Marry and Martha

Did anyone grow up in a house like that?

Anyone in a house like that now?

Where someone is coming over and all the sudden the world is ending and people in the house are angry at eachother and trying to clean everything up quickly.

My parents watch on the live stream a lot of times so I have to say that I cannot relate at all to that…

But now that I am an adult I understand where parents are coming from because when someone comes over (especially if its someone you don’t know well or is important to you) you really want to make the house look perfect, and if your having food, you want the food to taste good.

But you know today we are in a story where Jesus is invited to a persons house and we see one person preparing the food and probably making the home look nice, but then another appears too not carrying her weight very well.

And its really interesting because one person brings this issue to Jesus and He has a really different reaction then what you would think.

And so we are in Luke 11:38-42 and this is continuing our series “Around the table” were we are looking at the meals and relational times that Jesus had with others.

And we are just going to jump right into this passage because look what it says starting in just the first few verses… It says:

Luke 10:38 (NIV)

At the Home of Martha and Mary

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.

So we are introduced to Martha who had opened her home to Jesus and they are most likely getting ready to have a meal.

And like we talked about throughout this series having a meal with someone was considered a big deal because meals were very relationally involved

And this is even more so if you have someone over at your house because if I invite one of you over to my house, it means I trust you right?

Because I am giving you my address, im trusting that you wont steel anything,

But really at this time it was a really big deal to go to someones house and have a meal with them.

So we can assume Martha has begun to follow Jesus and so far the story is good, because this is probably where a lot of us are in our walk with God,

We have decided to follow God, we would gladly invite Him into our house right?

but over the next couple verses we see this conflict that I talked about a second ago. And look at what happens in verses 39-40. because It says:

Luke 10:39–40 NIV

39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

So we learn that Martha has a sister named Mary, and Mary is sitting listening a Jesus, while Martha is actually getting everything together.

And you can probably picture Martha getting everything together and at first saying Mary, can you help me?

And Mary is not moving

And then you can picture her dropping hints, “Wow it would be great if I had a second person”

Then you can picture her coughing trying to get Marys attention

And her anger is just building and building (I mean if you had a sibling like this you know what I am talking about) until she is ready to snap

And finally she comes to Jesus and says “Lord don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work!”

I mean she is just sitting at your feet while I am breaking my back to make this meal.

But look what Jesus says, .because I am getting ready for Jesus to say wow Mary you are so distracted, get over there and help your poor sister!

But he doesn’t say that, look what he says in verses 41-42. It says this:

Luke 10:41–42 (NIV)

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

But you know with all seriousness the reason Jesus says Mary got it right, is because Mary knows the reason she is there.

You know Martha, thought the reason of what she was doing was to have Jesus over for a meal

But Mary knew the purpose, it was to sit at Jesus’s feet and learn.

in-fact it even says in verse 40 that Martha was distracted.

And to be honest I really think in our faith and life it is so easy to find us in a place where we get distracted with the wrong things.

I mean its kind of like how when the fair was going on Arika and I took Liam to the circus that was happening during the fair.

And I have never been to the circus and so I was amazed!

I mean people on tight ropes, and flying through the air.

But then Liam decided about 10 minutes into the circus that he really did not want to see the circus but he knew the fair had cows.

And we already saw the cows that day, and the Circus in my opinion was way cooler then the cows, but Liam wanted the cows even with this amazing thing happening right in front of us.

And can I just say that so often as a church and even in our individual walks with God, so often God is doing somthing really neat and amazing, but the issue is a lot of times we get distracted by the cows.

By these other things that seem important or flashy and we say we need that!

And the truth is these things are not bad, but if we get our priorities wrong, then we end up chasing secondary things and so often miss what God is doing.

And I really like what Jesus says because He says Martha you are so worried and upset about so many things

Some scholars translate that as anxious and even divided- where she is caring about so many things,

And you can picture Mary just tired , stressed and exhausted trying to make sure everything is perfect. (And she is even doing it for Jesus)

And I don’t know about you guys but its easy to be a Martha

Because we are people where a lot of times we feel the need where everything has to be perfect.

If you ever watch me at a church outreach event I am running around making sure everything is perfect

in our lives its easy to say I need this to happen to make me feel complete

I need to get that grade in a class

I need to get this goal accomplished

I need to be significant in this area

And these are good goals, but when we get distracted from just being able to seek God and where He wants, it will ware us down,

And to be honest we will get to this place that Martha in where we are anxious and feel like we are running in a million directions at the same time.

And that can even open the door for bitterness to creep in towrds others. And its easy to find yourself in this really grumpy place.

And whats amazing is Jesus is saying you know it really is a lot simpler than what you are making it.

In fact in verse 42 Jesus even mentions that the things required are actually very little.

in fact He says there is only one thing required.

And the crazy part its not making sure we are always busy, its not reaching that goal, its not necessarily coming to church,

but He implies the one thing that can make sure our walk with God is thriving is actually doing what Mary is doing

Sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Because the truth is this is the most important part of our walk with God.

because if we are not sitting at the feet of Jesus we are not going to know what or where God is calling us.

I mean think about it because if you have ever played football.

You do not just run out on the field and go for it, but there is a plan right

Because all the players go to the quarter back and and thats where they hear what they should be doing in a game. (there is a plan and strategy) and they need to go to one person to make that call,

And then the players listen to figure out what they need to do.

And can I point out also that it says Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus and She is not just talking and telling Jesus what has happened or what He wants her to do, but we are told that Marry is listening.

Can I be honest because in our walk with God and even so often when we pray, we are really good and lifting up request and and talking with our struggles, but so often we do not just sit and listen.

And if you think about this in any relationship because there is an aspect where yeah you talk, but you also need to listen.

I mean imagine if you were talking to your spouse and you were saying we need more money, I don’t know how we are going to pay our bills, We will need to sell our house,

And you just keep going on and on, and your spouse could not get a word in.

First off its a little unhealthy, but secondly what if your spouse had a solution to the problem, but you are to busy talking to listen to what they have to say.

And I really think its easy to get this way with God. We are so busy doing and telling God all the stuff in our lives (once again not a bad thing) but so often we forget to just sit at His feet and listen.

And this morning as we get ready to close I just have to ask do you feel like you are more like Martha or more like Mary?

And what would it look like to just sit at the feet of Jesus this morning and just listen?

And I was thinking at the best way to end today, and its kind of weird because I feel like a lot of times I have some sort of application point, but what if today we just ended by sitting at the feet of Jesus, marveling at Him and listening to where He is calling us.

And so we are going to end a little differently today because before we even sing a song and close I just want us to sit and listen for a few minutes.

And there will be music playing in the background, but we like to talk, (if you ask Arika I am a talker), but I want us to end today by just sitting for a couple minutes in silence and maybe just make your prayer as we close, God I am listening and I want to hear from you.

Let me pray for us and then we will listen and then when its over a song will play and if you are still listening you can keep doing it if not stand and sing with us.

Lets pray