WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? Memory Verse: Love your neighbor as yourself, Mark 12:31b HCSB. Bible Study: The Parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37

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1 Reach Texas 2016 Preschool Bible Story WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? Memory Verse: Love your neighbor as yourself, Mark 12:31b HCSB Bible Study: The Parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37 Main Point: I Can Be A Neighbor! Purpose: Through this lesson, preschool-aged children will discover that when they show love to others through acts of service they are being good neighbors. They will also get an introduction to the Reach Texas Offering. Teacher Prep: Read Luke 10:25-37 and familiarize with the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Also take time this week to discover how your church will be involved in the Reach Texas Offering Study Help: The story of the Good Samaritan was not an actual historical event, rather it was a lesson created in the wonderful imagination of Jesus in answer to a series of questions posed by a scribe in the crowd. This expert in the law, who was possibly a Pharisee, first asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. On the surface, a fantastic question, but in actuality it was only an attempt to test Jesus and stir up certain people in the crowd who may not like His answer. Jesus answers his question with a question, What is written in the law? How do you read it? (v.26 HCSB) The law expert of course answers well: love God, love my neighbor. Jesus affirms this answer, but the scribe is still not done laying his trap. He further presses, And who is my neighbor? (v. 29 HCSB) Here, a mere teacher might be in a touch of trouble. At that time the Jews had strong nationalistic pride about being the only true people of God. Many Jewish people looked down upon others and considered themselves superior. They particularly disliked Samaritans they believed to be half-breeds who intermarried with foreigners. This sly scribe wanted to force Jesus into saying people like Samaritans really weren t neighbors of God s people, and so there was no law mandating them to show love and respect to these outsiders. Thankfully Jesus is no mere teacher. He s also not scared to say controversial things that his audience may not appreciate. In answer to the scribe s final question he tells the story of the Good Samaritan, a story in which the only positive character is an outsider to the Jewish faith.

2 In the parable we see the Samaritan do three things the priest and the Levite were unwilling to do for the man in crises: 1. See the need. After robbers beat the man, stole is belongings, and left him for dead by the road the priest and the Levite turned away from his need. More than that actually, they crossed to the other side of the street to avoid him. The Samaritan did the opposite. He looked straight into the bloody mess and acknowledged the desperate man in his state of emergency. 2. Engage the need. We don t know from the story if the Samaritan man was in a hurry. We don t know what he had to do and what time he needed to be somewhere, but we do know he had a purpose. No one walked on that 17-mile stretch from Jerusalem to Jericho for pleasure. All along the way travelers faced danger from hazardous conditions and treacherous criminals. It had to be an incredible inconvenience for the man to stop and engage the man in need, but we read in verse 33 that the Samaritan saw the man and, had compassion. From a place of love he interrupted his schedule and cared for the robbers victim. 3. Serve the need. The lengths the Samaritan went to serve the Jewish man were truly extraordinary. Take a minute to read verses again to see what loving your neighbor really looks like. As you read, think about the level of service Jesus is describing to His listeners and how that differs from the attitude of the scribe. From the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus communicates an important truth: neighbors are people who act like neighbors. The scribe wanted Jesus to answer his question with a who or a where. Instead, Jesus answered with an illustration that demonstrated it doesn t matter where you live, where you were born, what language you speak, or what color your skin is none of those things make you a neighbor. Your actions toward all people near and far determines if you truly love your neighbor or not. Early Arrivers Let the children participate in active learning by playing in the Learning Centers. Bible Story: Emoji Sticks Needs: popsicle sticks, Good Samaritan Emojis, Glue (or something to stick paper to popsicle sticks) Prepare: Cut out each emoji from the Good Samaritan Emojis page found at the end of this lesson and glue them to one popsicle stick. Tell the story and follow the prompts in italics: Say, Once, long ago, Jesus was talking to a big group of people. He told them that the two most important rules in all the Bible were; one (hold up one finger): love God, and two (hold up two fingers) love your neighbor. Can all of you say those two important rules with me? (as you get children to say the two rules, continue to hold up one or two fingers)

