# Mary and Martha

Key Passage: Luke 10:38-42
Date: June 7, 2024

I believe they enjoyed doing that too, you know. They did a great, great job. Turn your Bible as if you would, Luke chapter number 10. Luke chapter number 10 in God’s Word this morning. And how many have ever heard someone say this? “I think I’m just a Martha.” Anybody ever heard that? Anybody ever?

Good, good. I’ve heard men and ladies both say that. I want to say to men, now wait a second here. I know we’re living in '24, but I’m teasing. How many at least know what they’re talking about when someone says, “I think I’m just a Martha”? You at least know. We’re going to touch on that subject for just a bit here. We’ll title it, Martha and Mary.

Really, Jesus never compares the two. I’m glad our Savior doesn’t do that. But it does address Martha when she comes to him, trying to get him to get on to Mary. And so we’ll talk about all that. Just five verses this morning. It’s amazing. Just five verses, and the pastor takes three hours to explain it. What’s going on there? What’s up with that?

Five verses about Martha and Mary. They are sisters, Mary and Martha. They have a brother named Lazarus. Lazarus is the one that later on, after this passage in the book of John, dies and Jesus brings him back to life. He had been dead for days, and Jesus said, “Lazarus, come forth.” Someone said, if he just said, “Come forth,” all the dead bodies would have come forth. Amen. When Jesus says something, there’s power there. And so he said, “Lazarus, come forth.” That was Mary and Martha’s brother.

They lived in a place called Bethany. Bethany was just a little bit outside Jerusalem. It seems that Jesus and his apostles, as they were traveling back and forth from Jerusalem—typically a Jewish person would go there at least three times a year—often Jesus and his apostles stopped in Bethany. Maybe they spent the night there at the house. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus—we’re not sure about that—but they hosted them. We know that. They probably had big meals there or whatnot. Maybe they had a big upper room, a supper room, dining room. This is a place that Jesus was familiar with. He knew the family well.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany. Jesus has stopped by there many times. We’re going to take these five verses and look at what happens here. We’re just going to do a little—we’re going to go through these verses and do a Bible study. Isn’t that interesting, a Bible study in church?

I never forget years ago, we had visitors here, and I walked in carrying my Bible from Sunday school. The man said this: “You know, in our day and time, we’ve been visiting churches all over; it’s good just to see a pastor carrying a Bible.” I thought, wow, are we to that point? Preachers don’t carry Bibles? I guess so. It’s just good to see a preacher carrying a Bible. So we’re going to use our Bible this morning. Amen. I hope you got yours ready to go. Luke chapter number 10 in God’s Word. If you’re able, would you please stand?

As we read God’s Word together, just to show a little respect, Luke chapter number 10 and verse number 38. If you’re there, say amen. Good deal, verse number 38. “Now, it came to pass as they went that he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving and came to him and said, ‘Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her, therefore, that she helped me.’ And Jesus answered and said unto her, ‘Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’”

And just those five verses. Would you pray that God would speak to your heart about these five verses this morning? Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated. Would you go back to verse number 38?

And that last part of that verse there, “and a certain woman named Martha received him into…” Her house. It was her house. What do you mean by that? I think she was a very responsible person. I imagine a lady that had character. She had the wherewithal to get a mortgage, to make a mortgage payment, maybe have it paid off. She was a lady of character. I think she was very devoted. I think she was a good lady. In fact, over in John, when Jesus shows up after Lazarus was dead, Martha was the first one to go to Jesus. She ran. She got out there with Jesus. She’s a very devoted lady. I think she was a great host. She’s very concerned about everybody having their needs met. And she’s a servant. She’s serving people. I think all those are great attributes.

