People joke with me about making up new words all the time. Here’s a new one for you, “Maritha” it’s akin to “Marthary”
Text: Luke 10:38-42
• How many times have you heard this story before?
• How often does the presentation of the story shed some negative light on the older sister (Martha)?
• How many of you have heard this story and immediately related to either Mary or Martha?
How many relate to Mary?
(sheepishly) How many relate to Martha?
In fact, the telling and retelling of the story has evolved into somewhat of a bias conclusion that one of these sisters is, in some way, better than the other.
Greek Order (older is always indicated first) That’s how we know Martha was the Matriarch of the home. Vs. 38 indicates that Jesus and His followers went to Martha’s house.
Yet when we talk about this story, how do we refer to it? “The story of MARY and Martha.
If by any other reference:
o The workaholic sister
o The jealous sister
o “Mis-prioritized Martha
Through the years we’ve tagged her as:
o Superficial
o Immature
o Works Oriented
o Unspiritual
Allow me to illustrate my point (Show Picture – Mary with Hallow, Martha with mixing bowl)
I think as we look more closely to the story our text reveals a different picture. Look closely at verse 39 and 40.
9 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet… 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? …
The fact is, Martha knew how to worship and Mary knew how to serve. And from them you and I need to learn how to balance the two.
Between the two; who was the more at fault?
Both were!
Martha for being jealous of her sister’s choice to worship.
Mary for being so caught up in the spiritual moment that she failed to see a sister needed some help.
Of course none of us have ever been in either of those places have we?
I like what Freda Lindsay, Founder of Christ for the Nations has said about these two. She said “The account of Martha and Mary remind us all of the importance of balancing personal devotion with practical duty to other. Both of these women reveal unique spiritual gifts with which they lovingly served God.”
This balance between devotion and duty is one that you and I simply must develop in our lives; for our own health as well as for the health of this local body.
I appreciate those people who just hate missing my preaching. It’s encouraging to know that folks get so much out of a message. But if you really what to honor me….
Serve rather than sit.
Minister rather than marinate.
Have you ever talked to one of those…. You know … religious folks who when you ask them to help in some area of ministry you get the “I’m beyond that in my walk” response? They miss the real meaning of
1Peter 5:6
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
Exalt you to what? To a greater level of ….. SERVICE!
See, Jesus wants every one of us to be elevated to a level of greatness. How do we do that? He told us the secret to promotion…
Matthew 20:26
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.
So what does promotion give you – a greater level of service!
Back to Martha and Mary – How do we serve God?
Through Devotion and Duty
Worship and Work
John 4:23
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
Spirit = (Pneuma) The element in man which gives him the ability to think of God. That being beyond the mere soul of all other animals who possess a consciousness of their environment but not a consciousness of God.
Truth = (Alethian) where we get the word Authentic. “the reality behind the appearance.”
“the skin of faith”
Jesus said that people who understand worship as both a matter of devotion and duty, of sacrament and service = those are the kind of people God is looking for to worship Him.
So Martha is getting kind of ticked at her sister – having about all she can take she takes the matter to Jesus: His response –
He could have snapped a finger and turned the water into wine and the hens in the yard into chicken salad sandwiches.
tice He didn’t tell Mary to get up – and He didn’t tell Martha to sit down.
Why?
Because we must develop a balance of sacrament and service.
We need to worship and we need to work.
We need to sing and we need to serve.
We need to pray and we need to plow.
We need to reach up and reach out!
You know, it’s sad but treating corporate burnout is a multi-billion dollar a year business. Sad because the simple answer to the problem is balance.
Ephesians 4:16
from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Have you lost that balance?
Are you finding your entire fulfillment in the doing?
Is your only sense of responsibility to the devotion?
The Father is interested in restoring spiritual balance in your life. He wants you to become a “true worshipper”; Authentic in devotion and duty.
Let’s pray.
A note from Pastor Terry,
Thanks so much for looking over this message. I trust that, in some way, you were blessed, encouraged and empowered on your own walk with Christ. Every message I prepare is bathed in prayer that God will draw, inspire, and challenge my listeners (or readers) into a more meaningful and power-filled walk with Him.
Pastors, how we need one another! We need to be encouraged, strengthened and built up in order to encourage, strengthen and build up. It’s my personal prayer that the message you’ve just reviewed has done that for you in a personal way. Use what you can of this message, toss what you can’t and above all, let God’s Spirit inspire it all!
Sometimes I feel like Peter and John at the Temple steps…”Silver and gold; I don’t have but what I do – I give to you”
Grace and peace to you, your family and the Flock you tend.
Pastor Terry
