“The One, Needful Thing”
The Appomattox Court House Presbyterian Church Pulpit
Rev. Cameron S. Smith
The Lord's Day, September 16, 2007
Luke 10:38-42
"Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness." (Matthew 6:33)
THE PROBLEM!
Busy-ness. There just doesn't seem to ever be enough time to do everything that we need to do in a given day: So much to do and so little time to do it! Jobs are all-consuming and household work never seems to get done, whether it's cleaning the house or projects around the yard.
Family responsibilities demand quality and quantity time; it's true for parents and grandparents alike. There's always somewhere to be; someone to pick up; some errand to run, and so on. All in all, we work hard at work; at home and school.
Speaking of school, even our kids are slammed with more than enough things to do - perhaps they are even busier than us! Of course, there's the school day itself and the attendant homework. There are, as well, extra-curricular activities -- sports, band and academic clubs. There are activities outside of school, interests and hobbies that demand both loyalty, money and time.
And I haven't even mentioned it yet, but no less all-consuming: We take our leisure and vacations quite seriously as well. It seems that we are ever either planning or taking trips. Bottom line of all this: Nearly every minute of our waking hours are consumed by something pressing. Busy-ness!
Speaking of time squeezes, living in Orlando, I was always amazed at how indomitable the Walt Disney Company was in their drive to consume every last minute - and dollar - from the wallet of the average tourist.
Their open, professed goal was to satiate every tourist itinerary with all things Disney. Walt Disney World (aptly named), doesn't want any of their valued guests to have the slightest need to leave Disney property, for anything!
They figure if they can distract you with more and more things to do; places to see; restaurants to try out; and all the nightlife that you can handle; they can then fill up every last minute of your Florida vacation! Distraction and busy-ness! That's the key.
OUR TEXT
Distraction and busy-ness is what I want to talk to you about this morning. Listen to this passage from the Gospel of Luke; 10:38-42
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."
MARTHA & MARY
Who can't identify with Martha here? Jesus comes into town with his band of twelve hungry and tired disciples; a tall order for hosting. But, to make matters even more stressful, little sister Mary plops down at the feet of Jesus to listen to his teaching while poor Martha slaves away in the kitchen going crazy trying to provide for all of their guests!
Martha's response? Jesus, "do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her…to help me." "How could my sister be so thoughtless and lazy?"
From the Gospel of John, we know this takes place at the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus in Bethany, which is a couple of miles to the east of Jerusalem. Lazarus and the village name, Bethany aren't mentioned in this story by Luke. Most likely, Luke wants to draw sole attention to these two sisters and their respective responses to Jesus.
Martha seems to be a classic Type-A person: Anxious; terseness; intense focus; plenty of drive and given to frenetic activity. Energy and endless motion, incarnate!
Kind of reminds me of my father. When I join him for dinner at his house, he's usually preoccupied with the clean-up. He habitually watches for me to finish my meal, then grabs my moments-empty plate and washes it right away! Pretty disconcerting thing. Relax dad!
My favorite -- affectionate -- private joke my about my father (though not so private now!) is that when you get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night in his house, you get back to your room and find that he's made your bed up!
My dear wife is like that as well. Her nickname is "Martha" in our house. She never quits. She comes in tired from work; cooks; starts a load of laundry; does activities with the kids; starts cleaning projects; baking projects; and all along, always concerned that she doesn't have enough time to get everything done. I find myself saying, "Martha, come in here and sit down and relax. You can conquer the world tomorrow!"
Back to the text: Two sisters and two polar opposite responses to a visit from Jesus: Mary "sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching." Sounds like the idle, couch-potato activity of plopping down in an easy chair in front of the television and vegging out, doesn't it?
On the other hand, "Martha was distracted with much serving." The Greek word here translated "distracted" (periespato) literally means "to be drawn or pulled in every direction." Martha was unsettled; she was agitated.
GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM
But the response of Jesus is somewhat surprising, at least at first glance. He chastens Martha, not Mary! I mean, what about the virtue of the well-worn "Protestant work ethic" and all? What about Paul's admonition in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat"?
Not surprisingly, Jesus is tender, but firm: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary."
Martha, in rushing around busily and frantically; determined to be a good host; determined not to be lazy; determined to get things done - misses the point. In all of these good and noble intentions, she has neglected the one, necessary thing.
The 17th century devotional Bible commentator extraordinaire, Matthew Henry, described Martha's problem in this memorable way: "Worldly business [that is to say, the lack of restraint and judgment in "worldly cares and pursuits" often becomes] a snare to us when it hinders us from serving God and getting good to our souls."
Nothing wrong, you understand, with anything that Martha was doing, per se. Hard work is not wrong or bad. It was in what Martha was allowing herself to neglect! Her driven-ness was driving her far from where she needed to be.
Mary, on the other hand, has "chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."
What exactly is this good portion that Jesus speaks of? Let's try to flesh that out.
