His messengers. When we do, He will equip us with all we need.

Let’s move to our Discipleship Challenge to apply this truth in a practical way.

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Give each child an Isaiah Send Me Gizmo Craft, children’s scissors, four brass roundhead paper fasteners, and a pencil. Have children carefully cut out all the pieces on the page. Next, if you have not pre-punched the holes in the pieces, demonstrate how to do this carefully. Now, demonstrate how to assemble the neck extensions in the proper order and how to install the brass fasteners. Display the model you made before class and assist the children as necessary to complete their craft. Suggestion: Have children lay out the neck extensions in the proper order on the table. This way, you can do a quick check before they are fastened together.

Use the model craft as you explain the challenge.

Let’s check out what Gizmo looks like with his telescoping neck extended. To do this, hold Gizmo’s body with one hand and carefully pull up his head with your other hand. If it doesn’t pull up easily, check the back to see if a piece is caught or jammed, then adjust the piece and try again. Now, let’s carefully lower Gizmo’s neck behind his body again. That’s very cool, don’t you think?

Why did Gizmo use his telescoping neck to lift his head two times in our Superbook adventure? To discover that Superbook had taken the children to Jerusalem; to spy on the Assyrian army camp.

He used it to discover things that Chris and Joy couldn’t see with their own eyes. We don’t have a telescoping neck that allows us to see things we normally couldn’t; however, we learned in today’s teaching that God equips us in a much better way to see and know things. Do you remember how? He gives us the Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit can lead us to people who need to hear about God and His love! Even when we have no clue, the Holy Spirit searches deep inside and knows the needs of everyone! Did you notice that Gizmo’s hand is up as if to say, “Here I am, send me!”

For each lesson, you will pull up one section of Gizmo’s neck to see the challenge for that lesson. Let’s carefully pull up the first section now to see Challenge #1. Would someone please read what it says? See God Almighty—Isaiah 6:1b

In Isaiah’s vision, God revealed His glory and splendor. Isaiah saw God’s mighty power, and He was beyond compare! The first challenge is to spend time with God each day, praising Him and worshiping Him. Isaiah saw Him high and lifted up. We want to lift Him high on our praises! When we do, we come to know Him and trust Him more. This will build our faith. And faith prepares us to answer God’s call—no matter what He asks us to do!

The second part of the challenge is to look up and memorize Isaiah 6:1:

We will discuss how this challenge went for you the next time we meet.

SuperVerse

Superbook Send: Memorize the SuperVerse with a group activity.

Who was looking for a messenger in this verse? The Lord; God.

Who answered the call? Isaiah.

In Isaiah’s vision, he saw angelic beings called Seraphim flying around God’s throne, worshiping and praising God. Let me see—they were speaking in soft, quiet whispers, right? No!

That’s right; their praises shook the foundation of the Temple and smoke filled the throne room. Isaiah was completely awestruck and humbled. Instantly, he felt unworthy in the presence of God Almighty. 

How did God purify Isaiah in the vision? One of the Seraphim (angelic beings) touched his lips with a hot coal.

After being cleansed by God, Isaiah immediately and boldly answered God’s call to be a messenger and speak to God’s people.

Point to the board. Let’s say Isaiah 6:8, which is today’s SuperVerse. I would like to do it like this: the girls will be the voice of Isaiah and say lines #1 and #3. The boys will be the booming voice of God and say line #2 and the scripture reference in line #4.

Have the children do this twice and then reverse roles and do it two more times.

Prayer

Sending Prayers: Communicate with God.

We just memorized our SuperVerse. Now, who remembers today’s SuperTruth? God is looking for people to send.

Today in our prayer time, let’s close our eyes and imagine standing before God’s throne. Envision God as Isaiah described Him, high above all things, with His glory filling the room and our hearts. We are all sinners, but God is willing to cleanse and forgive us. He sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the price for our sins by dying on the cross. Let’s thank Him for doing that right now. Allow children time to pray silently. 

Today, God is asking us to be His messengers and to speak His Word to others. If you would like to answer God’s call to do that, say or whisper, “Here I am, send me!” Allow children time to respond.

Close in prayer. Dear God, thank You for cleansing us through the blood of Jesus, who makes us holy and clean. You still call for messengers who will share the Good News with others. Help us answer Your call every day. May Your Holy Spirit show us people who need to know about Your love and salvation and give us boldness to speak Your Word to them. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Drawing Activity

Isaiah’s Vision and Beyond—Create a mural of scenes from the Bible story.

In this activity, you will work with a group to draw a mural of a scene from the Bible story.

Divide the class into groups of three to five children, mixing boys and girls and older and younger children. For larger classes, create more groups, add supplies, and assign scenes multiple times.

