Mary and Martha

Video Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:
Learn about hospitality while watching the clay animation video “Martin the Cobbler.” Discuss hospitality as welcoming God into our lives.

Scripture Reference:
Luke 10:38-42

Key/Memory Verse:
“Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10a (NIV)

For objectives and background - see here.

Supplies List:

• The video: DVD Reference: Martin the Cobbler. 2005. http://www.billybuddfilms.com/
• Snack items: goldfish crackers, paper cups, napkins, water pitcher
• Bibles; at least one purple Adventure Bible
• Story Bible for 1st and 2nd grade – Read with Me Bible
• Easel with paper or white board easel; appropriate marker

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture for this lesson.
• Read and reflect on the overview material provided for this lesson.
• Preview the DVD.
• Gather the supplies.

Preparation That Day:

Presentation

Opening - Welcome and Lesson Introduction:
Greet your students warmly, welcoming them to the video workshop. Introduce yourself and any other adults.

[Note: The Shepherd will quietly take attendance, etc. while you are starting your lesson.]

Say: Let’s begin with prayer. Ask for any prayer requests. Ask if anyone would like to lead the group in prayer. Be prepared to say a prayer yourself, working in prayer requests. A suggestion: “Loving God, Thank you for this time together with our friends. We enjoy coming together each week to hear about your love for us. We are learning that it is important to make time in our busy days to look and listen for you. Spending time with you fills us with your love. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen”

Dig - Main Content and Reflection:

Ask:

• What would you do if someone famous came over to your house tomorrow for lunch? (Suggest a popular singer or sports star that kids are likely to know.)
• How would you prepare for the visit? (allow all answers – perhaps clean, pick up toys)
• When the guest arrives, what would you do – would you go back in the kitchen to cook while the guest talks and visits with the rest of your family?
• Would you want to be right there listening to every word of your honored guest?
• Have you ever heard the word “hospitality” – what does it mean? (to welcome someone, to be kind, to treat someone kindly)

Say: When you mentioned the ways you would get ready to have a guest – that’s hospitality. You put out clean towels so they feel welcomed in your home. But there’s actually another kind of hospitality: how you treat the guest once they’ve arrived.

Listen in our Bible story for the ways that two sisters, named Mary and Martha, behave when an honored guest arrives in their home.

[Review the organization of the Bible]

Ask:

• The Bible is divided into two sections, what are they? (Old & New Testament)
• If we want to read a story about Jesus, where would we find it – in the Old Testament or the New Testament of the Bible?
• What do we call these first four books of the New Testament? (the Gospels)

Say: The word “gospel” means “good news.” Jesus teaches us the good news about God’s love for us.

For 1st and 2nd graders:
Read them pages 329 to 333 in the

Read with Me Bible. Show the pictures as you read.

For 3rd grade and up:
Distribute Bibles if needed. Encourage everyone to bring his or her Bibles every week. Have them find the story in Luke, chapter 10, verse 38. [Remind them of the quick way to find the New Testament. ]

Say: In this story Martha’s sister Mary sits as Jesus’ feet to listen. Listen now while I read you this story.

Use a purple Adventure Bible to read Luke 10:38-42.

(Even though you are reading the story, it’s important to have the students find the story in their Bibles.)

For all students:

Ask:

• Who are the characters in the story? (Jesus, Martha, Mary)
• We were to listen for how Mary and Martha acted when an honored guest, Jesus, came to their house. What did Mary do? (sat and listened to Jesus)
• What did Martha do? (was busy)
• What do you suppose Martha was busy doing when Jesus came to visit?

Say: We talked about two types of hospitality. Martha was showing the “getting ready” type of hospitality.

Ask:

• How did Mary show hospitality? (in a different way, by sitting with Jesus listening)
• Martha and Mary showed hospitality to Jesus who was their friend. Do you suppose hospitality and kindness can be shown to people you don’t know? (yes!)

Say: In Bible-times hospitality, especially to strangers, was very important. When a traveler stopped at your house you offered water to wash their dusty feet and you offered them a meal and a place to sleep.

Introduce the Video:
Say: As we watch our video notice that there is something amazing that happens when people are kind and show hospitality.

Say: Our video today is called “Martin the Cobbler.”

Ask: What’s a cobbler? (someone who fixes shoes, boots, leather goods)

[Have the Shepherd distribute the snack.]

