Choose That Good Part

Illus: Recently I received an important text in the early hours of Sunday Morning. It was information that I would most likely need for the coming weeks. It was from someone I love and have known for decades. So in the midst of my Sunday Morning Meditation, I figured it being 6am it was weighing heavy on their mind so I replied quickly, “Gotit… I’ll get to it ASAP.” Only a few seconds later for the conversation continued with even more detail and I texted back. “Hey Family, I get up before the Sun rises to do the final meditations for the Morning Worship in just a few hours to deal with matters of Life and Death, can this wait till Monday?” There reply struck a chord that has resonated with me all week, “OH, Pastor Larry! I did not realize today was Sunday!” This was a church worker someone who loves the Lord! How many of us are going about our daily lives doing the Work of the Lord, but have forgotten to take some time to worship the Lord of the Work? I came by to remind someone that Jesus said, “Mary has chosen that good part.”

Intro: I had a professor over at the College of Biblical Studies, Dr. Shockley, that always seem so spiritually mature, so in tune with God. It just seems to me that some people have learned to abide at the feet of Jesus as they go through life and this translates into peace of heart, power of life and purpose before God. The Custodian, Bro. McGowen over at the South Texas District Association of Christian Churches is always singing praises to the Lord while working and like him, I would like to be constantly and consistently filled with the Anointing of God and found at the feet of Jesus. The Gospel writer Luke calls our attention to Martha and her sister Mary. There are many named Mary in scripture, but this Mary was the sister of Lazarus, and she is mentioned 3 times in the Gospel account. Every time Mary is mentioned, she is always found in close relationship with Jesus.

It is this Mary that soon will be at her brother’s death bed (John 11:1-45). She sat still in the house until Martha came to her secretly and said, "The Teacher is here, and is calling for you." She arose hastily to go to meet Him saying, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." But to her great joy Jesus raised her brother Lazarus and taught us that not only can He restore Life but in fact He is the Resurrection of Life.

It is this Mary that will soon anoint the feet of Jesus at the last feast of Bethany (John 12:1-8). Mary took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair until the entire house was filled with the sweet smell of her worship. When the disciples questioned her actions thinking it to be a waste of precious oil, Jesus said, “Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.”

Mary was not perfect, she sometimes questioned our Lord, but she always has chosen that good part and Jesus said that it will never be taken away from her!

Context: Martha opened her home to Jesus and did her best to be a good hostess. Mary, on the other hand, opened her heart to Jesus and tried her best just to love the Lord. While Martha labored, Mary listened. She found a place of worship at the feet of Jesus.

The Work - While Martha was "cumbered", (She was distracted mentally), while Mary was sitting, calmly listening to the Words of Jesus. What was distracting her from Jesus? The Bible says that Martha was distracted with much serving. She was distracted with good Christian Service, (i.e., Setting up for Prayer Meeting, Bible Study, Morning Worship, Hour of Power and Hour of Prayer, Ministry Meeting and Board Agenda etc.), the burdens of service in the Lord! How often are we doing a good thing but missing the good part? Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. If you fail to prioritize being at the feet of Jesus all your work in His name will be distracted! Because Isaiah taught us that distraction and unrest begins in the mind! He declared to God (26:3) that, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”