Leader Guide

Leader Introduction

Today's Bible story reinforces and expands on the previous lessons about Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan. Despite being vastly different, the Samaritan man chose to show generosity, compassion, and mercy to the Jewish man he discovered beside the road.

At Quantum Labs, Miss Tina is having a birthday! The robots agree to give her a special gift but can't agree on the type of gift it should be. Today's lesson is about showing love and kindness to all people, especially to others who are different than us.

*Scripture is quoted from the New Living Translation unless noted.

Optional Opening Game

Someone is having a birthday at Quantum Labs and the big question is what to give for a gift. Jump up and down if you like to receive gifts. Children respond.

It's fun to receive a gift on a special day like your birthday or for no reason at all!

Stand next to the bottles. Gifts are not always the same, and they come in all shapes and sizes. That's part of the fun, to guess what a gift is before opening it. Look closely, do you notice anything about these gift pictures? There are two of each type of gift.

Yes, there are two of each kind of gift. In this game, we want only different gifts.

Hold up the sock balls. Even the balls are different! (Different colors and/or patterns). This game is played like bowling. You will get two turns to roll these sock balls to knock over gift bottles.

Hold up two of the same gift bottles. You will try to knock over just one of each kind. The goal is to only have six different gift bottles standing. Lay down one of each type of gift bottle.

Does everyone understand how to play? Children respond.

Stand the bottles up again. A leader will stand behind the bottles to coach the children, roll the balls back to Line #1 for the next child's turn, and to remove or stand up the bottles.

The first player rolls one ball at a time. When one of the pair of bottles is knocked over, it is removed from play. If the second bottle of that pair is knocked over, it is stood upright again.

Players take turns rolling the sock balls until only the six different gift bottles are standing.

Conclusion: The gifts look different, but no gift is better than the other. It's the same with people, God didn't create us exactly alike. He gave us each different gifts, abilities and talents. No person is better than another and because God made us all, we must show kindness and love to everyone, especially those who are different than us. Now let's talk about something that goes along with gifts!

Object to GO!

Hold up the candle or image. Lead a discussion with the comments and questions below:

● This is a special type of candle. What type of candle is this? A birthday candle.

● Where would you see a candle like this? On a birthday cake.

● Right! What do you do on your birthday after the candles are lit? Children answer.

● How many candles do you put on a birthday cake? The same number as your age.

● How many candles did you have on your last birthday cake? Children respond.

● In the next video, someone is having a birthday. Do you think it is Professor Quantum, Miss Tina, Professor Spectrum, Gizmo, or Rig? Children guess.

● Let's watch the video to see if anyone guessed correctly!

Leave the question unanswered until it is revealed in the video.

Play Video (Love in Translation)

Love in Translation

After the video, ask the following discussion questions:

● Who is about to have a birthday? Miss Tina.

● Raise your hand if you guessed Miss Tina. Children respond.

● What gift did Gizmo want to give Miss Tina? He wanted to clean (detail) her car.

● Did Widget like Gizmo's idea? No, she said a gift had to be a thing.

● Why did Widget think cleaning the car wouldn't be a good gift? The car would get dirty again, the gift would disappear.

● What is Miss Tina's favorite gift and love language? Spending time with others, quality time.

● What is Rig's love language? Physical touch.

● What is Gizmo's love language? Acts of service.

● What is Widget's love language? Gifts.

● What is Gears love language? Words (of affirmation).

Consider letting the children dance and sing along with Miss Tina and the robots during the song "Love Communication".

God made each one of us to be different, including our love languages. Our love language is how we like to show and receive love. We should try to discover other people's love language as we work on being a loving and thoughtful neighbor and friend to those around us.

 *The Love Language™ concepts are used with permission. The 5 Love Languages® by Dr. Gary Chapman (©2015). All rights reserved. Published by Northfield Publishing. For more information, visit 5lovelanguages.com.

Optional Object Talk

Do all of these gifts look the same or different on the outside? Different.

Raise your hand if you like to open gifts? Children respond.

Choose three volunteers to open and remove the hearts.

Are the gifts inside the boxes the same or different? The same.

Wow, even though the packages are different, the same gift was inside.

Hold up the hearts. This heart is a symbol of God's love for ALL people.

Just like these boxes, we all look different on the outside.

What is inside each heart? A cross.

The Bible says: "Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father." (James 1:17 CEV).

God is our Heavenly Father. He gave us a good and perfect gift when He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross so EVERYONE'S sins could be forgiven.

Place a heart into each gift box again. When we believe in Jesus, God's gift lives inside us.

God gave us this gift. We can share it with others by telling them about Jesus and showing God's love in different ways! This is the perfect gift to give to everyone!

Video Lesson

Play Video (Bible Story)

Bible Story

The Good Samaritan

Let's watch the Bible story video and see how someone showed kindness to someone very different.

Teaching Time

Make one copy of the Character Card Page in color (preferred) or black and white.

Cut out the nine individual character cards.

Measure and cut each paper towel roll into three equal tubes.

If cardstock is used, cut sheets into three equal horizontal strips, then roll strips into tubes and staple closed.

Staple or tape each card to a tube. Important: Attach cards 3,6,7,8 horizontally on tubes.

Place the tubes in an ordered row on the back side of the table, image facing away from the children.

The leader stands behind the table. Use the bullets to ask questions and "guide" the story. Give clues and fill in details as needed. Important: as each tube is selected, pick it up, but don't reveal the image until after a discussion of what happens next. Then, reveal the image and "walk it" into the scene at the front of the table. The tube numbers and instructions are in parenthesis.

Optional: Choose volunteers to "walk" each tube into the scene after it has been identified.

