Martha In His Face, Mary At His Feet

By E. A. Johnston Bible Text: Preached On: Luke 10:38- ! "un#ay, $o%e&'er 10, !013

Ambassadors For Christ Intl-USA 133( )erre** Mi** +oa# B*#, 1 -!, "uite 100 Marietta, .A 300-/ Online Sermons: 000.ser&onau#io.co&12!!(

My &essa,e toni,ht is on a 3a&i*iar 4assa,e o3 "cri4ture 3ro& the ,os4e* o3 Luke a'out the story o3 the t0o sisters, Martha an# Mary. It is 3oun# in Luke 10:38- !. 5ou can turn in your Bi'*es there no0. My &essa,e is entit*e# 6Martha In His Face an# Mary At His Feet.7 )hese t0o sisters *o%e# Jesus an# Jesus *o%e# the& 'ut they 0ere %ery #i33erent. 8e ha%e 'usy, 'ossy Martha contraste# 0ith 9uiet, re3*ecti%e Mary. Au,ustine sai# o3 these t0o sisters that he:# rather ha%e Martha 'e3ore #inner an# Mary a3ter. I 0ant us to 3ocus on this scene 3ro& Luke toni,ht. Jesus ;ust *o%e# ,oin, to the *itt*e ho&e in Bethany to %isit La<arus an# his t0o sisters, Martha an# Mary. It 0as a 4*ace 0here he 3e*t at ho&e an# co&3orta'*e. It 0as a 4*ace 0here he cou*# 'e hi&se*3 an# kick o33 his san#a*s an# re*a=. Is your house *ike that, 3rien#> ?oes Jesus 3ee* at ho&e in your ho&e in that 0ay> @r is there so&ethin, in your ho&e that he 0ou*# 'e unco&3orta'*e 0ith> 8e**, the *ast ti&e I 4reache# this &essa,e 0as a'out ten years a,o an# t0o &e&ora'*e thin,s stan# out in &y &in# 3ro& 4reachin, it 'ack then. First, I reca** I 0as 4reachin, it to a ,rou4 o3 4astors an# ?r. "te4hen F. @*3or# 0as sittin, on the 3ront ro0. I 0as ner%ous as a** ,et-out. In 3act, I 0as so ner%ous that 'e3ore I 4reache#, I aske# ?r. @*3or# to 4ray 3or &e an# he *ai# his han#s on &e an# 4raye# 3or this ner%ous 4reacher. "econ#*y, I reca** that 0hen I 0as throu,h 4reachin, this &essa,e a 4astor 3ro& $e0 @r*eans ran u4 to &e an# he 0ou*#n:t *et &e ,o un*ess I ,a%e hi& &y ser&on notes so that he cou*# 4reach the sa&e &essa,e to his con,re,ation that co&in, "un#ay. 8e**, I 3ee* *e# to 4reach this &essa,e to you toni,ht 'ecause 0e can *earn &uch 3ro& it an# the &ain &essa,e to 'e *earne# is that there is a nee# 3or 'oth ser%ice an# 0orshi4 'ut Mary ha# it ri,ht 'ecause she hee#e# to the one thin, nee#3u*. Listen 3rien#s, 0orshi4 &ust 4rece#e ser%ice. "o&eti&es 0e ,et that a** turne# aroun# an# .o# is not so concerne# a'out 0hat 0e #o 3or hi&, runnin, aroun# here an# there, ser%in, hi&, as he is &ore concerne# a'out our 0orshi4 o3 hi&. A**o0 &e to rea# you our 4assa,e o3 "cri4ture this e%enin,,

