INTRODUCTION:
Don’t you want to be a strong, faithful Christian? We all do. We all want to feel, as Adam and Eve must have felt in the Garden of Eden, that we “walk with God.” We want to live above sin. We want to be the “Rock of Gibraltar” in our personal, spiritual lives, to be beyond temptation. Perfectly in control of our mouths and our attitudes, our hearts and our tempers.
What’s stopping you? It’s not easy living a Christian life in this world, is it? It’s not easy to be strong. Not only are there temptations thrown at us by Satan from every direction, seemingly non-stop against which we have a hard time fighting. But also, we live in a physical world with physical needs. We have to have money to live. We need food on the table. We need electricity to power our homes. We need clothes on our backs, sometimes special types of clothes, uniforms that cost a little more than normal clothes.
We’ve got to mow our yards and keep them up. We like to have flowers to help break up the monotonous greenery around the house. We need gas for the mower, oil filters, air filters. The same for the cars.
We have health needs – eye glasses, hearing-aids, dental work. Medication. Doctors visits. Hospital stays from time to time. So, we need money. Lots and lots of money. So we have to work. 40 hours a week. Maybe 50. Maybe 60. We have to work. But work takes a lot out of us.
Work demands time and energy – brain power and focus. Five days a week. Sometimes six days a week. Do you want to exercise? Where will you find time for it? Do you want to read your Bible? When will you find time for it? Do you want to pray? When will you do that?
How can you be a strong, faithful Christian in this ungodly, sinful world? Luke 10:38-42. Mary & Martha were sisters of Lazarus, the one whom Jesus loved and the one He raised from the dead. They lived in Bethany, close to the Mount of Olives. This was 2-3 miles from Jerusalem. They are also mentioned in John 11 – the raising of Lazarus and John 12 – the anointing of the feet of Jesus.
WHAT IS A “MARY HEART”? – vs 39
What an honor it would be to have Jesus in your home! Jesus came into their home and began teaching. Jesus could not help but teach. It is in His nature to teach. He had a lot to say; He had a lot to teach; He had a lot of wisdom to share. He comes into His friends’ home and begins teaching.
Mary’s heart led her to sit at the Lord’s feet and listen to His word. I, too, would have been glad to do that very thing. You would too. I would love to ask Jesus questions about the OT prophets. I would love to ask Him if certain passages that I believe point to Him truly do point to Him.
If you could listen to your favorite teacher all day long without getting bored and restless, don’t you think you could do the same thing with Jesus? Let everything else go to pot, we’ll just sit and listen to Jesus.
A “Mary” heart does not forget/refuse to serve. It was Mary who anointed the feet of Jesus with the very costly perfume of pure nard – John 12:3.
But a “Mary heart” wants to learn. A “Mary heart” wants to be in worship. It wants to sing praises to God until your throat is dry. A “Mary heart” wants to read the Bible through from Genesis to Revelation as often as possible. A “Mary heart” wants to be absorbed in the teaching of God’s word until you lose track of time. A “Mary heart” wants to probe the intricate mysteries and treasures hidden in the precious word of God. A “Mary heart” wants to make every effort to show itself approved of God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
A “Mary heart” loves to teach the stories of the OT – the stories of Noah & the Flood, Abraham and Sarah, Joseph being sold into Egypt, King David and how he handled his problems in life. The stories of Jesus in the Gospels, the history of the church in the book of Acts. A “Mary heart” loves to feed on the word of God.
A “Mary heart” loves to spend time in prayer. To talk to the Father. To pour out your heart’s thanksgivings to the Father for all the blessings, small and big that He gives us each day. A “Mary heart” believes that there are many joys that are still yet to be provided and enjoyed by God’s children. A “Mary heart” understands that the Father is anxiously awaiting for us to ask Him for His help and a “Mary heart” is anxious to lay out its desires before the Father, asking Him to help someone who is struggling with a chronic illness, to bless someone who just received word of a fatal disease, to comfort someone who has lost a beloved family member, to guide someone who has lost his way. A “Mary heart” knows the power of the prayer of a righteous Christian and the “Mary heart” loves to do that very thing.
Do you have a “Mary heart”? I know you do, but too often, we find ourselves living in a “Martha world”!
WHAT IS A “MARTHA WORLD”? – vs 40
Perhaps Martha was oldest, since she is mentioned first. It’s also referred to as “her home.” She was not apathetic to spiritual concerns. She was just extra concerned about the house and especially, feeding the preacher! We like to go into homes that are all decorated and spotless and everything is in its place.
Martha lived in what some of us call – the “real world”! There was dusting to be done and sweeping that needed to be done. Plus, there’s a visitor in the house – the Son of God of all people! Martha knew that you had to entertain visitors. She knew the story of Abraham and his guests. She knew hospitality was expected of her. The Greek word for “hospitality” literally means “lover of strangers.” Jesus wasn’t a stranger but He was a guest and He needed to be served.
