The Great Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

Memory Verse:

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)


Teaching Aids:

1) Poster - have kids color and put their names on pictures of kids. Glue these figures to the road, lying down on the poster which has these words written on it: The Greater Samaritan (and the community of "victims"). (John 15:12-14)


Read and Discuss:

1) The lawyer wants to trap Jesus (vs 25) but Jesus has other ideas... he sees the deeper need in the heart of the lawyer (v 29).

2) What does justified mean? (show word puzzle "Not guilty by reason of Jesus"). Are we able to justify ourselves?

3) (vss 26-27) Review the 10 Commandments and show how this answer summarizes both tables.

4) When Jesus responds in vs 28 is he giving the lawyer good news? Can we really keep these? (only if we bring the law down... which is what the lawyer tries to do by asking, "Who is my neighbor?")

5) (vs 30) This road, from Jerusalem to Jericho was called the "road of blood" and was very dangerous, full of robbers.

6) Note how carefully the Samaritan cares for the victim. What specific things does he do to show his care? (vss 34-35)

7) Does he care for him like a stranger? Like a family member (a blood brother would not have made better provisions for care than the Samaritan cared for the stranger)? Like he (himself) would want to be cared for?


The Main Point:

Who are we most like in the story?
Priest and Levite? (oftentimes yes)
Samaritan? (usually not)
Victim? (certainly!)

Look up and read, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. (John 15:12-14)

Who is the greater Samaritan?


The Gospel:

"According to the Bible, we are like that man, dying in the road. Spiritually, we are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:5). But when Jesus came into our dangerous world, he came down our road. And though we had been his enemies, he was moved with compassion by our plight (Romans 5:10). He came to us and saved us, not merely at the risk of his life, as in the case of the Samaritan, but at the cost of his life. On the cross he paid a debt we could never have paid ourselves. Jesus is the Great Samaritan to whom the Good Samaritan points." - from Generous Justice by Tim Keller

Now look at the poster... What is written under the Title "The Greater Samaritan"? (and the community of "victims").

What does that mean? (that we're all in the same boat!)

"Christ Himself is the merciful One; He restores fellowship and has given Himself for others. Through Him we again know ourselves one with others and learn to practice community. That community is the revelation of the true life with God." - from Promise and Deliverance vol. III by S.G. De Graaf


Gospel Consequences:

For Ourselves: Seeing that we are freely justified in Christ frees us from the need to justify ourselves (vs 29)

For Others: Recognizing our common condition with others empowers us to "Go and do likewise" (vs 37), motivated not by guilt, but by gratitude.