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638 $o0 it ha44ene#, as they 0ent, that he entere# into a certain %i**a,e: an# a certain 0o&an na&e# Martha 0e*co&e# hi& into her house. 32 An# she ha# a sister ca**e# Mary, 0ho a*so sat at JesusB 3eet, an# hear# his 0or#. 0 But Martha 0as #istracte# 0ith &uch ser%in,, an# she a44roache# hi&, an# sai#, Lor#, #o you not care that &y sister has *e3t &e to ser%e a*one> )here3ore te** her to he*4 &e. 1 An# Jesus ans0ere# an# sai# to her, Martha, Martha, you are 0orrie# an# trou'*e# a'out &any thin,s: ! 'ut one thin, is nee#e#: an# Mary has chosen that ,oo# 4art, 0hich 0i** not 'e taken a0ay 3ro& her.7 $o0, I 0ant us to notice se%era* thin,s a'out this 4assa,e o3 "cri4ture, this *itt*e 4erico4e. 8e see Martha in his 3ace co&4are# to Mary at his 3eet. $otice a*so that Martha is concerne# a'out &any thin,s an# Mary is concerne# a'out one thin,, the one thin, nee#3u*. Look at %erse 0 0here Martha #ec*ares, 6Lor#, #o you not care>7 Martha 9uestions hi&. Ha%e you e%er 9uestione# .o#, 3rien#> Ha%e you e%er sai#, 6Lor#, you see &y 4ro'*e&. ?o you not care>7 But the 4ro4het Isaiah #ec*ares, 6"ha** the c*ay say to hi& that 3ashione# it, 8hat &akest thou>7 $e=t 0e see that Martha ,oes a ste4 3urther 3ro& 9uestionin, hi& to 'ossin, hi&C she 'osses hi& aroun# an# ,ets in his 3ace. "he says, 6)e** her to he*4 &e.7 I&a,ine the ner%e o3 Martha 'ossin, the Dreator o3 the uni%erse aroun# an# Martha 0as #isres4ect3u* to Jesus 'ecause she interru4ts hi& as he is s4eakin, 0ith Mary. I 0ant to rea# you 0hat this te=t says in the .reek *an,ua,e 'ecause it has a stron,er e&4hasis. It states that,7she 'urst in u4on Jesus an# assu&e# a stance o%er hi& sayin,, "4eak there3ore to her at once.7 Dan you i&a,ine the 'o*#ness o3 Martha as she stan#s there in her a4ron 0ith her han#s on her hi4s or#erin, Jesus aroun#. In essence, Martha is in his 3ace. But #o you kno0 0hat, 3rien#> E%en thou,h Martha is che0in, Jesus out, there is a 4assa,e in John:s ,os4e* 0here 0e see a ten#er scene at this *itt*e house in Bethany. )hat te=t rea#s, 6$o0 Jesus *o%e# Martha an# her sister an# La<arus.7 He *o%e# her. He *o%e# her e%en thou,h she cou*# 'e #i33icu*t at ti&esC #es4ite a** her 3au*ts, Jesus *o%e# her. ?o you kno0 0hat, #ear 3rien#> ?es4ite a** &y 3au*ts, he *o%es &e an# #es4ite a** your 3au*ts, he *o%es you. A&a<in, *o%eE 8e shou*# *o%e *ike that. "o 0e see Martha in his 3ace, interru4tin, hi&, 9uestionin, hi&, 'ossin, hi&. $o0 *et us *ook at the 9uiet sister, Mary. 8e ha%e seen Martha in his 3ace, no0 *et us *ook an# see Mary at his 3eet. Ferse 32 says, 6Mary, 0ho a*so sat at Jesus: 3eet, an# hear# his 0or#.7 Mary sits near to JesusC she 0ants to 'e c*ose to Jesus to hear 0hat he has to say to her. "he is a *earner an# a 0orshi44er o3 JesusC she #esires his 3e**o0shi4. "he a*0ays en;oye# the %isits o3 Jesus to her ho&e an# she can:t ,et enou,h o3 hi&C she 0ants to stay in his 4resence. ?o you ha%e a 4rayer *i3e *ike that, 3rien#> ?o you stan# sti** enou,h in your #e%otiona* ti&e to *isten an# hear his %oice an# to hear his 0or# to you> Mary sits at the 3eet o3 Jesus in an attitu#e o3 0orshi4. As 'e*ie%ers 0e shou*# 3o**o0 Mary:s e=a&4*e an# #o *ike0ise. It 0e sat at his 3eet &ore, 0e 0ou*# 3a** *ess into #itches. 8e each shou*# ha%e a #ai*y 9uiet ti&e 0ith our

