This lesson plan is copyrighted and belongs to the Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian,
Cary North Carolina.
It may be used for non-profit uses only.
Jesus’ encounter with Martha and Mary, as recorded in these verses, is part of a larger series of reflections on how to be a good disciple. In these verses in Luke, Mary is the one who models hospitality for her honored guest.
Scripture: Luke 10:38-42.
Key
Verse for this lesson Luke 10:38b
“... When they got [to the village] Martha welcomed him into her
home.” (Contemporary English Version)
Concepts:
God has given us different talents to help others
God wants us to have a good attitude
God wants us to act like we are getting ready for Jesus
Objectives:
1. Children will view the video “Martin the Cobbler”.
2. The children will learn the value of hospitality.
3. The children will explore ways that they can show hospitality to others and to God.
Procedure:
Welcome and Introductions:
1. Greet the children and introduce yourself. Wear your name-tag. Make sure the children are wearing name-tags. If not, ask the shepherd to supply a temporary badge. Remember you are interacting with a different group of students each week who may not know you.
2. Ask the children what they would do if someone famous like Britney Spears/Michael Jordan/Tiger Woods/etc was to come and visit them in their home tomorrow and stay for lunch? How would they prepare for the visit? Get ideas from the kids: clean up the house, tidy the toys, shop for food, prepare special food, etc. When the guest arrives. What would the hosts do? Do you go back into the kitchen and keep working away while the guest talks and visits with others? NO! You would want to be right there listening to every word of our honored guest. Would that make the guest feel special?
Bible Story:
1. Read the story of Mary and Martha. (The Contemporary English Version is very simple and easy to understand. Tell the children to listen for the ways that Mary and Martha behaved when their honored guest arrived. What did Mary do? (sit and listen to Jesus) What did Martha do? (Went back to the kitchen) Who showed more respect and honor to Jesus? Which was more pleasing to Jesus? Why?
2. The word hospitality means to show care, to welcome someone. A similar word is hospital. What do these words have in common?
3. Reread the special verse for this lesson in Luke 10:38b, “When they got [to the village] Martha welcomed him into her home.” (Contemporary English Version). This lesson is about hospitality and showing kindness to others.
Application:
1. Set up the story for the children. In the interest of time, start the video about 7 minutes into the story. You should already have it cued to the segment immediately after Martin falls asleep drunk at the table. You can read the following or paraphrase it.
Martin is an
old cobbler (shoemaker) who is very sad. His wife and his only child died and
he is angry with God. He is grumpy with people in his town. He is lonely and
has lost hope for any happiness in life. You could say, that Martin is so sad,
that he thinks only about himself with no thought to others or maybe Martin is so sad because
he only thinks of himself.
Younger Children: (You may want to tell a little more of what is going to happen in the story so that the children will understand the plot.)
One day, a holy man (a pastor) comes to Martin with an old Bible in need of repair. Martin reads the Bible about a Pharisee who invites Jesus to his home, but treats Jesus poorly as his guest (reference Luke 7:36-50). It upsets Martin that anyone would treat Jesus badly. He falls asleep and dreams that Jesus is going to visit him. The next day, Martin goes about his work watching for a sign of Jesus coming to his shop. As he waits, he helps others.
2. Start the video. It’s about 20 minutes long if cued as suggested (immediately after Martin falls asleep drunk at the table. The starting scene shows the Holy man visiting Martin).
3. Distribute the popcorn with help from the Shepherds or volunteer children. (Popcorn should already be made)
4. Discussion: recap the main events of the story with the children. When Martin thought the Lord was coming to visit how did he behave? (He was kind to the street sweeper, the woman and baby and the old woman and boy). How did Martin change? (he seemed happier, he was kind (to the mouse), he started to care about others instead of just himself). How was welcoming others into his home like welcoming God into his home? Was Martin more like Mary or like Martha? Explain.
Emphasize the point that Martin showed hospitality to God by showing hospitality to others. Martin found God in helping other people. Note that Martin was also blessed with happiness and a new attitude.
Reflection Time:
At 10:35 a.m. ask the shepherds to pass out the journals and pencils/markers. Suggestion: You may wish to give the children a movie ticket stub, sticker or some momento to paste in their journal as a reminder of the story or their commitment to be hospitable to God.
Prompts for journal writing: Martin acted different when he thought Jesus was coming for a visit. How would you behave or change if you thought Jesus was going to visit you? List two things that you could do to prepare for his coming. Prompt: Where might you find Jesus? (helping the homeless, making a new friend, helping someone in need, talking to a lonely child at school, being kind to a brother/sister.) Tell the children you are going to pray in the closing prayer about what they can do to meet Jesus in their lives.
Prayer: You could ask the children to volunteer their suggestions on how to show hospitality to others and therefore to God. Then lift up their ideas to God in prayer and ask for help to carry them out throughout the week.
Tidy and Dismissal: Ask children to help clean up popcorn as they wait for their parents to arrive. Put bean bag chairs in piles against the walls, clearing the floor space. Wipe out popcorn machine thoroughly.
Teacher preparation in
advance:
1. Prepare a closing prayer.
2. Write your key scripture verse (see beginning of this lesson plan) on the white board.
3. Check out the room before your first Sunday workshop so that you know where everything is located. The bin with supplies is in the closet.
4. Preview the video and have it cued to the correct starting place. The video will be given to you at the Faith Quest Leaders Bible Study. Be sure and ask for it.
5. PRACTICE OPERATING THE POPCORN MACHINE. If this is your first time in Holywood, visit the current workshop leader for instructions before your rotation begins. Be sure you have plenty of popcorn popped BEFORE the children arrive. You will need to have your attention on the children at that point. Ask the shepherds or child volunteers to help distribute it to children who are sitting quietly.
References
Billy Budd Films, Inc. Martin the Cobler, distributed by Gateway films Vision Video
St. Elmo’s Year One Rotation Curriculum
(www.rotation.org/stelmos/yearone.htm), Mary and Martha Rotation, Movie
Theater.