Today, I'd like you to help me tell Jesus' parable. Each tube has a picture from the Bible story.

● (Enter Tube #1) Who was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho? A Jewish man.

● (Exit Tube#1, Enter Tube #2) As he walked, who surprised him on the road? Robbers!

● What did the robbers do? They beat him up, took his clothes and money.

● (Exit Tube #2, Enter Tube #3) Did the robbers call for a doctor? No, they left him badly hurt beside the road.

● (Enter Tube #4) Who walked on the road next and saw the injured man? A Jewish priest.

● He was a good neighbor and was kind to the man from his own country, right? No!

● That is surprising, what did the priest do? He looked at the man and walked away.

● (Walk Tube #4 away to exit) Oh no! That isn't what a good neighbor does!

● (Enter Tube #5) Then what happened in the parable? Another Jewish man who worked in the temple walked by and saw the injured man.

● Oh good! What did he do to help? He didn't, he walked past the man, too.

● (Walk Tube #5 to exit) Oh no! Do you think that is being a good neighbor? No!

● (Enter Tube #6 ) What happened next? Another man came by on a donkey.

● (Exit Tube #6, Enter Tube #7) How was this man different than the Jewish traveler? He was from a different country called Samaria.

● He probably didn't help because the Samaritans and Jewish people didn't like each other! Did he also walk by without helping the man? No, he stopped to help him.

● (Exit #6, Enter Tube #7) How did he help the injured Jewish man? He put oil and bandages on his cuts and bruises.

● That's how people cared for injuries back then. Was the Samaritan man a good neighbor? Yes!

● (Exit Tube #7, Enter Tube #8) What happened next? The Samaritan man helped the injured man onto his own donkey and took him to an inn.

● Did he just drop the injured man off at the inn? No, he gave the inn keeper two silver coins to take care of him until he was better.

● (Exit Tube #8, Enter Tube #9) The Samaritan man was very different than the Jewish man, but he chose to be a good neighbor and show kindness and mercy to him.

Now it is our turn to love others even when they are different and to show them God's mercy and kindness. Thank you for helping me tell the Bible story today!

Verse to GO!

Romans 2:11 (CEV)

Today’s memory verse from the Bible is Romans 2:11:

"God doesn't have any favorites!"

Today's Bible memory verse is Romans 15:7. Say the memory verse slowly.

"God doesn't have any favorites!"

Let's learn the verse together using some motions.

Stand facing the children and lead them in to repeat phrases and imitate the motions.

God … point to Heaven.

Doesn't have any favorites... Shake head back and forth no, stretch arms wide to each side. (To welcome everyone).

Repeat slowly a few more times.

What is your favorite color? Children respond.

What is your favorite show that you like to watch? Children respond.

What is your favorite food? Children respond.

Yes, we all have favorite things, and we may have favorite friends or family that we like spending time with just a little more than others.

God is different, He doesn't have favorites. He made everyone and loves them the same way. Each person is special to Him. He loves us all so much that he sent His Son Jesus to die for all people so all of our sins could be forgiven. That's exciting news, isn't it?

Note: Preschool children may not be able to memorize the entire verse. They may simply repeat it with you. Be sure all children understand its meaning.

Prayer Time

Close the lesson in a simple prayer to encourage children to find ways to show God's love to others.

For example: Dear God, help us to look for special ways to show love and kindness to others who may seem different to us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Music Time

Good Neighbor

The lyrics and chords for this song are found in Resources.

Create your own motions or use the suggested motions as seen in the Quantum Karaoke "Good Neighbor" under Resources.

Play the video song "Good Neighbor."

Encourage the children to sing with Miss Tina and the robots and imitate their moves as they perform in the talent show.

Sing the chorus together each time:

Anytime you fall down… everyone crouches down.

I will be your good neighbor… stand up straight and point around the room to others like Miss Tina and the robots do.

Good Neighbor

Singing Activity

Jesus Loves the Little Children

Lead the children in singing the song "Jesus Loves the Little Children" with motions.

Jesus loves the little children… point up to sky then place hands over heart. All the children of the world… Hold both arms out to side then form a circle for world.

Stranger, friend, and neighbor too… hold one hand up and count to three with fingers, (one finger each: stranger, friend and neighbor)

He loves them all…(He) point up, (loves) hands over heart, (all) both arms out to side,

As He loves you... (He) point up, loves (hands over heart), (you) point to each other.
Jesus loves the little children of the world… point up and place hands over heart.

Optional: for additional verses, replace "Jesus loves the little children" with:
Verse 2: Jesus died for all the children… form a cross extending arms to each side.
Verse 3: Jesus rose for all the children... move arms from sides upward until they are straight toward the sky.

* "Jesus Loves the Little Children" was written by C. Herbert Woolston (1856—1927). The tune was composed by George F. Root. Link to the modern lyrics: https://www.reddit.com/r/Christianity/comments/8x24cd/inclusive_lyrics_to_jesus_loves_the_little/

Take Home Coloring Page

As children color, review today’s lesson using the discussion points below:

● In the video, what did the robots disagree about? Miss Tina's birthday gift.

● What is the best birthday gift you ever received? Children answer.

● What is your favorite gift you ever gave to someone? Children answer.

● If you could choose a gift, would you rather go somewhere fun with friends or family, or receive something like a book, game, or toy? Children respond.

● What gift did God give to us because He loves us so much? His Son Jesus.

Game

Play the Optional Opening Game Let's Roll at the beginning of this lesson.

Play the game The Same but Different from Lesson 1. 

Play the game Love Sticks from Lesson 2. 

Play the game Match Differences from Lesson 3.