choose the better way

Martha, as hostess, appears to be distracted, resentful, worried and upset. Mary displays an attentive & humble position, willing to learn as she listens to Jesus. Jesus shows concern for Martha’s anxiety but his verbal response is somewhat confusing because he does not specify what “the better way” is. Possible explanations: prioritize worship over service … seek first the Kingdom of God … learning God’s Word is primary … don’t condemn your sister … Jesus does not want you sulking in service … avoid wrong kinds of service … use your gifts for the Lord Some other lessons: • Be careful about giving directives to the Lord • Balance service & worship/learning: they are not mutually exclusive • The important role of friendship in our lives • Acknowledge diversity & conflict ......... EXTENDED NOTES: Context:

1. Jesus is all about surprises! Immediate preceding story included a Good Samaritan! ................ 2. This story is about two women! ............ additional insights: ................. • Jesus had foes, fans, and friends. The fans like you, the foes don’t. The thing that is similar between fans and foes? They choose you. Friends you choose. He chooses Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Jesus hand-selected these people to be his friends. Who are your friends? ........... • They were friends who ministered to Jesus. They feed him, house him. We see that Jesus is traveling quite a bit. He’s often homeless. Friends are there for him............ • The male Jesus, who was single, had female friends. Relationships between men and women can get very confused. Gentlemen, we should treat the ladies as what? Sisters. With holiness and reverence and respect and propriety.................. • Jesus discipled women for ministry. To sit at someone’s feet was an official position. In that day, you were not accepted to a school. You were accepted by a teacher. So you didn’t apply to Harvard. You applied to your rabbi. And if you applied to your rabbi and were accepted, you were given the honorable position of sitting at their feet while they lectured and instructed. And so your commitment was more to a teacher, a professor, a rabbi, than it was to an institution or an organization. And lots of people would want to sit at Jesus’ feet, but only a few were allowed to, and Mary was among them. That’s why we see with the Apostle Paul, in Acts 22 when he’s reflecting back on his former life, before he met Jesus as savior he says that he was formerly trained by, quote, “sitting at the feet of the rabbi Gamaliel.” That’s his articulation of his academic pedigree and instruction. Luke’s attention to women & children shows his desire to reflect Jesus’ commitment to touch every level of humanity. The fact that two women dominate the story is shocking in the 1st century context, where men usually dismissed women as marginal. Islam is a religion that subjugates women. Christianity is a religion that liberates women................... • Siblings in general, but sisters in particular, are just different. Martha is the firstborn, she’s the older, she’s the driver, to-do list. She’s the gal who comes home from school, checks the chores chart, puts her backpack away, starts chopping stuff for dinner. She has it all nailed down. Mary? She’s more like a butterfly. Wherever the wind’s blowin’, that’s where she’s goin’............... • Like all families, the brothers and sisters who are different than us annoy us...............

What Jesus is NOT saying:

1. Jesus loves Mary more than Martha. No - both are equally loved by Jesus. (John 11:5) verse 41 “Martha, Martha” denotes affection & concern ......... 2. Martha’s activity is just plain wrong! No – out of love, she was trying to serve him and ease his exhaustion. ............... 3. If Martha = action then Mary must = lazy. Because Jesus says Mary has chosen the better way, then inactivity, couch-potato behaviour is being condoned? Hardly! .... Let me tell you what Mary’s not, ‘cause I know some of you. And some of you are lazy, selfish, disorganized, and ridiculous. And you will say, “Well, I’m like Mary.” No, you’re not! She’s not playing solitaire on the computer, right? I mean, she’s spending time with Jesus—just ‘cause you don’t do anything doesn’t mean you’re like Mary, okay?

What Jesus IS saying

1. Martha’s wrong attitude in condemning her sister needed to be rebuked........ 2. In service, there is no room for agitation or anxiety. Watch out for “martyrdom complexes”. Don’t sink into sulkiness, don’t retreat into resentment. Greek for NIV “upset” = “outward noise” … = Martha is not wrong in her dedication to service, but in her method of discharging it!..............

3. Being busy is no excuse for neglecting worship of Christ or missing out on his words. MD = Here’s what Jesus is saying, “Martha, there’s a lot you can do, but there’s something that’s most important. In fact, Martha, you could take everything you’ve ever written on every to-do list and combine their importance and they’re not as important as getting time with me.” **** Blessed are the Balanced!

4. The Greek word for NIV distracted literally = “allow attention to wander” = does not preclude multi-tasking – so Martha was attempting to do both! Worship/learning + service are not mutually exclusive!

5. Some scholars suggest there is textual evidence to translate it as “Mary also sat at his feet” … Worship/learning + service are not mutually exclusive! Worship & Work must be one! Hymn #555 “Worship the Lord” – each verse ends with “worship & work must be one”

6. Avoid the wrong kind of serving which is to rush, fuss and fluster! Jesus needed an oasis of calm away from the demanding crowds

Some other lessons:

1. Be careful about giving directives to the Lord. .... other examples: Luke 12:13, John 8

2. Life is full of tough choices.

3. The meaning of “only one thing is needed” ... only one course, just a piece of bread, no need for all the fuss, a granola bar or P&B sandwich is all I need ...

4. Do what you are created do, be what you are created to be. MD = Marys need time in the Bible. They need silence and solitude and prayer. They need to go to church. They need to go to a small group. They need to be with God’s people and they need to sit at Jesus’ feet. That’s Mary. She wants to sit with her brothers and sisters in Christ and she wants to learn the Bible and she wants to pray and she wants to be equipped for ministry so that she can have a heart that is full of love for Jesus. This does not mean Martha is “bad”. Martha gets a little bit of a bad bum rap. And there is a good aspect to Martha. I’ll show it to you here in Luke 10:38, “a woman named Martha welcomed him [Jesus] into her house.” Jesus comes to town, who’s the only person that invites him over? Martha! That’s a good thing. Mary’s facilitate, make good things happen!! Without them the making of disciples is much more challenging.

5. Jesus missed Martha. MD = Martha, Martha, I’m passing through town. I’m not gonna be here for long. Eventually, they’re gonna crucify me. I have a lot of foes, I have a lot of fans. I don’t have a lot of friends. Martha, you’re one of my friends. We’re here. Let’s just sit in the living room and visit with everybody and pray and talk and laugh. We miss you. I miss you. We all miss you.” Jesus missed Martha.

Conclusion:

1. Deuteronomy 8:3 Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God 2. Choose the BETTER meal – the meal that will have eternal value - the meal of God’s Word! Deuteronomy 6:1-8