Rev. Kelly L. Routt
Sunday School Teacher's Guide
The Good Samaritan Lesson Plan
Agenda Item Approximate Time
* Greeting 1 min
* Morning Prayer 1 - 2 minutes
* Song "Love the Lord Thy God" 3 min
* Announcements 2 - 3 minutes
* Recap Last Week's Lesson 3 - 5 minutes
* Bible Reading Luke 10:25-37 2 minutes
* Discussion 15 min
* Group Discussions 8 min
* Wrap Up 5 min
* Bible Pictionary 15 - 20 minutes
* Closing Comments and Prayer 2 min
Note: This lesson intended for students in Junior High and/or High School.
Total time for lesson approx 55 to 65 minutes.
This lesson copyright 2009, Rev. Kelly L. Routt. Lesson may be used solely by Universal Life Church Seminary, Elk Grove, CA, for seminary use. All Rights Reserved for later publication by author.
1. Greeting
Tips: Welcome everyone and ask that everyone take a seat.
Is there anyone who has returned after an absence?
Say a sincere hello to them by name.
2. Prayer
Dear Lord, we give thanks to You for bringing us here to study Your Word and learn from Your Message. Please help us to understand the importance of Your Teaching. We wish to learn both what it meant to those to whom You spoke and how it applies to our lives today. Help us today to learn who our neighbors are and how to show them kindness. We also ask, Lord, that You watch over those who cannot be with us today, whether they are traveling or have another reason they are not able to attend. Please show them in their own lives significance of the lesson we learn today. Bless us and the time we spend here together. AMEN.
3. Song
Suggestion: Find a song tying in with the reading for the day. Themes to look for are about giving aid, being a neighbor, or loving the Lord thy God with all thy heart.
4. Announcements
Tips: Give any news of the church or up coming special occasions.
Has anyone in the group received an award of some type?
Any birthdays in the coming week?
Are there any shuts ins from the church that could use a pick me up?
Be sure to ask if anyone in the class has an announcement.
5. Review of Previous Lesson
Tips: Ask someone to volunteer a quick sentence about the previous week's lesson.
Having a week go by since the lesson, did anyone have any more questions or concerns about the lesson?
Did anyone have something that happened during the week that reminded him or her of the lesson? Please share what happened.
If the lesson included some sort of homework or challenge for the week, have the class share some of the results.
6. Reading from the Bible Luke 10:25-37
Suggestion: Break reading into sections and ask students to read aloud.
7. Questions for Discussion
Suggestion: Optionally begin by taking a Socratic Approach.
"Before we discuss the importance of this story, we need to make sure we all understand what is happening in this passage. Let's help each other. Who is confused by anything in this passage?"
(Show of hands) Ask each person "What confuses you?"
"Who knows the answer to _______'s question?"
Encourage a short discussion between the two students. Be sure to listen for clues that might be off topic and rein them in gently. Ask for additional input.
NOTE: If time allows, review all of the following discussion questions. If time is short, use questions marked by " >>". (About half of the questions.)
Kelly L. Routt Page 3 5/4/2009
Questions for Discussion Continued
>>1 What is going on in the first 4 verses between Jesus and the lawyer?
2 Why do you suppose it is a "test question"?
3 Why is Law capitalized?
Jewish Law was religious as well as civil. What the lawyer responds to Jesus is found in Duet 6:5 and Lev 19:18 and Jesus in turn refers to Lev 18:5. This is similar to other Jewish summaries of the Law found in other sources of this period.
4 Is there another name for the Law that the lawyer recites?
"The Golden Rule"
>>5 Does the lawyer appear to be surprised by Jesus' reply that he has the right answer? Why or why not?
6 Why do you suppose the lawyer asks who is his neighbor?
>>7 Jesus doesn't give a direct answer to the lawyer's second challenge, does He? Does this give Jesus' lesson more impact or less impact? Why?
>>8 In the parable, two people walk by the man left for dead: a priest and a Levite. Does anyone know who the Levites were?
The Levites were amongst the holiest of people in Jewish history. Their duties are referred to in Old Testament in Numbers 3. Of course, the book of Leviticus derives its name out of the emphasis upon the duties of the tribes of Levi as priests.
>>9 Were you shocked to hear that the holy men did not help the man who was robbed? Why do you suppose they walked on the other side?
Questions For Discussion Continued
>> Read to Students: "The Old Testament gives many specific details about Jewish Law. Many rules existed about cleanliness and rankings of priests. Strict rules stated who can enter the Temple. Priests and Levites were Temple officials and highly visible members of the religious establishment. So when Jesus told this parable, people of His time not only understood that the failure of these two holy men to act as neighbors was a shock; they would have also understood that the Holy men were not allowed to come in contact with a dead body because then they would be unfit for Temple service."