Can I just say a word here? Maybe a little preliminary. Sometimes we think from Martha that it’s a sin to be working for the Lord. Friend, that is not at all true. In fact, in each one of those seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, the first thing God says to them, “I know your works.” At the very end of the service, we’ll talk about Ephesians 2:10, “created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” Working for the Lord is a good thing. That’s not the problem here. Let me just get that out of the way right off the bat. That’s not the problem. Does God like it when we’re working for him? Well, he gives rewards for it, 1 Corinthians 3, if you’re working for him. Seems like he must like it. So let’s just get that out of the way. Martha’s a good lady. She is a worker. She may not always have her priorities right, but she’s a good lady. She’s devoted to the Lord. The Lord loves her.

Look over in John. Keep your finger there. We’ll go back to Luke 10. Look over in John, chapter number 11. I think God worded it this way on purpose, because Martha sometimes just gets put down a lot, and the Lord does not want her to feel like she’s being pushed aside. Mary chose the needful thing. God words it this way to let us know he still loves Martha very much. John 11, look at verse number five. He says there, “Now Jesus loved…” God lists her first. I think to show, “Hey, listen, Martha ain’t got everything perfect. She’s a good lady, and I love her.” By the way, I’m glad he doesn’t love us because we are loving; I’m glad he loves us because he is loving. In John 11:5, he makes it clear: “I love old Martha.” I love her. I’m glad he loves old Paul, even though I’ve got my problems, amen. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. He loved them all. Maybe he put her first there in John 11 because he wants to show, “I love her. She’s got issues like all of us, but I love her.”

Let’s go back over here to Luke 10. We’ll be in Luke 10 all morning long. Verse 38: Martha had the house. I don’t know if Lazarus lived in that house or Mary lived in that house, but Martha had the house. Another passage we want to look at: Mary was people-oriented. But Martha had the house. Martha’s house.

Look down in verse number 39. Luke 10, verse number 39: “And she [Martha] had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet.” We’re not sure, but many think that Martha, for some time, sat at Jesus’ feet, but in this instance, she wasn’t. Mary is sitting at Jesus’ feet. Let’s just talk about sitting at the feet of Jesus for a minute. The Bible uses that term fairly often. It signifies several things. One thing, it shows a position of a student. Paul, the Bible says over in Acts, was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. He was a student. Gamaliel would be like the Einstein or the Plato of that day and time. Saint Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel; he was a student. So when the Bible says someone is at the feet of Jesus, it means they are a student of Jesus.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus is a position of humility. You are not higher than them; you are lowering yourself. It’s a position of humility. Not only a position of a student, but a position of humility, but it’s a position of a little child. Anyone know what I mean when I say we’re going to have a “Chinese Sunday school”? It’s an old term. It’s when you don’t have enough room or enough chairs in your classroom to seat all the students, so you push your chairs out and all the children sit on the floor. You can fit a lot more people in there. I think of one service over the years that we had to have Chinese Sunday school. We had children sitting around the pulpit, adults standing, and God just blessed it in our old building. The children, they just sit down and listen. They’re wonderful. You start telling a child a story, and they don’t really debate with you. They’re just a little bit humble, and they believe you. They have the faith of a little child. You tell them, “Dad can bench press 400 pounds,” and they believe it. Now, that’s a big fat lie, but children believe it. Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus.

There are other instances in the Bible when someone is sitting at the feet of Jesus. How many remember the maniac of Gadara? He had the legions of demons inside of him. “Who are you?” “We are Legion, for we are many.” Jesus cast the demons out. They went into 2,000 swine, and they drowned themselves. So there were at least 2,000 demons. Jesus cast the demons out of that man, that maniac. He was just a crazy man. He’d go out in the cemetery all night long and just scream and yell. They’d try to chain him up, and he’d break the chains. Crazy man. He’d be cutting himself, bleeding all over. He was just a crazy man, the maniac of Gadara. When Jesus cast the demons out, he was in his right mind. Let me read you what the Bible says about the maniac of Gadara once Jesus arrived. How would you feel if Jesus cast the demons out of you? Can you imagine hearing the voices in the middle of the night? You can’t sleep; there’s no rest. You’re cutting yourself. That’s where this man was, and nobody wanted to be around him. The Bible says this in Luke 8:35: “Then they went out to see what was done and came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind; and they were afraid.” There is sitting at the feet of Jesus.

