Title: We only need Jesus!
Text: Luke 10:38-42
Facebook live: We only need Jesus!
41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
What to do? VBS is coming next week and we need to prepare!
Make decorations!
Set up the rooms!
Are we ready?
Will children come?
How many children will come?
Will they come back each day?
Are we ready? Are we prepared?
You know how it is and so do I. We all have a bit of Martha in us!
The work that needs done we are convinced is never done. We are never ready really and we work or should I say Monica, works and prepares. The teachers prepare. Monica, and Elise and Matt Tilley made decorations. They laminated the pictures. There was a meeting. And still, are we ready?
Let not the preparation and all we hope to see obscure the gift that is one precious child who comes to hear about Jesus!
Now, in our lesson for today, the wonderful Martha and Mary story that we’ve all heard many times before, it seems, that Martha gets a bad rap at times. As do all who work to prepare.
Poor Martha, doing the work, and all that she could to take care and serve the Lord’s needs, having welcomed him - and those who were traveling with him - into her house while her sister Mary only sits at the Lord’s feet and listens to His teaching.
Jesus and his disciples had been traveling, as the sending of the 72 prepared the way. The Lord’s peace obviously rested on this house as Jesus was welcomed in by Martha and Mary into their home.
Now, you know how things can go when you have guests, expected or unexpected. The visit may have been expected but the time of Christ’s arrival may not have been, and even if it was, I have yet to see a hostess who didn’t still fret over the preparation, making sure that all things were in order.
Martha was determined to see that the needs of Jesus and those with Him were met, I’m sure, with exceeding abundance and that Jesus was distinguished as a beloved guest in her house.
Mary on the other hand knew who was now visiting in her home and she was not to be taken away from her Lord - no matter what earthly things needed to be done.
“We have here two forms of service [here], each done for the Lord, and each with the best of intentions, the one with the work of the hands, the other in listening to the words of eternal wisdom. They need not clash, but have their worth.”
P.E. Kretzmann Popular commentary on the Bible NT Vol. 1 Pg 326
At some point and as I’m sure you can relate - Martha gets frustrated with her sister Mary. Martha is doing all the work by herself - so that Jesus can be properly served in her home and she has lost all patience with her sister Mary – who, I’m sure, remains oblivious to Martha’s dilemma.
She finally has had enough of it and in a tone that speaks of her frustration says:
“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” Luke 10:40b
We’ll in years past I know my wife has at our home been frustrated as she prepares for guests to our home and I wasn’t the best of helper.
Maybe you can relate?
Monica’s focus was on our guests, whom ever that may be, and that they get served in the best way possible. The kids and I were a bit less joyful in service … even though we too want our guests served in the best possible way … we just don’t want to DO the work.
It took Monica a bit of work to get us moving and today … it still takes work to get me moving as the kids have moved on and I am the only one left to be told what needs to be done.
VBS can be a bit like that as well. We all get consumed about all that needs to be done that we forget the joy of what service even one little child can be.
For us it’s not about numbers but it is about Jesus! 1 or 10, 15 or 25? We tell them about Jesus and the good news and hopefully in a way that is fun, entertaining and informative. But, doing it all by yourself and feel overwhelming. Thanks God we had members, willing to help, set up, lead and teach the children in this joyful activity!
Now, I’m sure that if Jesus was coming to your house, you would all want to sit at His feet and listen to the wisdom that he has to say just like Mary … right?
At times, it can be inconvenient to find time for God as there is always something else in life to do.
But, the word of God that we have in our Scriptures today, is the same word of God that sat talking to Mary – the word made flesh! And, this same comfort Mary received from Jesus - so that she forgot the cares Martha wrestled with - is the same comfort you and I receive by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Martha and Mary were both focused on Jesus but in different ways and the Good News that we’ve learned in our gospel lessons reminds us all that as followers of Christ, God uses us all as his messengers in the world.
But you can’t lose sight of Jesus!
You need to know him - to be able to reflect him to a broken world. The cares of the world like those we’ve seen over the past few years can consume us all. As we think of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, remember he was the one who was willing to give his life for you and me.
Not, that Martha’s preparations for Jesus’ visit were not good, but Mary couldn't see what needed to be done - because her eyes were only fixed on her Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Jesus Christ, the word made flesh, came down from heaven for you so that:
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2Cor. 5:21)
Christ is the one thing necessary and He has come for you so that you might live in Him.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
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