Luke 10:38-42

SISTERS, AM 6/11/06

LIFE OF CHRIST #37

 

(I played Rosemary and Betty Clooney singing “Sisters”. I just played the part listed below.)

Sisters, sisters, There were never such devoted sisters.
Never had to have a chaperone, no sir. I'm here to keep my eye on her.

Caring, sharing every little thing that we are wearing.
When a certain gentleman arrived from Rome, she wore the dress and I stayed home.

All kinds of weather, we stick together,
the same in the rain or sun.
Two different faces, but in tight places we think and we act as one. Uh-huh! Irving Berlin, Sisters

 

There has always been an affinity between sisters, as this song sung by Rosemary and Betty Cloney indicates. There are times, however, when even the closest of sisters don’t see eye to eye.  Such is the case as we continue to look at the life of Christ.

 

The last event we saw in our Lord’s life was the healing of a man who had been born blind.  Some time after that event Jesus made a visit in a little village called Bethany, which not far from Jerusalem.

 

This is where two sisters, Martha and Mary, lived with their brother, Lazarus.  In the story before us this morning, Martha is depicted as somewhat of a villain, and Mary a heroine.  They were both human.  They were both Christians.  Both had some very good qualities about them, especially if you look at the other stories about them found in the Gospel of John.  We’ll get to them later on in our study.

 

 

This morning as we look at this brief story I want us to see three things about Martha and Mary:

 

WHAT THEY HAD IN COMMON – Vs. 38

WHAT THEY HELD IN CONTRAST – Vss. 39-40

WHAT THEY HEARD IN COMMENTARY – Vss. 41-42

 

SEE WHAT THEY HAD IN COMMON – Vs. 38

 

A lot of times sisters and brothers do have much in common.  Often they have some of the physical characteristics, and also some of the same character traits.

 

Martha and Mary had at least three things in common that were important.

 

·       JESUS WAS WELCOME

 

Evidently Martha was the oldest sister, and it was considered her home.

When Jesus came the door was always open.

Martha showed that Jesus was welcome by serving Him.

Mary showed that Jesus was welcome by sitting at his feet and hearting his Word.

 

But Jesus was more than just welcome in their home.

Jesus was welcome in their hearts.

Both of them had made a personal commitment to the Lord Jesus as their Messiah, their Savior.

 

Mary’s commitment is obvious in this passage.

To see Martha’s commitment we must look in John 1 when Jesus talked to Martha after her Brother Lazarus’ death.

 

John 11:25-27 - Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  [26] And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? [27] She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

 

Jesus was welcome as Savior in the hearts of Martha and Mary.

What is a Savior?

A Savior is someone who rescues or delivers someone else.

What do you need a Savior from?

You need a Savior from the penalty of sin.    

 

Isaiah 64:6 - But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

 

Ezekiel 18:4 - Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

 

Jesus, God’s Son, came to earth and lived a sinless life.  Then he sacrificed His life for you on the cross.  The sinless son of God took the punishment that was intended for you!

 

Romans 5:6-8 - For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. [8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day.   

The price for your sins has been paid for in full.

 

To welcome Jesus in your life as Savior, you need to turn from whatever you are trying to do to please God and get to Heaven and place your trust in Christ alone for forgiveness and eternal life.  It is a turning from sin to welcome the Savior.  It is accepting God’s free gift and allowing Him to change your life. 

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

If you haven’t made Jesus welcome as Savior, please do so today.

 

Jesus was not only welcome to Martha and Mary as Savior, but He was also their Master.  As you read the accounts about these sisters, you will see that He was boss in their lives.

 

You claim to be a Christian.  You have welcomed Jesus as your Savior.  Is He welcome to tell you what to do?  Is He welcome to “call the shots” in your life?

 

John 13:13 - Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

 

John 12:26 - If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

 

If Jesus is welcome as your Master, He is your Lord.  And as someone has well said, “If Jesus isn’t Lord of all, He’s not Lord at all!”   

 

Jesus was not only welcome to Mary and Martha as their Savior, and Master, but he was also welcome as their friend for fellowship.  Both Mary and Martha would have communed with Jesus in the course of His visit.  They would have talked with Him.

 

Even during Martha’s business she would have had opportunity to talk with the Lord.  She could have done better as we’ll see in few minutes, but nonetheless she had some fellowship with Him as a friend.

 

How aware of Jesus’ presence in your life are you?

Is He such a welcome guest that you spend time talking with Him and learning from Him as a friend?

 

Revelation 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

 

For both Martha and Mary Jesus was welcome.  But also,

·       JESUS WAS LOVED!

 

It is obvious that Jesus was loved by the warm reception He received.  It is obvious that Jesus was loved by the way that he was treated both in this passage and in John 11.

 

You who call yourself a Christian, do you love the Lord Jesus?

When you love someone you think about them.

When you love someone you try to please them.

When you love someone you try to fulfill their wishes.

When you love someone who is in a superior position over you, you obey them.

