Love Neighbor

Scripture:

Matthew 22:36–40 NIV84

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Luke 10:29 NIV84

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Luke 10:30–37 NLT

Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

References: The Story of the Good Samaritan

Background Research:

Who were the Samaritans?

Short answer: history + religion + politics + a lot of mutual resentment, all baked together over centuries.

Here’s the longer, clearer picture 👇

1. A shared origin… that went badly

Samaritans and Jews both traced their roots to ancient Israel. But after the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom (Israel) in 722 BCE, things fractured:

Many Israelites were exiled

Foreign peoples were brought into the land

Those who remained intermarried and developed slightly different religious practices

Jews (especially from the southern kingdom, Judah) came to see Samaritans as “mixed” or impure Israelites, while Samaritans insisted they were the true continuation of Israel.

So both sides thought: “We’re the real ones — you went off the rails.”

2. Competing holy places = big problem

This was HUGE.

Jews: Jerusalem + the Temple Mount

Samaritans: Mount Gerizim (near modern Nablus)

Each group believed God chose their site, not the other’s. That’s not a small disagreement — it’s basically saying “Your entire worship system is wrong.”

3. Different Scriptures

Both accepted the Torah (first five books of Moses) — but:

Samaritans rejected the rest of the Hebrew Bible

They used a Samaritan version of the Torah with key differences (including naming Mount Gerizim as God’s chosen place)

From the Jewish perspective, this was heresy. From the Samaritan perspective, Jews had corrupted the faith.

4. Post-exile hostility got personal

After Jews returned from Babylonian exile (~6th century BCE):

Samaritans tried to help rebuild Jerusalem

Jews rejected their help and banned them from participation

That insult stuck. Hard.

Later:

Samaritans allegedly interfered with Jewish rebuilding

Jews destroyed the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim (2nd century BCE)

At that point, it wasn’t just theology — it was blood-deep bitterness.

5. By Jesus’ time: pure social taboo

By the 1st century CE:

Jews avoided Samaritan territory

Wouldn’t eat with them

Wouldn’t touch shared utensils

So when Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the shock isn’t subtle. It’s like saying: “The moral hero is the person your culture says is religiously wrong and socially untouchable.”

That’s why the story hit so hard.

TL;DR

Jews and Samaritans hated each other because of:

Competing claims to religious legitimacy

Different sacred sites

Scriptural disagreements

Centuries of political betrayal and violence

It wasn’t just prejudice — it was a family feud over who truly belonged to God.

If you want, I can also explain:

Why Samaritans still exist today

What modern Jews think about them

Or why Jesus used Samaritans so deliberately in his teachings

Theme: Love Others

Object Lesson:

Here’s a simple, memorable kids’ object lesson based on the Good Samaritan—easy to do in a classroom, Sunday school, or at home 👇

Object Lesson: “What’s in Your Hands?”

Age range

5–10 years (adjust wording as needed)

What you need

Put these items in a bag or box:

A bandage or gauze

A coin (or play money)

A small toy car (or picture of one)

A heart cutout (paper or foam)

Step 1: Set the scene

Tell the story briefly:

“A man was hurt on the road. Some people saw him… but walked right past him. Then a Samaritan stopped and helped.”

Ask:

“What do you think the hurt man needed?”

Let kids answer (help, kindness, bandage, etc.).

Step 2: Pull out the objects (one at a time)

Bandage

Say: “This reminds us the Samaritan helped with what the man needed right away.”

Point: Helping can be practical.

Coin

Say: “The Samaritan used his own money.”

Point: Helping sometimes costs us something.

Toy car

Say: “The Samaritan took the man somewhere safe.”

Point: Helping takes time and effort.

Heart

Say: “The Samaritan cared, even though the man was a stranger.”

Point: Helping starts with love.

Step 3: The key question

Hold up your hands and ask:

“If you saw someone hurt or lonely, what’s already in your hands that you could use to help?”

Give examples kids can relate to:

A smile

Sharing a toy

Sitting with someone who’s alone

Telling a grown-up when someone is hurt

Big idea (repeat together)

👉 “Being a good neighbor means helping anyone who needs it.”

(You can have them repeat it with motions: helping hands + big heart ❤️)

Optional closing prayer or reflection

“God, help us notice people who need help and use what we have to love them.”

Songs:

https://youtu.be/_0CQRI0rKaY?si=2FeEoXEAYOsykRHv

Outline:

Luke 10:36–37 NLT

“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Love Like Jesus: The Greatest Commandments

Bible Passage: Matthew 22:36–40, Luke 10:36–37

Summary: In these passages, Jesus teaches the greatest commandments: to love God wholeheartedly and to love our neighbors as ourselves, illustrated through the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Application: This sermon will help children understand the importance of loving God and others. By applying these commandments, children can learn to be kind, compassionate, and helpful, thereby improving their relationships and interactions with peers and family.

Teaching: The sermon will emphasize that love is at the heart of God's commandments and that true love is active and sacrificial, as demonstrated by the Good Samaritan. It will teach the children that their actions towards others reflect their love for God.

How this passage could point to Christ: Jesus exemplified both love for God the Father and love for humanity. Through his life, death, and resurrection, He fulfilled the law by perfectly embodying these commandments, helping us understand our calling to love others as He has loved us.

Big Idea: To live out our faith, we must actively love God and our neighbors, impacting the world around us with the love of Christ.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider examining the Greek terms for love used in these passages and how they impact our understanding of love in action. Using Logos, look into commentaries that discuss the cultural context of the Good Samaritan parable, as it will help illustrate the concept of neighborly love in a compelling way for children.

1. Love God Completely

Matthew 22:36–38

You could introduce the idea that the first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. This sets the foundation of a relationship with God that influences every aspect of life, encouraging children to make God their primary focus. Perhaps you can liken this to how children might love a best friend, but even more importantly, loving God affects our choices and actions.

2. Love Others Selflessly

Matthew 22:39–40

Perhaps explain that loving our neighbors as ourselves is equally important. This commandment calls children to act with kindness and empathy towards friends and family. You could share stories or examples that show how loving others is an expression of loving God. Emphasizing how treating others with respect and care reflects God's love might resonate well with the children.

3. Live Love In Action

Luke 10:36–37

Maybe use the parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate how love is not just a feeling but an action. You could encourage children to think about how they can be Good Samaritans in their daily lives by looking for ways to help and care for those around them. Highlight the importance of showing compassion, even to those we might not know well or those who are different from us.

Sermon