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11th November 2001 a.m.

A Return Visit to Bethany

Luke 10 vv 38-42

At the Home of Martha and Mary

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. 39 She had a sister
called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 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!”
41
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about
many things, 42 but only one thing is needed.a Mary has chosen what is
better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Yesterday Val and Carol got it into their heads to clear out the shed and the
loft!
Now I don’t go much on that kind of activity at the best of times, but – with
a couple of sermons to prepare you can imagine I was not well pleased! In
fact in a variety of ways, 12 Stanley Grove was a bit like Martha Manor,
Bethany. I leave you to guess which one was “worried and upset about
many things”. It was a similar conflict of interests – the service and the
sitting, the housework and the devotions.

But this lovely little narrative provides us with so many lessons about the
Christian life, and so many insights into the spiritual world that it is well
worth several visits.
Yes, Tom, we’ve been here before.

This morning I want to share with you thoughts about:

• The Christian Home

• The Christian Church and
• The Christian’s Challenge

And in each case we shall be drawing lessons from the experience of

Martha and Mary – and the others, when Jesus visited Bethany.

There’s a word to go with each of the sections:

The Home = OPENED v38

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The Church = SPOKEN vv 39, 40 41

The Challenge = CHOSEN v42

A. The Marks of a Christian Home

When we look at the family home at Bethany we can see a representation

of the home of the believer. Some folk are not even noticed – Lazarus, for
instance, we know he lived there – but there’s no mention of him. Martha
serves, and Mary sits at the feet of Jesus.

1. It has diverse members and interactions

We are all different – and the Gospel celebrates that individuality by

offering to each different individual and temperament a promise that they
can be LIKE JESUS. As in the world at large, there are the workers, the
dreamers, the thinkers; the doers and viewers; the unknown and the well
known – all sorts and conditions of men and women.

The unmentioned Lazarus is surely somewhere in the background

Martha is busy, complaining and in need of prioritising
Mary is causing a bit of bother by sitting and listening instead of being
busy

To this group of His friends, the Saviour comes with a unique contribution
for each, and especially in this narrative, for Martha and Mary.

Whatever your qualities and temperament Jesus has something for you,
and for the way you fit into your own home.

2. It is a place of contrasts : calm and storm

Pleasure and pain
Duty and distraction

Imagine you are one of the disciples on that day when Jesus visited
Bethany. I somehow think you would have been there before and would not
be surprised at the differences – the contrasts – between the characters.
You would notice Martha dashing about and getting fretful, you would
probably smell her delicious cakes too. You would expect to find Mary
sitting somewhere close to Jesus so as not to miss a word He says, and you
might even have a chat with Lazarus – and wonder how this man relates to
the ladies in his life.

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Life is like that: a rich mixture of differences. We might even now be

choosing which of the sisters we would invite back to our place.

The home is a place of contrasts – it is where the greater part of life is

lived. And it is best if Jesus visits often for He unifies and provokes the best
from His different friends.

3. Above all, it is a place for Jesus to be made welcome.

Notice how His coming brings out the qualities of his friends – providing an
opportunity to serve and to listen, to rush about and sit quietly, to
complain and to provoke complaint. But most of all His coming
TRANSFORMS them. Mary is affirmed – “she has chosen what is better”;
Martha lovingly corrected “Martha, Martha … only one thing is needed”

But as well as being a picture of the Christian home it also provides us with
a picture appropriate for today’s anniversary, a picture of:

B. The Marks of the Christian Church

Now interpret what you see as a visiting disciple at Bethany in terms of a

local Church. This is a place where Jesus comes often. He is welcomed,
listened to, served and even complained to; and probably in the
background a Lazarus is present who doesn’t even merit a mention – this
time, but he will get a visit all to himself later.

A place where Jesus is RECEIVED, BECOMES ONE OF THE GROUP, ADVISES

ITS MEMBERS…

1. Here we have a group of individuals together

Churches are not made up of people who are all the same, even though
they may share deeply held beliefs. Churches are made up of DIFFERENT
INDIVIDUALS – and often those differences are PART OF THE NECESSARY
STRUCTURE OF THE WHOLE.

