60. Parable of the Good Samaritan
Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Story Summary
What are Parables?
Take this opportunity to teach your children what parables are. They are little stories Jesus told that teach us about the Kingdom of God. They are similar to fables in that they are stories with a deeper meaning. But fables give moral or ethical lessons. For example, the Tortoise and the Hare teaches us not to give up (if you are the tortoise) and not to be too full of yourself (if you are the hare). The Boy Who Cried Wolf teaches us that if we lie repeatedly, people won't believe us even when we are telling the truth. Parables teach us about life in the Kingdom of God, or life as a Christian.
Parable Summary
This is a parable told by Jesus to illustrate that we should treat everyone like you treat your neighbors or close friends.
A teacher of the law asked Jesus what he had to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus turned the question around and asked the teacher how he interpreted the law. The teacher answered with the Great Commandment, which Jesus gave several times in the New Testament (see also Matthew 22:35-40 and Mark 12:28-31). "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength and with all your mind." (this is found in Deuteronomy 6:5) "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." (this is found in Leviticus 19:18)
Jesus told him that he was correct. But the teacher of the law was trying to trick Jesus. He was trying to get Jesus to say something that would be scandalous or that he could otherwise use against him. So the teacher asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
So Jesus told him this parable (or story with a kingdom meaning) in response:
A man, assumed to be Jewish, was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, and is robbed, beaten and left for dead. A priest and Levite pass by without helping, but a Samaritan helps the injured man.
The priest would have been at risk of defiling himself. He would have needed to complete a timely process of purifying himself from the uncleanliness of going near the injured man.
The Levite, from the family line of Levi (one of Jacob's twelve sons), but not of Aaron, would be in a similar situation as the priest, since they assisted the priests.
The priest and the Levite both were more concerned with their religious rules and convenience than with helping this poor man out.
The nationality of the helper in this parable is significant because Samaritans and Jews generally despised each other. They were enemies. Remember the divided Kingdom from the Old Testament? The Northern Kingdom's capitol was Samaria. After they were led into captivity, they intermarried with the Assyrians and essentially ceased to exist as Israel. The Jews (from Judah, or the Southern Kingdom) considered them "half-breeds" or "mutts". An example of this lack of interaction between Jews and Samarians can be seen in John 4:7-9.
So this Samaritan, who went out of his way to help an enemy - and then took very good care of him - demonstrated what true love looks like. From the Jews' perspective, the least likely of the three people to help the man did so.
The Kingdom lesson in this parable: God wants us to love people and take care of them, no matter who they are - whether they are enemies or friends.
What You Will Need
- Snack Suggestion
- Gingerbread man-shaped cookies
Video Options
From Crossroads Kids Club
From Saddleback Kids
From LifeKids
Resource Sheet
This coloring sheet depicts the Good Samaritan helping the hurt man
1. Warm Up get your kids talking and engaged
What is the biggest injury you've ever had (maybe a broken bone, a surgery, etc)? Ask them, "who took care of you?" The people who took care of you must really love you!
Today, we're going to learn about a parable, or story, Jesus told us about a man who was in deep trouble and needed someone to help him.
2. Teach the Story teach a holistic story
Teach the children what a parable is (see the Story Summary above)
Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.
For older children, read the story from an age-appropriate Children's storybook Bible or read directly from the Bible.
3. Bible Mastery give them basic Bible skills
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud: Luke 10:30-37
4. Comprehension Questions make sure they understand the story
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
- What is a parable? (a little story Jesus told that teaches us what life is like as a Christian, in the Kingdom of God)
- What question did the teacher of the law ask Jesus? (What must I do to inherit eternal life)
- What was the correct answer? (To love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, strength; and love your neighbor as yourself)
- How did the teacher of the law try to trick Jesus? (By asking Jesus to define who his neighbor is - basically trying to get Jesus to exclude someone from being loved)
- From the parable, what happened to the man who was injured? (robbers came and attacked him, stole his clothes, and beat him)
- What three men passed by the injured man? (a Jewish priest, Jewish Levite, and half-Jew Samaritan)
- Which man helped the injured man? (the Samaritan)
- What is the Kingom lesson Jesus wanted the teacher of the law to learn? (that we should love others and take care of them, whether they are our friends or are enemies)
5. Faith Questions open up a conversation about faith and the gospel; close with prayer
- Jesus taught us that we should love and take care of others, whether they are friends or enemies.
- How can you take care of others in your life?
6. Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart
Everyone should be quick to listen. But they should be slow to speak. They should be slow to get angry. James 1:19Cookie Baskets
Scripture Then he put the man on his own donkey. He took him to an inn and took care of him. Luke 10:34
- Make cookies and place in small baskets or gift bags.
- Make cards to go with cookies.
- Take cookies baskets to an elderly person, a child in the hospital or anyone that would really appreciate the gift.
Act out the story
- Give children (who are willing) parts to play in the story:
- The man who is robbed and injured
- Robbers (2)
- Priest
- Levite
- Samaritan
- Inn keeper
- As you read the story again, have the children act out the story.
- You might need to do a run-through, and then a real "performance"
- Encourage the children to have fun with it. The more fun they have, the more memorable the lesson will be.
Playdough Copy Cat
Scripture ...Jesus told him, "Go and do as he did. Luke 10:37b
Supplies Playdough
- Jesus used stories to teach us to be more like him.
- Jesus came as an example, so we could copy him.
- Teacher will mold a shape with playdough.
- Students will copy the teacher with each shape.
Follow the Leader
Scripture ...Jesus told him, "Go and do as he did. Luke 10:37b
Supplies play space
- play follow the leader
First Aid Kit
Scripture He went to him, poured olive oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Luke 10:34
Supplies small bag or container, first aid kit supplies
- Use baggies, travel soap containers or plastic rubbermaid boxes to make first aid kits to send home with the children.
- You could use:
- bandaids
- rubber glove
- small roll of gauze
- hand sanitizer
- Now they can help take care of someone who is sick or injured!
Get Well Cards
Scripture But a Samaritan came to the place where the man was. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him. Luke 10:33
Supplies Cardstock of different colors, crayons, markers, colored pencils
- Make get well cards for people in the church who are sick or who are shut-in.
- You could also take these cards to a local hospital or children's hospital
Stuffed Animal Doctor
Scripture Then he put the man on his own donkey. He took him to an inn and took care of him. Luke 10:34
Supplies Stuffed animals, bandages, bandaids, doctor supplies (stethoscope, tongue depressor, etc)
- Give each child (or groups of children) a stuffed animal and doctor supplies
- Pretend to take their temperature, wrap a bandage, put on a bandaid, etc.
Balloon Faces
Heads up! Ensure your children do not have latex allergies
Scripture He went to him, poured olive oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Luke 10:34
Supplies Balloons, permanent marker, bandaids
- Blow up a balloon for each child and have them draw a face on the balloon with the marker.
- Give the marker time to dry.
- Then have them apply bandaids to the balloon face to take home
Walking in someone else's shoes
Scripture But a Samaritan came to the place where the man was. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him. Luke 10:33
Supplies several pair of adult shoes of different types (boots, sandals, casual, tennis shoes, etc)
- Have students try on a shoe and imagine what the person that wore those shoes did in them.
- What difficult things might have happened to them in the shoes?
- Explain the expression: "put yourself in someone else's shoes"?
- It means to be able to understand how someone else feels instead of just thinking about yourself.
- In our story, the Good Samaritan cared more about the injured man than his own convenience
Do You Love Your Neighbor Game
Heads up! This is a very active game, and potentially loud with laughter!
Scripture But the man wanted to make himself look good. So he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Luke 10:29
Supplies Enough chairs for all students but one
- Place chairs in a circle, enough for all but one child.
- Have one person be "it."
- "It" stands in the center of the circle.
- The kids in the chairs all ask "Do you love your neighbor?"
- "It" responds, "Yes, I love people..."
- ...with black shoes
- ...with brown hair
- ...wearing red
- ...with blue eyes
- ...wearing a dress
- Whoever has black shoes, brown hair, wearing red, etc, must get up and run to another chair.
- "It" tries to get a chair as other kids get up.
- The person left without a chair becomes "It."
The Good Samaritan Race
Heads up! This is a good game to play outside. Also, ensure none of your children have latex allergies
Scripture He went to him, poured olive oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Luke 10:34
Supplies Bandages and bandaids
- Divide children into teams of 3 or 4.
- Choose one person on each team to be the hurt man.
- Have each team line up at the starting line.
- Place bandaids and bandages for each team at a line about 20 feet away from the starting line.
- Each team should carry their "hurt man" from the starting line to where the bandaids and bandages are, apply the bandages and bandaids, and then carry their "hurt man" back to the starting line.
Step by Step Drawing the Good Samaritan
Scripture Luke 10:25-37
Supplies Markers, Paper
- Give each child a piece of paper and a marker
- Follow the step by step instructions from the video below to draw the Good Samaritan