The Better Part

Scripture Reading

Lu

Luke 10:38–42 NRSV

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

In the United States, and especially in the military, we live in a Martha world, not a Mary world.

In our culture, almost everything is a task, and it is success focused.

Get the right grades

Get the right job

Get the kids in the right activities

Buy the right home in the right neighborhood

Have the right friends

Even if being task oriented isn’t your natural style, we require the Mary’s to adapt…as if they are broken or dysfunctional if they aren’t intentional and busy.

ME: I don’t know about you, but I’m the worst at this

I don’t know about you, but I’m the worst at this

I don’t think I’m that body that is constantly in motion

I’m that mind that never stops thinking about the next goal or task I need to accomplish

What’s the next project, the next accomplishment, the next whatever...

Realization: I am so critical of myself that I am terrified Jesus will just expose more of what’s wrong if I rest in Him. So I am constantly looking for new ways to get busy.

YOU: Why Do YOU Struggle with Resting in Jesus?

Our Martha struggles for rest are not going to be the same.

Some of you, like me, may feel like you have to do things for God or other people to be lovable.

Some of you may feel like you’re a bad person if you aren’t being tangibly productive

Some of you are afraid that if Jesus really know the true you, He won’t love you. “I’m Worthless. I’m Nobody. Jesus Can’t Love Me.”

Some of you might be afraid of time with Christ because you don’t want to feel exposed. You’d rather fake your way through life.

Some of you may avoid rest in Jesus because you don’t want to lose the sense that you are in control

We all have different reasons but one fact remains…Jesus wants a relationship with us, not just a checklist. So let’s get into how we can have a deeper and more fulfilling relationship with God.

We all have different reasons but one fact remains…Jesus wants a relationship with us, not just a checklist. Not just a sort of tip of the cap acknowledgement. So let’s get into how we can have a deeper and more fulfilling relationship with God.

GOD Point One: Before tasks we must listen for the voice of God.

Psalm 62:1 NRSV

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.

Point One: Before tasks we must listen for the voice of God.

Matthew 11:28–30 NRSV

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I imagine that when Martha got home, she got RIGHT to work.

Didn’t waste any time.

Meanwhile…can you just see it…MAry just kind of makes her way to where Jesus is sitting.

No attention paid to Martha.

Just chilling with Jesus.

There’s a fine line between spiritual rest and laziness. Am I right!?

The care of the soul, implies a readiness to hear the words of Christ, to seat ourselves with Mary at his feet, and to receive both the law and the gospel from his mouth. It supposes, that we learn from this divine teacher the worth of our souls, their danger, and their remedy; and that we become above all things solicitous about their salvation.

Whitefield, George. Selected Sermons of George Whitefield. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999. Print.

The care of the soul, implies a readiness to hear the words of Christ, to seat ourselves with Mary at his feet, and to receive both the law and the gospel from his mouth. It supposes, that we learn from this divine teacher the worth of our souls, their danger, and their remedy;

Whitefield, George. Selected Sermons of George Whitefield. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999. Print.

Reality: We Don’t Understand God, and we don’t understand ourselves unless we are spending time with Jesus.

Whitefield, George. Selected Sermons of George Whitefield. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999. Print.

GOD Point Two: God does not call all Christians to the same tasks at the same time.

This falls under the judge not lest ye be judged category.

Matthew 7:1–3 NRSV

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?

This is a point of awareness when we are looking at other believers

Just as we are not all given the same spiritual gifts, we are not all called to the same task in life, or in a moment.

Some people are called to be students and teachers.

Some people are called more specifically to acts of hospitality.

Some are called to prayer.

Some are called to be protectors.

Our lives and actions are going to look very different as a result.

YOU Point One: The wise Christian learns to balance rest and action.

Exodus 35:2 NRSV

Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy sabbath of solemn rest to the Lord; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.

There is THE Sabbath, and then there are little Sabbaths we can take throughout the day.

Prayer in morning.

Prayer at night.

Prayers during meals

Prayers at work.

And cultivating a restful spirit during those little Sabbaths.

WE: This week I will seek the voice of Jesus in three SMART Ways (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time Bound)