Bible Stories for Adults

Jesus Visits Mary and Martha

Luke 10:38-42

Next Week - Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead (Luke 11:1-46)
Bible Words to Remember:
Do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it ... But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Luke 12:29, 31

At what point in Jesus' ministry does Luke place this story?
Luke 9:51
What date does John give for when Jesus began focusing His ministry in Judea?
John 7:1-11, 14
What specific date is given in John that is understood to have been after today's story?
John 10:22-23

How did Jesus show it was now time to reveal Himself in Judea as His disciples had suggested?
Luke 10:1
How effective were these missionaries?
Luke 10:17-19

What does Luke tell us about where this story took place?
Luke 10:38
What village does next week's lesson tell us this was?
John 11:1
Was this the Bethany on the east side of the Jordan where John baptized (John 1:28)?
John 11:18
Where did Jesus spend the night when He was in Jerusalem?
Mark 11:11

What separated Jerusalem from Bethany that became an important place for Jesus?
Luke 19:29
How did Jesus spend His time during the last week of His life?
Luke 21:37-38
What happened to Jesus when He was praying on the Mount of Olives one evening?
Luke 22:39, 47, 54
What happened when Jesus visited the Mount of Olives for the last time?
Luke 24:50-51

Who else does Jesus meet in Martha's home?
Luke 10:39
Where else do we see the worship-filled example of Mary?
John 12:1-3
Did this also take place in Martha's house?
Mark 14:3

Did everyone recognize and appreciate Mary's pouring out of love for Jesus?
John 12:4-6
How did Jesus feel about Mary pouring out this bottle of expensive perfume?
Mark 14:6-9
Did Judas like Jesus' explanation and reasoning?
Mark 14:10-11

Where do we always find Mary in the three times she appears in the Bible?
John 11:32

What does the story tell us about Martha?
Luke 10:38
How might this hospitality have been especially appreciated by Jesus?
Luke 9:57-58
How did Jesus feel about Martha and her family?
John 11:5
How did Martha feel about Jesus?
John 11:17-20, 30

Did Martha recognize that Jesus was from God?
John 11:21-22
Did she recognize who Jesus really was?
John 11:23-27
How did Martha have one last chance to show her love for Jesus before His death?
John 12:1-2

How did Martha feel about Mary neglecting the call to serve Jesus and His disciples?
Luke 10:40
Why wasn't Martha able to recognize the value of what Mary was doing?
Luke 10:41
What details should Martha be concerned about at this time?
Luke 10:42

Does this mean that God wants His faithful to live their lives worshipping instead of serving?
James 2:26
So which should we do, worship or serve?
Luke 4:8
Charles Wesley wrote in one of his hymns:
Faithful to my Lord's commands,
I still would choose the better part;
Serve with careful Martha's hands,
And loving Mary's heart.

How do we know when and how to worship and to serve?
Matthew 22:35-40

Don't we automatically put God first when we serve Him?
Philippians 1:15-17
Will selfish motives prevent God from being glorified?
Philippians 1:18
What is the risk of keeping ourselves very busy in service?
Haggai 1:9
What should be our purpose in serving?
1 Peter 2:12

How was Martha's problem with priorities made more difficult?
Luke 12:22-23
But didn't Martha have to make sure Jesus had something to eat?
Luke 12:24
But we have bills to pay and retirement to save for and jobs to worry about and ...
Luke 12:25-26

But what about our clothes? If we don't worry about them, we'll be naked and catch cold!
Luke 12:27-28
But we need to eat! We'll die if we don't have something to eat or drink!
Luke 12:29-31

Now we need to worry about seeking His kingdom! How do we do that?
Luke 12:32-34
So what should we do when we have worries, be proactive and solve them ourselves?
Philippians 4:6-7

What were Samuel's final instructions to Saul after he anointed him as king over Israel?
1 Samuel 10:1, 8
What happened when Saul went to Gilgal as instructed?
1 Samuel 13:3-7
What did Saul do when he began worrying about his situation?
1 Samuel 13:8-9

Saul had done the right thing by turning to the Lord, right?
1 Samuel 13:10-13
How did God punish Saul for this misguided solution to worry?
1 Samuel 13:14

What should we remember whenever we try to take matters into our own hands?
John 15:5

Unless we meet Christ personally and privately each day, we will soon end up like Martha: busy but not blessed. Often in my pastoral ministry, I have asked people with serious problems, "Tell me about your devotional life." The usual response has been an embarrassed look, a bowed head, and the quiet confession, "I stopped reading my Bible and praying a long time ago." And they wondered why they had problems!