Happy Sunday, friend!

It's time to dive into this week's Come Follow Me reading: Isaiah 50-57!​

My mind was BLOWN when I learned which “stripes” of Jesus saved us!

Make sure to check out this week's "Questions your kids might ask" section to find out why.​

You might find Isaiah confusing if you don't understand the Abrahamic Covenant. Even though Isaiah rarely says the word "covenant" he is talking about it constantly!! Whenever he mentions posterity, promises, a promised land, etc, that's "code" for Abrahamic Covenant.

​​Watch this week's video to learn more!​

Let's dive in!

5 Key Themes The Lord helps those who trust Him (Isaiah 50) The Savior’s suffering is prophesied (Isaiah 52-53) Jesus Christ’s Atonement is personal (Isaiah 53) An invitation to come to Christ (Isaiah 55) True worship vs. outward actions (Isaiah 56-57)

3 Key Scriptures ​Isaiah 50:7​ ​Isaiah 53:3-5​ ​Isaiah 55:8-9​ Dive into one or more of these verses all week long with my Verse Mapping Study Guide!

Questions your kids (or church class) might ask: What does the phrase “stripes” mean in Isaiah 53:5?

This verse says that with Christ’s “stripes” we are healed. What is the actual meaning of that phrase?

It comes from the Hebrew word, חַבּוּרָה , pronounced khab-boo-raw and means, “bruise, stripe, wound, blow.” I used to think that this verse specifically referred to when Jesus Christ was whipped by Roman soldiers (Matthew 27:26).

However, President Ezra Taft Benson connected the idea of these “stripes” to the emotional and physical toll (or “bruise, stripe, wound, blow”) of Christ’s atoning sacrifice: “Because He was God-even the Son of God-He could carry the weight and burden of other men's sins on Himself. Isaiah prophesied our Savior's willingness to do this in these words: ‘Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: ... he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.’ (Isa. 53:4-5.) That holy, unselfish act of voluntarily taking on Himself the sins of all other men is the Atonement” ("Jesus Christ: Our Savior, Our God," Ensign, Apr. 1991, 2, 4).

So while Jesus was “striped” by wounds from being whipped, He was also emotionally, mentally, and physically “striped” by His atoning sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Source: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2250/kjv/wlc/0-1/

This week's conversation starter:

Read Isaiah 53:3-5, then ask your teen: How do you think the world would be different if everyone always remembered how much Jesus sacrificed for them?

Want to go deeper in your personal study this week? My Verse Mapping for Beginners PDF walks you through exactly how. Get it here!​

Missed previous weeks? You can check out past Weekly Scripture Starter emails here!

AND don't forget to check out the PS section below!

You are awesome!

P.S. In case you missed it, I created PDF quotes from every General Conference talk. Make sure to grab your free copy here!