It isn't the "Great Commission" – to go into the world and make disciples of all nations…. (Matthew 28:19). It isn't having more "faith in God" (Hebrews 5:11-6:3). It isn't reading the Word of God (1 Timothy 3:15). It isn't prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Jesus reveals the "one thing" within five verses of Scripture that provide much wisdom as we unpack them.
"38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 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." 41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42 ESV)
Let's look at what is said in each verse:
v38 "Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house."
The village was called Bethany, which means 'House of Dates.' It is located about two miles outside the walls of the city of Jerusalem. It is interesting to note that dates grow on certain palm trees and are made into syrup used as a sweetener.
Martha was the sister of Mary (Not Jesus' mother) and Lazarus. She had a ministry in the visible outer court of giving and serving in front of the veil. Mary was different and had an unseen ministry of her heart and tears in the inner court behind the veil.
In the Tabernacle of Moses, there was an outer and inner court and a room called the Holy of Holies that had a veil covering the entrance. The only piece of furniture in there was the Ark of the Covenant. The High Priest was the only one who could enter it once a year. The Holy of Holies, God's dwelling place, is now within every Born-Again Christian's spirit, mind, and body (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Mary was probably eighteen to twenty years old and still single. She had a heart of devotion for Jesus. Each time we read about her, she is at the feet of Jesus. Her story gives a clue into how to move in the anointing of God. I feel many times what happens is that we want to be the mouthpiece of God, and we want to be the prophet of God. We go to Him and ask for a word for His people or an individual, and He gives a word. But God doesn't only want us to prophecy over others, but He wants us as priests to minister to Him!
The word "welcomed" (Heb: 'hupodechomai') is defined as to entertain hospitably, to receive warmly as a guest for a meal. I would think that it was a joy-filled gathering.
v39 "And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching."
Mary (Gk: Maria/Mariam) slipped out of the kitchen and quietly sat at His feet. The word "sat" (Gk: 'parakathizo') is defined as to sit down beside.
She sat and "listened" (Gk: 'akouó'), which is defined as attending to, considering, perceive to understand the sense of what is said.
The word "teaching" (Gk: 'logos') is defined as a complete statement/divine utterance, description, or Message.
Some teach that the word "logos" refers to a "written word" and "rhema" refers to a "spoken word;" however, they are used interchangeably throughout Scripture. "Rhema" is a saying that could be in a written form, so many "rhema's" put together could constitute a "logos."
Jesus is described as the "word" (logos), the complete teaching of God made flesh, and the complete revelation of what God is like (John 1:1).
v40"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."
Martha was "distracted" (Gk:’perispaó'), defined as drawing away, being physically and emotionally distracted, and being distressed with "much serving" (Gk: 'diakoneó'), which is defined as ministering to another. Martha went to Jesus to complain about Mary."
Martha was running around trying to be a good host while her sister acted like one of the disciples rather than part of her "ministry team," who were serving as many as 80 people that Jesus had been discipling as they traveled with Him. Martha definitely needed help to get the meal served.
Martha had broken under the anxiety, frustration, and anger she was feeling towards Mary and went to Jesus, the guest of honor, rudely interrupting Him while He was speaking, and TOLD Him to "tell" (Gk: 'eipe') which is defined as to bid, command, Mary to help her.
v41 "But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things."
Jesus tenderly answered her as he said, "Martha, Martha" (Jesus also used this two-fold utterance of a name toward Peter and Paul as well [Luke 22:31; Acts 9:4]) and reproached her for being "anxious" (Gk:' merimnaó') which is defined as drawn in opposite directions, distracted.
The word "troubled" (Gk:' thorubeo') is defined as greatly disturbed, agitated, terrified - about many things happening at the time.
v42, "but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."
The words "one thing" (Gk: 'oligos') is defined as a small, brief, being short of time.
The words "is necessary" (Gk: 'chreia') is defined as a need or necessity.
The words "has chosen" (Gk: 'eklegó') is defined as selected to pick out deliberately using a heart preference for a definite outcome.
The words "the good" (Gk: 'agathos') are defined as the intrinsically good whether seen or not.
The word "portion" (Gk:’meris') is defined as a share/part distinct from the whole.
The word "which" (Gk:’hostis') is defined as whosoever, anyone.