THE GOOD PORTION
It turns out that Mary sitting at the Lord's feet listening to him teach wasn't a sign of laziness. "Sitting at the feet" is a description of a serious, studying disciple. Mary has chosen "the good portion" of attending to the task of discipleship and spiritual development.
Her faith takes precedence over the mundane. There are always other times for eating and sleeping and other activities. After all, how often is the Lord Jesus in your presence; in your living room teaching, sharing and answering questions? [!]
On the other hand, Martha is so distracted with the busy-ness of her specific world, her current distraction, that she is neglecting the one thing needful in her life!
How much we are all like Martha! How much our activities and pursuits beside the Faith consume, control and dictate our best and most precious time! When it comes to the one thing needful in our lives, we balk and succumb to busy-ness; making our daily "stuff" paramount.
That one needful thing is actually, I believe, many things that can be summed up as one: Personal faith; studied discipleship; growth in grace and the knowledge of the Lord; spiritual maturity and intensity in worship.
GOING A LITTLE DEEPER
In reflecting a little more deeply on the meaning of this passage, I want you to take special note of how Luke has arranged the events and parables he has chosen to tell us about. As I have mentioned in many of my Bible Studies, the Gospel writers, in particular, were always truthful in all that they related about Jesus; but they weren't always necessarily concerned with chronological order as we are in modern writing habits.
The placement and arrangement of the stories was intended in the main to communicate something important or needful that the author wanted you to grasp. Sometimes it was a theological point; or sometimes the particular arrangement aided in memorization of the teaching for later recall.
In the case of the story of Martha and Mary, it is preceded immediately by the parable of "the Good Samaritan." The question there is "Who is my neighbor?" The onus is on action; on mercy; on compassion - in a phrase, "loving your neighbor as yourself."
The dinner party at the home of Martha and Mary follows the Good Samaritan; and the emphasis here is on turning our hearts and minds to the one, needful thing: devotion and orientation to the things of the Lord; in other words, "loving the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength."
Remember that when Jesus was asked "…which is the great commandment in the Law?" Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40). [Emphasis mine!]
The whole of Scripture -- God's will for all of us boiled down into two commands! Not heady at first glance, but nevertheless deep!
With the placement of these two stories back-to-back, Luke has communicated the most important, needful thing to know - the core of our faith in Christ and our marching orders for discipleship.
What I find refreshing in the Gospels is the way that we are always in the process of being brought face to face with the things that are most important - the needful things, if you will. We are reminded; we are prodded; we are encouraged; and from time to time, we are kicked in the seat of the pants!
GETTING IT...
And so, if we are all Martha's; what then can we do about it? Obviously, we are all individuals. We are all in different places in our spiritual maturity. We all have varying degrees of responsibilities in life. Some of us are more busy than others. Some of us may care more than others. But, be this as it may, I still want to suggest a concluding thought for your rumination.
Jesus says, "Martha, Martha you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary." Substitute your own name for Martha's! What are, for you, the "many things" that take priority over the one, needful thing?
Jesus has many things to say about the "many things." Things like:
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." (Matt. 6:19).
Stressing first things first: "…Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…." (Matt. 6:33).
And, the ultimate "smell the coffee" exhortation: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." (Matt. 24:35).
Many more like reminders could be culled from the Scriptures, but perhaps Paul says it in terms that we can readily grasp in today's politically charged climate: "…Our citizenship is in heaven…." (Phil. 3:20).
Let me say as I draw to a close, jobs come and go; you will be "retired" far longer than you will ever work! Kids and grandkids will grow up and move on. Activities and interests pass with time. But, the one needful thing remains. It is "the good portion which will not be taken away," ever!
*Prayer:
Our LORD and God,
We live life on this side of Glory as fish in a vessel of water,
just enough to keep us alive,
but in heaven we shall swim in the ocean.
Here we have little air in to maintain breath,
but there we shall have sweet and fresh breezes;
Here we have a beam of sun to lighten the darkness,
a warm ray to keep from freezing;
but in heaven we shall live in light and warmth for ever.
Our natural desires are corrupt and misguided,
and it is only in your mercy that these will be finally put away;
Our spiritual longings are of your planting,
and you will water and increase them;
Quicken our hunger and thirst after the realm above.
Here we can have the world,
there we can have you in Christ;
Here is a life of longing and prayer,
there is assurance without suspicion,
asking without refusal;
Here are passing comforts, more burden than benefit,
there is joy without sorrow,
comfort without suffering,
love without infidelity,
rest without weariness.
Give us to know that heaven is all love,
where the eye affects the heart,
and the continual viewing of your beauty
keeps the soul in continual transports of delight.
Give us to know that heaven is all peace,
where error, pride, rebellion, passion raise no head.
Give us to know that heaven is all joy,
the end of believing, fasting, praying, mourning,
humbling, watching, fearing, repining;
And lead us to it in your good time, dear LORD, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen
*(Prayer adapted from Arthur Bennett's "The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions," Earth and Heaven, p.203; Banner of Truth Trust, 2002.)
|
|
