Mary and Martha 

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To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here.

To view a .docx version of this guide, click here.

Introduction 

Last week, we discussed Jesus’ rejection in his hometown of Nazareth and how we should graciously share who Jesus is with others, even when it’s challenging. 

During the “Apply” section last week, everyone was encouraged to write down specific action steps they would work on throughout the week. Take some time to discuss how that went with the group. 

This week we will be discussing the story of Jesus and the disciples at Mary and Martha’s house; with this in mind, begin your meeting in prayer for God’s blessing over this time with your group. 

Connect  

• What are some things that annoy you? Why do these things irritate you? 
  • What do you do when you are around these annoyances or pet peeves? 
• What are some things you think are important to focus on each day? 
  • What distracts you from these things? What could help you focus on them more? 

Opening Thought 

There are things in our lives that are most important to us. For many, the top of this list typically includes our friends, family, work, hobbies, etc. However, sometimes our attention is taken away from these important things by distractions that don’t matter as much. These distractions are not necessarily bad; in fact, many times they are good. The problem arises when we lose focus on what truly matters most. 

Jesus invites us to slow down and prioritize Him above all else. When we do this and spend time listening to Him, we develop a deeper relationship with Him because we’re fully focused on Him. 

This leads us to our main idea for this week:  

Main idea for the week

We can follow Jesus better when we slow down to focus on him. 

Here’s where we are this week

Jesus has started his public ministry and has been teaching in various towns. At this point, Jesus has appointed 12 apostles and many other disciples who are both traveling with him and preparing the way for wherever he goes. Wherever he is traveling, he teaches. Many people that he is teaching have many assumptions of how they should act and of how Jesus is supposed to be, but these assumptions are shown to be mostly incorrect. The section we are reading today is the interaction of Jesus with two sisters, Mary and Martha, who welcomed Jesus and his disciples into their house.  

Unpack 

Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses: 

Read  

Luke 10:38-42 

Unpack 

• Imagine you are Martha in this story. How would you act if you were in her position?  
• Why do you think Jesus defended Mary’s actions, but didn’t address Mary about any responsibilities she might have as the co-host of the house? 
  • What do you think this can teach us about the true purpose of hospitality? 
• According to these verses, how do you think Jesus wants us to balance service and devotion in our own lives? 
• Considering Jesus’ teaching to Martha, how can you discern when we are too busy serving to hear Jesus’ teachings?  
  • Do you think we can also become too self-focused in our faith, where we try to live out our faith on our own? 
    • What are some signs we have become too inwardly focused in the way we live out our faith? 
      • Why could a self-centered life of faith in Jesus be detrimental to the Church as a whole?  
• What does this story teach us about what we should prioritize in a world full of distractions? 
• How can the contrast between Martha and Mary help us evaluate our spiritual disciplines and practices? 

Apply 

Based on the verses we just read, there are some things that we can do in response. Take a moment to discuss these questions as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week can be: 

• In the verses we read today, Jesus rebukes Martha, not because of her devotion to serving her guests, but because she’s more worried about her preparations than what Jesus was saying.  
  • What are some good things in your life that you over-prioritize instead of listening to what Jesus is trying to tell you?  
• How will you take some time this week to determine what distracts you from Jesus? 
  • This week, what will you actively do to limit or eliminate this from your life so you can focus on Jesus’ voice? 
• How will we as a group take one step from now on to hold each other accountable in our pursuit to focus on Jesus in our everyday lives? 

Closing 

Read the first section to your group, then read the verse out loud to the group, and finally, move to the Prayer and Verses section: 

Sometimes, when we believe we are doing what we’re supposed to, we can end up distracting ourselves from the most important things in our lives. Martha was not wrong in her intention to serve her guests and do what the culture of the day expected, however, she was distracted from the most important thing around her: Jesus. Mary understood that distinction and we should try to follow this example. When we are doing what we think we should be doing, but we have no time to spend with Jesus, we should re-prioritize what is important to us and spend time focusing on Jesus instead. 

Prayer and Verses 

Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the group. 

Thematic Reflection Verse for the Week 

*Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week. 

Colossians 3:2 

“Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” 

**When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us. 

Daily Devotional Verses  

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Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below. 

Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. 
Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? 
Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? 
Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned. 

Day 1: Proverbs 4:25 

Day 2: Proverbs 16:3 

Day 3: Isaiah 41:10 

Day 4: Luke 21:36 

Day 5: Psalm 119:15 

Day 6: Matthew 24:42