Luke 10:41-42 - One Thing is Needed.
Luke 10:41-42 (NIV) "Martha, Martha," the
Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about
many things, 42 but only one thing is needed.
Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not
be taken away from her."
Luke 10:41-42 (NLT) But the Lord said to
her, My dear Martha, you are worried and upset
over all these details! 42 There is only one
thing worth being concerned about. Mary has
discovered it, and it will not be taken away from
her.
INTRODUCTION
Mary and Martha both loved Jesus. On this
occasion they were both serving him. But Martha
thought Mary's style of serving was inferior to
hers. She didn't realize that in her desire to
serve, she was actually neglecting her guest. Are
you so busy doing things 'for' Jesus that you're
not spending any time 'with' him? [Life
Application SB]
COMMENTARY PEARL
The Measure of Success
Its a slippery slope, this thing of
self-promotion. What begins as a desire to serve Christ
metastasizes into an act of impressing people. When that
happens, gifted Marthas become miserable mumblers.
It's easy to see why. If your happiness depends
on the applause and approval of others, you'll
yo-yo up and down, based on the fickle opinion of
people. If noticed, you'll strut. If unnoticed,
you'll grumble.
Our generation's fascination with social
media has taken addiction to adulation to a whole
new level. We measure success in "likes,"
"retweets," "thumbs-up," and "friends." Self-images rise
and fall upon the whim of clicks and Facebook
entries. Social media is social comparison on
steroids! Does it make sense to hinge your joy on the
unpredictable reactions and reviews of people you may not
even know? Absolutely not!
Hinge your joy on the one who came to
bring joy. [You Can Count On God by Max Lucado]
COMMENTARY
Mary was storing her mind with the
precious words falling from the Saviour's lips, words
that were more precious to her than earth's most
costly jewels.
The "one thing" that Martha needed was a
calm, devotional spirit, a deeper anxiety for
knowledge concerning the future, immortal life, and
the graces necessary for spiritual advancement.
She needed less anxiety for the things which
pass away, and more for those things which endure
forever. Jesus would teach His children to seize
every opportunity of gaining that knowledge which
will make them wise unto salvation. The cause of
Christ needs careful, energetic workers. There is a
wide field for the Marthas, with their zeal in
active religious work. But let them first sit with
Mary at the feet of Jesus. Let diligence,
promptness, and energy be sanctified by the grace of
Christ; then the life will be an unconquerable power
for good. DA525-6
We need more study, more earnest meditation
and communion with Christ. We need to listen for
the still small voice, and to rest by faith in
the love of Christ. We should have a much more
healthful experience, and become much more vigorous
Christians. TM345-6
Those who are ready to do service are those
who feed most on Christ. Read and study His
word, drink in the inspiration of His Spirit, and
receive of His grace, not to hoard, but to give to
others. TM345-6
Make Time for What Matters
This Christmas, you need to do less, not
more. By simplifying your life, youll have more
enjoyment, more fulfillment, and less stress.
At one of the busiest times of the year,
you need to make sure youre filling your
calendar, your mind, and your heart with whats
important, not trivial things that wont even matter
in five years, much less for eternity.
The trivial things Im talking about
are not evil things. You can fill your life with
good things that keep you from spending time with
God. You can be involved in ministry all the time
and be so busy working for God that you dont
leave God any time to work in you.
An example of this is Mary and Martha,
who were sisters and also friends of Jesus. One
day they invited him to their home for a meal.
Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to his
teaching. Martha was busy worrying about the food and
making sure everything was in place.
Doesnt that sound like Christmas? You
spend months buying and wrapping gifts, decorating
the house, putting up the lights, fixing the
tree, sending out the cards, preparing the meals,
planning parties. Then, when Christmas arrives, you
realize you were so busy with the preparation that
you didnt make any time for Jesus.
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 few things are needed - or indeed only
one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will
not be taken away from her (Luke 10:40-42
NIV).
Mary knew there was one thing worth her
time: getting to know the Son of God.
Nothing else will matter in eternity. God
didnt put you on Earth just to work and then
retire. He put you here so you can get to know him.
My wish for you this Christmas is that
you would stop, take a breath, and shift your
focus to the one thing that matters most in this
life: Jesus. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
CLOSING THOUGHT
Type A folks like Martha and me easily
lapse into fretting and frantic control, certain
that without our diligent attention, the planets
would stop orbiting around the sun. Or, at the
very least, our dinner party would flop. This
mind-set is usually accompanied by some
self-righteous finger-pointing at others who aren't fussing
like I am.
In Matthew 6:31-33 Jesus teaches us to
not worry over the things of this world and
instead seek first the Kingdom. I can see the
results of trusting that advice in my own life. When
I risk putting Him before anything, mundane or
monumental, I often see Him miraculously provide - the
time, the money, the skill, the solution, or the
wisdom not to worry. Everything is "added unto
me."
My past has informed my present and so
today, when I find myself motivated by that
"anxious and troubled" feeling, whether because
there's a lot of laundry to fold or some genuine
catastrophe seems imminent, I'm able to pause long
enough to linger at Jesus's feet and wait for His
counsel. When I'm attentive to what He has to tell
me, I know Ill gain perspective, find my
priorities reordered, and feel greater peace. by
Isabella Yosuico
Faith Step: Try it! Take an index card
and write out Matthew 11:27-30. Next time you
feel "anxious and troubled," make the choice to
pause, breathe, and read this verse quietly a few
times. Receive His rest. [Mornings With Jesus 2018
Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
Luke 10:41, 42 - One Thing is Needed.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20160514-2135.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
