Luke 10:38-42
At the Home of Martha and Mary
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
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!"
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Get - er – done (Christmas Perspective 3)
Luke 10:38-10:42
According to our scripture it was her own fault. She had invited Jesus and his disciples over for the night.
It was a simple act of hospitality. Any decent person would do it.
But inviting 13 people over for the night is a lot of work. But it could be more. The number may include in the group traveling with Jesus at this point in scripture may have been around 70 people. If that is true, then we are talking about needing a caterer.
There is a good chance that Martha, Mary and Lazarus already knew Jesus and many of the disciples. They lived in Bethany which is on one of the main roads that lead to Jerusalem. I will compare it to Kissimmee Florida and its position to Disney world. Worshipers go to and from the temple all year around and of course as the festival times every place for miles around would be packed. Bethany is only a mile and a half from Jerusalem.
There is a chance that their home is a family run business. Sort of a bed and breakfast kind of place that could handle many guest. However, we don’t know what their livelihood really was.
We have spent a couple of weeks examining Christmas perspectives.
-- And right now, you are probably thinking that this is obviously NOT one of the Christmas stories. And technically you are correct. However, I think that these 5 verses contains a Christmas perspective.
So lets do a quick review, we looked at Mary, a young girl that had a total view of how her life was developing changed by an angel.
How she was the first to understand that God was sending the messiah to be with us, to be like one of us.
Last Sunday we looked at Joseph. A new husband that is surprised by the news that his wife is pregnant. We talked about a view in his culture where he had rights to deal with an adulterous spouse. But, he was mature enough or wise enough not to just react to shock and hurt but to consider the situation. His first reaction was to handle the situation with as much love as he could muster. Then he has his on messenger from God which helps him to deal with his fear of what other people might think about him…Perhaps deal with his loss of pride based on his rightness.
It helps him to deal with how people will view him. And even to trust that what happened and will happen is from God.
-- This week we are looking at two sisters as we identify another Christmas perspective.
This is a passage of the Bible that makes my mother feel uncomfortable. She relates herself to Martha and is uncomfortable with the message that she hears in this text. Many of us probably feel the same way.
While this text is not directly a Christmas text it jumps into the situation that many of us are in right now with all the preparations for Christmas. And more importantly it can be used to keep the right view of how to view all the things that need to be done at home and in church throughout the year.
Think about this. What would you need to get done around the house if you invited Jesus over?
Would you want to run the vacuum?
Maybe dust just a little?
Perhaps a once over in the bathrooms?
-- Maybe put the family Bible on the Coffee table?
So in today’s scripture we have this brief snapshot of what happens when Jesus is invited into a home.
We have the older sister, rushing around the house and kitchen getting things ready.
Maybe she starts in the kitchen getting the cooking fires going. Preheating the oven for bread and getting some coals started to be able to heat the pots and pans.
Then she dashes through the main rooms, fluffing pillows and generally straightening up. Then back into the kitchen for a shopping list.
Any of us can picture the stress that happens when we have some surprise guest.
I wonder, as Martha moved in the kitchen, did she bang the pots a little more, louder that necessary. Does she drop the wood in the wood box with loud thumps?
As she passed through the family room is she just lightly walking or is it more of a stomp as she crosses the floor? What about making some of those asthmatic sighs…Haaaa….the kind that should make the people in the room ask, What is wrong?
All that to perhaps drop a little hint that she wants and needs some help. Perhaps at least an offer of help.
I guess no one notices if she does and or all of that.
Mary just sits there at Jesus’ feet enthralled with every word, when there is so much work to be done.
We can compare getting ready for Christmas to inviting Jesus into our home, it very similar, being Jesus’ birthday and all.
So how is your Christmas preparation going?
Don’t you hate it when people ask if you have finished your shopping right up to Christmas Eve? Perhaps because you aren’t.
Having Guest can be a stressful time.
Are some of you feeling the stress building up?
-- How is your perspective of the season right now?
Our scripture shows two opposite ends of the spectrum.
We have Mary, She wants to spend quality time with the house guest and listening to the conversation. The stories of the travels and the teaching about God. To her having the guest in the house is about having quality time spent with the guest. It is about relationship and giving special attention.
The scripture offers a simple description, Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.”
In scripture the phrase “sitting at the feet of someone” means being a student. The teacher stood or sat on something and the students sat around on the floor listening.
It also describes family situations when parents or grand parents taught scripture or told stories to the children.
I suspect that Mary is the youngest in this family of three. She is used to being spoiled and allowed to listen in when guest are around. I do wonder if this time was different, if in the excitement of the moment, she forgot to do her chores or her part of the preparations for the guest.
Martha had probably given the audible hints of noise and sighs and her sister had not even looked in her direction. She just sat there drinking it all in and listening to Jesus.
Mary’s perspective and actions will leave they guest hungry and thirsty but will offer the closest relationship because of the time spent together.
-- Then we have Martha that wants everything to be perfect.
She wants to make the big meal and serve it on the good plates and silverware. She wants the house to be perfect.
She wants the guest to feel at home and be completely satisfied and cared for.
The scripture describes it like this; “But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.”
Martha was distracted, cumbered according to the KJV, [overly occupied and too busy] according to the amplified translation.