 

If you love the Lord Jesus you will worship and adore Him.

If you love the Lord Jesus you will obey Him.

 

John 14:21 - He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

 

Jesus was welcome.

Jesus was loved.

·       JESUS LOVED THEM

 

John 11:5 - Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

 

One of the greatest truths of all time is found in this well loved children’s song:

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Words By: Anna B. Warner
Music By: Wm. B. Bradbury

Just as Jesus loved Mary and Martha, he loves you and I.

He loved us when He died for us.

He loves each one who has trusted Him as Savior.

How strong is His love for you?

 

Romans 8:35-39 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

So, these sisters had at least three things in common:

Jesus was welcome.

Jesus was loved.

Jesus loved them.   

 

WHAT THEY HAD IN COMMON – Vs. 38

WHAT THEY HELD IN CONTRAST – Vss. 39-40

 

Mary and Martha surely had their differences.  One such difference comes to light here.

 

Vs. 39 – Mary was Word oriented.   

 

Mary had a unique opportunity and she took it.

Mary had the opportunity as a woman to sit at Jesus feet and hear His Word.  In the Jewish culture of that day, it was unheard of.

 

Other chores were set aside so Mary could hear the Word of God.  This does not mean that Mary was lazy or not a worker.  And it doesn’t mean that Mary never helped in the kitchen.

 

It does mean that God’s Word had a high priority!

Why should God’s Word be a high priority?

 

Jeremiah 15:16 - Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.

 

Mark 13:31 - Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

 

Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

Psalm 119:11 - Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

 

The Word of God is so important, shouldn’t you be as Word Oriented as Mary was?  The Word was available and she sat and listed to it!

 

·       The Word of God is available to you every day for reading, memorization and meditation.

·       The Word of God is available to you every day through Christian Television and Radio, although you must be discriminating to know who to listen to and who to avoid.

·       The Word of God is available to you in Sunday School, Sunday Morning, Sunday Night, and Wednesday night.

 

People starve when they do not eat!  Sometimes food is not available.  Other times it is.

 

Christians starve when they do not eat.  You and I have no excuse. The Word of God is available. 

 

Mary was Word oriented.

Martha was Work oriented.

 

Vs. 40 - Martha had a servant’s heart.

She evidently wanted Jesus to have the best and was preparing an elaborate meal.  She wanted to serve Jesus the best!

 

Martha became distracted with her service.

The project of the meal became so big in her mind that was all she could think about.  The Son of God had come to dinner and she was distracted!

 

It was good that Martha serve.

It is good that we serve.

Galatians 5:13 - For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

 

1 Peter 4:10 - As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

 

The problem with Mary was that the work so distracted her that she not only rebuked Mary, but rebuked the Lord Himself in verse 40.

 

As for learning anything from Jesus she was too busy serving.   

We have the same problem sometimes. We get so busy serving ourselves, others, and even the Lord that we don’t have time for Jesus!

 

WHAT THEY HAD IN COMMON – Vs. 38

WHAT THEY HELD IN CONTRAST – Vss. 39-40

WHAT THEY HEARD IN COMMENTARY – Vss. 41-42

 

It was now time for the Lord and Master to speak.

When He did, he put things in perspective.

Martha was not wrong to serve, but Martha became so distracted in service that she missed God’s best, His Word.

 

Vs. 41 – Martha you’re uptight about a lot of things.  I think it was more than just the meal that would distract Martha.  Whatever she chose to do probably got her worked up, and I think she chose to do much.

 

So often we are just like Martha, distracted about what we have to get done, about how we are going to serve.

 

Vs. 42 – In that given moment, with Jesus present in their home, there was only one thing that was truly needful. That was to take advantage of learning at the feet of Jesus.

 

All of the things Martha did to serve would be there to be done at another time.  But right at that moment, Mary’s priorities were in order and Martha’s wasn’t.

 

I don’t know for sure, but I think that right then and there Martha stopped and listened, and when Jesus was done speaking I think that they both went and got the meal.

 

I have a feeling that if we could hear Jesus talking, we might here Him, saying, “You are anxious and troubled about many things. Chose the good part which can not be taken away from you.”

 

Mary had the opportunity to learn the Word of God from the Son of God.  That was to be her priority.  What she learned from the Word of God nobody could take away from her.

 

There is no value in anxiety and worry.

There is great value in God’s Word.

You have many opportunities to learn from God’s Word.

Are you availing yourself of these opportunities?

 

SISTERS:

WHAT THEY HAD IN COMMON – Vs. 38

·       Jesus was welcome – as Savior, Master, Friend

·       They loved Jesus

·       Jesus loved them

 

WHAT THEY HELD IN CONTRAST – Vss. 39-40

·       Mary was Word oriented

·       Martha was Work oriented

 

WHAT THEY HEARD IN COMMENTARY – Vss. 41-42

·       Martha was troubled

·       Mary received lessons for a lifetime that could not be taken away.