There is another instance the Bible talks about. There is a man named Jairus—not G. Rose or Guy Rose, whatever—but this ruler of the synagogue, and he had a 12-year-old daughter who was dying. Does anyone understand that daughters have a way of wrapping Dad around their finger? They can get anything in the world. But this guy had a 12-year-old daughter who was dying. Can you imagine his heart hurting? He had heard about Jesus. He looked at Jesus: “Jesus, would you do something about my daughter?” And Jesus healed his daughter. Let me read for you what the Bible says in Luke 8:41: “And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was the ruler of the synagogue, and he fell down at Jesus’ feet and besought him that he would come into his house.” He needed a miracle. He needed someone to heal his daughter, and he fell at his feet. Hey, let me ask you, when’s the last time you fell at the feet of Jesus? When’s the last time you got in a position of humility before Jesus? When’s the last time you just got in the position, “Hey, you’re my teacher, I’m the student”? When’s the last time you just got in a position, “Hey, Lord, I’m here, I want to see you, I believe you, I have faith in you, I’m looking to you for the answer”?

Mary sat at the feet of Jesus. What a wise woman. There are other instances in the Bible. When Jesus had resurrected and appeared to his apostles (Matthew 28:9), as they went to tell his disciples, “Behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘All hail!’” They came and held him by the feet and worshipped him.

Look over in John chapter 11, if you would, please. This is back over when Lazarus had died and Jesus comes, and Martha runs to Jesus first. I want you to notice something: we’re going to watch when Martha comes to Jesus, she goes first, and I want you to see what happens when Mary goes to Jesus. Let’s see if we can see something a little different here. We’re in John 11. Look in verse number 20: “Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.” I like that Martha went to him right away. But I want you to notice something once Mary did go to Jesus. Let’s look and see what she did. Look at verse number 32: “Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, she saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying, ‘Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.’” By the way, Martha said the same thing, but when Mary came there, she fell at his feet.

When’s the last time you’re driving—I know you can’t fall down positionally, physically—but you’re driving in your car and you just fell down on your knees and said, “Jesus, I need you right now”? When’s the last time, maybe you’re in the back bedroom or on the front porch, and you just got down and you said, “Jesus, I want to fall at your feet”? Martha came to Jesus and said, “If he were here, he wouldn’t die.” Mary said the same thing, but she fell down at his feet. When’s the last time you just fell at his feet? Jesus was very pleased with Mary’s action, and he said that part would not be taken away from her, because she fell at his feet.

Now, what else does it say over here? We’re back over in Luke chapter number 10. Let’s go back over to Luke 10, verse number 39: “And she had a sister, Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word.” I think the order is very interesting. She sat at his feet and heard his word. Once you sit at the feet of Jesus, you’ll hear his word a whole lot better. It won’t just go in one ear and out the other. You’re not going to comprehend everything in the Bible, but there are going to be some things that stick, not just up there, but right here, because you’ve been sitting at the feet of Jesus.

When’s the last time you came to church not just so Brother Ted can give you a hard time—Brother Ted will do that—but you came because you said, “Lord, do something in my heart today”? When’s the last time, maybe before you got out of your vehicle in the parking lot, you said, “Lord, I’m here. I’m not just going through ritual. Please do something in my heart today. I need to hear from you today”? Mary sat at his feet and heard his word. Hearing his word is so much more effective once I have sat at his feet.

Now we’ve talked about Martha—she owned the house. We’ve talked about Mary—she sat at his feet and she heard his word. Let’s go back for just a minute here to Martha. What’s going on? Let’s go back over here to verse number 40 this morning. Luke 10, verse number 40. Look at verse number 40. I think maybe you’ll get a different view. Martha, the problem wasn’t just that she was a worker. I want you to see there’s a little pattern here with Martha. When you look at verse number 40, what does the Bible say? “But Martha was cumbered about much serving.” That’s interesting. The definition for “cumbered” in Strong’s concordance is “to drag all around.”

