In the story for today, a religious leader invites Jesus to his house for dinner. I wonder what food he cooks for Jesus to eat?!? This religious leader (also called a 'Pharisee') wants to know what makes Jesus different from all the other people he knows. This man knows that Jesus is special-but he does not understand why. The religious leader thinks: (point to your head as if thinking!) "I will invite Jesus to come to my house to eat my food. And I will listen to him talk. I will watch what he does. Then I can know why Jesus is so different from other people!"
#B on Student Study Guide
love
Very strong "like." We love God-our family-our friends.
do
In this sentence, act with other people the way you want them to act with you; if you want them to be friendly, then you be friendly; if you want them to help you-then you help them!
invite
Demonstrate with gestures: Please come with me!
eat dinner
Pantomime (Write on board: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Beside these words write the time they are usually eaten wherever you are.)
sin
Doing bad actions and/or thinking bad thoughts; not obeying God's laws.
wash
Dip a cloth into a bowl of water to illustrate; wash hands also.
dry
Demonstrate by drying a dish with a cloth.
kiss
Demonstrate with a quick kiss on the back of your hand/
pour
Pour water out of one dish into another.
receive
To get or take something.
Give several examples: letter in the mail, gift for birthday, etc.
enemies
People who DO NOT LIKE each other. In war or fighting, enemies are on opposite sides.
forgiveness
Give an example:
If I promise to call you (hand motion telephoning) and I do not call, you are hurt. You feel sad. When I see you, I say: "Oh! I'm sooooooo sorry! Please forgive me! If you turn your head and leave the room (demo), you would not show forgiveness. But if I say, "Oh! I'm sooooooooo sorry! - and you pat me on the back and say, "No problem! That's O.K." (demo) then you show forgiveness!
When we are truly sorry for our sins-our bad actions and bad thoughts, God always forgives us. (I John 1:9-NLB): "If we tell Him our sins, He is faithful and we can depend on Him to forgive us our sins."
God chooses to forgive the wrong in our lives - letting us have a new beginning - making our lives clean and new. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow." (Isaiah 1:18) God not only forgives - He forgets! "He remembers them no more." (Isaiah 43:25)
faith
Strong belief or trust, e.g., a child in a tree and jumps into his father's arms. The child believes/trusts that he will be safe in his father's arms-that his father will not let him fall.
Pharisee
Religious leader in the day of Jesus.
house/home
A house is what people live in. A home is a house with love in it.
tears
Draw a "smiley" face, then erase the smile; make it a sad face with tears.
perfume
Let students sniff some of the real stuff!
kind and good
(Kind) Being helpful. You drop your pencil. I say, "Please let me get this for you!"
(Good) Making right choices: choosing the good and not the bad
proud
Demonstrate two kinds: "bad proud"-haughty; "good proud"-as when a baby takes a first step.
religious law-keepers
Obeying the rules of religion
curious
Demonstrate with facial expression and actions that you want to know about things-opening lids to peek into pots, taking the top off a box, shaking a gift-wrapped box, etc.
together
Ask two students to stand two feet apart (not together); then bring the two next to each other and say "together."
sinful
Filled with sin; evil
expensive / cheap
Write amounts on the board to illustrate this in the monetary system that is understood by the students.
unusual
Everyday I eat an apple. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday-I eat an apple. But on Friday I eat an orange. This is unusual!!! Let's say [name of student] goes to sleep every night at nine o'clock. But one night [same person] is awake until midnight. This is unusual- NOT usual!!!
uninvited
Not invited
Ask students to tell you how this word "uninvited" and the word "unusual" are the same. (The little prefix un- is a negative marker in English. Awareness of this fact may help students guess at meaning of other words with this prefix.)
even
A word used to make a statement stronger. I like you even more than I liked you yesterday. . . It is even colder that I thought it was. I need a warmer coat.
Show the sample dinner invitation and see if anyone knows what this is. Explain its purpose. Say:
Jesus was invited to a dinner party, but one person came who did not have an invitation. She was not invited. Look for the unusual thing that this uninvited person does. (Write on the board and say:) What unusual thing does the uninvited guest do?
After eliciting response to the focus question above, direct students' attention to the next section on their study guide. Read through the statements and check for understanding of the activity before showing the film clip for a second time. The immediate purpose here is not to write answers - but to understand the questions! The answers will come as the students view the film clip for a second time.