The words "will not be taken away from" (Gk: 'aphaireó) is defined as to cut off, remove.
Jesus told Martha to leave Mary alone because she had chosen the better thing. She was overly involved in her "ministry," while Mary knew it was essential to cease her work and focus entirely on Jesus, unlike her sister Martha, who was so busy doing things FOR Jesus that she failed to spend any time WITH Him. Mary's main priority was to spend time with Jesus. Every time Mary appears in Scripture, she is at the feet of Jesus. She is so important that we are commanded by Jesus that "wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her" (Mark 14:9 ESV).
It should be noted that Mary could not travel or live with Jesus on the road as His male disciples could because of cultural restrictions. However, she could be near Him when He came to her house, so she chose to do that.
Mary had the chance to sit at the feet of Jesus, the Message - the "logos" - and take in all He was saying and doing. In Israel's culture at that time, a disciple was described as one who "sat at the feet of" their Rabbi. This is the way the Apostle Paul describes himself with respect to Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). The phrase means that a disciple has committed themselves to a position of inner humility to absorb all that the Rabbi is presenting in more than just the words spoken, but in a focused manner to copy His lifestyle through observation and practice by imitation.
Mary chose to linger in the presence of Jesus and not to ask Him for a favor or a miracle in her life. She sat at His feet to experience Him directly, drinking in all His words and not just hearing them. She observed His facial expression, gestures, and how He interacted with His disciples and the servants in her house. All her attention focused on Him rather than just settling to hear about what He was like through a textbook, a classroom, a TV show, a preacher, or a friend's testimony. Jesus was the textbook, and Mary was literally "studying" Him, letting the force of His personality, demeanor, behavior, and His teaching flood through her.
Please note that I am not saying that reading and studying the Bible is not essential, nor am I diminishing the position of God's written Word in the life of the Born-Again Christian. It is the utmost priority!
Let's say a couple is having problems in their marriage. Yet, they are committed to each other to do what it takes to have a better marriage and grow in intimacy, so they each buy books to learn how to have a good marriage and then spend all their time reading them instead of spending intimate time with each other. Reading and hearing about Jesus is NOT the same as being WITH Jesus. The "one thing" is spending quality and intimate time with Jesus.
The Brother of Martha and Mary
Mary and Martha had a brother named Lazarus, and Jesus loved each of them. Lazarus became ill, and the sisters sent a message to let Jesus know. But when He heard of it, He immediately said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it" (John 11:4 ESV). He then decided to stay "two days longer in the place where He was." (v6) When the two days were over, "he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." vs7 The Disciples questioned His choice, and after responding to them He said, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him." The disciples said, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought he meant resting in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." (John 11:20-27 ESV)
At another time, when her brother Lazarus died, Mary went to Jesus and "fell at his feet" (John 11:32 ESV). Once again, Mary had surrendered her heart at the feet of Jesus. Later, the Bible says that because of that, "many of the Jews which came to Mary and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him" (John 11:45 ESV).
When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Martha heard that he was coming into town "she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world." (John 11:20-27 ESV)
When Mary heard Jesus was just outside of the town, she immediately went to Him and "fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled." vs 34 When he found out where they had laid Lazarus, Jesus was deeply moved and wept. Then he went to the tomb he was laid in and said, "Lazarus, come forth!"
Both sisters said the exact same thing, "Master if you had been here, he would not have Died'" but Martha received a theological response that was a declaration of Jesus being the Messiah. However, Mary was a devoted and intimate friend of Jesus who she loved and always wanted to be with Him when He came to town. Her emotional plea was a prayer that moved the hand of God! Her heart was in the right place. Jesus immediately went to the tomb and raised Lazarus from the dead! There is devotion and intimacy that moves the hand of God!
There was another time just six days before the Crucifixion when Jesus had dinner at Mary and Martha's. Knowing full well he was going to die soon, He chose to be with His friends, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. He could have just gone to Jerusalem and seen important people talk about His Kingdom to come and make sure His Church would go well after His death. Instead, He chose to hang out with His friends, who He knew would strengthen Him.
Once again, it is dinnertime, and Martha is cooking. Mary comes running in with an alabaster jar full of pure nard, worth one year's wages, equivalent to around forty-thousand U.S. dollars today!
