Pastor Nam Park.
Sometimes the responsibilities we have become drudgery. Something we have to do rather than something we want to do. ie. Be a cheerful giver. Moms taking care of babies without joy. Students having to do assignments. Drudgery. Christians that go to church without joy, doing.
It's the BOTH/AND of "Duty" and "Devotion" that we're seeking.
The Lord cares about our heart and motives.
Martha and Mary
Luke 10:38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her,“Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Let us not be pre-occupied with responsibility, to the exclusion of our delight of You. Thank you for Your Word. We Praise You and ask for your Holy Spirit to instruct us now. Amen.
We do things we're supposed to, not necessarily because we want to do things.
Jesus taught during the day. At night, most likely he would stay in Bethany, in the home of Mary, Martha, & Lazarus. Luke chooses to put this story here, even if it doesn't fit the chronologically order. It's a thematic placing of this story. Training the disciples that we are to love our God in worshipful service. This story falls right after the story of the Samaritan being a good neighbor, and the disciples might error on the "doing." To prevent against just "doing," we have this story here.
Martha is probably the oldest. She is the most assertive.
Mary is known for using perfume to wash Jesus' feet with her hair. No words of Mary recorded in Scripture.
Martha wanted to impress. It's an elaborate meal. She also just wanted to be nice.
Luke 10:39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
- She takes initiative to dialogue with Jesus and to be His disciple.
- It's unusual for women to become disciples.
- She was intentional of being an intense learner.
- Mary is more interested in being a learner.
Martha and Mary are BOTH disciples of Christ.
The Distraction that Duty might Bring.
Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
- Martha is distracted by her preparation.
- In the midst of her ministry, she was sidetracked in making this more about herself than serving a meal.
- Distracted by becoming "too busy"
- The 20th Century is defined by busyness.
The older generation imagined that as technology increased, we would have increased leisure. The exact opposite. We are "busy" trying to be productive. Our "busyness" is our badge of honor.
"People expect us to be busy and over-worked. It's become a status symbol in our society. If we're busy, we're important, if we're not busy, we're embarrassed to admit it. Busyness is where we get our security. It's validating, popular, and pleasing. It's also a good excuse for not dealing with the first things in our lives." - Steven Convey, book: "First things first"
Old Friends: How are things?
Nam: It's been busy...
Old Friends: I thought you just went on vacation.
Nam: Oh, yes, busy vacation. Busy relaxing. Busy, busy, busy.
Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
- When it's all about drudgery, we start to doubt the goodness of our God for us.
- ie. Studying for that test that you don't want to take. Drudgery.
- When it's drudgery, we feel disappointment in God, Himself.
- We also become grumbling in our own spirits. (Mary left her all alone). Transforms to a critical spirit. Command that girl to HELP ME. The heart is distracted. The critical spirit is developed in a sense of urgency.
"Tension and frustration mount when we are performing the wrong tasks or trying to cram too many of the right activities into a given period. The critical spirit begins to develop and we begin to judge and condemn others for what they do or don't do. Any time you feel a wave of criticism gaining in your spirit, remember that it's completely out-of-line as God is concerned." - Charles Hummel, book: Freedom from the Tyranny of the Urgent.
If anyone has right to complain, it would be Jesus. He skips meals, preaches, has little time to sleep. But He is the last to complain.
Luke 10:41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
- Jesus is to help her prioritize devotion.
- "Martha, Martha": a sign of tender emotion/affection. It's not "Satan, get behind me." This reproach is for a woman who doesn't realize that she has become so distracted.
- She is inwardly worried, outwardly bothered.
- Service is important. But it can become drudgery and stress.
- Don't forget why we do ministry: Devotion to God.
- Being connected in fellowship is greater than service.
Psalms 51: 1 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
Let us not be pre-occupied with responsibility, to the exclusion of our delight of You. Thank you for Your Word. We Praise You and ask for your Holy Spirit to instruct us now. Amen.
We do things we're supposed to, not necessarily because we want to do things.
Jesus taught during the day. At night, most likely he would stay in Bethany, in the home of Mary, Martha, & Lazarus. Luke chooses to put this story here, even if it doesn't fit the chronologically order. It's a thematic placing of this story. Training the disciples that we are to love our God in worshipful service. This story falls right after the story of the Samaritan being a good neighbor, and the disciples might error on the "doing." To prevent against just "doing," we have this story here.
Martha is probably the oldest. She is the most assertive.
Mary is known for using perfume to wash Jesus' feet with her hair. No words of Mary recorded in Scripture.
Martha wanted to impress. It's an elaborate meal. She also just wanted to be nice.
Luke 10:39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
- She takes initiative to dialogue with Jesus and to be His disciple.
- It's unusual for women to become disciples.
- She was intentional of being an intense learner.
- Mary is more interested in being a learner.
Martha and Mary are BOTH disciples of Christ.
John 11:21 Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus *said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha *said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”
- Martha's confession is on level with Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ.The Distraction that Duty might Bring.
Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
- Martha is distracted by her preparation.
- In the midst of her ministry, she was sidetracked in making this more about herself than serving a meal.
