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This lesson presents God’s gift of salvation. Every church presents the Gospel with slight variations and nuances. Read through the steps before teaching. Present the Gospel in a way that is consistent with the scripture and God’s leading.
Question of the Day: How long can you hang upside down on the playground?
Engage 1 uses the Upside Down Challenge Game. This game can be purchased online or in a store and uses goggles that when worn make the world look like it’s upside down. You could purchase more than one set and make it a competition or allow kids to try on the same pair to experience it. If you can’t find the googles, then consider an alternative game such as hanging donuts off of a string and eating them without your hands underneath to visualize doing something backwards or eating upside down.
The Host and Co-host are wearing lab coats.
Host
Welcome to the Lab!
Co-host
Fun have to going are we.
Host
Huh?
Co-host
Me understand not you do?
Host
We have no idea what you are saying.
Co-host
I’m backwards talking, turning my sentences around. Was I that hard to follow? Really? Let’s see how well you guys follow this game. We will choose one Connector (volunteer) to stand in front of each section. Up on the screen you’ll see an easy word to unscramble, four letters or less.
Host
To make it harder, you’ll see the scrambled word has been flipped upside-down. The first team to unscramble the word and tell us the answer gets a point.
Have each volunteer stand in front of his or her section. Show the words. The kids and volunteers will attempt to unscramble them and be the first to run onstage and share the answer.
Words:
PU (Up)
LTEF (Left)
PNSI (Spin)
VMOE (Move)
EMSA (Same)
OG (Go)
WAY (Way)
Co-Host
That upside down backwards stuff was a little hard. I might stick to regular words.
Host
Sometimes our world feels a little backwards and upside down. What do you do when that happens? That’s what we’re going to discover today. Let’s see what they are up to in the lab today.
Engage 1 uses the Upside Down Challenge Game. This game can be purchased online or in a store and uses goggles that when worn make the world look like it’s upside down. You could purchase more than one set and make it a competition or allow kids to try on the same pair to experience it. If you can’t find the googles, then consider an alternative game such as hanging donuts off of a string and eating them without your hands underneath to visualize doing something backwards or eating upside down.
Co-Host
Do you guys think that Skip is right? Should Ethel say, “Yes” to her friends just to make them like her?
Host
I agree, but have you ever had friends at school or in your neighborhood try to convince you to do something you knew was wrong?
Co-Host
I have, and it’s tempting to follow them. Doing the same wrong things that others do won’t help you have a better life. Things get messed up when you choose to live upside-down.
Host
As followers of Jesus, we want to live right side up. It all begins with following our Big Point. I need a volunteer to help us reveal it.
Host and Co-Host choose a kid to volunteer.
Co-Host
You will count down from three and then read the Big Point.
Host
Let’s all say it together, I Will Go God’s Way!
Co-Host
God’s way will always lead you to the right place. Of course, we learn how to walk God’s way by reading what God says in the Bible.
Host
That’s a wise choice. Living upside down is a recipe for disaster. That’s what we’ll discover in this next game.
Co-Host
We’ve chosen a couple of contestants to attempt the Upside Down Challenge. When they wear these goggles, this is what the world will look like.
Host
We’re going to see who can complete some different upside down tasks the fastest.
Play the game. The cards in the game will give you some great ideas of challenges that the kids can complete with simple items found around the house.
Co-Host
Those simple tasks were not so simple when everything was turned around.
Host
That’s why we want to live right side up, even if everyone around us is living upside down. The only way to do that is to live the way God wants you to live. Let’s see if Ethel can do that.
Host and Co-Host enter.
Host
This Skip and Ethel situation is getting worse and worse. Now she’s dressing and acting like him. Skip is a terrible example to follow.
Co-Host
Do you think she will get into big trouble? Ethel should listen to the Big Point and follow God. Let’s say our Big Point,
Co-Host
I Will Go God’s Way!
Host
Let’s turn to the Bible and learn how to do that by checking out the Big Verse.
Host and Co-Host choose a kid to volunteer.
Co-Host
Help us count down from three, and then you can read the verse.
Co-Host
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIrV) says, “Follow my example, just as I follow the example of Christ.”
Host
Jesus is the One who shows us how to completely and totally go God’s way. That’s why being a follower of Jesus is the most important choice you can make.
Co-Host
When you follow other people, you want to follow those who are also following Jesus. If you choose to follow someone who’s not, then you’ll end up copying the wrong behavior.
Host
Let’s explore what that means. We’ve chosen two kids and one Connector (adult/teen volunteer). The Connector will stand on one side of the stage, one of the kids will stand on the opposite side, and the remaining kid will stand in the middle, facing their kid teammate.
Co-Host
When we say, “Go,” the Connector will make different movements that the kid in the middle must copy. But how? The kid who’s facing the Connector will have to copy what he/she sees, so his/her teammate can follow. But (Host) and I will be here doing something different. Watch your teammate, and only do what he/she does.