It is so vitally important to have a deep love relationship with Him as your first love and just hang out with Him instead of always asking Him for stuff! Intimacy is found behind the veil where no one else sees you but Jesus, and you can be alone and ask Him what is on His heart. What do You want me to do or where to go?
Mary takes this extravagant love gift that could have been her future bridal dowry, breaks it, and pours it on the top of His head. It flowed down His robes all the way to His feet, and she began to wipe His feet with her mixed with her tears. She was expressing her pure love and extravagant devotion to Jesus. She had just wasted her life before Him.
As the fragrance of the perfume spread throughout the house, the Disciples rebuked her for giving everything to Jesus. They didn't see what Mary saw in Jesus. Jesus told the Disciples, "The poor will be with you always, but you won't always have Me!" There is an extravagance and an intimacy that God wants us to move in so that He can change the world through us because we are serving Him out of love!
Jesus looked at Mary and said that what she had done was a beautiful thing! Martha was spending time preparing a feast in the kitchen, but Mary had unknowingly prepared Jesus for burial by anointing Him with Oil. Over the next two days, everywhere He went, He smelled of that very expensive perfume, and everywhere Mary went, she also smelled of the perfume. After Jesus died and they went to anoint Him, they discovered He had risen!
Mary Magdalene
There was another woman who Jesus had cleansed of seven demons (Luke 8:1-2; Mark 16:9). Some believe she was Mary Magdalene. She had taken her alabaster flask and came running to Jesus to break it on His feet as she wept with deep thankfulness for Him (Luke 7:37). One of the religious leaders said, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner," then Jesus told a story about two men that rebuked Him (Luke 7:39-40 ESV).
Jesus then told a story about two men. One "owed five hundred denarii, and the other owed fifty." Both were forgiven of their debt. Jesus asked, "which of them will love him more?" The Leader answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he canceled the larger debt." Jesus said to him, "You have judged rightly," and then scolded him (Luke 7:43 ESV).
"Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven - for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven…." and your faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 7:44-49 ESV)
The first people Jesus went to after His resurrection weren't the disciples or the law teachers. Two lowly women washed His feet with their tears because they were entirely and intimately devoted to Him.
Before the Cross, we see Mary of Bethany's intimate devotion; after the Cross, we see Mary Magdalene's same devotion. Do you wash Jesus's feet with your tears? Do you waste your life's devotion and love and pour it out on Jesus, the Creator of all things and our Savior? Just as we see from the intimacy and passion of these two women, God wants us to have it with Him, also.
To understand this more, let's look at a couple of other verses.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 ESV)
This verse reveals that when a person receives Jesus as Lord and Savior and becomes Born-Again, they will "not perish." Their eternal destiny will not be separated from Jesus in a place known as "'hell," but rather, they "shall have "eternal life," which is not just living forever but living in the presence of God!
"And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17:3 ESV)
Jesus defined "eternal life" as He was praying for His disciples right before His arrest. He says that "eternal life" is to "know"… "the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."
The Greek word "know" is " ginóskó, " meaning to know someone in deep intimacy and not as a superficial acquaintance.
Beloved, you can intimately know Jesus, the Creator of all things. Intimacy within any relationship will develop over time and through many circumstances.
People do lots of things FOR Jesus but do not honestly KNOW Him. Developing an intimate relationship is spending time with our loving God in prayer and Bible study.
Jesus said to the Church at Laodicea, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20 ESV). He stood knocking at their door and was waiting for them to open it. The word "door" (Gk: 'ithura') means a portal or entrance, a gate. The word "knock” (Gk: 'krouo') means to strike (pound) and knock continuously to get our attention.
It is the Born-Again Christian who lets the cares of this world cause them to fluctuate between being active and apathetic, hesitant, indecisive, uncertain, and uncommitted in their relationship with Jesus, that is "lukewarm” so He has to pound on the door to get their attention.
Throughout our lives, each of us will have many doors before us that we can either open or keep closed. The question is, what door does Jesus want you to open? When you begin to grow in the understanding of just how beautiful, merciful, marvelous, good, just, and holy Jesus is, the more you will desire to worship and grow in intimacy with Him.
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27 ESV)
Jesus said that those who desire to have a personal relationship with Him would know, understand, and attend to Him because intimate lovers of God only need the whisper of His voice to get their attention so that they can perceive how and what His message is when He gives it.
