Scripture: Luke 10:25-37
Memory Verse:
"Love
your enemies, and be good to everyone who hates you. Ask God to bless anyone
who curses you, and pray for everyone who is cruel to you." Luke 6:27-28
(CEV)
Key Verse for this Lesson: Jesus said, “Go and do the same!” Luke 10:37
Concepts:
·
God
wants us to love God, love our neighbors, and love ourselves.
·
Those
who love God and their neighbors receive eternal life through Jesus Christ.
·
We
are good neighbors when we show kindness and mercy toward others no matter who
they are.
·
Disciples
of Jesus Christ must listen to his teachings and then go out and live them.
·
God's
disciples help others in need without expecting a reward
Objectives:
1.
Children
will view the video “The Good Samaritan”.
2.
Children
will brainstorm characteristics of a Good Samaritan
3.
Children
will make a plan to help others.
Procedure:
Welcome and Introductions:
1.
Greet
the children and introduce yourself.
2.
The
purpose of this lesson is to learn about the Biblical story of the Good
Samaritan and talk about what Jesus is telling us that we should do.
3.
Set
up the story: The Jews considered the Samaritan people to be inferior, unclean
and despicable. They hated the Samaritans. Jesus deliberately makes the hated
Samaritan to be the hero of the story. Jesus is telling us that WHO you are
makes no difference. WHAT you do does make a difference. Notice that the phrase
WWJD? means What Would Jesus Do? not,
What Would Jesus Say? Doing is important.
We are the
hands and mouth of God. God relies on us to carry out God’s work in the world.
When we talk, we say God’s words. When we help others, we are God’s hands.
The purpose of this workshop is to learn how to be a
good neighbor.
Scripture/Bible Story:
1. Ask the children to listen for the answer to the lawyer’s question: What must I do to have eternal life?
2. Show the video. Be sure to have it cued to the scene with Jesus and the others. Skip credits in the interest of time. Run time is approximately 25 minutes.
3. Distribute popcorn with help from Shepherds.
Discussion:
1. What was the answer to the question about how to have eternal life? (“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and also, love your neighbor as yourself”) (This has been a Faith Quest memory verse in the past so the children should be familiar with it) What did the lawyer ask next? (WHO is my neighbor).
The lawyer expected Jesus to explain who WASN’T his neighbor such as the unclean, sick, non-Jews, etc. Instead, Jesus tells the story using the dreaded Samaritan as the hero. What do you think this says about WHO our neighbor is? (anyone in need, there is no room for race or any other kind of discrimination) Can you think of people who are not popular, who are nerds, or a different color? Are these people our neighbor?
2. Brainstorm a list on the whiteboard of the things that the Good Samaritan did for the poor man.
(he gave him a bandage, treated his wounds, gave him his donkey to ride, took him to the inn, paid the innkeeper, and promised more money if needed)
Are these the kind of things that you would expect Jesus to do? WWJD? (yes)
3. Beside
the list, describe/give characteristics of the kind of person who would do such
things. (kind, faithful to God, sympathetic,
helpful, selfless, gentle, generous)
This list describes people who love others as much as themselves! Jesus said to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Is it easy to always act like the Good Samaritan? (no, of course not) That is why we need to reach out to God, to learn about God and to come to church, so we can be reminded of the way that Jesus would have us do.
Reflection Time:
In
the very last verse of this story, Jesus said: “Go and do the same [as the
Samaritan]” We are called to DO. Just as the Samaritan gave the traveler
bandages to help him, we will use bandages to remind us to be good Samaritans
and help others.
Ask
yourself: How can I be a true neighbor to others? What can I do to help others?
Is there someone you know who needs a friend, comfort, a smile, a job done?
Hand
out 2 bandages to each child. Paste one bandage on the journal sheet and write
one thing that you can do to help someone else today or this week. Remember we
are the hands and mouth for God. God needs us to do God’s work. What can you
do?
Next,
write on the other bandage (Sharpie pens work best): WWJDo? (emphasis on Do).
Then put the bandage on a hand or arm as a reminder to do the something to help
someone else. You may take it off,
after you have helped someone or leave it on a couple of days as a reminder to
be a good neighbor. Tell a parent about your plan.
Ask
the students to close their journals and sit quietly for prayer.
Prayer: Jesus, sometimes we don’t love our neighbor. Even though we know that Jesus said, go and do the same as the Samaritan, sometimes we forget. We forget that God calls us to love others as ourselves. Help us when we mess up and treat others unkindly or ignore their needs. Help us to look for ways to be your hands. Help us to say kind words and be your mouth. Remind us to pray for even those who are not nice. We want to represent you in our school, family and neighborhood. But, we can’t do it alone. We need you. We need the Holy Spirit to live inside us, helping and reminding us to do as Jesus would have us do. We pray this in the name of Jesus, the great teacher. Amen.
Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help clean
up popcorn as they wait for their parents to arrive. Leave the beanbag
chairs to be piled up AFTER everyone leaves. It has been too disruptive to
have the children do it. Wipe out popcorn machine thoroughly.
Teacher preparation in
advance:
1. Read the scripture passages and attend the Faith Quest Leaders Bible Study.
2. Preview the video and have it cued to the correct starting.
3. Practice operating the popcorn machine. If this is your first time in Holywood, visit the current workshop leader for instructions before your rotation begins. Be sure you have plenty of popcorn popped before the children arrive. You will need to have your attention on the children at that point. Ask the shepherds or child volunteers to help distribute it to the children who are sitting quietly.
Supply List
Journal sheets, pencils, Sharpie pens for writing on the bandages
Video
White board makers
Bandages – 2 for each child
References
· The Good Samaritan, Nest Entertainment Inc., 1997. www.nestentertainment.com