Summary: The familiar story about Jesus visiting Mary and Martha serves as an encouragement for us to clear the clutter that keeps Jesus out of our homes and lives.

“For Christian homes, O Lord we pray.” Hymn 500 in our hymnal begins with those words. Whether we are married or single, whether we have children or not, whether we live in a home or an apartment that is our prayer isn’t it? We want our homes to be Christian homes. But what makes the place where a person lives a Christian home? If we went into a home and saw a cross on the wall, a painting of Jesus, or other Christian artwork could we assume it was a Christian home? What if we saw a Bible on the kitchen counter? That might lead us to conclude it was a Christian home. If we saw the occupants of the home modeling Christian actions we might also be convinced that it deserves the name Christian. How about if we sat down for a meal at a home and the person or persons who live there bowed their heads in prayer and said, “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, let these gifts to us be blessed”? Surely then we could assume we were in a Christian home, couldn’t we?

Although those things could certainly be considered evidence that Christians live in a particular home or apartment on their own they don’t make the place a dwelling that can rightly be designated as Christian. You could argue that I am being overly precise in my definition but wouldn’t you agree that if a home is a Christian home Christ must be there? The key to making the places where we live Christian is bringing Christ into them.

But how do we do that? How do we bring Christ into our homes? Things like crosses and pictures of Jesus, prayers and Christ-like actions, don’t bring him into our homes. Those things are good but only one thing puts Jesus in the place we live. He enters through his Word. When he speaks through the record of his life and his timeless teaching he comes as a guest into the hearts and lives of people. Where they live can then rightly be called a Christian home because Christ is there with them.

The Gospel Lesson for this morning contains a message about how we can welcome Jesus into our homes. In it we can find the answer to the prayer, “For Christian homes, O Lord we pray.” Listen as I read our Gospel Lesson again from Luke 10:38-42. (Read the verses on the front cover of this sermon copy.) Through these verses from Luke’s gospel I pray that the LORD will teach each of you how to:

WELCOME JESUS INTO YOUR HOME

I. Clear the clutter that keeps Him out

II. Hear the Word that brings Him in

In the Gospel Lesson last Sunday we read the verses just before these in Luke 10. It was the story that Jesus told about the Good Samaritan. We can see a connection between that story and what happened in this home in Bethany. If you were reading through Luke’s gospel you would first see the life of love a person lives who believes in Jesus. Then you would learn how a believer receives the ability and motivation to do what Jesus said as he ended the story about the Good Samaritan. Those who welcome him into their homes and receive his Word will live a life of service to him.

I.

Martha welcomed Jesus into her home. “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.” Was Martha’s home a Christian home? With Christ sitting in her living room how could her home not be a Christian home? Although she loved Jesus and wanted to give him the royal treatment he deserved she was missing out on the one thing that would bring Jesus into her home. Her sister was on the right track. “She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” But we are told that Martha was “distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.” Was the meal done to perfection? Was the table set appropriately for such a guest as Jesus? Martha was so overcome by her efforts to welcome Jesus into her home that 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 welcomed Jesus into her home but she focused only on what she could do for Jesus instead of what he wanted to do for her. Her preparations were necessary but not the most important priority.

“For Christian homes, O Lord we pray.” If that is our prayer we can learn a lesson from Martha. Consider the clutter that keeps Jesus out of our homes. I am not talking about the stuff that literally accumulates in our garage or kitchen. I am talking about the things that keep us from really welcoming Jesus into our homes. Think about what we do at home in a typical week. Meals must be prepared, dishes need to be done, clothes must be cleaned, and the lawn has to be mowed. Through those domestic deeds we can serve our Savior. We also squeeze in some time for recreation, time for the family to be together, and for most of the year, time for homework. Reading, or listening to music, or watching TV may round out the list. Even if all that we say, and do, and hear, and watch, reflect our love for Jesus we have not welcomed him into our home. I am not saying that Jesus isn’t in our homes protecting us and providing for us. That he certainly does every hour of every day. He is with us always as he promised. But if we haven’t heard his voice we have not treated him like a guest and welcomed him into our homes in the fullest possible way.