Lay out the sections of butcher paper across the tables or on the floor. If using poster boards, tape two poster boards together side by side for each group. Give each group crayons, colored pencils, or washable markers. Instruct the groups to create their assigned scene in the order listed on the board.

Tape the finished murals on the wall. Have groups share their murals with everyone.

Sending Game

Send Me! Play a game to take God’s Message to others.

God had an important message to be delivered to His people. They had turned away from Him, and God wanted them to return to Him. Whom could He send? Who would answer the call and faithfully take His message, even if it wasn’t something the people wanted to hear? Let’s read today’s SuperVerse together on the board. Isaiah 6:8:

In this game, you will have the opportunity to be sent to deliver a message to others. Are you ready to answer the call and be sent? Children respond.

Divide children into teams of two to four children. Try to mix older and younger children in each team. Select an older child to be the captain of each team. There must be an even number of teams—adjust team size and add teams as necessary. Give each team a set of cards, a plastic or disposable cup, two inflated balloons, and a craft stick. Have the teams sit opposite one another, about 15–20 feet away if possible. Leave several feet between teams to the right and left.

In this game, each team will deliver a message to another team. Teams all play at the same time, one player at a time. Each messenger will carry a card to the team opposite them—but first, messengers must look at the board to find the challenge they will overcome as they deliver their message. The challenges must be done in that order. Once all four are done, start the list over again. The team captain will need to monitor this.

If a balloon or cup falls to the ground, the messenger must stop, pick it up, and continue from that point. Remember, it isn’t always easy to deliver God’s message! Once a messenger reaches the other team, give them the card, and that team will place it face down on the ground without reading the word on the card. The messenger will then walk back doing the same challenge.

When all cards are delivered, I will say, “Ready to read your message? GO!” Teams will try to figure out the message and assemble it in order, then stand up and shout, “Send Me!” We will continue the game until all the messages are assembled correctly.

Have each team read their message and discuss why it would be encouraging for others to receive it.

Conclusion: Great job delivering your messages and overcoming the challenges and difficulties you encountered along the way. Which challenges did you think were most difficult? Children respond.

What are some real challenges we may face when delivering God’s Word? Rejection, mocking, misunderstanding, being made fun of, unbelief, taking offense, fear.

Just like in this game, we will all face different challenges at different times. God wants to speak through us to others, and He is looking for faithful messengers to send. Each day, we should tell God, “Here I am, send me!”

Message Key:

1. God is faithful even when we are unfaithful.

2. Jesus forgives us and sets us free from sin.

3. God loves you no matter what you do.

4. Believe in Jesus, and you will be saved.

Coloring Activity

Here I Am: Color a scene from Isaiah’s vision.

Give a coloring page to each child, along with crayons, colored pencils, or washable markers to share. Lead a discussion using the questions below as children color their pages.

1. Do you remember the name of the angelic beings that flew around God’s throne? Seraphim.

2. Do you remember how many wings they each had? Six wings.

3. In Isaiah’s vision, what did one of the seraphim place on his lips? A burning coal.

4. What was the purpose of the burning coal? To remove his guilt and forgive his sin; to cleanse him for service.

5. What word did the Seraphim say three times in a row to praise God? Holy, holy, holy.

6. When God asked, “Who will go?” what did Isaiah answer? Here I am. Send me.

Conclusion: Isaiah was overwhelmed by his vision of God’s throne room filled with His presence and glory. Because of Jesus, we do not need to be afraid to approach God. With deep respect and honor, we may boldly approach our merciful God to find help in time of need! (See Hebrews 4:16.)

Bible Activity

Send Me or Someone Else: Children compare responses to being sent by God.

Give each child a Bible and a bookmark for each of the passages you have chosen. If using all three passages, give each child three bookmarks. Referencing the board, have children look up and place a bookmark at the chosen Bible passage(s) in their Bibles. Be prepared to assist children as needed to find the Scriptures.

God calls people to be His mouthpieces, and He speaks through them to accomplish His plans. In this activity, we will discuss people who said "yes" to God.

Read a passage aloud together, allowing each child who volunteers to read a paragraph or a few verses. Lead a discussion with the questions below. Feel free to add your own questions and comments. If time is limited, you may choose to compare Isaiah to only one of the other prophets or eliminate some questions.

