The Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37 Isaiah 54:8: "With everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, yo ur Redeemer."
A parable is an earthly story with a spiritual meaning. Because it is easier to learn from examples and concrete illustrations, Jesus used events and pictures from daily life to make His point. This parable is a practical one illustrating, “Who is my neighbor?”
Luke 10:25 The leaders of the Jewish people were often trying to trap Jesus in what He said, rather than actually trying to learn from Him.
v. 26 Jesus, knowing the man considered himself an expert on the law of God, asked him to answer the question.
v. 27 The Lawyer quotes from the Scriptures: Lev. 19:18 and, with a little enhancement, Deut. 6:5.
v. 28 Jesus agreed that by following the Law of God exactly, a person can live just as Lev. 18:5 says. But Jesus hoped that the man would realize that no one can keep the Law perfectly.
v. 29 But the lawyer then wanted to justify asking the first question. Perhaps he hoped that either Jesus would answer wrongly or that he himself would be shown to be a true keeper of the law. So he asked, "Who is my neighbor?"
v. 30 Jesus answers with a parable, a story to illustrate a moral or religious message. Jesus describes someone in serious need.
v. 31 By coincidence, yet God works in all things (Acts 15:18), though this is a story, a priest came along the road. A priest was definitely a teacher and servant of God's Word. Whether in fear of the robbers or just being selfish, the priest went to the opposite side of the road in order to go around the dying man. No sign of mercy there.
v. 32 In the same way, a Levite, also a servant and teacher of the Law of God, should have done better, but also, avoided any contact with the dying man.
v. 33 A Samaritan man was traveling there and came to the place where the man was. This man, unlearned though he was in the law of God, had genuine compassion on the man.
v. 34 He went to the man where he was and helped him in his need. Using the medicine of his day, he patched the wounds and brought him to safety where he could take care of the man himself.
v. 35 And even though he had to continue his journey, the Samaritan paid money for their night's stay as well as however long it took the man to recover. He made sure that the wounded man would be taken care of well.
v. 36 Then Jesus asked the lawyer his own question. Which of the three treated the wounded man as his neighbor?
v. 37 The Lawyer, unwilling even to say the word "Samaritan," described him as the one who showed mercy.
Who then is our neighbor? Our neighbor is anyone who we see has a need. God created and died for all people and all people have the same great need for a Savior. (Gal 3:28. Matt. 28:19) Discuss prejudice for that is what the Jews felt towards Samaritans. Against whom do people today practice prejudice? Think both locally and in other countries. Not only other races, but Christians throughout the world also face prejudice and persecution.
TEACHER PRAYER Dear Lord, this parable also speaks to me about loving my neighbor. You have shown to me such great love by sending Jesus to be my Savior from sin. You saw my need and performed all that was needed to meet my needs. Help me to have a thankful heart that seeks to love You and my neighbor with such a great love as You have shown to me. Help me to recognize my neighbor in my students, in the people who live around me, in the people of my country and anyone who lives in this world. Keep me from being prejudiced against anyone in any way. Guard my tongue, guide my hands, and kindle my heart to do whatever will meet the needs of those around me. This I ask, trusting in Jesus who has done so much for me. Amen.
Welcome Activity THE NEIGHBOR GAME: Have the children sit in chairs arranged in a circle with one person being "It" in the middle.
The person in the middle asked someone, "How do you like your neighbors?"
If the person answers, "I don't like my neighbors," the person in the middle asks, "Who would you like to be your neighbors?
The person names two people and they try to exchange seats with the present neighbors while the one in the middle tries to get one of the vacated seats.
The one left without a seat becomes "It." If the person answers the "How do you like your neighbors?" question with, "I like my neighbors just fine," then everyone in the circle must change seats while the one in the middle tries to get one of the vacated seats.
It can get pretty wild, but it is lots of fun.
Bible Story The Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37
Read from your Bible. Ask students to find it in a Bible too. Those that can read can follow along. Choose the passages you would like to read aloud. Use visuals to help tell the story.
Before class, cut a heart from a large piece of paper (at least 12 x 18 inches) . On it, write the word compassion in large letters. Then cut the heart into three puzzle pieces.
Write the words of the Fifth Commandment and meaning on the board.