Say: Martin is an old man. Martin’s wife and son have died and he now lives alone. He is very sad and unhappy. He blames God. Sometimes when bad things happen to people they get angry with God. We will hear Martin say, “God and I have not been getting on well.” That is sort of like saying that he and God aren’t friends. Martin seems to have lost hope for any happiness in life. One day, a holy man (like a minister) leaves an old Bible for Martin to repair. Let’s see what happens as Martin reads from the Bible.

Show the Video:
Using the DVD, choose PLAY (should start at visit of the Holy Man, at 7:18).

VIEW the Holy Man’s visit and Martin reading the Bible.

PAUSE after Martin says, “If the Lord were my guest I would give him all the signs of welcome.” (at 12:25)

Say: Martin was reading from the New Testament, in Luke. He read about someone, he calls him a merchant, who has Jesus as a guest at his home but treats Jesus poorly. Martin says that if the Lord were his guest, he would show him signs of welcome.

Ask: What are signs of welcome? (showing hospitality)

Say: In the next scene Martin falls asleep and has a dream.

VIEW dream, visit of street sweeper and woman with a baby.

PAUSE after woman kisses Martin and leaves. (at 19:45)

Ask: Why does Martin keep looking out the window? (is expecting the Lord to visit)

What is Martin doing for the people he sees outside his window? (being kind)

Say: We didn’t watch the very beginning of the video – the shawl Martin gave the woman – that had been his wife’s shawl. It was special to him but he gave it away because the woman was cold.

VIEW evening coming, visit with old woman and young boy.

PAUSE when Martin sits down at the table. (at 23:49)

Say: It is getting to be the end of the day.

Ask: Is Martin still expecting the Lord to visit?

Do you suppose Martin is disappointed that Jesus hasn’t come?

Say: In this video all the characters are made of clay. The clay figures are filmed a little bit, then moved and filmed a little more, and moved, and so on, so as to create lifelike action. In this next scene we will see clay used in an unusual way.

VIEW God speaking to Martin.

STOP when Martin looks up to the left after he reads in the Bible, “…whatever you do unto me….” (at 25:43)

Discussion:

Ask:

• When Martin thought the Lord was coming to visit, how did he act? (watching, ready to welcome)
• As Martin waited to welcome Jesus, what happened to Martin? (noticed people in need, was kind to them)
• As a result of welcoming people and being helpful, what did Martin get in return? (happiness, he laughed, seemed to have new outlook)
• When the clay changed into all the different visitors, what lesson was Martin learning? (welcoming other people into his home is like welcoming the Lord)

Say: When we are showing hospitality – showing loving kindness to others – we are welcoming God into our lives.

Ask: In the video Martin was changed. Do you suppose being welcoming changes us?

Say: Good comes to us when we are welcoming and accept God into our lives.

Say: In our Bible story Martha was a busy bee. She showed her hospitality by cooking and preparing her home for visitors. Mary showed hospitality by listening to Jesus.

Ask: Do you think Martin was more like Mary or Martha? Why?

Welcoming and listening to others – is that the only way to welcome God into our lives?

What practices could you institute in your daily life that would make you more like Mary/Martin? [list some on the easel – really listening to friends & family; looking for needs & trying to meet them if possible (example: pay attention to M&M project!); spending time in prayer – listening to God; spending time reading (or listening to someone read) God’ word.]

Closing:
Say: Jesus told Martha that all her busyness and dinner preparations were distracted her from the most important thing. Jesus didn’t mean that preparing food wasn’t important. He just wanted Martha, and all of us, to take time to welcome God into our lives.

Resources:

• Faith Quest Lesson Sets at Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church. “Mary and Martha (Revised): Holywood.” 2005. http://www.kirkofkildaire.org/...MRevisedHolywood.htm
• G.R.E.A.T. Adventure Dream Team at State Street United Methodist Church, Bristol, VA. “Video Workshop Mary and Martha – Finding the Balance!” 2002. (Obtained from Jaymie Derden)
• Read with Me Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1993.
• Scripture quoted is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

A Lesson Set written by Carol Hulbert
First United Methodist Church
120 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Copyright 2005 First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI.
Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material

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Hulbert, Carol. Lesson set posted at rotation.org: Mary and Martha – Art Lesson." Nov./05. Place URL where lesson found inside angle brackets<>.

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