1. Isaiah 6:1–8 

1. Who is God calling in this passage? Isaiah.

2. How did God appear and speak to Isaiah? In a vision.

3. Did Isaiah initially feel worthy and up for the task? No, he felt sinful and unclean in God’s presence.

4. In Isaiah’s vision, how was he cleansed and prepared to do God’s work? A seraph cleansed his lips with a hot coal.

5. Did God demand that Isaiah submit to His call to go? No, He asked who He should send as His messenger.

6. Why do you think God gives us a choice to answer His call instead of forcing us against our will? He wants us to respond because we love Him and want to serve Him and spread His Word. He wants us to have the right attitude as a willing servant, not a robot or puppet.

7. Did Isaiah make objections or excuses about why he shouldn’t go? Did he hesitate or ask if he could think about it for a few weeks? No, he immediately said, "Here I am, send me!"

8. Why do you think he was filled with confidence to go? He was in God’s presence and experienced His power and might. God could protect him and equip him for the task.

2. Jeremiah 1:4–10

1. How was this similar to the way God appeared to Jeremiah? He appeared in a vision.

2. In verse 4, when was Jeremiah set apart to be a prophet? God set him apart before he was born.

3. How does it make you feel to read this? Do you believe God has a plan for you now and had it when you were born? Children respond.

4. Have you ever thought you were too young to do something for God? If so, please share. Children respond.

5. God does have a plan and purpose for each of us—isn’t that exciting? Does anyone have an idea what God may be calling you to do now or sometime in the future? Children respond.

6. If you could choose one thing to do for God, what would it be? Children respond.

7. In verse 6, how did Jeremiah respond? Was it the same as Isaiah? No, he said he was too young and didn’t know how to speak.

8. According to verse 6, did God agree that Jeremiah was too young and send someone else? No, He told Jeremiah not to say he was too young and that he must go and say what God told him.

9. Do you think Jeremiah could have still said no? Yes, God gives us a choice.

10. Jeremiah wasn’t refusing to go because he was lazy and rebellious. He felt young and unable to do what he was called to do. Thinking about speaking to nations at his young age was an overwhelming thought! God knew this and was prepared to respond to his fears and feelings of inadequacy. 

11. In verse 8, how did God encourage Jeremiah to accept His call? He told him not to be afraid because He would go with him and rescue him.

12. In verse 9, what did God do? He touched Jeremiah’s mouth. God put His words in his mouth.

13. How was this similar to what happened in Isaiah’s vision? The angel touched Isaiah’s mouth.

In both cases, God touched the prophets’ mouths; they were to be the mouthpieces for God’s holy and powerful Words.

14. In verse 10, what did God set Jeremiah apart to be? A prophet to the nations.

15. How do you think you would feel if God spoke the words in verse 10 to you? Overwhelmed, shocked, scared, humbled.

3. Moses: Exodus 3:1–17

1. Isaiah and Jeremiah saw a vision. How did God get Moses’s attention? An angel appeared in a burning bush; God spoke from the bush.

2. What was Moses doing when the angel came? Tending sheep; shepherding sheep.

3. Have you ever thought that God only speaks to people in church? Children respond. God speaks to us anywhere. He can speak to you at school, home, outside, at a friend’s house—anywhere!

4. God got Moses’s attention in an amazing way. What are some distractions today that could make it difficult for God to get our attention? Technology like phones and the internet, gaming, entertainment, fast pace of the world, being too busy, TV, sports, etc.

5. Why was Moses forbidden to come closer? The ground was holy because of God’s presence.

6. Moses covered his face because he was in God’s presence and holiness. How was this similar to Isaiah’s experience? Both were afraid and felt unclean in God’s presence and holiness; Moses bowed to the ground or fell prostrate before God.

7. Where was God sending Moses? To Egypt; to see Pharaoh; to free His people.

8. Did Moses volunteer to immediately go to Egypt? No, he made excuses; he said he didn’t feel worthy and asked, “Who am I?”

9. How did God encourage Moses? He said He would be with him. He said he would return to this very place.

This was only one of Moses’s excuses or protests; our time is limited, so we are only able to look at Moses’s last response before God had enough! Let’s turn to Exodus 4:13:

10. How is this different than Isaiah’s response? Isaiah said, “Here I am, send me.” Moses basically said, “Here I am, send someone else!”

Conclusion: Even though Moses and Jeremiah were reluctant to go, we know that they did answer God’s call and were used mightily! Did you know that God has big plans for all of us? Whether we are a boy or girl, man or woman, He wants us to take His message to other people! There is no minimum age or maximum age: Jeremiah was about 20 years old when He was called, the prophet Samuel was just a young boy, Moses was about 80 years old, and Isaiah was somewhere in between. We can always think of an excuse not to go like I’m too young, I’m too old, I’m too busy, I can’t speak well, I don’t know much about the Bible, what if they don’t believe me, etc. Yet if we say, "Yes," God will equip us to do what He calls us to do!