Thanks for Nothing Part 3: Busyness

Announcements:

No Bible study until January.

Christmas party will be on Wednesday, Dec 13th at 6:30PM. More details to come as we looking into another venue possibly for the party.

Advent reflections will be posted online on Wednesdays

Starting Advent series next week with the last service online on Dec 24th

5. Sponsoring kids for Santa’s Workshop - Charity

Worship:

Glorious Day

2. Honey In The Rock (maybe)

3. I Surrender All

4. Make Room

Introduction:

I lived near family for a big chuck of my younger years. It was nice to be able to get on my bike and ride from our subdivision to the next subdivision where my grandparents lived. We could go over there and visit when we wanted to.

We went to church with our cousin on Wednesday nights and I always looked forward to going to Taco Bell or somewhere after service for something to eat.

However, when it came to the holidays, everything changed, at least for me lol. It seemed to compound the stress that holidays often bring. Things got really busy. We had to travel to see everyone on every holiday which made for long days and a lot of driving. We had to make sure the house was extra clean before company came over.

I often thought to myself, “If we weren’t cleaning the house correctly in the first place, why don’t we change the way we clean the house rather than having to hurry and clean before company would come?” (Disclaimer: Both of my parents worked so essentially I could have stepped up and helped, right? lol)

Either way, it would be a lot of driving, visiting people so no one’s feelings were hurt, etc. You know what I mean, right? Just plain out busy!

Well, this is something I believe all families face in one way or another and we know it has been around for a long time! And if we aren’t careful, it is something that can steal our thankfulness! How do I know? Because we will be talking about a similar situation this morning in our passage.

This morning we will be concluding our series on the three mindsets that can keep us being thankful.

Review:

The first week, we talked about the mindset of comparison and how it can keep us from being thankful.

Then, last week, we talked about the mindset of bitterness and how it can easily affect those around you and also keep you, as well as others, from being thankful.

This week, we will be wrapping up our series entitled “Thanks for Nothing” by talking about busyness.

Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke 10:38. And while you are turning there, I want to give us some context.

Context:

Jesus sends out the 72 disciples and they come back after a successful missions outreach. They are so excited about what they were able to do that He has to remind them to rejoice that their names are written in the Book of Life (Luke 10:20). He just finished telling the parable about the Good Samaritan and is on one of His preaching tours. He comes to the village of Bethany which is about two miles outside of Jerusalem. He is invited to the home of his friends Martha and Mary. It seems Martha was the oldest as the house belonged to her (v38). This is the same Martha and Mary whose brother, Lazarus, was raised from the dead laster in John 11.

So, let’s dig in to our passage this morning and see what the Lord has for us today:

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Luke 10:38–42 CSB

38 While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.” 41 The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I would like to make a few observations from our passage this morning and the first one is after Martha welcomes Jesus into her home:

Body:

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I. The position of Mary (v39)

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Luke 10:39 CSB

39 She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said.

A. She is sitting at Jesus’ feet

1. Possible personality type: She was more of the artsy, creative person who was spontaneous, etc.

2. Why is sitting at Jesus’ feet significant? This was the posture of the Jewish scholars, while listening to the instructions of the rabbis. It is in this sense that St. Paul says he was brought up at the FEET of Gamaliel, Acts 22:3.” (Clarke)

3. She was being discipled/taught by her Rabbi, Jesus which was unheard of in that day for women to be disciples.

4. Martha was upset with her but she wasn’t being lazy. She actually would have helped Martha get ready for Jesus’ arrival.

I think Mary is a perfect example of someone who knows “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.”

She helped Martha prepare and when Jesus arrives she sits at His feet to listen to Him.

It is important to have our non-negotiables in life. There have to be some things that we always say “yes” to and make time for and learn to say “no” to other things.

Questions:

Do you have some non-negotiables in your life? What are they?

Do you need to re-evaluate them and possible re-prioritize them?

So, we know what Mary was doing, but what about Martha? That’s leads us to our next observation:

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II. The position of Martha (v40)

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Luke 10:40 CSB

40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”

A. Possible personality type: She was the one who has it all together, proactive, plans ahead, perfectionist, homeowner, etc.

B. She was distracted by serving.

She was working hard for Jesus and there is nothing wrong with that.

But her serving was distracting her from what was more important: listening to Jesus

C. There are many people who become crabby and irritable when they are busy, especially in their service for the Lord like Martha was. It is easy to look at all we do and to criticize those who don’t seem to do as much. But Martha’s real problem wasn’t Mary; it was Martha. She had become distracted and had taken her eyes off Jesus.

