THE GOOD SAMARITAN

Elementary (Y1)

WELCOME TO WEEK 2

It’s week 2! How do you show God’s love to others? This week we will see how being kind to others shows God’s love.

Luke 10:31-37; John 13:35

Video of the week

SONG OF THE WEEK

BIBLE STORY

God is love and He loves each one of us. We can show God’s love to others by showing them kindness. On a white sheet of paper, draw a circle with larger circles drawn around it (Like a bullseye). In the center circle write your name. On the next ring out write ‘family’, the 2nd ring write ‘friends’, 3rd ring write ‘neighbor’, 4th ring write ‘people you meet'. Write 3-5 names of people in each ring under each category. Answer the following questions about each of these groups of people you listed. Who would you eat a meal with? Who would you share your favorite toy or electronic with? Who would you buy a gift for? Who would you take care of if they were sick or hurt? The people you listed closest to the center circle are probably people you feel the most love for and show kindness toward. The bible has something to say about all of the people listed in each of your circles and how you should treat all of them.

Materials: White writing paper, pen/pencil

Let’s read the Bible story for the week Luke 10:31-37

Who was the first person who walked by the hurt man? (The Priest)
Why do you think he refused to stop and help? (Maybe he had responsibilities in the temple that he didn’t want to miss)
Who was the next man who walked by the injured man? (The Levite)
Why do you think he didn’t stop to help? (maybe he was afraid the robbers were still around and would hurt him as well)
Who was the third man that saw the hurt man? (A Samaritan)
Why do you think he stopped to help? (He felt compassion for the hurt man)
Do you think the Samaritan was afraid to stay and help?
What do you think caused the Samaritan to stay and help even though he could be in danger as well? (He was showing God’s love which empowered him to do the right thing)
Did the Samaritan do just enough to feel good about himself? (No, The Samaritan took him to the inn and paid for his care and offered to pay for whatever the man needed while he was gone.)

Based on this story Jesus shared about the Good Samaritan, who in your circles should you show kindness to? Who on your list should you take care of when they are sick or hurt? We are to care for anyone God brings in our path. The story today demonstrates that the Good Samaritan showed God’s love through his actions, not just his words. The others may have said they loved God but their actions did not show it. We want to be sure our actions match our words as well.

BIBLE STORY ACTIVITY

Showing kindness to others shows them God’s love. Jesus said we are to show love to our neighbors. Our neighbors are not only the people who live next door but the people God brings us into contact with. Young people you come into contact with like new classmates, someone who may not get picked to be on a team, a new kid at church or the new teammate are all neighbors God has placed in front of you to love.

ACTIVITY

Hand hearts. Using construction paper, pencils/markers and scissors, trace your hands and cut them out. Glue the hands on another piece of construction paper with the thumbs and pointer fingers laying together. This will be a heart. Write a phrase about this weeks theme of God’s love. For example: I can show God’s love by showing kindness. Decorate the rest of the paper with stickers or drawings

Materials: Paper, Pen/Pencil, construction paper, scissors, glue

ALTERNATIVE:

Complete the Helping Hands paper by writing ways you can be a helper throughout this week. Have a parent stamp each day you complete an activity listed.

Materials: Helping hands worksheet

CREATE:

The parable Jesus told of the Good Samaritan is a story to teach a lesson about loving others through our actions not just our feelings. Write a story that is similar to the Good Samaritan that reflects our current culture. For example, in bible times they traveled by foot or donkey, today we would travel by car, bus, train or Uber! In bible times the Samaritan took the man to an inn to be cared for, today we would have a hospital or clinic. Create your own story that still shows how God would want us to treat those around us with love.

Materials: Writing paper, pen/pencil

ARTS & CAFTS

CRAFT 1

God is Love and he shows us love every day. He also gives us gifts to show his love. Use play dough to make a model of something God made for you that you really enjoy. For example, God gives us the ocean, animals or people who care for us. Make something that reminds you of God’s love for you.

Materials: play dough or modeling clay

CRAFT 2

coloring page

Materials: Coloring page

CRAFT 2

FOLLOW-UP

The Good Samaritan loved his neighbor, who was someone he didn’t know and had never met before. Read the scripture John 13:35. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? (It means we choose to follow him.) How did Jesus say everyone would know that we are his disciples? (By loving one another.) The love the Samaritan showed for the beaten stranger was more than just kindness but a love that went beyond average. Think of all the things the Samaritan did for the stranger. Listed below are ways the Samaritan loved the stranger beyond just doing the minimum. Think of the opposite, what would it have looked like for him to just do enough to say he helped the stranger? The first one is done for you.

Stopped and bandaged his wounds…...he could have just politely asked “Are you ok?”
Put him on his ox to ride…………………
Paid for him to stay at the inn ……………………
Offered to pay the inn keeper more if needed …….
Came back to check on the stranger ………………….

The love the Samaritan showed the stranger was the kind of love he would have shown himself if he was the one injured. This kind of love was more than just casual help, and Jesus said we are to love everyone with that kind of love. Would it be hard to show lavish love for a stranger? Who do you know that can love that way? Jesus can love perfectly and when we choose to accept Jesus into our life we can recognize that His grace can cover where we fail. It's His love that shines through us to the people around us. His love is like no other and that’s how others know that we belong to him, because our love begins to reflect his perfect love.

Practical Application at Home

Showing others God’s love is a way to demonstrate to God that we love him. In Matthew 25:34-46 it says that when we feed the hungry, clothe those without anything to wear, or take care of the sick, it is as if we are doing these kind things to Jesus. This week look for ways to show others you love them. Start with the people closest to you and then branch out. When you branch out to people outside of your family, work together as a family to demonstrate love to others.

On your own:

Give a hug
Write a nice note or draw a picture
Bring something needed without them asking, like a blanket, a glass of water, or slippers.
Clean something that you didn’t make dirty, without being asked.

As a family:

send someone a card in the mail just to say you are thinking of them.
Make “Jesus loves you” cards and hand them out to friends at church or leave the notes to be found.
Make cookies or treats to pass out at an assisted Living facility for a grandparent who may not have family visitors.