Curriculum

At the Feet of Jesus

At the Feet of Jesus Go to Curriculum multi-week pack

Bible Background

What Kids Will Learn

Two sisters, Mary and Martha, were making a meal to serve Jesus. While Martha was doing most of the work, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to listen to Him.

Scripture Summary

Jesus loved people. He spent his entire ministry around people—eating, healing, and teaching. The only time He wasn’t around people was when He went off by Himself to be with God. Some of His closest friends were Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. There are many accounts where Jesus stayed with them, and this is the same Lazarus who Jesus later raised from the dead (John 11).

Martha showed her genuine love for Jesus by opening up her home to Him. In Bible times, it was customary for the women to prepare a meal while the men relaxed around the table. Martha was busy with the meal preparations, but Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him. And Martha got angry. She implored Jesus to pay attention and tell Mary to help.

Jesus’ reply surprised everyone. He gently told Martha that Mary had chosen what was better.

Both Mary and Martha loved Jesus, but they showed their love in different ways. Martha was quick to open her home to Jesus. And later, when Lazarus died, Martha was the first one to run out to greet Jesus. Rather than serving, though, Mary chose to spend time with Jesus.

Some scholars note another difference between the two sisters. While they both loved and wanted to serve Jesus, Mary chose to receive from Jesus first.

Why Is This Important

Instead of pressing on and completing the work at hand, we must first receive love, grace, purpose, and acceptance from Jesus. Otherwise, we can burn out or have incorrect motives in our work.

Teacher Devotion

Scripture

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8)

When our kids were younger, we kept tight schedules between work, school, to-dos, church, and all aspects of life. Each week passed quickly—too quickly—as we navigated through each commitment. One Saturday, we had an exceptionally long to-do list to complete.

As I looked at my boys, though, I saw the same exhaustion that I was feeling myself. I decided to throw the to-do list out the window for the day. We quickly packed lunches and headed up to the mountains to a park. There was no agenda, no schedule. If someone wanted to stop and spend extra time, that’s what we did. The kids enjoyed getting Junior Ranger information at the visitors’ center. And we all enjoyed splurging on ice cream cones that afternoon.

It was uncharacteristic for me to toss responsibilities aside for a fun day, but I’m so glad I did. And it’s been too long since I’ve done it again.

Focusing on what’s important in life sometimes takes a day out of the ordinary. We can see God’s beautiful creation in a whole new way. We can laugh—loudly. We can take a deep breath and enjoy the moment instead of looking for the next thing on the to-do list.

Carolyn Arends’ song “Seize the Day” includes these lyrics:

Seize the day, seize whatever you can ’Cause life slips away just like hourglass sand

Seize the day, pray for grace from God’s hand Then nothing will stand in your way

Seize the day

How can you seize the day today?

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for creating today. This is the only today we’ll get. Please help me steward today well while focusing on what’s important. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Get the full Sunday school lesson plan

  • Bible Memory Verse
  • Interactive Bible Experience
  • Animated video with companion questions

Bible Memory Verse

You’ll Need: Bible, Balloons

Get Ready: Before the activity, inflate the balloons. You’ll need one balloon for every two kids.

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:41-42)

Lead kids in these steps to learn today’s Bible memory verse:

  • Open your Bible to Luke 10:41-42.
  • Read the Bible memory verse aloud several times and invite kids to repeat phrases after you.
  • Invite kids to pair up, facing one another.
  • Have kids lie on their backs with their feet in the air. Make sure each child’s feet are able to touch those of their partner. Remind kids that Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to listen to what He had to say.
  • Explain that each pair will recite today’s Bible memory verse together while gently passing the balloon back and forth between their feet.
  • Play several rounds as time allows.

SAY: Great job learning today’s Bible memory verse! Today we’re learning that Jesus wants and deserves our full attention.

Interactive Bible Experience

You’ll Need: Bible, Chair

  • Open your Bible to Luke 10:38-42.
  • Invite one child to sit in the chair and read today’s passage out loud.
  • Have the other children work busily around the room, cleaning up, drawing on the board, and so on as the child reads the passage. (You can designate chores for each child.)
  • After the child has finished reading the passage, have kids gather together at the center of the room.

