4-5-2020 Sunday School For All: Jesus Visits Mary and Martha

This lesson outline is made available for you to work into your own home devotional life. As you read through the information below, please let Renae Belobraydich know if you have any questions, or if she can help make this transition easier for our Sunday School kiddos learning from home. 

Please also continue to practice the ‘Little Grey Donkey‘ song as we will be singing this for the congregation.

Opening Prayer

Dear Lord, too often I, like Martha, become so busy with other things that I neglect your Word.  Please forgive me. Help me be more like Mary, making your Word a daily priority in my life. Help me show my child/children how important your Word is for us all.  Amen.

This Sunday’s Lesson: Jesus Visits Mary and Martha

In our Bible lesson, Jesus visits the house of two sisters named Mary and Martha.  Martha thought that she needed to spend her time making everything nice for Jesus. Mary chose to spend her time doing something else.

It is easy to imagine that we would never act as Martha did and put other things ahead of listening to our Lord.  But our hearts are sinful too, and it’s easy for us to put the things of this world ahead of God. this lesson reminds us to keep our priorities straight.  Let’s be busy in the Word of God so that the Holy Spirit can help us stay faithful to our Lord and Savior.

Read: Luke 10:38-42

Aim: What wise choice did Mary make?

TRUTH: Mary chose to listen to God’s Word.

 – Application: God doesn’t want us to let anything keep us from hearing and learning his Word.

 – Response: We desire to hear and learn God’s Word because nothing is more important.

Lesson Summary: Jesus went to Bethany and visited the home of Mary and Martha.  Mary sat and listened to Jesus, while Martha kept busy preparing a meal.  When Martha complained that Mary had left her to do the work all alone, Jesus pointed out to Martha that Mary had chosen what was best.

Memory Treasures: 

Discussion:

  • Make two name tags – label one with “Mary” and the other with “Martha.”  To help non-readers, draw a Bible on the “Mary” name tag and a bowl and spoon on the “Martha” name tag.
  • Say: Imagine you are Martha.  Pretend you are opening the door to Jesus. (The children should pretend to open a door.)
  • Ask: What would you have said to Jesus? (Various responses.  Express that they are happy to see Jesus.)
  • Ask: What did Mary do when Jesus arrived? (She sat near Jesus’ feet and listened to him.)
  • Ask: Why did Mary want to listen to Jesus? (She wanted to hear God’s Word.)
  • Put the “Mary” name tag on yourself.
  • Ask: When are we like Mary? (When we listen to God’s Word)
  • Say: God wants us to listen carefully to his Word at home, at church, and at Sunday School.
  • Ask: What are some things you could do to be better listeners of God’s Word when it is taught? (Pray to Jesus for help, look at the person talking, fold hands, put other things away, imagine that Jesus himself is speaking.)
  • Ask: Why was Martha not listening to Jesus? (She was too busy working around the house and preparing a meal.)
  • Ask: Why was Martha working so hard? (She wanted to show her love for Jesus by making everything very nice for him.)
  • Why was Martha upset with Mary? (She felt Mary should help her.)
  • Take off the “Mary name tag, and put on the “Martha” name tag.
  • Ask: When are we like Martha? (When we get too busy to listen to Jesus.)
  • Say: God tells us in one of his commandments to set aside time to hear his Word.  The Third Commandment says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Long ago the Sabbath Day was a day set aside each week to worship God.
  • Ask: What day(s) has our church set aside to worship God?
  • Say: We also set aside times at home to worship God. (like right now!!)
  • Do: Say the commandment with your child/children.
  • Say: Sometimes we don’t take time to listen to God’s Word because we spend our time doing other things, like playing, working, or sleeping late on Sunday mornings.  And sometimes when we are hearing God’s Word, our minds become ‘busy’ thinking about other things instead of paying attention. Because Martha was so busy, she missed hearing some wonderful words of Jesus.  We are thankful that Jesus died on a cross to forgive the times we have disobeyed God by not listening to his Word.
  • Ask: What was the important thing that Mary chose? (She chose to listen to God’s Word.)
  • Ask: Why is listening to God’s Word so important? (It tells how God loves us and sent Jesus to be our Savior.  God uses his Word to make our faith strong.)
  • Ask: What would you say to a friend who told you, “I know all about the Bible already.  I don’t need to listen to God’s Word every day.”? (Possible responses: We can always learn more from God’s Word.  God makes our faith stronger every time we hear his Word.)
  • Say: We don’t want anything to get in the way of our hearing God’s Word.  It is our greatest treasure and the most important thing to learn and believe.

Together: Sing: God’s Word – Have I Hid in My Heart!  Then, sing: How Sweet are Your Words.

Activity Ideas:

  • Finger Puppets: Make Jesus, Mary and Martha finger puppets and retell the story.
  • Music: Sing I Love The Bible, The Word of God and Every promise in the Book is Mine.
  • Art: Make a poster that reminds your family to hear and listen to God’s Word.
  • What happened next? Writing Challenge: Write about how Martha might have felt after Jesus spoke to her.
  • Around the World Memory Treasure Activity: Sit in a circle.  Choose a memory treasure, and say it together a few times. Then, have the first two stand, say the first word of the memory treasure and then sit.  Then have the next two stand, say the second word, and sit. Continue until all have had at least one turn and the memory treasure has been completed.
  • Decode and Code: Use a code to learn about what is important in our Bible story, and then create a puzzle based on the code.  Challenge your child/children to create another question and answer based on the code.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, forgive us for not always being glad to hear your Word.  Help us remember that listening to you is more important than anything else.  Thank you for speaking to us in your Word. Amen.

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