Friday, June 13th

Opening Question: Have you ever helped a stranger? Tell your story.

Read Luke 10:25-37
25 One day an authority on the law stood up to put Jesus to the test. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to receive eternal life?" 26 “What is written in the Law?" Jesus replied. "How do you understand it?" 27 He answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength and with all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' 28 “You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do that, and you will live." 29 But the man wanted to make himself look good. So he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Robbers attacked him. They stripped off his clothes and beat him. Then they went away, leaving him almost dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that same road. When he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 A Levite also came by. When he saw the man, he passed by on the other side too.
33 But a Samaritan came to the place where the man was. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him. 34 He went to him, poured olive oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey. He took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins. He gave them to the owner of the inn. 'Take care of him,' he said. 'When I return, I will pay you back for any extra expense you may have.' 36 “Which of the three do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?" 37 The authority on the law replied, "The one who felt sorry for him." Jesus told him, "Go and do as he did."

Word List:
authority on the law – an expert in the religious laws that the Jewish people of Israel had to follow.
Jerusalem – the modern day capital of Israel.
Jericho – a city near Jerusalem.
priest / Levite – religious leaders of Israel.
Samaritan – people who were hated by the Jews, because their blood was not 100 % Jewish.

Discussion Questions:
1. Make a list of all the things the Samaritan did for the man.
2. Why do you think the priest and the Levite did nothing to help?
3. According to this story, who is our neighbor? Explain.
4. What does it mean to “love your neighbor as you love yourself”?
5. How can we love God and our neighbor in 2008? Give examples.