What do we mean-true and false?
If someone puts forth a clear definition, it will be unnecessary to explain this meaning. If there is not clear understanding, write the following three sentences on the board:
1. _____ Jesus teaches: "Love only the people who love you."
Help novice students with "only." Write "only" on the board. Point to this word, then ask the students to stand (motioning with your arms to help them know what you want them to do). Then say:
Now-I want only the back row to stand.
(Your arms will continue to do a lot of the work-motioning for some to sit and some to stand!) Say:
No-I want only the front row to stand!
On and on you can take this-making it fun and helping students to internalize the meaning of "only."
Redirect attention to the original use of "only." Ask:
Is #1 true? NO. It's false!
!!!More Advanced!!!
Novice learners continue with True/False. Challenge more advanced students to mark through the incorrect portion and to rewrite the sentence to make it true.
2. _____ Jesus also teaches: "Be kind and good to everyone."
3. _____ The religious leaders like these teachings of Jesus.
4. _____ Jesus eats dinner with Simon the Sinner.
5. _____ A sinful woman comes to clean Simon's house.
6. _____ The woman washes the feet of Jesus with her tears.
7. _____ She dries the feet of Jesus with a towel.
8. _____ She pours cheap perfume on the feet of Jesus.
9. _____ The sinful woman loves Jesus because He forgives her sins.
10. _____ Jesus tells her: "Go in peace."
Answer Key: "1"-F, "2"-T, "3"-F, "4"-F, "5"-F, "6"-T, "7"-F, "8"-F, "9"-T, "10"-T
Now that we know ABOUT the story-let's READ the story!
1. Jesus begins to teach: "Love everyone-even your enemies!"
Before leaving this story, ask students to draw a circle around the three teachings of Jesus. Ask:
Where is the first teaching? the second? the third? (sentences 1-3)
Answer Key: 1-other, 2-kind, 3-these, 4-invites, 5-eat, 6-to, 7-her, 8-his, 9-not, 10-she, 11-the, 12-of
Answer Key: a-12, b-6, c-14, d-1, e-9, f-3, g-13, h-5, i-11, j-2, k-8, l-10, m-7, n-4
1. Students, I have some good news! You are invited to Simon's house to enjoy his food and to talk with Jesus!
If possible, have a nearby room already transformed into the "dining room" of Simon the Pharisee. If not possible, tell the class:
I am Simon's housekeeper (or butler!) - so please excuse me. I have some work to do!
Spread a sheet or tablecloth on the floor. Place food on the "table." (Crackers with honey and water or juice will do nicely!) Then say (with sweeping arm motions):
I would like to welcome you to the home of Simon. Please find your place at the table.
Take a reclining position-propped up on one elbow! Shoes left at the door? Your call!. . . The host and guest of honor (Simon and Jesus) will be at the "bottom" of the "U." For the benefit of this role play, have nametags for Simon and Jesus. Nametags for other dinner guests are optional! Say:
Besides being Simon's housekeeper (or butler), I have a part-time job teaching English(!). I'm sure you will understand, if I give you a few little phrases to practice at the dinner party!
Write "polite" on the board. Demonstrate meaning by showing examples of politeness: bowing with head nodding, bowing with hands together at chest, as if praying-"Please- thank you!... Please- thank you!")
!!!More Advanced!!!
More advanced students may give you examples themselves.
Please look at the structures in the #A section of your Student Study Guide to find the polite way to offer/request food, the polite ways to accept or decline an offer of food, and the polite way to say goodbye and thank you.
Demonstrate for students when you are to use these words and phrases. Then ask the students to repeat the following phrases with you.
Guest: Would you please pass the _____? Thank you.
Host: Would you care for more _____?
Guest: Yes, please. OR No, thank you.
Guest to host when saying goodbye: Thank you for the delicious meal. Thank you for inviting me.
Host to guest when saying goodbye: Thank YOU for coming. It was my/our pleasure!
!!!More Advanced!!!
With more advanced students, you may also talk about the meaning of RSVP, showing them a real dinner invitation. Explain that it is considered "polite" to respond by the date given on the invitation, and "impolite" to show up at the dinner when you did not let the host know you were coming!