We must learn to "hear" (GK: 'akouo' - to be actively hearing the sound of something) His "voice" (Gk: 'phone' = a sound, tone of a musical instrument, a gentle breeze, thunder, or a noise). You learn His voice by constantly reading and studying His written Word, the Bible as if it is a letter from your lover because IT IS!
The words "eat with Him" represent Mary's desire to spend intimate time with Jesus! Sharing a meal with loved ones becomes a time to talk and learn about each other. Mealtime can be the most intimate time for sharing the heart! Intimacy is the way to know God's heart.
You must "delight" yourself "in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4 ESV). The word "delight" (Heb: 'anog') means being soft, delicate, and pliable before God. You must give yourself entirely to Him, so He can mold and shape you into what He wants each of us to be.
You "delight" yourself in God when you abide in His presence, sing songs of adoration and love to Him, be intimate with Him, talk to Him all day long, study His Word, lay down your will and cares at His feet (2 Tim 2:15; 1 Peter 5:7). Each time you do that, your desires will align with God's desires, and you will find yourself wanting the things that He wants and loving the things that He loves!
So, how do we begin to develop intimacy with God?
The Holy Spirit is responsible for revealing Jesus to us "in the knowledge" of Him to help us develop intimacy with Jesus and NOT work at it alone (Ephesians 1:17). The best way for that to happen is to learn how to trust Him! That begins by spending quality time with Him in prayer and diligently studying His written Word, the Bible. You must learn to:
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV).
Let me unpack some of this verse:
The word "trust" (Heb: 'batach') is a verb [a continuous action word] and means to throw oneself down upon their face, to be confident, to rely upon, to entrust to another.
The word "understanding" (Heb: 'binah') is defined as logic, intellect, education, experience, knowledge, will, etc. God does NOT want us to lean on it. Instead, He wants us to lean ON Him in ALL our ways (Heb: 'orach' = path, as you travel through life)!
The word "acknowledge" (Heb: 'yada') is defined as learning to know intimately. The Word is used when Adam "knew" Eve, and she had her first son (Genesis 4:1).
A marriage relationship will not grow in deep intimacy if a person does not fully trust their spouse. Trust must be earned! Genuine intimacy in a relationship is not based upon what someone does or did in the past but on what they have and are doing in the present. If someone loves God, they will keep His commandments; if they don't, they won't.
To develop intimacy with Jesus, we must commit ourselves to actively choosing God and His ways – as Mary did in the story – in every decision, Word, thought, and response. Our devotion to God is strengthened when we offer Him a new and fresh commitment daily.
Mary of Bethany teaches us that sacrificing our time for Jesus opens us up to His divine revelation from His Word. Mary was doing what Jesus had taught, "In your patience ye shall win your souls (Luke 21:19 ERV). Her emotions were under control. Her actions proved that she had put her "Trust in the LORD" and delighted herself in Him, knowing that "he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act" (Psalm 37:4-5 ESV).
I have come to believe that God's mercies are new every morning because must learn how to trust Him each day (Lamentations 3:22-23). When we fully trust God, we open the doors for radical intimacy with Jesus as His ravished heart takes us deeper into the secret place of His Bridal chamber.
To develop intimacy with Jesus, we must commit ourselves to actively choosing God and His ways – as Mary did in the story – in every decision, Word, thought, and response.
Mary of Bethany surrendered every circumstance to her Lord, whom she loved with all of her heart. Are you passionately in love with Jesus? Or do you need to ask for the Holy Spirit to relight the flame of passionate love within your heart for Him? Right now, why don't you do the same?
Both Marys had an intimacy and a love for Jesus; because of that, He loved them. He was their friend. We often say, "Jesus is my friend," but we don't really walk with Him. We don't really let Him in the depth of who we are unless we have a desperate need. We don't go behind the veil often.
The only thing necessary in the life of a Born-Again Christian is to "love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV).
Jesus wants each of us as intercessors for others. He wants us to be able to get behind the veil to spend intimate time with Him. As we go there, we are able to tell Him the needs of the people and ask Him to touch them. He wants us to be able to have tears for the people in our cities so that we start to weep and cry for them.
As you start having a heart for the people, Jesus will begin to give you words of life for them. It won't be moving just with words for encouragement; it will be words that bring life and healing.
Let's pray….