Charles Spurgeon says this:

Martha’s frustration is typical of those who diligently serve with good intent, but forget to also sit at Jesus’ feet. “The Martha spirit says, “If the work is done, is not that all?” The Mary spirit asks whether Jesus is well pleased or no? All must be done in his name and by his Spirit, or nothing is done.” (Spurgeon)

Illustration: trying to be with family and phone rings, text message notifications, social media alerts, etc. I may be there physically, but I’m not there mentally and emotionally because I’m distracted. I’m thinking about the recent call, message, social media reaction, etc.

The questions we need to ask ourselves and what we need to challenge ourselves to do is this: what are the things that only I can do and what can I delegate to other people to do? When we get so distracted by all the things that need to get done, we start to get the mindset that Martha had which was something like: “Doesn’t anyone care about everything I have to do? Can’t anyone else come and help?”

It’s a victim mentality that says “My schedule and my tasks are more important than yours so you need to come help me do what I need to do because I am more important.”

It is here when our thankfulness and joy are stolen away.

Questions:

Do you find yourself being irritated because you feel like you are the only one doing the work and no one else is?

Do you think others should do more than they do?

Do you think it is better for you to do everything rather than delegate the tasks others can do?

Maybe we need to take the focus off of ourselves and put it back on Jesus and others?

We have talked about the position of Mary and Martha, so let’s see what Jesus has to say about it:

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III. The response from Jesus (vv41-42)

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Luke 10:41–42 CSB

41 The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

A. We know by the double use of her name that Jesus was loving and gentle when He corrected/rebuked Martha

B. Jesus pointed out that she was doing good but worried and upset (anxious and troubled) about many things

C. We are reminded and warned about worrying and more in:

Luke 8:14 (CSB)

14 As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit.

Luke 12:22–31 (CSB)

22 Then he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear.

23 For life is more than food and the body more than clothing.

24 Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds?

25 Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?

26 If then you’re not able to do even a little thing, why worry about the rest?

27 “Consider how the wildflowers grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these.

28 If that’s how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he do for you—you of little faith?

29 Don’t strive for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don’t be anxious.

30 For the Gentile world eagerly seeks all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

31 “But seek his kingdom, and these things will be provided for you.

Luke 21:34 (CSB)

34 “Be on your guard, so that your minds are not dulled from carousing, drunkenness, and worries of life, or that day will come on you unexpectedly

D. But Martha was missing the one thing that is necessary/needed.

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Psalm 27:4 (CSB)

4 I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple.

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Luke 18:22 (CSB)

22 When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

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Philippians 3:13–14 (CSB)

13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,

14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

Martin Luther, responsible for the Protestant reformation, said this:

“I have so much to do today that I’m going to need to spend three hours in prayer in order to be able to get it all done.” -Martin Luther

What do your priorities look like? It’s a good thing to be about the Father’s business and to take care of your affairs every day and plan, etc.

But when we are so consumed with constantly working for the Lord, taking care of our business and planning about what needs to be done, it takes the place of sitting at the feet of Jesus. He becomes an after-thought. Or something we can squeeze in if we have the time.

Conclusion:

How does this apply to us today?

Do you take time to sit at the feet of Jesus?

Or do you get preoccupied with being busy, even if it is doing good for Him?

We can’t be so focused on being busy doing good for Him that we don’t listen to Him! How will we know what He wants us to do?!

So, what does sitting at the feet of Jesus mean?

Luke 2. Jesus’ Reply to Martha (41–42)

• To sit at the feet of Jesus implies readiness to accept and obey what Jesus teaches

• To sit at the feet of Jesus implies submission to Jesus; rebellion is done with

• To sit at the feet of Jesus implies faith in who Jesus is

• To sit at the feet of Jesus implies discipleship

• To sit at the feet of Jesus implies love

When we don’t have time to sit at Jesus’ feet, we can probably relate more to:

Illustration: The white rabbit in Alice and Wonderland (running from Alice; not having the time bc of being late) I’m late I’m late for a very important date; no time to say hello goodbye I’m late I’m late I’m late

We can’t slow down to focus on others around us and what they need because we don’t have time.

This is how it connects with the previous story (The Good Samaritan).

It is not by accident that this event takes place right after the Good Samaritan as the reader would be reminded that hearing (sitting at Jesus’ feet) is directly tied to obedience (serving others). Like the Good Samaritan, right hearing of the word results in the right practice of it. The priest and Levite didn’t stop to help because they had things to do and places to go.

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Luke 10:31–33 CSB

31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.

Their business (or busyness) was more important than taking care of the least of these:

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Matthew 25:40–45 CSB

40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t take me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of me.’ 44 “Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you?’ 45 “Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

We can’t be obedient to what He is saying to us if we aren’t taking the time to sit and listen to Him first!

Do you need to take time to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to Him this holiday season?

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Don't allow the busyness of life, or any season, keep you from sitting at the feet of Jesus.