"Sitting at the Lord's Feet"

How many of you remember a time when meals would be a time for the whole family to gather around the table and actually talk with each other? It was a way of building and strengthening the family relationships. It was this way for me as a child. After my grandmother died, however, it gradually changed to eating off of trays in the den and watching tv. Today meal times generally look very different.

In Jesus day meals were very important. We often see Jesus sharing meals with a wide variety of people, from Simon the Pharisee (one of the religious leaders) to Zacchaeus the tax collector. This was His way of reaching out to people, creating relationships with them. Do you want your relationship with Jesus to deepen? Our passage for today shows us how this happens.

Luke 10:38–42 NIV84

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. 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!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

In the Scripture for today Jesus and His disciples are in the home of Mary and Martha.

In John’s gospel we read that Jesus loved Mary and Martha, and their brother Lazarus.

Martha

Martha appears to be the older sister, she is the one who extends the invitation into her home. We would look at her and call her the more responsible one.

It’s important for us to remember that Martha was doing exactly what was expected of her in her culture. The food preparation for guests was normally the responsibility of the matron of the house. Jewish society placed a high value on hospitality, and a woman’s honor and reputation depended on her ability to manage her household well. On top of that, it is not only Jesus that she is preparing food for but the disciples as well.

She finally appeals to Jesus to get her sister to help her. She even implies that He doesn’t care about her. I suspect that most of us can identify with Martha here.

Jesus does not criticize her for what she is doing but for being concerned about others’ activities. “Why isn’t Mary doing what I’m doing?” As long as we are focused on what other people are doing or not doing we are not focused on Jesus.

Not only that but she was worried and anxious about what she was doing. She may have been more concerned with doing well, trying to impress Jesus, than doing right.

There is a time for working and a time for listening. She was doing what she thought Jesus wanted, providing a good meal, instead of what Jesus really wanted, her attention. This is what Mary was giving Him.

Mary

Where Martha had opened her home to Jesus, Mary had opened her heart.

Had chosen what was better

Sat at Jesus’ feet – More than just a physical location. To sit at the feet of a respected rabbi was the position of a disciple. This is where disciples are found, paying attention to their master, listening intently to His teaching. Mary wanted to learn and Jesus allowed it.

Mary was going against the culture, in which women were generally not taught religion and Rabbis did not have women disciples.

While Martha is occupied with things, Mary is occupied with Jesus.

More concerned with feeding Jesus, Mary being fed by Jesus

While Martha was anxious, Mary was at rest.

“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” – and the things of earth will grow strangely dim

Jesus

Jesus gently tells Martha that her priorities are off.

Martha meant well. She probably wanted to listen to Jesus, to hear His teaching, but she had other things on her mind. She was trying to meet the needs of Jesus and the disciple but at that critical time in Jesus’ life he would have preferred her company over her service. There is nothing wrong in and of itself with her activity, but at this particular moment Jesus’ presence should have take precedence. The issue was not so much what she was doing as when and how she was doing it. The growth of the Word can be choked by well intentioned overactivity as much as by “cares and riches and the pleasures of life”

Commends Mary for choosing to put Him first

Matthew 4:4 NIV84

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

(quoting Deut. 8:3)

Us

On August 8, 2009, a small plane and a tour helicopter collided over the Hudson River in New York. Nine people died. Reports indicate that the air traffic controller, who should have been paying attention, was talking on the phone. Instead of watching out for the aircraft and the people aboard, the controller was joking with a friend.

Let this story remind us of the necessity to keep our priorities in the right place. How many times are we concerned with little things while allowing the important things to suffer?

Is spending time at Jesus’ feet our highest priority? How important to us is listening to His word?

Our society places a high value on activity, on being busy. Sometimes it seems that our occupations are more important than our relationships. We feel guilty about doing nothing. When was the last time you simply sat still, not watching tv, not on some mobile device, not thinking about tomorrow or what you need to do next? When was the last time you consciously sat at Jesus’ feet?

As we gather here to worship, especially at the Lord’s Table, Jesus is here with us. If we do not experience that presence perhaps it is because we are distracted, focused on something other than Him, listening to His word. For a disciple of Jesus this should be a daily occurrence.

We need to put aside our activities for a while and focus on listening to Him. Have you ever been talking to someone and noticed that their eyes kept looking away at something else? Has it been obvious that their mind was elsewhere? How did that make you feel? Do we do that when Jesus is trying to talk with us?

I think it is too easy for us to be like Martha. When our priorities are out of order we will probably become anxious and agitated. When this happens those worries will choke out the word, preventing us from growing and maturing in our faith.

Luke 8:14 NIV84

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

Abiding at His feet translates into peace of heart, power of life and purpose before God.

We have six days in which to do our work. One day, in our case the Lord’s Day, is a time to sit in Jesus’ presence and hear His word and be nourished spiritually, especially as we share this meal at His table. Will we be like Martha, busy and distracted and anxious, or will we be like Mary and choose the better part? May we truly make this a day for the Lord and turn our hearts and our minds to Him.