First Sunday of Lent

We have made it to the first Sunday of Lent!

This morning our lesson was on the Good Samaritan. 

Here is the Scripture: 

Luke 10:25-42English Standard Version (ESV)The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.35 And the next day he took out two denarii[a] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Lego creation for this week a mountain where the robbers were hidding and a road for the man to walk on. Green platform is where Jesus and the Lawyer will stand as the story is being played out.

After reading the Scripture act out the passage having each family member play different parts.  

The road from Jerusalem to Jericho, the road this story took place on is like many roads in Kentucky… narrow and windy.  It was a great place for robbers to hide and many people had been robbed along that road. Because of this all three of those men were intentionally looking around at their surroundings. Because of this awareness, I would bet they weren’t going to miss a beaten injured man lying there bleeding to death. The three men that walked by were a Priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan.  During Jesus' time, a Priest was the person who took care of the temple sacrifices. A Levite had the job of taking care of the temple.  Samaritans and Jews didn't like each other at all. This parable was being told to a Jewish lawyer, who wouldn't expect for the Samaritan to have compassion on the man.

For children .. here is the question .... Younger: How can we show others love even when we are mad?  Older: Who is someone at school or day care that you need to be nicer to?

For adults and youth... here is the question... Who would you rather die instead of receive help from? Those are the people you need to pray for and to ask God to help you have a softer heart towards.

This story is one that we use a lot to talk about helping others and also loving everyone.  The question that it asks is who is your neighbor?  Who is it that has an invitation to come on the journey with us? The answer is everyone! But the deep question is do we want to invite everyone? 

As I was researching to prepare for the children's message I was thinking about who it is in our neighborhood that hasn't gotten an invitation.  Then I was thinking of those that have gotten that invitation and just aren't responding to it. Lastly, who are those people that have gotten the invitation and responded to it but still feel like outsiders to the journey? As your doing your prayer time tonight think about those people in your life.  Who haven't you given an invitation to? Who have you given an invitation to that you need to follow up with? Who has responded to your invitation but you haven't been faithful in helping them on the journey?