Lessons Of A Lifetime

MARTHA – LADY OF THE HOUSE
OR
TROUBLED ABOUT MANY THINGS
SUNDAY JULY 18, 2021

Scripture To Consider:
“Now it happened as they went that Jesus entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Jesus and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.’”

“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 from her.’” Luke 10.38-42

Something To Consider:
The certain village that Jesus entered was Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. “And a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.” Martha, which means lady, was probably the older sister. Mary, the sister of Martha, chose to sit at the feet of Jesus while listening to the words of His teaching.

We will find Mary later, once again at the feet of Jesus in future lessons. Mary’s focus was on Jesus and His teaching. She listened intently to His every word. That is in essence a lesson of a lifetime for us to learn. Therefore, learning these lessons of a lifetime according to Jesus is our foremost reason for writing and posting these lessons concerning the life of Jesus!

Without the study of the life of Jesus and the lessons of a lifetime that He taught and is still teaching, how will we be rooted and grounded in the truth? How will we not be conformed to this world without the daily renewing of our minds by the washing of the water of the Word of God? Our studying to show ourselves approved unto God is a must do requirement!

Something Else To Consider:
Jesus declared in John 14.6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus prayed one day in His communicating with His heavenly Father, “Thy Word is truth.” Jesus, in His final hours upon earth explained to Pilate, the Roman ruler over Judea; “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

According to Jesus, Mary had chosen a good thing by listening to Jesus’ teaching. How about us? Have we chosen the good thing in our daily listening to, or reading the teachings of Jesus? Martha, on the other hand, according to Luke, was distracted with much serving. It is a sad fact of ministry life, that as leaders and leaders in training, we can so easily become distracted with our much serving. Many times we find ourselves so busy, so worried, and so troubled about many things as was Martha, that we miss what is important in life and in ministry. It is possible for our vision to be obscured the more we serve the Lord!

Jesus had set His face toward Jerusalem. More than two years of ministry lay behind Him, while the crushing cruelty of the cross lay before Him. Mary chose to simply comfort Jesus with her presence. Martha let the moment pass her by like a rush of wind, all because she was worried and troubled about many things. How often do we find ourselves caught in the revolving trap door of being troubled about many things?

Something More To Consider:
Martha did not choose a bad thing when she devoted herself to preparing a meal for her unexpected house guest and His disciples. But when she allowed frustration to fill her heart with bitterness toward her sister, that same bitterness was forced to flow forth from her mouth in torrents of attitude telling words.

Our being troubled about many things and our much serving can create the misconception in our own minds that we are left to serve alone. And when Martha asked Jesus for His help, she heard what she did not expect to hear. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part.”

Was and is Jesus equating our spending time in His Word, which is spending time with Him, because He is the Word, with service and ministry? Or is He elevating our moments of reflection with Him and His Word above service and ministry? One thing is for sure, we should not neglect the good part which Mary chose in our Scripture to consider today.

Mary chose to worship the Lord as described in 1 Chronicles 16.29; “Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” The writer of Psalm 95.6 proclaimed, “O come let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” Today is a good day to bow before the Lord our God and maker of heaven and earth. Today is a good day for His people to worship Him in the beauty of His holiness!

A Few Final Words:
So, who do we most resemble, Martha, the lady of the house, busy about the routine of life? Or Mary, who was busy about the things of God such as worship, study of the Word of God, and simply enjoying being in the presence of the Lord? Have we found that beautiful balance between life’s responsibilities and our daily commitment to Jesus Christ and the things of God?

Sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing His Word is the surest remedy for the heart, mind, and soul that is worried and troubled about many earthly things. In our Scripture to consider, Jesus answered and responded to the lady of the house, by explaining; “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.” What is it that Jesus would be forced to say to us if He were to unexpectedly visit our home today?

Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, may we see the need of our sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing His Word, that we may not become worried or troubled about many things. In Him Always, Amen!