Oh... One More Thing
- Don Roe
- Dec 28, 2008
Text: Luke 10: 38 – 42
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful.” - Luke 10:41b
Today’s scripture lesson tells the familiar story about Jesus’ friends, Mary and Martha. This lesson may seem an unusual selection for an “end-of-the year” sermon, but this “slice of life” incident offers us several very relevant lessons as we prepare to enter into 2009.
Luke says that Jesus has come to the home of Martha, who seems to be the homeowner, and her sister Mary. As usual a crowd of people has come with Jesus, and in this case, they are hanging out in Martha’s living room. Jesus is teaching then; but we are not given any information as to what he was teaching them.
Mary has joined the group and she is seated at Jesus’ feet, listening to him; but Martha, Luke says, is “busy with much serving.” Exasperated and with a strong dose of jealously, Martha vents her feelings – not with Mary but at Jesus himself. She wants Jesus to judge Mary’s behavior. I’m not sure I would envy Jesus’ role! Martha exclaims to Jesus, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work myself? Tell her to help me!”
I imagine there are a number of us who feel a good deal of sympathy for Martha. Many, when they hear this narrative, understand just how Martha was feeling. This is understandable because none of us likes to get stuck with more than our fair share of the work!
It would be nice if I could tell you that Jesus supported poor Martha. We can imagine Jesus saying, “Mary, Martha is right! Go, and help her in the kitchen!” But, in the long run, we are fortunate that that is not what Jesus said. Now his reply to Martha may not sound too sympathetic. Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary had chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Long ago in Bethany a woman named Martha was so distracted by her sense of responsibility that she almost missed the meaning of the presence of Jesus Christ. As we move into 2009 will we discern the very presence of Christ?
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