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Children’s Sermon

Luke 10:38-42


Jesus Invites Martha To Be Still


July 17, 2022

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Year C


Supplies: 3 tennis balls or comparable objects (even crumpled balls of paper will suffice)

Related message(s): N/A

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ASK    (a.k.a The On-Ramp)

  • Good morning!
  • I have a tennis ball, here.
  • I can throw it in the air and then I can catch it.  [Do/Show this action]
  • Who here thinks they can do the same thing?  [pass the ball to him/her and have them prove it by copying what you just did]
  • Now I have TWO tennis balls which I'm going to throw in the air at the same time and then catch. [Do/Show this action]
  • Who here thinks they can do the same thing? [pass the two tennis balls to him/her and have them prove it by copying what you just did]
  • Now I have THREE tennis balls which I'm going to throw in the air at the same time and then catch.
  • Who thinks I can do that?  [try and fail spectacularly!]
  • If I can't catch 3 tennis balls, do you think I could catch four or five or twenty of them?
  • You don't think I can!?
  • I agree.  I don't think I can either.
  • In fact, just THINKING about it makes me nervous.


TELL    (a.k.a. The Freeway)

  • A lot of times, especially when we get older, life feels a lot like this activity.
  • There are lots of things to do, and it feels like all of those activities are "up in the air," and that you'll never be able to catch all of those things.
  • This can create a lot of worry and concern inside of us about what happens if something doesn't get caught and then "falls through the cracks."
  • We see something similar in today's scripture story, where there are two sisters. One of the sisters, named Mary, is sitting and listening to Jesus.
  • But the other sister, Martha, is busy taking care of things, doing this and doing that. One thing she is probably doing is getting some food ready.
  • In other words, she's busy catching all the things that are up in the air...and she’s doing a good job of it.
  • But by making sure everything is taken care of, Martha is also worried about all that she has to do – so much so that she gets annoyed with her sister. She even asks Jesus to tell Mary to get busy helping.
  • But did you hear what Jesus says to Martha at that point?
  • Jesus tells Martha to do what MARY is doing -- to be still and to listen to what Jesus is saying.


SHARE the Good News   (a.k.a. The Destination)

  • What Jesus tells Martha is a good reminder for us, too – that we don't have to keep juggling everything and keeping everything from falling through the cracks all the time.
  • Instead, there are times when we are to be still and listen to Jesus’ words in the Bible stories and to God’s words in prayer.
  • And, when we do that, when we listen for these words, then we will better know what tasks we need to take care of and which ones we don't need to do right then.
  • Thinking back to our opening activity – this makes catching what we need to catch...[throw 3 tennis balls up but only catch one and hold it up] ...a whole lot easier.
  • This also makes us a lot less worried and concerned on the inside.
  • And that’s the good news for today. Let’s pray.


CLOSING Prayer

  • This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,

Dear God,


Thank you for Jesus…

Thank you for Jesus…


…who reminds us…

…who reminds us…


…that your way…

…that your way…


…is not the busy way…

…is not the busy way…


…but the better way for us to live.

…but the better way for us to live.


Thank you and Amen



Originally posted July 12, 2013
Updated on June 17, 2022
Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia



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