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Lor#, a re,u*ar #e%otiona* ti&e 0here 0e &eet .o# an# 0orshi4 hi& in his 4resence. I3 0e cou*# on*y *earn this %a*ua'*e *esson, that 0orshi4 4rece#es ser%ice, 'ut 0e &ust s4en# the necessary ti&e 0ith our Master in a #ai*y 9uiet ti&e o3 4rayer 'ut &any o3 us are too 'usy ser%in, hi& *ike Martha an# 0e 3ai* to sit at his 3eet *ike Mary. )here is an oi* 4aintin, that han,s in a "4anish ,a**ery an# in this 4aintin, is a 3ar&er 0ho is knee*in, 'esi#e his stra0 hat. He has ;ust *ai# #o0n his 3ar& i&4*e&ents an# his 4*o0. In the #istance is a to0n an# a 'e**-to0er o3 a church an# it is o'%ious 3ro& *ookin, at this 4aintin, that the church 'e** has ;ust run, to ca** the %i**a,e to a ti&e o3 4rayer. But i3 you *ook &ore care3u**y at this 4aintin, in the to4 ri,ht corner, you:# see the 3or& o3 an an,e* that has ;ust 4icke# u4 the reins o3 the tea& o3 &u*es an# is 'ehin# the 4*o0 as it turns a 3resh 3urro0 in the ,roun#. )he ca4tion 'e*o0 the 4aintin, has three 0or#s in ca4ita* *etters an# they rea#: $@ )IME L@"). ?o you ,et it> $o ti&e *ost. 8hen 0e 4ray, a** o3 hea%en is en*iste# on our 'eha*3. 8e ,et &ore #one in 4rayer than out o3 4rayer. $o ti&e *ost. Mary kne0 the 'etter 4art, the one thin, nee#3u*. Mary:s sister, Martha, 0as concerne# a'out &any thin,s. Jesus sai# to her, 6Martha, you are 0orrie# an# trou'*e# a'out &any thin,s.7 Martha 0as &issin, the &ain thin, in her house an# that 0as the "on o3 .o#. Mary, on the other han#, 0as concerne# a'out that one thin,, one thin, nee#3u*: Jesus Dhrist. 8hen I 0as #oin, &y research on &y 'io,ra4hy o3 .eor,e 8hit3ie*#, I *ocate# a 3a&ous 4iece o3 8hit3ie*# &e&ora'i*ia. It is no0 house# in a &useu& on Lon, Is*an#. It:s a 4iece o3 a 0in#o0 4ane 3ro& an o*# house 0here .eor,e 8hit3ie*# ha# 'een the ,uest an# s4ent the ni,ht there. In 3act, on the 'ack o3 this 4ane o3 ,*ass is a #ocu&ent attache# 0hich rea#s, 6.eor,e 8hit3ie*# in 1/-( %isite# the to0nshi4 o3 "outho*#. He *o#,e# one ni,ht at a house o0ne# 'y a 0ea*thy &an 'y the na&e o3 Mr. )ho&as Fannin, 0ho 4ossesse# an a'un#ance o3 the ,oo# thin,s o3 this *i3e, yet see&e# to 'e #estitute o3 hea%en*y thin,s. In the &ornin,, .eor,e 8hit3ie*# arose an# 'e3ore he *e3t the roo& he 0rote 0ith a #ia&on# on the 4ane o3 ,*ass these i&4ortant 0or#s, G@ne thin, is nee#3u*.:7 5ou see 3rien#s, the ,reat British e%an,e*ist kne0 3u** 0e** a'out Jesus 'ein, the one thin, nee#3u*, so #i# Mary. Martha ha# to *earn it, ho0 a'out you> Are you too 'usy to 4ray> Are you too 'usy in Dhristian ser%ice to s4en# ti&e in the 0orshi4 o3 the A*&i,hty> ?o 0e rea*i<e the necessity o3 sittin, at the 3eet o3 our Master each #ay an# hearin, his 0or#> @ne #ay, a youn, ru*er a44roache# Jesus an# this &an 0as 9uite 0ea*thy an# he kne0 a** the co&&an#&ents an# c*ai&e# to ha%e ke4t the& since his youth. But Jesus to*# hi&, 6)hou *ackest one thin,.7 )hat rich youn, ru*er ha# so&ethin, 0hich stoo# 'et0een hi& an# his .o# an# that 0as his &oney. He 0as not 0i**in, to 4art 0ith his &oney to 3o**o0 Dhrist. He *acke# the one thin, nee#3u* 0hich 0as Jesus Dhrist. I *ike 0hat Fance

