Worry

Martha Worries and Complains- Luke 10:38-42

Key Verse: I Peter 5:7(NKJV)-“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

Theme: When you worry, cast your care upon the Lord.

Introduction:

          Company’s coming!

          When company comes to your house, what does your mother do?

         Our Bible story today tells about what a woman did when Jesus came to her house. Her name is Martha, and you can read about her in Luke 10.

Bible Story:

          Oh, my! Martha took a deep breath. Jesus was here. In her house. She wanted everything to be perfect.

          He was in the other room sharing and teaching. She wanted to hear what he said, but she had too much to do!

          Meat to roast. Vegetables to peel and cut up. Bread to bake. Fruit to wash. Where should she begin?

          She rushed around that kitchen like a crazy woman, sweat dripping down her forehead. Would she be ready in time? Would the meal taste good? Would Jesus like it?

          She needed help, that’s what she needed. Where was her sister Mary?

          She peeked into the other room. There was Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to every word, looking up at him with adoring eyes.

          Martha returned to the carrots, chopping so hard, she almost cut through the table.

          No fair! Here, she was doing all the work, and Mary was just sitting there.

          The longer she chopped, the angrier she became. Finally, she could take it no longer. She marched into the other room. “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work? Tell her to come help me!”

          Everyone turned and looked at her. Now Martha wished she hadn’t interrupted.

          But Jesus looked at her with loving, brown eyes. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is really important, and Mary has chosen it.”

          The Bible doesn’t tell us what happened next. Did she sit down and listen to the words of Jesus? Did she stop worrying? After Jesus was finished, did Mary help her put the dinner on the table? Did everything taste good?

          I like to think so, but that’s not the most important part of the story.

What is?

          Jesus said that only one thing was really important, and Mary had chosen it.

          What was that one thing? (Discussion)

          Answer: Spending time with Jesus. Listening to him. Learning from him. Being friends with him.

          Martha wasn’t doing anything wrong by making a meal for Jesus. But she let her worries get in the way of putting Jesus first.

          If Jesus were to come to your house today, what would he say to you? Are you so busy playing or watching tv or playing video games that you have no time for Jesus?

          How can you make Jesus more important than anything else? How can you spend time with him today when you can’t even see him?

          Discussion:

  • Reading the Bible
  • praying
  • being quiet and thinking about God
  • listening in church
  • doing right things

          Do you spend quiet time with Jesus every day reading your Bible, thinking about it, and praying? He wants you to. That is the one thing that Jesus thinks is the very most important of all.

But maybe you’ve never talked to God before. Maybe you don’t even know Him. God is the holy, almighty One who is in charge of the whole universe. His Son, Jesus, created the world, including the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. But shortly after, Eve was tempted by Satan to eat the fruit from a tree that God said they could not eat from. Eve ate it and gave some to Adam. They disobeyed God. They sinned. And because they sinned, everyone who has been born since then has been born with sin in them. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned. That sin separates us from God. Because of that sin, we can’t go to heaven when we die because no sin is allowed in heaven. Instead, we must be punished for our sin in hell. But God loved you so much that He wanted you with Him, so He made a way for your sin to be taken away. He sent his son, Jesus, into our world to be born as a baby. But what made Jesus different from any other man, was that because he was God’s Son, He could not sin. He was perfect. And when He was a young man, He died on the cross to take the punishment for your sin. Three days later He came back to life, proving He really was God. If you would like to have your sin forgiven, if you would like to become a child of God, you can today.

(Give an invitation.)

Application:

          Let’s look at something else Jesus said to Martha in our story.

          He said in Luke 10:41- “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things.”

          Does that sound like you? Do you ever worry?

          What are some things that kids your age worry about?

          (Discussion)

          Let’s listen to a Phil and Ashley story where Ashley was worried. Do you ever worry about something like this?

Phil and Ashley Story:

          Ashley was worried. In order to pass into fourth grade, she had to take a reading test. If she failed, she would have to repeat third grade. It was a big deal.

          She wasn’t that great a reader. She was sure she would fail. All her friends would pass on to fourth grade, and she would be left behind with kids she didn’t know. It would be so embarrassing.

          The test was a week away. Ashley was too worried to even eat.

          “Ashley, you can’t leave the table until you eat everything on your plate,” Dad said.

          “But I’m not hungry!”

          “You won’t grow up to be big and strong,” her older brother, Phil, teased.

          “I don’t care.”

          “Ashley, just eat,” Mom said.

          “It’ll make me sick.”

          “It’s perfectly good food,” Dad said. “It will not make you sick.”

          “Yes, it will. I’ll probably throw up.”

          Mom studied her. “Is something wrong, honey? You don’t seem to be yourself.”

          Ashley’s lower lip quivered as she lowered her eyes. “Yes, something’s wrong. I’m worried.”

          “About what?”

          “That I won’t pass the reading test.”

          “Oh,” Mom said.

          “Don’t be a baby,” Phil said. “It’s an easy test. Everyone passes.”

          “But what if I don’t? I don’t want to be in third grade again.”

          “Why don’t you practice reading?” Mom said. “Every night read a chapter in a book.”

          “But I don’t like to read.”

          “Are you kidding?” Phil said. “Reading is great. I’d rather read than do anything.”

          “That’s because you’re a good reader. I’m not.”

          “If you read more,” Mom said, “you will become a better reader. Phil, could you find a book you think would be just right for her?”

So Phil found a mystery book. Ashley curled up in a chair and started reading. The story was really good. She forgot that she didn’t like reading. She kept turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

          When Mom said it was bedtime, she didn’t want to stop. She was just at the good part.

          “See, you’re reading great,” Mom said.

          “Yes, but just because I can read this book doesn’t mean I’ll pass the test.”

          “Honey, you need to trust Jesus. Stop worrying. Worry is like a rocking chair. You can rock and rock and rock, and it doesn’t get you anywhere. When you worry, it doesn’t do any good. It doesn’t make the problem go away. It doesn’t fix things. It just tears you up inside and makes you fearful.”

          “But I don’t know how to stop worrying.”

          “Pray to Jesus. Tell Him how worried you are, and then give your worries to Him, and trust that He will take care of them.

          “In I Peter 5:7, God says, ‘Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.’ Picture in your mind a fisherman casting his line out into the river as far as he can. Do that with your worries. Imagine bundling them up and throwing them out to Jesus. Then leave them there. Do not pick them up and bring them back. Jesus can handle those things you are worried about.”

          “Really? Even a reading test?”

          “Of course.”

          So after Mom tucked her in, Ashley prayed, “Dear Jesus, I’m so worried about this reading test. Please help me pass. I give my worries to You. I am trusting You.”

          Every night that week, Ashley read. She finished one book and then another and another. Phil was right. Reading was fun. But she still didn’t know if she was good enough.

          Stop it! she told herself. I’m not going to worry about it. God will help me.

          And do you know what? He did. She passed the test with flying colors.

          Ashley learned two things. First, that she really could trust God, and secondly, reading was really fun.

Conclusion:

So, when you are worried, what should you do?

          Trust the Lord. Cast your cares on Him. Stop worrying

Can you really trust God? Yes. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God.”

You can trust God that everything will work together for good.

Beth Livingston

admin@bethlivingston.net

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