The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Kids at home 31st January
Sometimes Jesus told stories when He wanted people to really understand important lessons. If the lessons were hard then Jesus sometimes told simple stories to help people understand the things that were hard to understand. These stories were called parables.
Over the next few weeks we are going to be learning some of the parables that Jesus told and looking at what Jesus is teaching us in each one!
Today we are learning about the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Let’s start with some worship! Feel free to sing and dance or just watch and listen, Jesus doesn’t mind HOW we worship, he just loves it when we spend time with him and sing his praises!
Great Big God – Vineyard Kids
You are Good – Bethel Kids
This is Amazing Grace – Bethel Kids
Good Good Father – Chapelhill Kids
Story time
The parable of the good Samaritan
Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Some important points to remember…
- The Samaritan man in the story had a very big heart and loved someone who he didn’t usually get along very well with and someone he was different to. He helped the man who was in need and was very kind to him!
- Even though the Samaritan man might not have had a lot of time or money or things, he still showed love and kindness to the man and shared everything that he had with him!
- By telling the parable of a Samaritan who helped a complete stranger, Jesus is teaching us that anyone who is in need is also our neighbour. A neighbour can mean a friend but also someone we don’t know very well or someone that is different to us. Jesus is teaching us to always show kindness to others like the Samaritan man did in the story.
- God is so kind and loving to us! He gives us what exactly what we need and He forgives us no matter what we do!
- We can be kind and loving to others because God is so kind to us, He shows us how we can share that kindness with everyone around us! We should be kind to people and love people who are different from us because we are all equal in the eyes of God!
Some things to talk to your family about…
- Why do you think the Samaritan helped the man who was hurt?
- Can you think of a time when someone has helped you?
- What do you think kindness is? How do you know when someone is being kind?
- How do you think God is kind?
- What does Jesus teach us in this story about being kind to everyone? What about those who are different from us?
Memory Verse
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbour as yourself.” Luke:10-27 NIV
Jesus asks us to love God with everything that we have and He also asks us to love others too. He asks us to be kind and caring to everyone that we meet, especially those that might need our help. He asks us to help everyone, like He always helps us! He tells us to love each other like He loves us, through our words and our actions and by sharing the things that we have with others. God also shows us kindness when He forgives us when we sometimes get things wrong. He asks us to forgive others when they get things wrong too just like He does. Being compassionate means that we care about others and we treat them with kindness, this might look like giving someone a hug, making them a card or saying something kind to help a friend who is feeling sad.
Why don’t you and your family think of some ways that you can show kindness to others or to each other at home this week?
Prayer time
Can you think of anyone who might be in need right now? Why don’t you say a prayer for them every day this week?
Dear God,
Thank you that you love us so much and you teach us to love you and to love others with all of our hearts. Please help us to love everyone as well as you do and help us to look out for people who are in need. Thank you that you are so kind to us and help us to always show kindness to everyone we meet.
Amen