Weekly Update | April 14th
Listening to the Lord as Worship
Worship involves not only doing, but dwelling with the Lord.
Luke 10:38-42 records Jesus’ interaction with the sisters Mary and Martha. While many of us familiar with this story dismiss Martha, the lesson this story teaches is far more important. The passage begins immediately following the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and it is likely that the Gospel writer Luke placed it here to complement Our Lord’s teaching on the Good Samaritan. One might erroneously conclude, after that parable, that serving others and helping the poor are the ultimate acts of worship, but this account of Mary and Martha shows us that is not the case.
Service to the Lord should never replace time spent with the Lord. Martha displays great hospitality in welcoming Jesus and the disciples, a large group of traveling, hungry men, into her home. She goes above and beyond showing hospitality, including serving food and preparing the house for their visit. In this way, Martha was doing a good thing, dedicating time to action meant to honor Jesus. However, Martha wasn’t doing the best thing.
Martha allowed her serving to become a distraction, as evidenced by Luke 10:40, “But Martha was distracted with all her preparations.” She allowed the good things she was doing to honor Jesus to lead her to bitterness toward her sister Mary and frustration at Jesus, the very guest she was working to honor!
What was Mary doing that frustrated Martha? Rather, it was what Mary was not doing that frustrated her sister. Mary was not preparing the table, cooking, cleaning, or serving food. Mary was “seated at the Lord’s feet” (10:39). This was the place of a disciple, sitting at their teacher’s feet. While the things Martha was doing were good, Mary was doing the most important thing: spending time with the Messiah.
Just like the parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us that devotion without action is empty religion, the account of Mary and Martha teaches us that action without devotion is empty work. They are both dangerous, and believers must strive to be balanced - serving the Lord through meeting needs practically, and abiding in Him daily. How many of us, who love Jesus like Martha did, get so wrapped up in serving we forget to spend time with Jesus? How many of us let the busyness of this life choke out our quiet time with the Lord?
Worship involves not only doing, but dwelling with the Lord.
God Bless,
Pastor Brandon
Sunday Morning:
Sermon Text: Luke 11:1-8
Musical Selections:
Battle Belongs
Good Grace
Goodness Of God
King Of Kings
Jesus Paid It All
Wednesday Service
Student Ministries:
Elementary School: Children in Action
Youth (6th - 12th Grade) Girls: Acteens
Sunday Evening Service
Bible Study & Current Events
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