The Good Samaritan, by Dan Burr

April 17–23

Matthew 18; Luke 10

“What Shall I Do to Inherit Eternal Life?”

What truths in Matthew 18 and Luke 10 do the children need to learn? Listen for promptings from the Holy Ghost as you read these chapters. Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families can help guide your study, and this outline can give you teaching ideas.

Invite Sharing

Ask the children to share something they have learned about Jesus Christ at home or in Primary.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

Matthew 18:21–35

I should always forgive others.

As you read Matthew 18:21–35, consider your own experiences with forgiveness and what the children need to know about this principle.

Possible Activities

• Tell the parable of the unmerciful servant (see Matthew 18:23–35). Explain that when someone is unkind or unfair, we will probably feel angry or sad at first. But forgiveness means we can feel peace again. When we forgive someone, we decide not to be angry with them anymore. (Help the children understand that if someone is being unkind or unfair to them, they should ask their parents or another trusted adult for help.)

• Write I forgive you on the board, and tell the children that these words can help turn sad moments into happy ones. Draw a sad face on the board, and share some examples of children forgiving one another. After each example, invite a child to change the sad face to a happy one.

• Sing with the children a song about forgiveness, such as “Help Me, Dear Father” (Children’s Songbook, 99). Share your testimony that Heavenly Father will help us forgive others.

Luke 10:25–37

Jesus taught me to see all people as my neighbors and love them.

The parable of the good Samaritan can show children who our neighbors are and how we should treat them. Think of ways you can inspire the children to “go, and do … likewise” (Luke 10:37).

Possible Activities

• Ask each child, “Who is your neighbor?” Summarize the account in Luke 10:25–37, and share how Jesus answered that question. What did Jesus teach about how we should treat our neighbors?

• Read Luke 10:25–37 as the children act out the parable of the good Samaritan. Help them think of ways they can be like the good Samaritan by showing love and kindness to others.

• Write a few examples of situations where someone would need help, and hide the papers around the room. Ask the children to find the papers. Read the situations, and invite the children to share how they could show kindness to the person in that situation.

• Sing with the children a song about kindness, such as “Jesus Said Love Everyone” or “Kindness Begins with Me” (Children’s Songbook, 61, 145). Help the children think of a few ways they show love and kindness to others. They could also draw pictures of themselves doing these things.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

Matthew 18:21–35

Heavenly Father will forgive me as I forgive others.

The parable of the unmerciful servant can be a memorable way to teach the children that Heavenly Father wants us to forgive everyone.

Possible Activities

• Read Matthew 18:23–35 with the children. Explain that the king or lord represents Heavenly Father, the servant represents us, and the fellow servant represents those who have wronged us. Ask the children questions like “What does this story teach about how we should treat others? When have you found it hard to forgive someone? How did you let go of those hurt feelings? When have you needed to be forgiven for a wrong choice?”

• Show the video “Forgive Every One Their Trespasses: The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) to help the children visualize this parable.

• Write on the board the multiplication problem 70 × 7, and help the children solve it. Ask someone to read Matthew 18:21–22, and explain that Jesus used this number to teach us that we should always forgive.

• Ask the children to help you think of a few situations where someone might need to forgive another person. Invite the children to act out how they would show forgiveness in those situations.

• Sing with the children a song about forgiveness, such as “Help Me, Dear Father” (Children’s Songbook, 99). Help the children understand what the song teaches us about forgiving others.

Luke 10:30–37

I can love and serve others, especially those in need.

Ponder times in your own life when someone has been “a good Samaritan” to you. How can you inspire children to be “good Samaritans” to others?

Possible Activities

• Assign each child to quietly read part of the parable of the good Samaritan. Invite the children to tell their parts of the parable in the order the events happened.

• Explain to the children that the Jews disliked the Samaritans so much that when they traveled from Jerusalem to Galilee, they would go around Samaria to avoid interacting with any Samaritans. To illustrate this, show Bible map 1, “Physical Map of the Holy Land.” Why would Jesus use a Samaritan as an example of kindness in this parable? What does this story teach us about helping others in need? (See also Mosiah 4:16–22.)

• Ask the children to share an experience when someone was like the good Samaritan toward them.

• Challenge the children to set a goal to be like the good Samaritan this week. You might ask them if they know someone who is sick or lonely or someone who does not attend church regularly. Ask the children how they could help that person. Help the children understand how serving others helps them keep the promises they made at baptism (see Mosiah 18:8–10).

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to share with their families what they plan to do to be more forgiving or more like the good Samaritan this week.

Improving Our Teaching

Teach children to record impressions. If children can learn the habit of recording impressions, it will help them recognize and follow the Spirit. Children can record impressions by marking scriptures, drawing pictures, or making simple journal entries.