Title: The trap of busyness
Text: Luke 10:38-42
Introduction
Today we are going to look together at the trap of busyness.
Luke 10:38-42
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
1. There is one thing you MUST know about traps.
It’s this: A trap never looks like a trap to the person it intends to trap.
Example: A mouse trap never looks like a mouse trap to a mouse.
Sadly for the same reason the trap of busyness never looks like a trap to busy people
2. What kind of a person gets caught in the trap of busyness?
People like you and me!
All of us who have spiritual gifts such as serving/helps/ mercy can easily get caught in the trap of busyness.
And look with me at verse 38
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him… She had a sister called Mary,…(v38)
1.Find the word “Martha” and also find the word “Mary.”
2.Now find the word that’s before the word “Martha” and also find the word that’s before the word “Mary”
3.Notice they are not the same word
4.What’s the word that’s before the word “Mary”? It’s the word “called”. That’s a great word. Because to know you are called in a great thing!
5.What’s the word that’s before the word Martha? It’s not the word “called” it’s the word “named”
Warning: When you are trying to make a name for yourself, be it in anything -you can easily get caught in the trap of busyness.
Here’s why! Society teaches us that a person has really made a name for themselves when that person becomes… too busy.
I believe everyone here should want to make a name for them selves in something!
Students – honor roll/ school team
Adults- good employees or employers
Hopefully we all want to be known as a godly man or woman.
The problem is we can equate being spiritual with being busy! Therefore the busier we are the more spiritual we are!
The whole purpose of this text is to tell us that nothing could be further from the truth.
By taking Martha as our example we will see that those who are caught in the trap of busyness become;
1. Easily distracted 2. Easily annoyed
1. Those caught in the trap of busyness become easily distracted.
“But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.”
What was Martha easily distracted by? She was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made…
So we see that Martha was trapped by all the preparations that had to be made.
But we get the sense that most of the preparations that Martha thought had to be made were really not necessary.
Here is what we do know ; that Jesus and the 12 disciples showed up at Martha’s house.
We also know that Martha would have prepared a meal for Jesus and the 12 disciples
What happened next is pure speculation but we think that Martha must have prepared too much food!
Illustration; Jesus and the 12 disciples show up at the house. Mary suggests to Martha that shepherd’s pie would be perfect. Martha agrees with Mary but then remembers that Peter really likes sardine sandwiches. Now it’s shepherd’s Pie and Sardine sandwiches. But hold on; Judas is very fond of devil’s eggs. So now it’s Shepherd’s pie, sardine sandwiches and devil’s eggs. And before you know it Martha decides she is going to cook each disciple’s favorite dish.
Here is the application:
If we are easily distracted from spending quality time with Jesus we need to question whether we have too much on our plate.
2. Then because she is caught in the trap of busyness she’s easily annoyed
She came to him and asked, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
A.Martha is annoyed with Mary
B.Martha is annoyed with Jesus.
Why is Martha annoyed with Mary? Well in her own words “my sister left me to do the work by myself.”
But is Martha right in being annoyed with Mary? No!And it’s her own words that prove that she is wrong.
"My sister has left me to finish the work by myself."
You can’t leave someone without first having being with them.
Illustration. Martha helped Mary make the shepherd’s pie but she left when Martha insisted on making the other dishes.
Mary’s priorities were much different than Martha’s and that annoyed Martha.
C.Martha is annoyed with Jesus.
Why is Martha annoyed with Jesus? Again in her own words “Don’t you care?”
Because Jesus doesn’t care about her Martha is annoyed.
Again was she right to be annoyed with Jesus? Does Jesus care about Martha?
1.In order to even let Jesus care for us we have to stop being too busy.
Often we want Jesus to care for us but only as we run from one thing to the next.
The Bible says “Be still and know that I am God.”
Martha was far too busy to let Jesus care about her
Jesus wants to care for some of us but he can’t because we far too busy.
We’re far to busy to stop and pray so Jesus can care for us.
We’re far too busy to stop and read the Bible so Jesus can care for us.
We’re far too busy to stop and have devotions so Jesus can care for us.
We’re far to busy to stop and get involved in a small group so Jesus can care for us.
The greater the care needed the longer we have to stop being busy!
2.Martha is annoyed with Jesus for not caring that she was left to finish the work by herself.
But are you really caring for someone if you prevent them from experiencing the pain from their mistakes?
Jesus does care about all those who are caught in the trap of busyness.
How does Jesus show his care to those who are caught in the trap of business?
1. He rebukes us for being too busy.
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "You are worried and upset about many things,
A.Martha you are the problem. The problem is not God. The problem is not Mary.
If I am caught in the trap of busyness I am the problem. The problem is not my spouse, boss, co-worker or even the economy.
Not only am I the problem but Jesus also tells me what kind of problem I have.
I have a worry problem.
You are worried and upset about many things,
The reason I’m far too busy is because I’m worrying to much about to many things.The more things you worry about the busier you are going to be.Worry is the bait that’s on the trap of busyness.Worry always drives us to busyness.
How does Jesus show his care to those who are caught in the trap of busyness?
2. He reminds us to trust Him
"...but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Trusting Jesus is the one thing all of us need in order to stay out of the trap of busyness.
If you want to stay out of the trap of busyness you can’t do better than to trust in Jesus.
If Martha is a picture of busyness then her sister Mary is a picture of trust.
"She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said."
What do you see in the picture of Mary?
You don’t see a picture of someone sitting down all day listening to Christian radio.
So what do you see in the picture of Mary?
You see someone who knew what to do and who knew where to go when things got too busy.
What am I going to do? I’m going to trust Jesus
How am I going to do it? By listening to what Jesus had to say
Here is another big difference between Martha and Mary.
Mary listened so that Jesus could tell her what to do.
Martha on the other hand told Jesus to listen so she could tell him want to do.
Are you more like Mary or are you more like Martha?
Conclusion
For the altar call I want to address the root of busyness and that is worry. If you are worried about anything today it is going to drive you either to busyness or to trust in Jesus. In order to trust in Jesus you need to give that worry over to Jesus.
“Come onto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