So then how can we clear the clutter that keeps Jesus out of our homes? We need Jesus to tell us what he told Martha. “‘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.’” In a loving way Jesus has to point out the foolishness of how we often pattern our lives. Yes, food must be prepared and dishes must be done. Laundry, and diapers, vacuuming and dusting, are all part of life in a home. But those things are only part of a life that is temporary. Those things don’t make our homes Christian homes. Every home has those things going on them.

I guess the secret to clearing a place in the clutter that keeps Jesus out of our homes is to see where we can bring in his Word. Could the bread set out for a sandwich lead to a discussion about Jesus the Bread of Life? Perhaps a bath or a load of laundry might lead to a talk about the water of Baptism and Jesus’ words about being the water of life. When we care for our pets could we talk about how Jesus promised to care for us and provide for all our needs? When a time limit is put on watching television time for a devotion or Bible study could be found. A ride to school, or to soccer practice, or another activity could be a time to put in one of the Bible tapes or CD’s.

When a guest is coming to our house for a visit we make certain preparations before he or she arrives. We usually clean things up. If the guest is going to stay over we may prepare a room for him or her as well. To welcome Jesus into our home let’s clear the clutter that keeps him out. Let’s make room for him.

“For Christian homes, O Lord we pray.” Certainly God stands ready to answer that prayer. But how often don’t we stand in the way of his answer by filling our lives so full that we keep Jesus out? Through this account of what happened at Martha’s home we learn not only to clear the clutter that keeps Jesus out but also to hear the Word that brings Him in. Jesus said in Revelation, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20) It is Jesus’ Word that brings him into our homes. We welcome him when we hear his Word.

II.

There is something very subtle in Jesus’ words to Martha. Did you notice how he didn’t condemn her for wanting to be a good hostess? “‘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.’” Martha wasn’t sinning. She was serving Jesus and showing her love for him. So Jesus gently pointed out the fact that only one thing is really needed in life. Did you also catch the fact that Jesus commended Mary for picking what was better than the other choices she could have made? Jesus is pointing at person’ priorities isn’t he?

Of all the good choices we could make in order to make our homes Christian homes — Christian art, Christian actions, and prayers— the most important one is to hear the Word that brings Jesus in. It is the only thing that brings Jesus into our homes in the best possible way. The Apostle Paul encourages us to do this in Colossians 3:16﷓17, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Jesus said in John 15:7﷓8, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” You can’t really serve the Lord unless he first serves you. You can’t actually do good things unless the good Lord first comes into you through his Word and produces good things in you.

“For Christian homes, O Lord we pray.” To answer that prayer is one of the reasons our congregation exists. That is why we will soon be offering the new ChristLight Bible study series. It will enable us to welcome Jesus into our homes. There will be devotional thoughts for parents to use everyday with their children. Sunday, August 26th will be Christian Education Sunday. That service will kickoff our new Sunday school session. There will be a marriage enrichment seminar this fall to help us bring Christ into our homes. To help bring Jesus into every home in this congregation we supply each house with a copy of the Meditations. Even if the readings last less than five minutes they will let you hear the Word that brings Jesus into your home. 1 John 2:24﷓25 gives us the encouragement to hear the Word, “See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us ﷓﷓ even eternal life.” Hearing the Word that brings Jesus into our homes ensures us that we will be welcome in his Father’s house forever.

When we welcome someone into our home we typically set aside time to visit with that person. They didn’t come to sit silently and soak in thoughts on how they might decorate their apartment or home after looking at ours. We want to listen to them. It is the polite thing to do. And so when it comes to welcoming Jesus into our homes our first priority is to listen to him. We want to hear the Word that brings him into our homes.

“For Christian homes, O Lord, we pray. All of us want Christian homes. But having Christians in a home doesn’t really make it a Christian home. Christ must be there. The rest of the first verse of hymn 500 points us to that truth. “For Christian homes, O Lord, we pray, / That you might dwell with us each day. / Make ours a place where you are Lord, / Where all is governed by your Word.” That is our prayer. Jesus wants to answer it. Welcome him into your home. Clear the clutter that keeps him out. Hear the Word that brings him in. Amen.