The Trap Of Busyness

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.”