Listening to Jesus
(Luke 10: 38-42)
Introduction:
In our text, Jesus was visiting His good friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Martha was busy preparing for their guest. Mary was just sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to Him teach. Which one was doing the most important thing? (See v 42) I thank God for all people that work in our Churches. However, I want to show you, from this text, what can happen in the lives of Christians who get too busy, even doing the Lord’s work, to stop and spend time at feet of Jesus.
Four things that happen to Christians who are not listening to Jesus.
(1) They are anxious or worried about many things. (Luke 10:40a) Let me ask you, have you ever seen a time when so many people are troubled about so many things? I am the worlds worse. I am trying to do better.
The Bible says, “Casting all your care upon Him; for he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) Have you been worried about something and come to Church or get somewhere alone with Jesus and Him speak to your heart, and before you know it, you don’t have a care in world. (ills.) My children, when they were younger would come to me with their problems, and there were times I could fix them, so I would say go enjoy life etc. I got this. I have never come to Jesus with problem He couldn’t fix.
(2) We begin to doubt that Jesus cares. Listen to Martha” Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? (Luke 10:40b) If we are not sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to Him speak, if we are not in His Word letting it tell us how much He cares for us, the devil begins to plant thoughts in our mind. Does Jesus really care about me? If Jesus cares about me, why is this happening to me? Etc.
(3) We become critical of others. Martha says my lazy sister has left me with all this work to do. This is always the case. Remember when Adam was called on the carpet for not listening, he immediately became critical of the woman and even God. (Gen.3:12) Jesus says, get the log out of your own eye, then you can see clearly to get the speck out of your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:5) Mark it those who are not listening to Jesus are the first ones to become critical of others.
(4) They pray selfish prayers, telling Jesus what to do. “Lord, make my sister get up and help me.” You understand that God does not always change our situations. Do you think that Jesus knows more about things than we do? Everything in life is not going to go your way, you just as well except it and learn to live with it. Often, we are praying for God to change others, and He wants us to set at His feet and listen while He changes us.
1. Four words that describe the person who is listing to Jesus.
(1) Love-This was the same Mary that later washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dry them with her hair. John 12:3 She loved Jesus. Why did Mary have so much love for Jesus? I believe it was because she set at His feet and heard Him share His love for us. “We love Him, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4: 19)
(2) Unity- Notice, Mary was not fussing with anybody, if Jesus was happy, she was happy.
(3) Obedient- How can one do what Jesus wants us to do unless we are hearing Him speak?
(4) Peace- Friend, the only way you can know real peace, is to sit at feet of Jesus and let Him speak peace to your heart. Remember, He is the Prince of Peace. (Isa 9:6b)
Conclusion:
The key is to have the right priorities: Jesus Christ first, then others, then ourselves. It is vitally important that we spend time “at the feet of Jesus” every single day, letting Him share His Word with us. The most important part of the Christian life is the part that only God sees. Unless we meet Christ personally and privately each day, we will soon end up like Martha: busy but not blessed.
I believe that it is essential that we learn to hear His voice, if we are to have the abundant life that Jesus came to bring. (John 10:10b) While the work Martha is doing is important, it is not the most important thing—Jesus Himself.
May we never forget that to please God we need take time to be holy and then out of the love we get from Jesus serve others and show them how much we love them too.
Jesse
*Org. idea from Rev. Brian Biggers
Some thoughts and sentences from Sermon Central