The key word in this verse is “distracted.” Martha was “distracted.” This word means “pulled or dragged away.” That suggests that Martha wanted to be where Mary was. A “Martha” doesn’t always neglect to learn either. It was Martha who had the exchange with Jesus in John 11 relative to the resurrection of Lazarus. She said she believed whatever Jesus asked of the Father, it would be done (John 11:22). She said she believed in the resurrection of the last day (11:24). She said she believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world (11:27).
But on this occasion, Martha’s heart, Martha’s world, made demands on her time and energy and she was pulled away from listening to Christ. Then she was upset that Mary wasn’t helping her. Is there a difference between ministering to guests and neglecting to associate with them? Could Martha have simply sat and listened to Jesus and then at a break in the learning, have said, “Hey, Listen. Jesus, if you’ll peel some potatoes, I’ll fry the chicken.” But Martha didn’t do that. She wanted Mary to quit listening and start helping. She was sulky toward Mary and toward Jesus for not making Mary help. There is an interesting contrast between Martha – who tells Jesus what He ought to say and Mary who listens to what Jesus wants to say.
Listen to the mild rebuke in Martha’s question to Jesus: “Lord, do you not care?” “Martha’s diagnosis of the problem is too much work and too few hands, but Jesus disagrees. Troubled by worries aroused by a preoccupation with the practical affairs of life (even if these concern hospitality to the messenger of the kingdom of God), Martha has been seduced away from the kind of trustful preoccupation with the kingdom of God that should be the orientation of the faithful disciple” (Nolland, II:602).
But Jesus – as usual – doesn’t have the same perspective that we have. How can you have a “Mary” heart in a “Martha” world? Listen to Jesus…
HOW TO HAVE ONE IN THE MIDST OF THE OTHER (10:41-42):
First, Jesus recognized the good heart that Martha had. She was “worried” and “bothered” about the things that she felt were important. Jesus valued Martha’s servant heart. Jesus knew there were things that could have been done. He acknowledged that there were certain expectations placed on Martha and she felt like she needed to take care of those immediate needs.
But secondly, Jesus also verbalizes the principle that would help all of us be stronger Christians. “One thing is necessary (vs 41).” Can you boil down all God’s expectations of us to one principle? To one sentence? How can you have a “Mary” heart in a “Martha” world? How can you be a strong, faithful Christian in this ungodly, sinful world of 21st century America?
Jesus tells us. One principle. One sentence. “Mary has chosen the good part.” Mary has chosen the best thing. Is serving good? Yes but learning is better. You have the opportunity to learn, especially at the feet of Jesus. Take the opportunity. Make the most of your time for the days are evil, Paul said in Ephesians 5:16. Priorities.
In fact, this story follows on the heels of the parable of the good Samaritan (10:25-37) in which Jesus concluded, saying, “Go and do the same.” That parable has to do with loving our neighbor; this one has to do with loving our God.
That would solve a lot of problems in our lives. Priorities. Choosing the good part. Bible study among fellow Christians only comes around three times a week. Choose the good part. Worship among fellow Christians comes around only three times a week. Choose the good part. Is it good to serve? Absolutely. “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.”
168 hours we have in the week. We have lots of time to work at work and to work at home. Choose the good part. Open Bible study and worship – Jesus says that’s the good part. In our case, that’s four hours a week. Four out of 168. That’s 2% of your time. 2%. Four out of 168 hours is 2%. Jesus said a “Mary” heart in a “Martha” world chooses the good part. Sitting at the feet of Jesus.
CONCLUSION
The great thing is the last thing Jesus says – “this shall not be taken away from her (vs 42).” The teaching we receive from Jesus goes deep down inside our hearts and into our souls. It becomes a part of our being so that it can never be taken away from us. The time we spend with Jesus is time invested in our spiritual lives, preparing us for eternity.
So if we’re going to live with God throughout eternity, doesn’t it make sense to spend a little more time preparing for it here and now? 2%. Four hours a week getting ready for the greatest blessing we will have ever experienced in our lives.
A “Mary” heart loves to worship and loves to learn about Jesus. A “Martha” world is this world we live in that makes so many demands on our time and energy. The way to have the former in the midst of the latter is to choose the good part. To make sure our priorities are right.
“Attention to the word of God supplies an integrating center and makes possible a singleness of vision. This is the one necessary thing” (Nolland, II:605).
Having a healthy body isn’t going to get us to heaven. Living in a nice, clean house isn’t going to get us to heaven. Driving a quiet, clean, fuel-efficient car isn’t going to get us to heaven. Enjoying relaxing, fun-filled vacations isn’t going to get us to heaven.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus will. Let’s do it.
Colossians 3:1-2: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Paul Holland