There are the Lazarus’s – quietly in the background

The Mary’s – always listening to what He has to say
And the inevitable Martha’s who sometimes get a bit TOO BUSY.

There is scope for UNITY and HARMONY

DIVISION AND DISCORD

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We need the visiting Lord to “sort out our priorities”.

2. Here we have a centre for worship and service

Jesus commends the listening Mary. He reminds us that the PRIORITY of the
CHURCHES WORK is WORSHIP.

Jesus has been worshipped here for many years now. But when we review
the changing fortunes of this place we have to recognise that it’s primary
function is welcoming the LORD and WORSHIPPING HIM.

In a SECONDARY RESPECT it is also a place for SERVICE

Martha was the one who “opened” it – yet she got the balance wrong and
became distracted by the very service she so much longed to perform.

When you visit Bethany you are struck by the blessing afforded by quiet
waiting at the feet of Jesus.

When you assess the viability of this place of meeting – it is the quality of
the worship that must decide your evaluation of it’s work.

3. It is a place for sharing and voicing concerns.

Martha spoke up:

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!”

I notice that she knew her Friend well enough to be able to approach Him
directly

She expressed herself forcefully and forthrightly – she did not pause to
consider whether her language was appropriate or her request reasonable.

Like the family – the Church is a place for SHARING in that blunt and open
and honest a way.

She was right to come to Him

She was entitled to complain – but not to accuse Him of failing to care or
demanding a particular action. That is simply the evidence of how strongly
she felt.

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As a visiting disciple at Bethany that day how would you have assessed
her words?
Yet Jesus did not harshly condemn, He lovingly but forcefully pointed out
that there is a different priority to the Godly life.
41
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about
many things, 42 but only one thing is needed.a Mary has chosen what is
better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

His response shows He cares,

He understands her tension and stress
He simplifies her tasks
He does not grant her request

In fact it is an example of Jesus saying “No”.

I wonder how Martha reacted.

C. A Challenge to the individual believer

Jesus was invited to Martha’s home. She opened it to Him. Yet when He
came He did not adopt the role of a passive guest there to enjoy the
hospitality and say “Thank You”

When Jesus come He comes to CHALLENGE our lives, our homes, our
church work.

1. The challenge of His coming

Initially it was understood one way: Martha saw it as a challenge to her

considerable housekeeping and hospitality skills – but although I have no
doubt at all that Jesus enjoyed it immensely – He was looking for
something deeper.

I know a little how Martha felt.

No, I know I don’t rush about preparing the house or cooking the meal –
but I do spend a lot of time BUSY and SERVING, preparing and preaching.

I do not spend enough time sitting at His feet.

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Mary saw it as an OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN – a very different challenge –

and she was the one who got it right.

Jesus knocks at your door. How will you receive Him? Will you welcome
Him as the one whom you can busy yourself serving – or as the honoured
Guest whose words are more important than your works?

2. The challenge of our expectations

Martha invited Him. She wanted to lavish on Him her practical skills and
lavish service. In that she was not wrong – what was wrong was the way
that service became an end in itself and it made her see her sister in a
wrong light, and even accuse her Guest of not caring!

I like to think that Mary was as willing to help before He arrived as Martha
was, and that Lazarus was busy too – but Mary’s expectation was it would
seem along the lines of what He had to say.

What do WE expect of Jesus?

Are our expectations justified?

3. The challenge of finding a real focus

The “word” for this section was “CHOSEN”

Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from
her.”

Something BETTER is what Jesus offers.

How often we opt for DOING or BEING BUSY, or even HIDING IN THE
BACKGROUND, but Mary shows she got it right.

The ONE THING needed is knowing when to abandon the busyness and SIT
AT HIS FEET.

We all need what Wesley calls a “single steady aim”. Have we found it?