A Life Devoted To One Thing
38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
It is essential that we learn that a relationship with Jesus is more important than religious activity. Its unfortunate that in a lot of our churches we are more focused on what’s going on, on the outside instead of what’s happening on the inside of a person. See on the outside a person can put on a good front. A person can do all the right things, say all the right things, but if there is not a change on the inside than I suggest to you that that person has not changed at all. In the text you should look to see the value of this one thing that your life should be devoted to. Church that one thing that we are going to talk about is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Have you ever heard this said before: It’s not what you know, but it’s who you know. Think about that statement and then think about a particular time when you were really in a bad situation but because you knew someone they were able to vouch for you, they were able to step in and say he’s with me. Because you had a relationship with someone they were able to cover for you; they were able to get whatever problems or situation you were in covered because you had a relationship with them. Church the world is in a bad situation. It’s doomed for destruction; headed straight for eternal damnation. Folks I was in this number. I was in this situation, but because I became to know Jesus; because I have a relationship with Him; He vouched for me. He interceded on my behalf, and because He did, I’m justified. Righteousness is imputed on me because I have a relationship with Jesus. So again it’s not what you know, but it’s who you know. When I think about that statement. It makes me want to talk about the difference between saving faith and dead faith, but we can’t go there right now, but I will say this. It’s not enough just to know what Jesus did. Its’ enough to just know of Jesus; but you have to know Jesus personally. You’ve got to know Him for yourself. It’s not what you know but it’s who you know. We all know Paul, when he was Saul; What he knew was he didn’t like Christians. What he knew was he wanted to persecute Christian; but when he became to know Jesus. When he became to know Jesus, I hear Paul saying “I don’t determine to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. All I’m trying to get you to see church is the importance on having a relationship with the Lord. Now there are a few people I’ve want to look at in this text this morning. Martha and Mary and then Jesus response or attitude to their actions. First let me say we’re not going to dog Martha out. Because if the truth be told we need some Martha types. Jesus Himself let us know that, when He said earlier in this Chapter “truly the harvest is great but the laborers are few”. Martha was a doer. You know its one thing to say you’re going to do something, but it’s another to do. What you say you’re going to do. So we’re not going to dog Martha out but we do want to raise a few questions that cause you to examine your service to the Lord, and your relationship with the Lord. So let’s look at the text. 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. (Luke 10:38) Martha here has received Jesus into her house. She welcomed Him into her house. Now from the text we can see that Mary is at the feet of Jesus, but verse 40 says that Martha was cumbered with much serving. Jesus is in Martha’s house but because of her serving she’s not spending any time with Him. Church have you ever been preparing for family to come over to your house, and you have just been working all day. Cooking, cleaning, straightening up ; working so hard that when your family comes over you’re so tide up in serving that you don’t even have time to have a good conversation with them. Now I used that just as an illustration, but some of us that is exactly what we do to the Lord. When we accepted Jesus as our savior we received Him into our house. We welcomed Him into our house. Now that He’s in our house, now that He lives in us we won’t even spend time with Him. Children of God spend time with the Lord. I think it is important that I tell you that a lack of devotion will break you. Lack of devotion with God can destroy you. With all that’s going on in our world today; if you don’t take time to commune with God you’re in for a world of trouble. If you’ve been wondering how come you just can’t get right. You just don’t feel right. You’re not as for along as you think you should be. You don’t have the patience you think you should have. You don’t have the strength you think you should have. You don’t have the faith you think you should have It’s probably because you haven’t spent anytime in devotion with the Lord. Just ask yourself why doesn’t the blessed man walk in the counsel of the ungodly, why doesn’t he stand in the way of sinners, why doesn’t he sit in the seat of the scornful. Why is the blessed man like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth his fruit in his season? Why will his leaf not wither, and why does whatever he does proper. It’s because his delight is in the Lord and in His law does he meditate day and night. We have to learn to meditate on his word. We have to learn to delight in the Lord. That’s what Mary was doing in verse 39 she was delighting in His word. It ought to be a joy for you just to come and to hear the word. Anywhere you know the word is going to be taught you ought to be trying to get there. And so Mary is at the Lord’s feet listening to His Word. Bathing in the very word of God. Whatever particular soap you use to bathe scent of that soap tends to come off your body. Now could you imagine if you bathed in the Word of God. If you just let the Word of God come alive all over you; when people are in your presence they will be able to smell the sweet aroma of Jesus on you life. And see when that happens you’re letting your light so shine amongst men so they may see your good works and glorify your God which is in heaven.
