Pentecost 6 (5)

Luke (Jesus Visits Mary and Martha / 10:38–42 / 133)

10:41–42 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Jesus did not blame Martha for being concerned about preparing the meal, nor did he scold her for attempting to make him and his disciples welcome. But he did want her to understand that because she was worried and troubled about many things, she was not making time for what was most important—that good part. This “good part” is not defined, but it seems to be clearly shown in Mary’s attitude. Jesus wanted Martha to rearrange her priorities. It is possible for service to Christ to degenerate into mere busywork that is no longer full of devotion to God. There was nothing wrong with Martha’s desire to serve—after all, someone had to do it or no one would have eaten. Perhaps she could have laid out a less lavish feast so that she too could have had time to sit at Jesus’ feet and digest his teaching. But Jesus was not going to send Mary away to attend to housework. She had chosen to be at Jesus’ feet, and Jesus knew that he would not be on this earth forever. His time would be short, and he would not send away those who wanted to listen and learn.

SINGLE-MINDED How quickly duties and demands rob us of our peace. Luke uses Mary and Martha’s experience with Jesus to give us a timeless lesson in discipleship. Doing God’s work in any of its phases of planning or implementation can distract us from reflecting on Jesus’ teaching. Are you so busy working for him that you have no time to sit and listen at his feet? Jesus wants diligent service, but even more he desires that you relax, set aside worries and urgent responsibilities, and come to him in singleness of mind. Adjust your priorities. Take time to meditate on Jesus’ life, his mercy, and his love.

Where do you stay when you travel somewhere that involves spending at least one night away from home? My wife and I recently returned from a 17 day vacation celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary. Where did we stay? Four different hotels, a rented home in North Carolina, and a rented condominium on the ocean in Folly Beach, SC. It was the most expensive trip we have every taken and worth every penny of it. We weren’t always able to afford such luxury.

Immediately after we were married, we took a 7 day vacation to the Black Hills of South Dakota. The first night we splurged on a nice hotel. The other nights were spent at Motel 6 — the most inexpensive motel chain in the United States. Over the years we have gone on many trips that involved staying overnight and often were quite frugal in our lodgings. We tent camped not because we particularly liked it but because it was much cheaper. But even cheaper than that was staying overnight at the homes of relatives and friends that we knew. We even stayed overnight in the house we live in now when a good friend of ours lived here as pastor in the late 1980’s.

What I enjoyed most about staying at friend’s homes was how they opened their homes to us and welcomed us into their homes. The meals weren’t always lavish (we counted on hot dogs at one place every time) and the beds may have been nothing more than an air mattress, but the activities and conversations we had were wonderful. Motel 6 may have “kept the light on for us” and an occasional place would have a bottle of wine waiting for us, but the hospitality of our hosts was exceptional.

Jesus certainly enjoyed the hospitality of others as we hear in our text. He and his disciples came to a village (Bethany) and was welcomed by Martha. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus would become very close friends of Jesus. What a kind and loving thing it was for them to invited Jesus and his disciples to stay with them.

Do we open our homes to Jesus? Is he someone we love, cherish, put our faith in, and listen to with devotion. Do we do the things in our home that Jesus would not be ashamed to see? One popular song says, “No one knows what goes on behind closed doors.” (meaning?) We may cocoon ourselves from the prying eyes of neighbors and keep our curtains drawn. Or are we willing to live in “glass houses” and be open to Jesus? Welcoming Jesus is more than praying at meal time “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest”, it involves living an open, honest life of integrity which makes no excuses.

We can commend Martha for being so open with Jesus. In another incident (the death of Lazarus), we can also commend Martha for her faith in Jesus and her hope of the resurrection (quote).

But like us, although we may indeed do things that are commendable, Martha is also at fault in this event. As a good hostess, she is preparing for Jesus visit which would have involved a large meal. One pastor in his sermon on this intimates that she was perhaps going overboard and making it extra special. That would involve more work, of course. We have been at homes where the hosts put out the fine china, made homemade dishes, and provided an elegant meal. Other times we had the hot dogs and other times were not even offered a glass of water. Well, Martha was quite busy and we can imagine her hustling a bustling about in the kitchen making food from scratch over an open fire. No prepacked meals heated up in the microwave.

Being diligent and working hard to provide for others is not a bad thing.

Proverbs 24:30–34 NIV

30 I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; 31 thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. 32 I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 34 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.

Proverbs 10:4–5 (NIV84)

4 Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. 5 He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

But for Martha it caused several problems: She became short with her sister (I know for myself that on occasion when I am pressed to get things done, I can be less than congenial to those around me.) I’ve seen it in others too. I watched a pastor once conducting a wedding rehearsal for a large wedding party and not everyone was being cooperative. He would yell at them and you could tell he was getting frustrated. I don’t think he was usually like that. In fact, the wedding was for his own son so you are not as reserved in a case like that.

Martha was getting irked by her sister. Why? Well she states it in her confrontation with Jesus. First of all, she accuses Jesus of not caring. (Illustration on how we may assume God does not care.) She then basically orders him to do what she wants about it. “Tell her to help me!”

How does Jesus respond? Have you ever noticed that Jesus didn’t always do what he was told to do or react the way people wanted him to? This wasn’t always the case. There are many examples when Jesus responded to requests that he gladly did what people wanted. But not always.

Mary at Cana “They have no more wine.”

Inheritance “Tell my brother to divide it with me”

Palm Sunday “Tell your disciples to keep quiet”

Such was the case here. Jesus does not shoo Mary away with a kind word, “Well, Mary, that is enough for now. I’m getting hungry and maybe you could help your sister set the table.” Instead he makes an important teaching point or two.

He acknowledged Martha’s state of mind.

Application: Are we worried and upset about many things”. See TSK

Luke 8:14 NIV

14 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.

Luke 21:34 NIV

34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.

Philippians 4:4–7 NIV

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Mary chose the one thing needed.

Psalm 27:4 NIV

4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

Mark 8:34–36 NIV

34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

Application: How do we chose the one thing needed?

SINGLE-MINDED How quickly duties and demands rob us of our peace. Luke uses Mary and Martha’s experience with Jesus to give us a timeless lesson in discipleship. Doing God’s work in any of its phases of planning or implementation can distract us from reflecting on Jesus’ teaching. Are you so busy working for him that you have no time to sit and listen at his feet? Jesus wants diligent service, but even more he desires that you relax, set aside worries and urgent responsibilities, and come to him in singleness of mind. Adjust your priorities. Take time to meditate on Jesus’ life, his mercy, and his love.

Benefit: It will not be taken away from us.

Many things we fret about are temporary.

God’s Word is our great heritage and shall be ours forever.