Now- enjoy your food! (In case crispy locusts are in short supply, I am suggesting that you substitute crackers instead to go with the honey!)
Please ask the person next to you to be your partner to practice these phrases. One of you be the "host" and the other be the "guest", then switch parts.
After sufficient practice time, which you can determine by mingling and listening, direct students' attention to the three teachings of Jesus that they circled in the story earlier in the lesson (#E in the Student Study Guide).
2. Read the three teachings of Jesus once more.
3. More advanced students issue Handout #2 for agreeing/disagreeing. Go over the phrases. Practice saying them. Talk about when to use them. Go over the directions. Demonstrate what you want the students to do. Divide the class into small groups for practicing these useful phrases.
4. Ask for volunteers to tell the story in their own words. The most proficient students will get needed practice, while the others can learn from listening. If students need a little help, you might show small increments of the film clip-then ask the class about what they just saw. Students may enjoy an "add-on" story, i.e., the first volunteer provides the first sentence; a second volunteer adds what comes next; on and on this goes to the end! Everyone benefits! The risk-takers are challenged; the less confident students hear a good model and eventually have courage to try!
1. Jesus teaches us to love everyone. This is the opposite of the teaching of the religious law-keepers who say do not love sinners! Eight times the Bible (God's Word to us) says: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (You may read these verses in Leviticus 19:18, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33, Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8, Matthew 19:19, and Matthew 22:39.) The Pharisees, also called "religious leaders" in the days of Jesus, could not understand the teaching to love everyone! (For more understanding about God's way to love, read Luke 6:27-42 and I John 3:11, 16-19.)
2. We are all equal (the same) in God's eyes.
"A man looks at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart." (I Samuel 16:7c, NLV)
"All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman." (Galatians 3:26 and 28, CEV)
3. We are all created in God's image.
We are all important to God! (Genesis 1:27)
4. Because of Jesus, we are never beyond the reach of God's love and forgiveness.
"For I know that nothing can keep us from the love of God. Death cannot! Life cannot! Any other power cannot! Hard things now or in the future cannot! The world above or the world below cannot! Any other living thing cannot keep us away from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39, NLV)
"Whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help." (Hebrews 4:16, CEV)
"If we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away." (I John 1:9-10, CEV)
"Even though your sins are bright red, they will be as white as snow. Even though they are dark red, they will be like wool." (Isaiah 1:18, NLV)
"I will forgive their sins. I will remember their sins no more." (Jeremiah 31:34c, NLV)
Song: 
#C on Student Study Guide
Show film clip. Begin as Jesus confronts the white-bearded man who is scoffing and walking away. Stop when the uninvited woman stands in the doorway-then leaves.
#D on Student Study Guide
(A) ____Today is (Say a day of week that today is not!). - True or False?
Mark "T" for true or "F" for false by each sentence below.
(B) ____December is between November and January. - True or False?
(C) ____On our feet we have ten fingers.
- True or False?
Show the film clip a second time. Encourage students to do the activity alone then check their answers with each other. Finally, go over the correct answers with the whole class. Say:
#E on Student Study Guide
2. "Do for other people what you want them to do for you."
3. "Be kind and good to everyone."
4. The proud religious law-keepers do not like these teachings.
5. One religious law-keeper is curious.
6. Simon the Pharisee invites Jesus to his house for dinner.
7. Simon and Jesus eat dinner together.
8. A sinful woman comes to Simon's house to see Jesus.
9. She washes the feet of Jesus with her tears.
10. The woman dries the feet of Jesus with her hair.
11. She kisses his feet and pours expensive perfume on them.
12. Simon does not approve.
13. Jesus says to Simon: "Her love is great because she has great forgiveness of her sins."
14. Jesus says to the woman: "Your faith has saved you from the punishment of sin. Go in peace."
#F on Student Study Guide
(On separate page following the) Student Study Guide
#G on Student Study Guide
Note: Remind students to take their Student Study Guides to the dinner party.
(1) Love everyone-even your enemies!
(2) Do for other people what you want them to do for you.
(3) Be kind and good to everyone.
Do you agree or disagree with these teachings of Jesus? In small groups say what you think about these teachings. Are they good or bad?
#H on Student Study Guide
(to the tune: "Lord, I Want to Be a Christian in-a My Heart")
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