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Ha%ner sai# a'out the rich youn, ru*er, he sai#, 6)he rich youn, ru*er 0as a ,oo# 'oy 'ut he 0asn:t .o#:s 'oy.7 Ho0 a'out you, 3rien#> Is there so&ethin, in your *i3e that stan#s 'et0een you an# .o#> Is there so&ethin, in your *i3e 0hich 0ou*# &ake Jesus unco&3orta'*e i3 he %isite# your ho&e to#ay> Is there so&e sin you are hu,,in, that is kee4in, you 3ro& the one thin, nee#3u*> .o throu,h your Bi'*e an# see the e=a&4*es o3 &en an# 0o&en 0ho 3oun# .o# to 'e the one thin, nee#3u*. It:s a the&e that runs *ike a ,o*#en threa# throu,hout the entire "cri4tures. Moses stoo# at the 'urnin, 'ush an# his *i3e 0as 3ore%er chan,e#. A'raha& 'e*ie%e# .o# enou,h to sacri3ice his 4recious son, Isaac. Jaco' 0rest*e# a** ni,ht 0ith .o# unti* he *earne# it. Aau* sa0 it. Aeter e%entua**y rea*i<e# it. Ha%e you> Is Jesus the one thin, nee#3u* in your *i3e, 3rien#> Let &e ask you this: are you a Martha or a Mary> ?o you a**o0 yourse*3 to 'e 0orn out in the ser%ice o3 the Hin, an# se*#o& ha%e ti&e to 0orshi4 the Hin,> ?o you #esire to sit at the 3eet o3 Jesus an# hear his %oice> ?o 0e e%en take the ti&e to re3*ect on 0hat .o# has #one 3or us throu,h sa*%ation> I re&e&'er a story that Leonar# +a%enhi** to*#. He sai# that 0hen he 0as a 4astor in En,*an#, he o3ten 4asse# 'y a s&a** house on his 0ay to church. In that house *i%e# a 4ackrat, an o*# 0o&an 0ho co**ecte# 'o=es an# 'ooks an# assort&ents o3 a** kin#s o3 thin,s that &ost 4eo4*e 0ou*# 3in# use*ess. @ne #ay as he 4asse# her house, she sto44e# hi& an# in%ite# hi& in 3or a cu4 o3 tea. He kne0 that this o*# 0o&an ha# %isite# his church 3ro& ti&e-to-ti&e so he cou*# not re3use her. As he entere# her #irty house, he notice# that she 0as o'ser%in, his e%ery &o%e as he &a#e his 0ay to her kitchen 0hich the roo&s 0ere stacke# to the cei*in, 0ith 'o=es an# 'ooks an# ru''ish. "he &otione# hi& to take a seat at her kitchen ta'*e 0hich he #i#. In the sink he sa0 a stack o3 #irty #ishes an# they:# 'een there so *on, that &o*# 0as ,ro0in, on the&. "he aske# hi& i3 he 0ante# su,ar 0ith his tea. He re4*ie#, 6$o.7 "he sai# she #i#n:t ha%e any. "he aske# hi& i3 he 0ante# &i*k 0ith his tea. He sai#, 6$o.7 "he sai#, 6.oo#, I #on:t ha%e any.7 )hen Leonar# +a%enhi** sai# this o*# 0o&an han#e# hi& a #irty cu4 that ha# not 'een 0ashe# in 0eeks. At the 'otto& o3 it 0as a** '*ack ,ri&e. "he then 4oure# into that #irty cu4 so&e thick '*ack ,oo 3ro& an o*# tea kett*e an# she 0aite# to see i3 he 0ou*# #rink it. +a%enhi** sai#, 6I sat there kno0in, her eyes 0ere u4on &e to see i3 I 0ou*# #rink that 3i*thy cu4 o3 tea an# as I sat there, I stare# into that #irty cu4 an# &y &in# race# 'ack !,000 years to another &an 0ho 0as han#e# a cu4 that he ha# to s0a**o0 an# that cu4 0as '*ack as 0e** 'ecause it 0as 3i**e# 0ith &y '*ack rotten sins an# he ha# to #rink it 3or &e.7 Listen 3rien#s, Jesus hun, nake# on a '*oo#y cross 3or your rotten sins. His a,ony 0as ,reat as he hun, on that '*oo#y tree. It 0as a scan#a* to 'e cruci3ie# as a co&&on cri&ina* 'ut he #i# it. He #rank that cu4 o3 the 0rath o3 .o# 3or sin an# he #i# it so that 0e &ay ha%e *i3e. Ho0 can 0e c*ai& to 'e too 'usy 3or hi&> Ho0 can 0e ha%e ti&e 3or our a&use&ents, ti&e 3or our s4orts, ti&e 3or our entertain&ents, ti&e 3or our ho''ies, ti&e 3or our sho44in, an# yet co&4*ain 0e ha%e no ti&e to 4ray> @ur *ack o3 a %ita* 4rayer *i3e #e&onstrates our *ack o3 the one thin, nee#3u*. 8e are too 4reoccu4ie# 0ith

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uni&4ortant thin,s in *i,ht o3 eternity an# they consu&e our ti&e an# our *i%es an# one #ay soon 0e 0i** #ie an# enter that eternity. An# 0hen 0e stan# 'e3ore hi& 0ho has eyes o3 3ire, 0hat 0i** our e=cuses 'e then as to 0hy 0e #i# not s4en# &ore ti&e 0ith hi&> I3 you are ,ui*ty in this *ack, #ear 3rien#, a#&it your ,ui*t to .o# ri,ht no0. Ask hi& to 3or,i%e you 3or i,norin, hi&, 3or re4*acin, hi& 0ith the thin,s o3 this 0or*#. @ur 0eak 4rayer *i%es stan# as an in#ict&ent a,ainst us an# 0i** stan# on that #ay. Be *ike Mary, 3rien#, an# ,o to your knees an# stay at his 3eet unti* he &eets you there. .o there no0, 3rien#. .o there no0. ?o not #e*ay. .et serious 0ith .o# an# he 0i** ,et serious 0ith you. A** that &atters is eternity. Let &e c*ose in 4rayer. Lord Jesus, forgive me for not spending more time with you. Forgive me for replacing you with worthless things. Forgive me for ignoring you by my being too busy for you. Jesus, please give me the grace to see you more clearly, to desire you more earnestly, to hear you more precisely. Let this be a day where my life is forever changed.

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