ASK:

  • Was it easy or hard to listen to the Bible passage while you were doing the chores?
  • Do you think you missed any important details because you were distracted by your tasks?

SAY: In our Bible passage today, the sisters Mary and Martha welcome Jesus into their home. But they each respond to Jesus in different ways. Let’s read the passage again, but this time we’ll sit and listen like Mary instead of moving about like Martha.

  • Again open your Bible to Luke 10:38-42.
  • Invite one child to sit in the chair and read today’s Bible passage out loud.
  • Have the other children sit at that child’s feet and listen.

ASK:

  • Are you more of a “Mary” or a “Martha” in your everyday life?
  • What does the story of Mary and Martha teach us?

SAY: Martha was so distracted preparing things around her home for Jesus that she almost missed the Savior of the world sitting right in her living room. But Jesus had some very specific instructions for Martha. Let’s learn more about that now.

Snack

Popcorn Cups

You’ll Need: Cups, Napkins, Microwave, Microwave popcorn, Several popcorn kernels

Get Ready: Before the snack, have kids clean their hands

Follow these steps for the “Popcorn Cups” snacks:

  • Give each child a cup and a napkin, and have kids gather on the floor with a view of the microwave.
  • Pop the popcorn.

ASK:

  • What happens inside the bag when we cook popcorn?
  • Do you think the popping popcorn is more like Mary or Martha? Why?
  • Distribute the popcorn.
  • Enjoy!

SAY: Popcorn works hard to transform from these kernels (hold up the kernels) into the delicious snack we get to enjoy today. It’s okay to be busy bouncing around like popcorn from time to time, but remember, we can only enjoy popcorn when it finally sits still. The same is true for us. If we don’t stop and sit at the feet of Jesus, we’ll miss the most important thing.

Game

Musical Sits

You’ll Need: Large playing area, Chair, Upbeat praise music, Something to play the music

To play the “Musical Sits” game, have kids follow these steps:

  • Choose one child to sit in the chair at the center of the room.
  • Explain that you’re going to play some praise music while kids dance and jump around. When the music stops, kids have to race to sit at the feet of the child in the chair.
  • The last child to get to the floor will take the chair the next round.
  • Play several rounds as time allows.

ASK:

  • Why did Mary prefer to sit and listen to Jesus instead of helping Martha?
  • How can you take time to sit at the feet of Jesus this week?

SAY: Life can get so busy sometimes. It’s important to not get so caught up in the distractions that we miss what Jesus is doing.

Craft

Busy Feet

You’ll Need: Finger paint, Card stock, Paper plates, Foam paintbrushes, Disposable plastic tablecloths, Markers, Wet wipes

Get Ready: Before the activity, spread disposable plastic tablecloths on the floor. Pour finger paint onto paper plates

Have kids follow these steps to make the “Busy Feet” craft:

  • Give each child a sheet of card stock.
  • Invite kids to remove their shoes and take a seat somewhere on the plastic tablecloth.
  • Have kids pair up and take turns carefully painting the bottoms of each other’s feet to stamp onto the card stock.
  • Clean feet off with wet wipes.
  • When the kids have all stamped their feet, invite them to write “Sit at the feet of Jesus” on the card stock.

SAY: Great job creating your busy feet! Jesus wants our full attention. Take these crafts home as a reminder to never get so busy that you lose sight of what’s most important: Jesus!

Prayer

Listening Prayers

Follow these steps to lead kids in prayer.

  • Invite kids to spread out around the room.
  • Remind kids that in today’s Bible passage, Mary simply “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.”
  • Invite kids to sit quietly in prayer for several minutes and simply listen for what the Lord may be telling them.
  • Close in prayer.

PRAY: Dear Jesus, You are the most important thing in our lives. Help us remember that You’re not looking for who can stay the busiest, but the ones who will simply sit at Your feet and listen. Help us slow down and listen well. In Your name, amen.