If I just drag around this one weight, it’s no big deal at all. I can handle that. No problem. But she was cumbered about how much? Much serving. If I get another weight, I’m just dragging them around me all the time. I’ve got to make sure I don’t run over chairs or anything like that.

Let’s keep going. Verse number 40. Let’s keep going. By the way, don’t think this just applies to ladies here; it applies to us men just as much, maybe even more. Let’s keep going here, verse number 40. I want you to notice what this shines a light on regarding Martha. “But Martha was cumbered about much serving and came to him and said…” Watch this. She is talking to God in flesh. What does she tell God in flesh? “Lord, dost thou not care?”

Can we pause for just a second here? In our modern vernacular, some would call this manipulation. Someone would call this guilt-tripping Jesus. “Don’t you care?” Does Jesus really care? Yes, he is God in flesh. He came down from heaven to die on the cross. He cares. And she is there saying, “Don’t you care?” Of course he cares.

Then she says, “Dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?” Do you ever get this old martyrdom syndrome? “I’m the only one working,” or someone who always has to be doing something and just can’t sit and relax at the feet of Jesus. They always have to be doing something. And then sometimes when they are doing something, they say, “Oh, I do everything around here! What would you do if I wasn’t here?” Well, we have Jesus; we’d be all right. But you understand the situation here. The comfort zone is to be doing something, but sometimes we need to leave our comfort zone just to sit at the feet of Jesus.

Watch this. We’re still in verse number 40. “But Martha was cumbered about much serving and came to him and said, ‘Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her, therefore, that she helped me.’” He’s kind of guilt-tripping Jesus into going and getting on to her sister. Remember I just mentioned a little controlling going on? I think if Mary needs correction, Jesus knows how to do that. Can I say this? Sometimes it’s good just trying to figure it out and control it all, working it all out to what we want, instead of just setting it at His feet. He never called us to figure it all out; He just called us to follow. Just follow. That’s all.

Let’s keep going. We’re going to go back to verse 41 now, and the narrative changes from Martha to Mary. Jesus answered and said unto her, “Martha, Martha.” I think that was not sharp, but a loving, “Martha, Martha.” He said, “Thou art careful and troubled about many things.” Can I paraphrase this? Martha, Mary’s not the problem; your unrest is the problem. One of the things you are bothered about is what your sister is doing. Quit worrying about your sister. Everybody else just sit at the feet of Jesus. See? I said we were going to get to Mary. We are.

Verse number 42: “But one thing is needful.” Can I maybe just put this word in for needful: necessary? One thing is a priority. One thing is worthy of making it your first. I love that word in that verse. It’s so very important. When you say what the Bible says in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness,” it changes everything. He is saying Mary has chosen to sit at my feet; it is a needful thing.

When you sit at the feet of Jesus, those details get worked out. You ever have one of those days where everything you do goes bad? You take one step forward and four steps backward? When you sit at the feet of Jesus, He is the one that can untangle the web. Mary is doing this one needful thing: sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing his word.

Verse 42: “One thing is needful.” And Mary hath… what is that next word? That is very important. Sometimes I think, “Well, I’m a hands-on kind of guy; I’m just wired that way, and I get bogged down with all the details.” No, it is a choice. If you sit at the feet of Jesus, you have chosen that. This is not just the way I am; this is my assignment in life. No, you choose. If you are going to sit at the feet of Jesus, it just won’t happen, friend. You are going to have to choose to do that. Satan will keep you away from it. The world will keep you away. Your doubts, your flesh—you are going to have to choose. Mary made that choice. It is a hard choice, but it is right to choose that daily. You have to work at it. None of us are perfect at it, but you choose.