3 Then a man in the crowd asked Jesus a question. He asked, Who is my neighbor? To answer his question, Jesus told a very famous story called the Good Samaritan. Here s how the story goes: Once there was a Jewish man walking along a very dangerous road (show the children the traveler popsicle stick and make it bounce up and down as if walking). Before a long some bad guys came (show the bad guy popsicle stick in your other hand and make it attack the traveler) and attacked the man, beat him up, stole his stuff, and left hurt and alone by the side of the road (lay the traveler popsicle stick in front of you and make the bad guy run away). The man was in real trouble. He really needed someone to help him. Pretty soon a priest came walking along the road (show the kids the priest popsicle stick bouncing up and down as if walking). His job was to serve people and help them worship God. Do you think he stopped and helped the hurt man (pause to allow the children to answer)? No, he didn t. Jesus said the priest crossed to the other side of the street, away from the hurt Jewish man and kept on walking (pantomime these actions with the priest popsicle stick). Next, a Levite came walking down the street (show the Levite popsicle stick). A Levite is someone who works in the temple and helps people pray and experience God. Do you think the Levite stopped and helped the hurt man on the side of the street (pause to allow the children to answer)? Nope he didn t help either. Jesus said that he too crossed to the other side of the street and kept walking (pantomime these actions with the Levite popsicle stick). Finally a Samaritan man walked down the street (show the kids the Good Samaritan popsicle stick). Back then most Jewish people didn t like the Samaritan people at all, and most Samaritan people didn t like Jewish people either. Do you think this stranger, this outsider stopped to help the Jewish man who might possibly hate his guts (pause to allow the children to answer)? Yes, he did! Jesus said the Good Samaritan bandaged his wounds, took care of the man, picked him up and set him on his horse (put the horse and the traveler together in one hand and pantomime the Good Samaritan caring for the traveler and the leading him away on the horse), took him to an inn, and payed for him to stay as long as he needed to get better. Jesus story helps us understand that we can be a good neighbor to others by serving them, being nice to them, and showing love to them. We can be good neighbors to those who live next door to us AND to people who live far away. Really, everyone is our neighbor and God wants us to reach out and help everyone we can, just like the Good Samaritan. Main Point: I CAN BE A NEIGHBOR! Put motions to the main point and get children to repeat it several times with you.

4 Pray: POINT PRAYER Print out the Point Prayer Map of Texas found at the end of this lesson and ask the children to line up. Say, Boys and girls, this will be an eyes-open prayer. Sometimes it s okay to pray with our eyes open and for this prayer activity you will need to be able to see. One-by-one you will come up to the map and point your finger anywhere you d like. Then I want you to pray, God, help my Texas neighbors right here. Now, you may not know who lives in that part of Texas, or even what cities are there, but God knows and He can answer our prayers right now. Allow each child a turn to point at the map and pray. Mission Moment Tell the children, There are many ways to be a good neighbor to people all over the world. Today we want to learn one way to be a good neighbor to the people right here in Texas. Our church is participating in the Reach Texas Offering. We are collecting money to help, share Jesus with people all over our home state, start brand new churches, and care for people in need. What can you do to be a good neighbor through the Reach Texas Offering? After the mission point, transition to learning centers. Learning Centers Craft: Band-aid Butterflies Needs: three band-aids per child, construction paper, markers Prepare: Have band-aids, markers, and a sample prepared and ready on a table. Cut construction paper in half. Do: 1. Have children put two bandaids down in the form of an X: 2. Place a third bandaid up through the middle of the first two: 3. Ask the children to draw a face and antennas on the butterfly. They can also color the wings. 4. Write above or below for the child, Fly to help others!

5 Music: Sing these words to the tune of Deep and Wide, replacing a word each time through with a funny sound just like the original song. Near and far Near and far I can love my neighbors near and far. Near and far Near and far I can love my neighbors near and far. Art: Start Your Own Church! Print one Start Your Own Church page for every child and provide colored pencils, crayons, or markers. Challenge the children to dream about starting their very own church somewhere in Texas. Ask them to draw what it would look like on their papers. While they draw, ask them what the church would be like. What kind of worship would there be? What would the church do together for fun? In what ways would the church serve the community? What would their job be in the church? Finish by reminding the children that part of the Reach Texas Offering goes to starting brand new churches in Texas. Activity: This Is The Church Fingerplay Start by asking the children, What is a church? To answer, explain that sometimes we think that the church a building where we worship God, see our friends, and learn Bible lessons. Actually, that s not quite right. The church is a group of people who love each other, serve one another, and help one another like the Good Samaritan. To help the kids know exactly what the church is, take an old fingerplay rhyme and change it to reflect more accurate teaching. You will use the same motions, but use different words (HINT: If you don t know the old motions simply go to Youtube and search Here is the church. ) New Words: Here is a place On top sits a steeple Open and find The church is God s people

6 Optional Snack: Graham Cracker Bandaids Make a delicious snack that looks like a bandaid by taking a small piece of graham cracker, smoothing out a square of white icing in the middle, and placing small red dots of red gel icing in the white square. Clean Up Time Help preschoolers clean up the room and gather their belongings. Dismiss

7 Good$Samaritan$Emojis!! Cut$out$emojis$on$dotted$line$and$paste$them$on$popsicle$sticks.$! Bad$guy$ traveler$ priest$ Levite$ Good$Samaritan$ horse$

8 Point Prayer Map of Texas

9 Start Your Own Church! Draw your church below

10 The Reach Texas Offering helps to start new churches, care for those in needs, and share Jesus with people all over the state of Texas!