Have the Connector make different movements, such as exercises, walking in place, jumping, waving, etc. The kid on the opposite side of the stage must copy the Connector exactly, and the kid in the middle must copy their teammate. Have the team try to make perfect copies. Stand beside the kid on the far end and do the wrong movements to test the kid in the middle.
Host
Picking the right people to copy is important because copying someone living upside down will cause you to run into problems. We want to follow people who also follow Jesus.
Co-Host
By doing that, we can go God’s way and do the things that God’s Word says to do, even if others don’t make that choice. Let’s take a moment to stand and worship God.
Play optional soft instrumental music.
It’s hard to look forward to something great without Jesus. He gives us hope about the future, and that hope comes when we follow Jesus and believe in Him. We can know for sure that God has good things planned for our future when we say, “Yes!” to Jesus.
The first step to accepting this amazing gift is to say, “Yes.” If you have never said, “Yes, I want Jesus to forgive me, be my best friend, and I will follow Him for the rest of my life,” then today is your day! I’d like everyone to close your eyes and bow your heads, so no one is distracted.
If you’ve already said, “Yes” to Jesus, you believe that He is alive, and you are His friend and follower, give me a thumbs up. If you’ve never said, “Yes” to Jesus before, and you want to say, “Yes” to Him right now, ask Him to forgive you, and tell Him you want to live your life differently, raise your hand. We’re going to pray all together. Those of you who are already friends and followers of Jesus can join in, too. Repeat after me, and let’s pray...
Dear God,
I know everyone needs a Savior,
and I know I can’t save myself.
Jesus, I believe
You are the Son of God.
I believe You died on the cross for my sins,
and God raised You from the dead.
Right now,
I say You are my Lord,
my Savior,
and the One who forgives me.
Thank You, Jesus,
that You are my best friend and leader of my life
because I’ve said, “Yes” to You. Amen.
Later we’re going to meet in our small groups. If you said, “Yes” to Jesus for the first time, then you will go to that small group to talk a bit more about the awesome decision you made today. Let's see what decision Ethel makes.
Host and Co-Host enter.
Co-Host
Looks like Skip may have found out why living upside-down can have painful consequences.
Host
I’m glad that Ethel chose to go God’s way. It’s the same choice that Daniel made when he was forced to live in Babylon. Imagine how hard it was for him to do the right thing in such a mixed up world. Following our Big Point helped him succeed. Let’s say it together,
Host
I Will Go God’s Way!
Co-Host
That’s a story you can share with your family when you do this week’s Big Do.
Host
Play a game of follow the leader, and then talk about why we want to follow Jesus as our example. Remember to have some fun with the game. Be creative and see if you can beat your parents.
Co-Host
Let’s play a giant game of follow the leader. Here’s how it will go: I want you to find a partner and link an arm with him or her. We’re going to lead you guys in doing different actions. You must follow everything we do, but make sure you don’t break the link with your partner. If you do, then you’re out.
Play the game, doing different actions that actions for the kids to follow. Make them active and require lots of movement to test their ability to hang on to each other.
Host
Great job! Let’s turn and connect with our small groups and talk about why we want to go God’s way.
Gather the kids into small groups and discuss the following.
Have you ever felt the temptation that Ethel felt to go along with the crowd, so they will be your friends? How did it go? What did Ethel learn? She learned that going along with crowd and doing the wrong thing can lead to a bad outcome.
How do you think Daniel felt when he was forced to move hundreds of miles away? How would you feel if an army forced you to move to another country? Why was it difficult for Daniel to follow God there? They worshipped other gods and tried to get Daniel to eat food that God had told him not to eat.
How did Daniel handle the challenge? He asked permission to eat only veggies and water for ten days. He trusted God to help him. If kids at school make the wrong choices, how could a kid still follow God?
What did Herman tell us to do with our families in the Big Do? Play a game of follow the leader, and then talk about why we want to follow Jesus as our example.
Play optional game music. Choose two kids from the audience to come on stage and answer the question.
Our Big Point says I Will Go _____ Way!
God’s
My
Who did Ethel try to copy?
Herman
Skip
Who was forced to move from Jerusalem to Babylon?
Abraham
Daniel
In Babylon, the people worshipped ______ Daniel.
The same God as
Different gods than
The king tried to force Daniel to eat the foods that went against God’s law.
True
False
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIrV), “Follow my example, just as I follow the example of ______.”
Christ
Others
Daniel and his friends asked to only eat and drink _______.
Meat and Juice
Veggies and Water
What happened at the end of Daniel’s challenge?
Why is it important to go God’s way instead of following what other people do?
What challenge did Herman give us as this week’s Big Do? Play a game of follow the leader, and then talk about why we want to follow Jesus as our example.
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