Mary hath chosen that good part. You still have to work. People still have to eat. You still have to serve. But people can get out of balance. Some say, “Let’s just sit at the feet of Jesus,” and they never lift a finger to do anything for Jesus. That is not right. And then some are working, working, working, and they never sit at the feet of Jesus and hear his word. That is not right either; they are going to end up burned out. By the way, if you are truly sitting at the feet of Jesus, hearing his word, you are going to want to work for him, guaranteed.

Look at the last part of verse 42: “…which shall not be taken away from her.” Here is the thought: Sometimes, due to age or health, there may be times in our life when we cannot work for the Lord as we used to. There may be times in your life when you cannot work, work, work. But you can always sit at the feet of Jesus. He said that good part “shall not be taken away from her.” That will never be taken from you. You do that throughout all eternity, friend.

If you are sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing his word, you are going to want to do what you can for the Lord, whatever it may be, however big or little it is. Salvation is along that line. Some are trying to work, work, work to get into heaven. Some come to Jesus, sit at his feet, relying totally on him for their salvation. Hear his word—Jesus said, “I am the way.” They trust in Jesus. Now, typically, if they are able physically, they will get up and work for him, but they are doing that needful thing: sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Look over to Ephesians 2 quickly. This is the last thing. We’ve already mentioned it. Many of you haven’t memorized this wonderful passage in the Bible. Ephesians 2, look in verse number 8: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Grace is you not working for it; it is you getting something you don’t deserve. If you have to earn it, it is not a gift. It is a gift of God, not of works, not of serving. But watch the next verse. Look at verse number 10: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” You will never get to heaven by working. You come, sit at the feet of Jesus, hear his word, accept him as your Savior, and then he saves you. You are born into the family of God and are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has made you to do for him.

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes, please? If you hear this morning and say, “Preacher, I have never trusted in Jesus. Just sit at his feet to save me. I’m trying to work my way to heaven. I’m trying to be good enough.” I’ve never just sat at Jesus’ feet. Jesus, I’m trusting in you to be my Savior. I’m resting in you. I’m not working; I’m just sitting at your feet, Jesus. Would you save me? I realize I need to trust in Jesus alone to save me today. I need to stop all my works to get me to heaven. I need to trust in Jesus to save me. If that’s you, would you call out to Jesus right now? “Jesus, I give up on all my works, and I’m coming and resting in you.” If you just called on the Lord Jesus Christ, trusted in Him and not your works, would you lift your hand? Preacher, I just trusted in Jesus alone to save me.

Hey Christian, maybe somewhere along the line, God spoke to your heart. Maybe I need to get my priorities right. One thing is needful, God said. Mary had chosen that good part. Would you choose that this morning? Would you please stand? Let’s just come and fall at his feet this morning. Let’s hear his word. Humble yourself and fall under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. Fall at the feet of Jesus. He is worthy. Father, forgive me. Sometimes I get caught up in life, worried, doing so much, and I’m not at your feet. Being so careful often leads to a hollow Christian, having the form of Godliness but denying the power thereof. I’ve got all the outside and not the inner. I have not been falling at the feet of Jesus. Life’s just carrying my mind and my heart away. No, no, I’m going to get my mind, my heart back on Jesus. I want to follow the feet of Jesus. Mary hath chosen that good part. This week, I want to be focused on Jesus. I want to see you this week. I want to meet at your feet this week. I like to hear from you. I like to feel your touch this week.

Maybe this morning you say, “This week coming up, I want to make sure I’m sitting at the feet of Jesus, hearing his word.” I will do what he tells me; I will work like he wants me to, but my first priority is to sit at his feet and hear his word. Amen. It is exciting to see God change lives. Glad you’re here this morning. Good to see everybody out this morning. And honored to have you at church. I love you, praise God, for you. Great people. It’s exciting to see God work in life. Good to see everybody here today.

Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - Mary and Martha - Sunday AM 05192024