The only way Christ will work through us is if we first build a relationship with Him. The more we seek Him, the more we’ll find Him, and the more we find Him, the more we can be used by Him. So we must have an earnest desire to seek the Lord. That’s what Mary had. Mary had a desire for a relationship with Jesus. This is Mary of Bethany. Sister of Martha, brother of Lazaraus. Mary is found a few times in the gospels and each time we find her she is in the same place; at the feet of Jesus. The first time is here in this morning text. Here she’s getting to know Jesus; building that relationship. The next we see her at the feet of Jesus in John 11:32. She’s pouring her heart out to Jesus. Telling Him all about her troubles her hurt, her pain. We know after this Jesus proceeded to work a miracle and raise Lazarus from the dead. Now I wonder if you caught that pattern though? Did you catch the order? The first time we saw her at the feet of Jesus, she was getting to know Him. The second time she was at the feet of Jesus, she was telling Him about her troubles. Some of you are wondering why you been praying and praying for this brake through and you haven’t received it yet. You been praying for peace, praying for strength, praying for patience, praying for healing, praying for deliverance; I stop by to tell you to get to know Jesus. The third time she was at the feet of Jesus was John 12:3. She was worshiping the master. She anointed his feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And so she really seeked to have a relationship with Christ. Likewise should we. And so here in our text we see Jesus has been invited into Martha’s house, and Mary is at His feet listening to His word. So what is Martha doing? Look at verse 40 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 (Luke 10:40) The first question I want to ask is: are you devoted or distracted?
Your service has to be in devotion to God and not a distraction from God.
If your service causes you to neglect a daily devotion with God, if your service causes you to neglect your wife or you husband, it your service causes you to neglect your children; then your service is a distraction and not a devotion.
If you are truly devoted to the work of the Lord, If you are really serious about our Fathers business; then you won’t have to be focused on what someone else is not doing, because you will be to busy doing what the Lord told you to do. You can’t get any work done if you keep looking over my shoulder. In this text Martha was distracted. Webster says that the word distracted means: Mentally confused, troubled, madden or deranged. God can’t use you when you’re mentally confused, God can’t us you when you mentally troubled, God can’t use you when you’re mentally deranged. And so church we’ve got stay focused. Because anytime we get distracted we start sinking. I wonder can you see Peter with me; walking on water. The bible says the wind became boisterous; and it was at this time that Peter got distracted; and because he got distracted the bible says he started to sink. Some of you this morning are sinking because you got distracted. God put the blessing right in your hand but you got distracted. God put the blessing right in your pocket but you go distracted. The blessing is right in front of you but you keep getting distracted. But I dare you focus on Jesus and watch what God will do. Focus on Jesus and watch God draw people to the church. Focus on Jesus and watch God heal the wounded. Focus on Jesus and watch God heal broken spirits. Focus on Jesus and watch God work a miracle in your life. Somebody this morning wants their family back together, focus on Jesus. Look at you neighbor and say neighbor don’t get distracted. What’s your motive behind you service?
If your motive is right behind your service you wouldn’t be worried about what someone else isn’t doing.
Whatever your service is, you ought to worship God with your service.
-If you clean the church
-If you sing in the choir
-If you are on the usher board
Is there any worship in my service?
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things (Luke 10:41)
So many worries
Some of you may be worried about things that don’t have anything to do with winning souls to Christ. Worried about things that don’t really matter.
But one thing is needful..
But like Jesus told Martha church you need to know tonight that one thing is needful, and that is a relationship with God. David said one thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord forever to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire into His temple. Church you need a relationship with the Lord. The word of God lets us know that you don’t have to worry about what you’re going to eat. You don’t have to worry about what you’re going to wear, but if you seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness all these things shall be added unto you.
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