“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.”

“Go and do likewise.”

That is, we are to go and do as the Good Samaritan did.

Today’s focus is how we view one another and our time with God.

What is Jesus saying to Martha?

I have heard preachers say that Jesus is scolding Martha. That Jesus is putting Martha down. That Jesus is embarrassing her. I don’t feel Jesus was being critical of Martha. First of all Jesus was too smart to get himself in the middle of sibling rivalry. Secondly, Jesus knew and appreciated Martha’s concern for preparing the meal.

So why does it seem that Jesus is raising Mary up and putting Martha down?

You can rule out anything Mary said, because she says nothing. What you cannot rule out is what Mary is doing. Mary devotedly sat at Jesus’ feet. The fact that Mary, a woman, would dare to sit at the feet of a teacher is of major significance. Traditionally women were not permitted to do this. Couple this with the openness of Jesus to allow her to remain there is a bold statement that Jesus came to cross genders and break down social barriers.

Jesus however was not raising Mary up. Jesus was attempting to point out to Martha that what Mary was doing was also a way of serving. Yes, sitting attentively listening to Jesus is a way of serving. Martha failed to see that. She was critical of her sister for sitting at Jesus feet while she worked her tail off in the kitchen. Martha assumed that what she was doing was of greater importance AND she also assumed that Jesus would agree. Martha clearly anticipated Jesus to say, “Hey Mary, your sister is right. Get up and get into the kitchen and help your sister with the preparations.” Instead Jesus said,

When Jesus said this he was not putting Martha down. Martha was definitely performing a worthy task. What Jesus was responding to was how Martha had wrongly judged Mary’s inaction. Martha was not complaining about all the work she was doing. Instead Martha was consumed with what Mary was doing. This is what Jesus criticizes Martha for.

The point Jesus was making is that Martha’s desire to serve Jesus was actually causing her to neglect her guests. She was so busy serving Jesus she didn’t spend any time with Jesus. The danger is that Mary’s serving, could be come self-serving.

This is definitely a danger in today’s church. I cannot imagine how much more effective the church would be if we gave half the energy to assessing our own walk than we spend assessing the walk of others.

This is a danger that is definitely a part of today’s society as we place more and more emphasis on living a good life. First of all, living a good life will not result in salvation, only belief in Jesus Christ will. Secondly it is possible that your service of and for Christ can be reduced to busy work, lacking full devotion to God.

Sitting at Jesus feet, like Mary and serving Jesus, like Martha are two sides of the coin of discipleship. Both are absolutely important in building and strengthening your relationship with God. One is not greater than the other, yet today the one that is neglected the most is the one that Mary chose. It is a very unfortunate reality that when we get busy TIME with God goes.  It is even more unfortunate that we justify it.

What I don’t quite understand is that we can spend an entire day to worshiping the sun to get a tan, an activity that we are constantly being warned that it causes skin cancer. Yet we can’t find time to worship the Son, that is Jesus who guarantees us eternal life.

Is it possible that we are no different than the Israelites who Amos prophesied to? Have we too lost our appetite for God and His Word?

The people of Israel kept the Sabbath. They observed the religious festivals, but they couldn’t wait until the Sabbath and festivals were over so they could go back to business.

How many worshippers go to church, hoping that the service doesn’t extend its appropriated hour? How many worshippers count the seconds till worship is over so they can go and do what they want? Have we followed in the sins of Israelites, giving time to God, but not giving our hearts to God?

I wonder how close are we to those days?

I want to close with this illustration

Have you ever watched your washing machine do a load of laundry? If you have you will notice that between each cycle the machine comes to a rest. Why do you suppose that happens? The reason is so that the motor doesn’t burn out. What a wonderful example of what Jesus is calling you and me to do, to rest between activities, to be still.

Why do you suppose God created the Sabbath? Why do you suppose Jesus went off some many times by Himself? Why do you suppose Jesus said,

The time is ripe to be still and to know God.

Amen