10 Was the audience of Jesus Jewish or Christian?
Jewish, remember Jesus himself was a Jew, sent to help men be forgiven of sins. Christianity as a religion did not exist as we know it. Therefore, His audiences were other Jews.
>>11 What did Jews think about Samaritans at that time?
Among Jews, nothing good would be expected of a Samaritan, which makes his action all the more notable. See Luke 9:52-55. Their enmity was ancient and deep, of the sort only possible where there are rival claims to being true guardians of a common tradition (the Law of Moses). Jews considered Samaritans unclean. This is also referred to in the Old Testament.
>>12 Nowadays, we call any stranger that does a good deed for someone in need a "Good Samaritan." Do you think Jesus purposefully chose a Samaritan to illustrate to the lawyer who his neighbor is?
Do you think our modern definition lacks the impact the meaning of Samaritan had on people who heard Jesus speak? Why or why not?
>>13 The story ends with Jesus telling the lawyer "go and do as he did." What do you think Jesus means by this? Based on Jesus' answer to the lawyer, who are your neighbors?
8. Group Discussion
Break into two or three groups, depending on class size.
Imagine you were retelling this story today.
What groups of people in modern day society might substitute for Samaritan to have the impact Jesus had on followers of his day?
What kinds of things could you do this week to help other people?
Do you think it will be hard to help someone you do not like as much as the Jews and Samaritans disliked each other?
Do you think it would be hard to accept help from someone you do not like?
9. Wrap Up Lesson
Ask one member of each group to share the group's best answers. Write these answers on the board (if you have one).
Read to Students: This story of the parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us of one of Jesus' most important teachings. He teaches this lesson over and over in different ways throughout the New Testament. This is the Golden Rule demonstrated in a story. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. We could perhaps say this law is really where all other laws have their basis. If we are showing kindness to our neighbor no matter who they are, we will always do what is right.
From the answers provided in the group discussions, encourage the class to decide on a challenge they will take to help other people in the coming week.
For example, they could offer to pick up trash on the campus of a rival school or the grounds of a place of worship for a faith other than their own. In this way, they could demonstrate the meaning Jesus intended when he chose a Samaritan as the neighbor to emulate in this story. Depending on the ages of the class, an adult may want to coordinate the arrangements.
Kelly L. Routt Page 6 5/4/2009
10. Bible Pictionary
Break into 2 or 3 teams depending on class size.
Class Instructor acts as referee.
A person from each team will take turns at the board drawing a word or phrase from the Bible. Team members will have 20 seconds to guess the word. Score one point for correct answer.
The team member that guesses the word can earn one additional point for the team by correctly identifying the significance of the word in relation to a Bible lesson or story. For example, a serpent could signify Adam and Eve or it could signify Aaron's staff turning into a serpent.
WORD LIST
Church
King
Ark
Dove
Apple
Slingshot
Crown
Cross
Bread
Fish
Burning
Mustard seed
Manger
Star
Oil lamp
Altar
Fisherman
Boat
Cup of wine
Trumpet
Angel
River
Shepherd
Throne
Tablet
Whale
Shining
Sandals
Well
Sheep
Red Sea
Rainbow
Clouds
Prayer
Needle
Lion
Magi
Road
Nail
Donkey
Basket
Robe
Harp
Mountain
Valley
Love
Door
Grapes
Bethlehem
Last Supper
Of course, you may provide some sort of reward or prize to the winners. Lacking a prize, however, losing team(s) must straighten the room after closing prayer and before being dismissed for the day.
Kelly L. Routt Page 7 5/4/2009
11. Closing Comments and Prayer
Thank students for their attentiveness, creativity and hard work. Remind them to look for opportunities throughout the coming week to be a Good Samaritan as Jesus intended. If none arises, ask them to notice other people being Good Samaritans.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for the time and lessen we shared together. Help us to see that our neighbors are everywhere and from every walk of life. Help us to be aware of those around us who may need help, however large or small, especially when they are in some way different from us. Let us begin this week to notice how important this lessen really is, how rich in meaning it becomes when we know how Samaritans were shunned in Your days in Earth. May we grow, Lord, by living the example set forth in this parable. Keep us safe, we pray. And if some trouble should befall any of us, please send a Samaritan to look after us. May we recognize the good he or she does regardless of our differences. Bless us all this week, we ask of You. AMEN.
NOTES
Kelly L. Routt
Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.
As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar
No comments:
Post a Comment