Teaching Time

Assist with costumes and accessories. LOOSELY tie coin purse around traveler’s waist.

Place the rug on the floor off to the side where the inn will be.

Slowly read the Bible story as outlined below. Pause at the bold text to direct the actors. Bring excitement to the story by varying your expression, voice, and volume level.

● A man asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

● Jesus answered by telling a parable. A parable is a story that is made up to teach an important truth.

● Enter traveler wearing coin purse, holding rolled up shirt, walking in place. There was once a Jewish man who was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho. It was a dangerous road.

● Suddenly, robbers appeared! Masked robbers enter holding clubs (tubes).

● The robbers attacked the traveler. Robbers pretend to strike the traveler’s legs without making contact.

● The traveler fell to the ground. The traveler groans and lies on the floor.

● The robbers took the traveler’s money and even his shirt and left him beside the road. Robbers take the traveler’s shirt and coin purse and then run away.

● Oh good, a Jewish priest walked down the road. Enter the priest with his hands folded in prayer, walking toward the traveler.

● Oh, look, he has his hands folded in prayer. He looks very holy, doesn’t he? Children respond.

● The traveler groaned again. Traveler groans.

● The priest looked down at the man—but then he looked up into the sky, pretending not to see anything. He even crossed to the other side of the road as he walked away. He refused to help! The priest stops, looks down, then up at the sky, shakes his head "no," and quickly walks away with his hands still folded in prayer.

● Do you think the priest was a good neighbor? Children respond.

● The traveler groaned even louder in pain! Traveler groans.

● Enter the temple assistant holding the scroll and walking toward the traveler. Then a Jewish temple assistant walked on the road toward the injured traveler.

● Do you think he will be a good neighbor? Children respond.

● No, he kept walking. He didn’t stop to help the man, even though he was from the same country! The temple assistant shakes his head "no" and walks off the set.

● The injured man groaned even louder in pain. The traveler groans loudly.

● Oh, look! Another man walked toward the injured traveler. But wait, he is a Samaritan! Enter the Samaritan holding the pillowcase and his donkey walking on hands and feet beside him with a towel on back.

● The Samaritans and Jews did not like each other! They believed different things about God, and each group thought they were better than the other. So a Samaritan would never help a Jewish person—right? Children respond.

● But the Samaritan stopped and looked down at the Jewish man. He felt sad for him and got off his donkey to help him. Samaritan and donkey stop. The Samaritan stoops down with a sad face and looks at the injured man.

● The Samaritan put oil on his cuts and put bandages on them, too. The Samaritan wipes the washcloth or rag on the traveler’s forehead and arm. Assist the actor to place bandages on clothed arm and leg.

● The Samaritan even let the Jewish man ride his donkey to the inn. Samaritan helps the traveler stand up, and the two walk alongside the donkey to the inn.

● At the inn, the Samaritan put him in a room and cared for the traveler. The Samaritan helps the Jewish man to lie on the bed (towel and pillow) and covers the man with the other towel (blanket).

● The next day, the Samaritan gave the innkeeper two silver coins. That was a lot of money back then! He paid the innkeeper to take care of the man. The Samaritan pays the innkeeper with the coins in the pillowcase. The innkeeper takes the coins.

● The Samaritan said he would give him more money later if needed. The innkeeper nods "yes" and adjusts the blanket (towel) over the injured man.

● After Jesus finished telling the story, He asked, which of the three men was a good neighbor to the Jewish traveler? Let’s take a vote!

● Raise your hand if you think the priest was a good neighbor. Children respond. Raise your hand if you think the temple assistant was a good neighbor. Children respond. Raise your hand if you think the Samaritan was a good neighbor. Children respond.

● That’s right! Even though the Samaritan was a stranger and very different from the Jewish man, the Samaritan cared for the Jewish man and showed him God’s love. He was a good neighbor. And guess what Jesus told all the people who had just listened to His story? He said, “Go and do the same thing!”

Showing God’s love and forgiveness to others is called mercy. Jesus showed mercy to us when He died on the cross to forgive our sins, even though we didn’t deserve it! Now it is our turn to show mercy by loving and caring for others!

Hold up the bandage from Object to Go! Who put bandages on the injured Jewish man—the Samaritan, the priest, or the temple assistant? The Samaritan.

Optional Bible Review Questions

Who are our neighbors—only those who live next door to us? No, everyone!

Who showed us mercy when He died on the cross? Jesus.

At the end of Jesus’ parable, what does He tell us to go do? Do the same thing; show love and mercy to others.

Why was it so unusual for the Samaritan to help the Jewish man? He was different, the Jews and Samaritans were enemies.

Optional Story Review Questions

● How did Gizmo describe the wind-up robot to Professor Quantum? He talks strange, walks strange, he is strange.

● Who built that wind-up robot? Professor Quantum.

● What name did Professor Quantum call the wind-up robot? Gizmo.

● What did the professor say about his creations? He loved them all the same.

● All of us are different and special in some way, but Who made us all? God.