Distracted 3
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsNotes
Transcript
Text: Luke 10:38-42
Text: Luke 10:38-42
If the devil can't make us bad, he'll make us busy.
- Corrie Ten Boom
Jesus was always busy, but never in a hurry.
The problem is not when you have a lot to do, but when you have to much to do.
John Mark Comer quotes - Michael Ziggarelli from Charleston Southern School of Business
Obstacles to growth survey of more than 20,000 Christians.
Busyness is a major distraction to a Spiritual life.
Hypothesis
Christians are assimilating a culture of busyness hurry and overload. (which leads to)
God becoming more marginalized in Christians lives. (which leads to)
A Deteriorating relationship with God. (which leads to)
Christians even more vulnerable to adopting secular assumptions about how to live. (which leads to)
More conformity to busyness and overload.
It seems that most believers have difficulty in realizing and facing up to the inexorable fact that God does not hurry in his development of our Christian life. He is working from and for eternity! So many feel they are not making progress unless they are swiftly and constantly forging ahead.
- Miles Stanford
Mary...
Text: Luke 10:38-42
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Cit: The Needful things are found at Jesus' feet.
Transition: God shows the life of needful things through Mary
Illustration:
A. Mary sought Jesus Feet
1. What she chose will never be taken from her
2. No presupposing on your importance
3. No pride
4. Adoration
5. Full attention
6. Needed
B. Martha sought a Hand
1. Other things had her attention
2. She is a faithful worker
3. But in the midst of her working she overlooked somebody.
Scripture says that she was the one that invited Jesus in.
4. Worries
5. Cares
6. No attention
I. Hurry can rob us of the most valuable things.
Time with children
Building a relationship with spouse.
Charity work
Ministry
Soul winning
Mary heard the word.
This will be something the disciples will miss one day. In fact the two disciples on the road to Emmaus described Jesus after vanished.
And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
This will be a short term commodity that she will wish she could go back and have again.
“Minutes are the commodity of life squandered or miserly counted when they're gone they're gone.”
“We know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.”
- Source Unknown.
Illustration:
It was reported that eleven millionaires went down on the Titanic. Major A. H. Peuchen left $300,000.00 in money, jewelry and securities in a box in his cabin. "The money seemed a mockery at that time," he later said. "I picked up three oranges instead.” -Unknown
Application:
Know your values.
On the list of most valuable things needs to sit at the top or relationship with God in prayer.
II. Hurry throttles down when it should be backing off.
Don't let the commentary "much serving" slip past you. If there is one thing we humans are not good at is balance and right measure.
Here is a woman who clearly cares about Jesus but cannot stop to give her attention to him. Just as soon as she finishes one thing another is screaming at her. The dusting might be done but the dust is on the floor and now I gotta sweep.
Scripture literally says she cumbered about/troubled
The constant work has misplaced her attention
Hurry is never the goal in itself.
Illustration:
The feeling of being hurried is not usually the result of living a full life and having no time. It is, on the contrary, born of a vague fear that we are wasting our life. When we do not do the one thing we ought to do, we have no time for anything else--we are the busiest people in the world.
Eric Hoffer, Bits & Pieces, May 1990, p. 1.
III. Hurry lies to us.
You are the only one
Elijah thought he was alone
God is measuring your worth on production.
People of Egypt had to transform their thinking from producing bricks to being with God.
What you have done is never enough.
What you do will never be enough.
It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement. - Mabel Newcomber.
Art of Devotion
This creeps into the Christian life…
Business … substitutes shallow frenzy for deep friendship. It feeds the ego but starves the inner man. It fills a calendar but fractures a family. It cultivates a program that plows under priorities. Many a church boasts about its active program: "Something for every night of the week for everybody." What a shame! With good intentions the local assembly can create the very atmosphere it was designed to curb. Dr. Charles Swindoll
—————————————————————————————
Here’s the temptation… to see Mary as the hero of this account. When in fact it is this choice to seek Jesus that serves Mary at the loss of her Brother Lazarus.
Hurry cannot replace knowing God.
Preacher. you probably don’t have to explain that. Then “why is it so easily swapped”.
Even here we watch Mary seek the more important thing.
And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
God’s plan was getting low and walking humbly.
Christ Taught The Culture Teaches
Humble Power
MournerSocially Acceptable
Meek Ability
Hunger Possessions
Righteousness
Merciful Revenge
Pure of Heart Small Fun
Peace Maker Fight for your way
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus is looking for someone at his feet so that he can move on earth.
1. You have been so worried about this world
2. Have you been in the face of Jesus
3. God has been waiting for you at his feet.
Hurry Can’t replace a Love for Jesus Christ
Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
Mary is once again found at the feet of Jesus. Yes this is where we find her every time.
Breaking a box of precious ointment at the feet of ointment.
Commemorating the death and burial of Jesus.
Anointing his body for burial.
One incredible statement that lines up with the entire plan of God. The plan that Paul called a "mystery". We are not to asked to assume that Mary knew Jesus was going to be buried. But she followed the impulse of the Spirit and gave and became a part of the narrative of the Cross.
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
Here is what we stand to loose. Many will get to heaven imagining that busy will be the measure of our reward. When in fact knowing him and loving him will be the measure instead.
Let me remind you the moment when we see Jesus choosing to refuse hurry.
Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Before this...
When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
What prepared Mary for trust had prepared Martha for accusation. We would like to chok this up to personality types. I submit to you today that God’s work in the life of his people is accomplished in the lives of those that watch him and wait on him. and trust in him.
Mary was ready because she had determined
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Distracted 4 will be on the development of Patience in the life of Christians
Distracted 5 will be on the need for Prayer in the life of the Unhurried Christian.