Ask the students to find Luke 10 in their Bibles. Use the following questions and dialogue to guide learning.
Read verses 25-28. Why was the lawyer coming to Jesus? (To test Jesus) How does the lawyer's question show he doesn't understand God's gift of eternal life? (He asks what he can do to get eternal life.) How does Jesus answer the lawyer? (With a question) The lawyer's answer shows he knows the Law of Moses well.
Read verse 28 again. How does Jesus answer the man? (Jesus tells the lawyer he is right! That's all you have to do. Love God and love others, perfectly.)
Tape one heart puzzle piece to the board.
Have a student read verse 29. Now the lawyer asks another question, and Jesus uses a story to answer.
Have students take turns reading verses 30-35.
Tape the second puzzle piece in place with the first piece on the board. A portion of the word compassion should be visible.
Why might the priest and the Levite have passed by the hurt man? (The Jewish laws were detailed about having to cleanse themselves if they had touched a dead body or open wounds. These Jewish leaders knew the laws and did not want to make themselves "unclean" by helping such a hurt man. They loved themselves more than they loved this man.)
Who stopped to help? (A Samaritan who was traveling on that road)
The Samaritans were not loved or respected by people living in and around Judea and Galilee.
What did the Samaritan do in order to ensure that the man would recover? (Used his own bandages, oil and wine, and animal to transport the man to an innkeeper; gave money to provide for his care; and promised to return and pay more money as needed.)
Read verse 36 together. Jesus asks the lawyer his own question!
Read verse 37 together. When Jesus says, "go, and do likewise," what does He mean? (Jesus wants the lawyer and us to understand that loving God and loving our neighbor means much more than just having a loving feeling about them.) Jesus wants us to have compassion for others and show love and mercy to them.
Tape the last puzzle piece on the board so the whole heart is visible and the word compassion is readable.
Re-tell the story
Jesus often used stories about everyday life to teach about God and His Kingdom. These stories are called parables. Today we are going to hear Jesus teaching a parable to answer this question: “How do we show love to our neighbor?”
One day, a man who taught in the temple spoke to Jesus. He was trying to trick Jesus into saying something wrong. The man asked Jesus, “What do I have to do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered, “What is written in the Bible?”
The man said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all you mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
Jesus said, “You answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.”
But the man asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus wanted the man to know that love for our neighbor can be seen in our words and actions. Jesus told the man this story to help him understand.
A man was walking down a road. Robbers hurt him, and left him lying on the road. Soon, a priest walked by, but he didn’t want to help the man lying wounded. Instead, he walked by on the other side of the road.
Next, a helper from the temple came by. He looked at the wounded man, and walked by without helping.
Finally, a man from Samaria walked up to the injured man and felt sorry for him. He stopped, and bandaged the man’s wounds. He took him to an inn, and took care of him there. The next day, the Samaritan paid the owner of the inn to take care of the injured man.
After Jesus had finished telling this story, He asked the temple teacher this question: “Which of these three men treated the wounded man as his neighbor?”
The man said, “The one who was kind to him.”
Jesus said, “Go, and do the same.”
Prayer Dear Jesus, Today we heard that we show love for our neighbor with words and actions. You loved us so much that You died on the cross to take away our sins. Now we will live forever with You! Thank You, Jesus! Please help us to show love for others by all that we think, say and do. In Your Name we pray. Amen.
When we help our neighbors take care of their bodies, we are keeping the Fifth Commandment. The Fifth Commandment teaches us about God's gift of life.
If you have time, review the Fifth Commandment: "You shall not murder."
Bible Challenge Read this passage from your Bible. Ask students to locate it in a Bible too. Help them learn this verse. Isaiah 54:8: "With everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer." Love one another: just as I have loved you. John 13:34
Say In order to love others, we must understand how Jesus loved us. With a partner, come up with two words to describe Jesus' love. After a brief time, ask the partners to share their words. List them on the board. We can use these same qualities to show love to one another. When you love others, your life reflects the love that the Lord has for them.
Activity BANDAID RELAY: Divide the class into teams. Each team will take turns for each player to run to the FIRST AID TABLE and will grab a bandaid, unwrap the bandaid and place it on the arm or leg and then run back to the team for the next player to do the same!
Closing Activity Close by saying: Thank you God for loving us every day. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
