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Opposite Day: a 4-Week Teaching Series for Children's Ministry TOPIC: Jesus' Teachings SCRIPTURE: New Testament DECORATING THEME: Opposites AGE GROUP: Preschool (Get the Elementary version here !) Up is Down. Right is Left. Cold is Hot. That's right, we're celebrating opposite day this whole month (or should we say, not celebrating? This could get confusing!) This series will give kids a chance to talk about the counter-culture things Jesus said. It sounds impossible to believe that our struggles bring us closer to Jesus or that our enemies help us learn to love . However, these beautiful opposites remind us that Jesus is with us even though we can't see him and that following Jesus is the opposite of following ourselves . Happy Opposite Day! BIG IDEAS & BIBLE STORIES Following Jesus is the opposite of following ourselves. (Jesus Calls The Disciples: Luke 5:1-11) Our struggles bring us closer to Jesus. (Blessings and Woes: Luke 6:17-26) Our enemies help us learn to love. (Love Your Enemies: Luke 6:27-38) Jesus is with us even though we can't see him. (The Transfiguration: Luke 9:28-36) WEEKLY CURRICULUM SUMMARIES: This week, kids learn about how and why Jesus called the disciples. If you were picking between your way or someone else's way, which one would you pick? Your way all the way, right? This week, we'll see how Jesus flipped that idea upside down when He called the disciples to follow Him instead of themselves. Jesus invites us to trade our plans for something bigger and better, because following Jesus is the opposite of following ourselves. This week, kids learn what Jesus had to say about blessings and woes. In a world where strength beats weakness and winning feels better than losing, Jesus says the opposite is true. This week, we'll explore how Jesus called people "blessed" not when life was easy, but when it was hard. God's upside-down way shows us that our struggles bring us closer to Jesus. This week, kids learn that Jesus wants us to love our enemies. When someone is mean, the world says "get even"-but Jesus says "show love," even when it's hard. This week, we'll learn how Jesus taught something totally upside-down: that we should forgive, pray for, and be kind to the people who treat us badly. Loving like Jesus means doing what doesn't come easy, because our enemies help us learn to love. This week, kids learn who Jesus is through the transfiguration. Most of the time, we trust what we can see-like knowing the sun is out or our friends are nearby. This week, we'll discover how Jesus showed His closest friends something amazing, even though most people had no idea anything special was happening. Because faith means trusting what we can't see, and Jesus is with us even though we can't see him. MEMORY VERSE: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." -2 Corinthians 12:9a (NIV)

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