- Distracted by becoming "too busy"
- The 20th Century is defined by busyness.
The older generation imagined that as technology increased, we would have increased leisure. The exact opposite. We are "busy" trying to be productive. Our "busyness" is our badge of honor.
"People expect us to be busy and over-worked. It's become a status symbol in our society. If we're busy, we're important, if we're not busy, we're embarrassed to admit it. Busyness is where we get our security. It's validating, popular, and pleasing. It's also a good excuse for not dealing with the first things in our lives." - Steven Convey, book: "First things first"
Old Friends: How are things?
Nam: It's been busy...
Old Friends: I thought you just went on vacation.
Nam: Oh, yes, busy vacation. Busy relaxing. Busy, busy, busy.
Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
- When it's all about drudgery, we start to doubt the goodness of our God for us.
- ie. Studying for that test that you don't want to take. Drudgery.
- When it's drudgery, we feel disappointment in God, Himself.
- We also become grumbling in our own spirits. (Mary left her all alone). Transforms to a critical spirit. Command that girl to HELP ME. The heart is distracted. The critical spirit is developed in a sense of urgency.
"Tension and frustration mount when we are performing the wrong tasks or trying to cram too many of the right activities into a given period. The critical spirit begins to develop and we begin to judge and condemn others for what they do or don't do. Any time you feel a wave of criticism gaining in your spirit, remember that it's completely out-of-line as God is concerned." - Charles Hummel, book: Freedom from the Tyranny of the Urgent.
If anyone has right to complain, it would be Jesus. He skips meals, preaches, has little time to sleep. But He is the last to complain.
Luke 10:41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
- Jesus is to help her prioritize devotion.
- "Martha, Martha": a sign of tender emotion/affection. It's not "Satan, get behind me." This reproach is for a woman who doesn't realize that she has become so distracted.
- She is inwardly worried, outwardly bothered.
- Service is important. But it can become drudgery and stress.
- Don't forget why we do ministry: Devotion to God.
- Being connected in fellowship is greater than service.
Psalms 51: 1 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
4 Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.
14 Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
18 By Your favor do good to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.
- In OT times, if you sinned, you would offer sacrifices.
- David taps into something more: God wants a contrite heart.
- Isn't that why you became a Christian? It's not about escaping hell-fire. It's about repairing the relationship we have with God.
- It's easy to do stuff without caring about stuff.
- You must redeem the things that you do. Why do you do what you do... for the Lord.
Luke 10:42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
- Martha is not rebuked for sinful service. She's not sinning.
- Martha is missing a singular element that makes ALL THINGS GREAT.
- ie. Salt is like that. Sea Salt Coffee at 85 Degrees. It tastes like ice cream.
- The one thing: Communion with God. The one thing is connected to our Savior. The nearness of God that help us to know that the Lord is good.
- Taste and see that the Lord is good. We understand "taste" very well, like the things we eat.
- DEVOTION. To love and to enjoy Him. It makes all things GOOD.
- "good portion": everything that is delightful, the Lord.
Mary chose the good part. She is there to learn, meditate, glorify (what the Son has come to do). Communion transforms our giving and service into JOY. It's the difficult balance of communion with the duty. Choosing the nearness of God is good at ALL TIMES. Duty without devotion is likened to a mom serving her family meals but hating them on the inside. Duty can turn into drudgery.
Text messaging/emailing continually decreases IQ by 5 points in women, 15 points in men. That's the equivalent of missing a night of sleep or smoking marijuana.
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.
- In OT times, if you sinned, you would offer sacrifices.
- David taps into something more: God wants a contrite heart.
- Isn't that why you became a Christian? It's not about escaping hell-fire. It's about repairing the relationship we have with God.
- It's easy to do stuff without caring about stuff.
- You must redeem the things that you do. Why do you do what you do... for the Lord.
Luke 10:42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
- Martha is not rebuked for sinful service. She's not sinning.
- Martha is missing a singular element that makes ALL THINGS GREAT.
- ie. Salt is like that. Sea Salt Coffee at 85 Degrees. It tastes like ice cream.
- The one thing: Communion with God. The one thing is connected to our Savior. The nearness of God that help us to know that the Lord is good.
- Taste and see that the Lord is good. We understand "taste" very well, like the things we eat.
- DEVOTION. To love and to enjoy Him. It makes all things GOOD.
- "good portion": everything that is delightful, the Lord.
Mary chose the good part. She is there to learn, meditate, glorify (what the Son has come to do). Communion transforms our giving and service into JOY. It's the difficult balance of communion with the duty. Choosing the nearness of God is good at ALL TIMES. Duty without devotion is likened to a mom serving her family meals but hating them on the inside. Duty can turn into drudgery.
Text messaging/emailing continually decreases IQ by 5 points in women, 15 points in men. That's the equivalent of missing a night of sleep or smoking marijuana.
Sometimes we go on Sunday because we have to.
But we are actually going to worship our God. Redeem the reason why you do the things you do.
But we are actually going to worship our God. Redeem the reason why you do the things you do.
