Good Housekeeping Series

Luke 10: 38 – 42

Good Housekeeping

38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

I would like to recommend to you if you ever can do it, is to take a few weeks and go to Israel. As a history buff I was quite moved when I read about the life of Abraham Lincoln. After the end of the Civil War as he and his wife were taking a carriage ride, he told his wife that after he finished his term in office that he would like to travel and see the places where the Lord walked. Unfortunately this dream was cut off by an assassins bullet at Ford’s Theatre.

When you get to see the terrain of Israel and where the key areas are you get a better perspective of the bible. For example in today’s bible study we learn that when our Lord would pay a visit to Jerusalem, He had a family of friends that would always take Him in.

38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.

If you have access to internet or books with pictures of Jerusalem then you can somewhat visualize this location. The certain village that we read about is called Bethany. It is a town on the mountain top overlooking the city of Jerusalem. If you walked down the mountain you would pass by the olive garden which is called the Garden of Gethsemane. Directly in front of you would be the East Gate into the city of Jerusalem. You were not allowed to enter through this gate for it was reserved for the arrival of the Messiah so you would have to enter another gate to get into the city.

Bethany was also an important area for this is the spot which is also called Mount Olivet, where our Lord left earth and returned to heaven as we read in the book of Acts chapter 1, “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. 4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”