Distraction to Destruction

What Matters?

Luke 10:38–42 (ESV)

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38 comes after Luke 10:37 and Luke 10:42 comes before Luke 11:1. That sounds obvious, but it’s important to mention for a couple of reasons.

First of all, nothing is included in Scripture by accident or coincidence. We often read a short passage of Scripture and don’t realize that its meaning exists within a broader context of the verses before it and after it.

This particular story is unique. It’s four verses and it’s started with a sentence (“Now as they went on their way”) that tells us that this is a different story than the one that concluded in verse 37. That makes sense, because that passage was the parable of the good Samaritan.

It’s also important to know that it’s not really connected to Luke 11, because that passage starts by saying Jesus was praying in a certain place, which is NOT the home of Martha and Mary.

That means that these four verses were included on purpose, but they exist as a standalone story. That means that within these four verses, there is something that the Holy Spirit who inspired the physician Luke to write this account of the gospel.

So what should we take from this story?

Well, let’s meet the main characters here. First, there’s a guy named Jesus. We know Him, right?

And then there are these two sisters, Martha and Mary. Martha’s awesome. She’s about Jesus. She welcomes Jesus into her home and she’s excited to serve Him. Who wouldn’t be? At this point, Jesus has made a name for Himself. He has a reputation as a Healer. He’s made waves in the religious community. Some are even saying He’s the Messiah. What an honor it is for Martha to host Jesus in her home.

Martha has this sister, though. Mary. Mary is different. She’s also excited to have Jesus in their home, but listen to what Mary immediately does when Jesus gets there. She sits at His feet and listens to His teaching.

Things are going well so far after two verses. And then the conflict arises.

Verse 40 tells us that Martha was distracted. It’s interesting to me that this is how the whole thing started spiraling. Not necessarily with anger. Or neglect. Or something that would be a little more obvious in terms of how this situation escalates. It started with distraction.

Martha was distracted. I can relate to that. Anyone else? Let’s get more specific. Can anyone else relate to working really hard to get ready making a place for Jesus that you can get a little…distracted?

Let’s take it a step further. What does it say was distracting Martha? Much. Serving.

Let’s dig deeper here, because I’ve heard it preached that she was distracted with housework. She was busy and took her eyes off Jesus, but we don’t often look at what this really means. She was distracted with polys diakonia, which we call much serving here, but let me give you an alternate translation here by bringing in a Scripture that also uses that word diakonia, which means service.

2 Timothy 4:5 (ESV)

5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Fulfill your diakonia. If you’re following along, that means that we can go back to Luke 10:40 and translate it this way…Martha was distracted by a lot of ministry. And now this distraction led Martha to a bit of entitlement. She was frustrated with Mary and felt like she needed to involve Jesus, Savior and Invited Guest.

She asks Jesus, “Don’t you care that she’s leaving me to do this ministry alone?”

Notice that He doesn’t answer her; she just keeps talking.

“Tell her to help me!”

And then Jesus responds. “Martha, Martha.”

You are anxious or worried and upset or troubles about a lot of things. In other words, it’s not just this that’s bothering you. In the midst of all of that, though, Jesus tells her that ONE THING is necessary. “Necessary” there is chreia, a Greek word that referred to duty assigned in the ministry. The chreia was the work assigned to deacons in the early Church. Jesus tells her that there are a lot of things going on, but there’s only one thing that’s truly the duty or work of Jesus’ followers. That thing is not what Martha has chosen to busy herself doing; it’s what Mary has prioritized over everything else.

Jesus goes on to say that Mary has chosen the good maris or portion and that He won’t take it away from her.

I love what I do. And I love the people I get to do it with. It’s such an honor to serve here. To shepherd in this flock. To work alongside this team. What I want to suggest to you today, though, is that all of our ministry is only effective when we choose the good part first.

I heard Jeremy Pearsons say one time that ministry is a poor substitute for intimacy.

Work. Service. It’s good. It’s not the best part, though. The best part is Him. The best part is knowing Him. The best part is sitting at His feet and hearing what He has to say. Ministry, in fact, is only as good as the one from which that ministry flows.

There’s no shortage of vision around here and we all have a role in it. We are all integral parts of this body that’s been called to serve here and fulfill the plan of God for our lives here. Whether you’re here for a season or you’re here for life, you are vital and we need your supply.

Today, I’m asking you to not allow working at KCM to be your relationship with God. Don’t allow preparing a place for Jesus to dwell to distract you from sitting at His feet and receiving His love for you. His heart for you. His vision for your life. His wisdom.

We need that wisdom to do everything He’s called us to do here.

James 1:5 (ESV)

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

How much wisdom are we leaving on the table because we are racking on brains trying to figure out what the right thing to do is and Jesus is calling us, He’s beckoning us to come and sit at his feet and receive everything He has for us.

Look, we’re faith people. We’re Word people. The devil’s a crafty one and he knows that we’re strong in the Lord and in the power of His might and the things he can use to destroy other people won’t work on us. I believe that when the devil knows he can’t destroy us, though, he will shift gears and attempt to distract us.

What makes that sneaky is that it’s not always the obvious things that distract us. For Martha, it was ministry. It was hospitality. A good thing. A good thing that took her eyes off of what was most important. Did it mean that she shouldn’t have been preparing the place for Jesus? Of course not. It just meant that the order of a thing is important.

Ministry is pouring. It’s giving. It’s emptying. And if you’ve not received what’s coming down from Him, you will reach a place at which you have nothing left to pour. We have to keep pouring, which means we have to a people without lids. There is no point at which we arrive and say, “I’ve got everything I’ll ever need from Jesus. Now I can go into ministry.” That’s a recipe for burnout.

What we have to do is position ourselves in a place of pouring and receiving. Pouring. Receiving. Pouring. Receiving. If you’re giving, you need to be getting. And that means your personal relationship with Jesus has to be a priority.

It means that nothing is more important than Him. Nothing is more important, because everything flows from Him. I can’t give anyone anything that I don’t have, which means that I have to get it for myself first. I can’t be His hands or His voice unless I start at His feet.

For what God has called you to do, you can’t afford to be distracted…not even by serving. Not even by ministry. We have to steward His presence well in our own lives to be able to walk in the fullness of grace for our assignments.

There is grace for you in your place. The God empowerment to be who He’s called you to be, do what He’s called you to do, and have what He’s called you to do. And the grace we receive from Him can only be found in Him and as a result of an intimate relationship with Him. Draw close. Lean in. There’s more for you and when He gets that more to you, He’ll use you in ways you’ve never dreamed were possible.