Spending time with Jesus - Luke 10:38-42

Are you busy?

Yep. Just this week I was meeting with someone on Thursday afternoon and I remember telling them I hadn’t had a chance to sit down at my desk since Monday. 3 straight days of services, pastoral visits, and diocesan meetings made for one busy man. Combined with the looming threat of 3 days away for Clergy conference this week coming, and the thought that I should try and enjoy my public holiday and day off so I can celebrate my birthday with my family… Busy busy busy!

And it’s not just me that’s busy.

So are you.

Many of us have probably answered the question, how are you going? With something along the lines of not too bad, but really busy!

Busy-ness Iis expected in our 21st century, ultra connected life.

And of course the danger of busy-ness is you do lots, but never anything of significance. Worse still you do lots but you miss out on what’s best.

In a world of busy-ness, Jesus has some advice and encouragement for us in our reading today doesn’t he, Luke 10:42: “..Few things are needed - or indeed only one...”.

More on what to make of that statement in a moment but first:

Context

For most of this chapter, Jesus has been teaching us what it means to be one of his followers. A disciple.

Back in Luke 9:57-62, Jesus taught about the cost of being one of his followers.

It requires complete dedication and surrender to God.

Luke 9:62 NIV

62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Focus must be on Jesus first.

Then we had the sending of the 72 from Luke 10:1-24.

When we follow Jesus, we are sent out to introduce others to him.

We are called to be disciple making disciples.

Of course the reason following Jesus is worth giving our full devotion too, and the reason telling others about him, even if it means rejection is worth it is because Jesus brings salvation. And there is nothing better than that.

You’ll remember when the 72 returned from their mission they were pretty happy with how cool it was that demons would submit to them!

Luke 10:17 NIV

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

But Jesus responds saying:

Luke 10:20 NIV

20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Rejoice in your salvation!

And when we understand how much it is God loves us that he’d send his only Son to die for us. So that we could recieving eternal life. We respond to God’s love by loving others.

As we round out chapter 10 with this story of Mary and Martha we’ve come to see haven’t we, that:

Disciples of Jesus are devoted servants of God and the world.

They love God and they love their neighbours. They do this by following Jesus and sharing his news with others.

And that sounds like a lot of work! We’re going to be very busy serving Jesus, doing stuff!

Which is why I think Luke rounds out this section with this story of the sisters.

Martha and Mary

Martha opens her home to Jesus (Luke 10:38)

It seems that Jesus comes in and starts to teach (Luke 10:39).

Mary, Marth’s sister decideds to listen to Jesus’ words (Luke 10:39).

But Martha, having invited Jesus round, has to get dinner ready (Luke 10:40). There’s lots to be done!

You can imagine Martha looking over at Mary and being rather frustrated!

And her frustration reaches it’s tipping point, persumably she’s just burnt the main because she was so busy focussing on the entre and the table setting, that she goes to Jesus and says (Luke 10:40):

The New International Version Chapter 10

She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

And Jesus’ response is rather interseting isn’t it?

Because we might expect him to say. Good point Martha. Sorry we’ve all been a bit distracted by all this spiritual stuff, there’ll be time for that later, let’s get on with making sure everything’s sorted for dinner and then we can get to what I had to say later.

But that’s not what Jesus says is it?

Instead he says:

Luke 10:41–42 NIV

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus responds to Martha tenderly. The doubling up of Martha indicates the presencey of caring emotion. This is not a cold hearted rebuke, but a loving gentle correciton.

And notice Jesus isn’t concered about what she’s been doing, but her attitude. It’s not that she’s been running around getting stuff done, but that she’s been worried and upset about many things, when few things are needed - or indeed only one. Jesus is saying to Martha, you’ve got your priorities wrong!

Jesus says, “Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.”

Mary has chosen to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to him. This is primary.

To all the disciples and the readers of Luke’s gospel he’s saying, your number one priority has got to be me. Listening to Jesus, learning from Jesus, dwelling with Jesus. This comes first. Then comes the activity of the kingdom!

Because when we sit at the feet of Jesus, and enjoy his love. It is then we are truly able to be the devoted disciple making, neighbour loving people he calls us to be.

Because we become like who we hang out with.

Ever seen that old married couple who after 50+ years of marraige have started to look similar and talk similar? That’s what time together does.

Or when your children start parroting back the things you say to them. Time together.

Or another group of people? I notice when I spend time with Army people in the bush, I can become very direct in my language because that’s how every speaks. Time together.

We become like who we hang out with, and so to be a person who loves God and loves our neighbour, as Jesus models so perfectly in his life and ministry, then we need to spend time sitting at Jesus’ feet. We need to be like Mary. Making the main thing the main thing.

Sitting at Jesus’ feet

So how can you and I make sure we’re spending time with Jesus? That we’re sitting at his feet, dwelling with him, listening to him, learning from him?

Because guess what...

No matter who you are, no matter what you do, the best thing you can do is to have your soul fed by Jesus.

We’ve got to make this our first priority in the midst of the craziness of life.

Here’s some suggestions:

Make Church a priority

Don’t come if you can, let as little else get in the way.

Join a prayer triplet or small group and make it a priority

Find one or two people and commit to meeting up to pray together

Join one of our small groups to feed on God’s word with other Christians.

Commit to regular prayer

Figure out how to be more devoted to prayer in your own life.

Create space in your house? Build a routine? Go for a walk?

Join us on Monday mornings from November.

Read your bible regularly

Get a plan

Youversion, Everyday with Jesus

Whatever you do, let me incourage you to:

Start small (Up to you, but say you’re doing no time at the feet of Jesus at the moment maybe start with 5 mins 3 times a week).

Commit to it.

Make yourself accountable.

We all live busy lives. There’s lots to do. And much of it is good! But let’s remember the lesson Martha learnt. We need to prioritize, like Mary did, what is better!

American author and pastor Kevin De Young says in his book, “Crazy Busy”

By spending time with the Lord in the Word and prayer, we are likely to gain new perspective on our hassles and headaches. Starting each day with eternity makes our petty problems and long to-do lists seem less significant. By sitting at the feet of Jesus, we will grow more like him—more patient, more loving, more thoughtful. We’ll see that our screens do not satisfy like our Saviour. We’ll see that wisdom was not born yesterday, or thirty-four seconds ago on social media. We’ll learn to keep our complaints to a minimum and our eyes on the cross.

Whether we do it first thing in the morning is irrelevant in my opinion. But in our crazy busy world, time with Jesus is going to be transformational!

If you want to be a discple making disciple. If you want to know the joy of your salvation. If you want to be a good neighbour. If you want to be a better Christian at work or at home. If you want to be more like Jesus. Put away the to do lists and sit down at Jesus feet.

If each of us as members of Lindisfarne Anglican commit to this first. Being with Jesus regularly. We will see him transform our lives and our communities. Because you become like who you hang out with.

So let’s commit to hang out with Jesus some more. To stop. And just be with Jesus. For this is what is best! AMEN.