Let me give you the word from the TAB translation, Tab is The Thomas Ashley Bowen - paraphrase, How about upset…..steamed!
She has this big job and needs to “get-er-done” and hasn’t to a lick of help from anybody. 13, 15 25 70 guests…..
Martha’s perspective wants the guest to have every desire, every comfort, which means someone had to anticipate every need. Someone needs to cover all the bases, just in case. How else is the cooking and cleaning going to get done?
This perspective leaves little or no time for conversation.
--- Each perspective has wonderful merit and value. Then the scripture comes to a simple confrontation.
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!"
Now that sounds fair to me. She did not come grab her sister by the arm and march her out to the kitchen for a word.
She approaches the house guest and asks for his view of the situation. Lord, tell my sister to help me.
-- The reason my mom has trouble with this scripture is two fold, first her name is Martha and somehow that seems to automatically make her feel guilty. And second she has a tendency to stress over making everything as perfect as she can. She feels that she never gets it really right and somehow fails the family.
The turkey is too dry, the stuffing too moist and she spent all day alone in the kitchen and still dinner went on the table late. She puts a lot of pressure on herself and we don’t see her until dinner time.
-- But, what bugs her most is how Jesus responds to Martha’s request for a little help.
"Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
When you look at an event with the Christmas perspective you will often find what seems fair and logical to us is different from God’s view.
Let me clearly state, that Martha is not wrong in this situation.
When Jesus responded to Martha, he offers her a calming presence. He says her name twice. In ancient Hebrew the repeating of a name was a verbal way of showing friendship.
Martha, Martha is an indication of Jesus’ deep love for her and then he risked that friendship by giving her an honest answer instead of telling her what she wanted to hear.
Ok, you need to make a mental note here. If you involve God in your decision making, if you ask Him to give you an answer as to what is right and wrong, or how to deal with a situation you may not get the answer you want.
I sort of wonder how Martha reacted. Was she calm and feel good about his reply or did she just walk off still upset.
Come on, we all know that we have to get stuff done so that our family and guest can enjoy Christmas.
We need gifts,
We need to have that big meal,
Oh, we absolutely must have that special dish or dessert
The house has to be clean and properly decorated.
We tend to put pressure on ourselves and when we do we will fall exhausted and often have doubts as to how well we did when it is over.
Folks, the perspective that I want you to attempt to slip into this morning is how does God see our situation.
Take a moment to step outside of how your view of a Christmas celebration and see it from God’s eyes for must a minute.
Please, close your eyes so you can see the photo gallery in your mind.
Imagine the scene in your family celebration as if you are watching the main activities on a wide screen TV.
Where the children and what are are they doing? Do you get to see snapshots of their wonder and enjoyment or do you see the video?
What about the other adults at your gathering, are they talking about old times, laughing and smiling.
Can you join in to conversation or just share a remark or a response to a question?
Do you know what the loud burst of laughter and big smiles are about?
In your vision, where are you spending your time?
Are you a Martha or Mary?
Are you alone? Do need help?
Are you happy and laughing or a little steamed and stressed?
--- Do you believe that God is pleased with what is happening in your situation?
You can open your eyes---
Martha loves people so much that she will put aside all of her personal comfort and a lot of personal enjoyment to make sure that her family and guest have the very best of times. But, she took on the complete work load on herself and made no time to enjoy the guest.
Jesus, God was not displeased with Martha. He only points out that she had not made the best choice. The one thing that was special about the event was the presence of the Lord in her living room. She found enjoyment and pleasure in doing things instead of spending time with Him.
She made herself a servant instead of participating with the family.
Now, Mary on the other hand seems to have been confirmed. But, it really was not fair. Her total involvement with the guest left the burden on Martha to get the other work done. However, she offered their guest special attention. It fed her joy of being in the presence of the Lord.
I believe our Christmas perspective helps us to understand something about balance between getting the physical things done and spending time with our Lord.
Both perspectives are necessary for the best to come out of any situation.
So, What is really necessary for Christmas to be Christmas?
Does it really require some to be servants and the joy come from the satisfaction of the guest as the leave the house saying how great things were?
OR should there be some quality time spent sitting with the family and listening to each other. With time spent really allowing our relationships to be reawakened or rekindled. Really getting to know each other better.
My question is, should our personal view of what makes Christmas - Christmas be simpler?
When I consider what we know about the first Christmas, The house was pretty much a mess. They lived like animals. But, The guest that came did not seem to mind. They just spent some time listening to music. Later others brought gifts but, the family was not required to give something back.
How will you shift your Christmas perspective this week? Will you consider setting aside time for the Lord and for your family? Perhaps, you need to actively offer to share the burden to make the event special and to allow your Martha some time to be with the guest.
The perspective of Jesus requires a healthy balance between service and relationship. Relationship being the most important and enduring.
Jesus did not come into Martha’s home to be a burden. He came to enjoy his friends.
I hope and pray that your family celebrations include a chosen balance. That you witness the celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ in you gathering and that you enjoy more than snapshots of the party. That you are a part of the video so that everyone will not remember the event more than they remember you.
All Glory be to God!
--- Pray for God’s vision of our holiday celebrations.
