We have applications for both of us.

 

 

1. Let’s start by learning from Martha for church.
   1. Let’s notice first that Martha was caring.
   2. Let’s talk about caring as a church. Jeff is going to make a special announcement that connects to our church and how you can be caring.
   3. This is an application. You can all be caring as Martha was caring.
   4. I believe that we can learn from both Mary and Martha. Sometimes Martha gets a bad reputation and, after all, she is rebuked by Jesus. But I think there are some good qualities to learn from Martha. However, if you have these good qualities, don’t gloat in them, notice the things to improve on.
   5. Today’s focus is on the church gathering and my applications will be in accordance with that subject.
   6. Notice that Martha was welcoming. It says that she “opened” her home to him.
   7. She welcomed Him into her home.
   8. But we soon find out that though she welcomed Him into her home, she missed Him.
   9. àWe find out that she is very busy
   10. àWhat is it like to on the one hand be very welcoming, but on the other hand be so busy that we don’t notice people. On the one hand we say, “Come over.” But when they are over we serve them, but we really don’t fellowship with them.
   11. What does it mean to be welcoming?
   12. Greek word is a verb: To take under one’s care, as if placing the hands or arms under a person or thing, to receive hospitably and kindly.
   13. We see this word about four times in the New Testament.
   14. How welcoming are we?
   15. Being welcoming does not mean condoning sin or denying who we are. Truly, I know of a seminary of a major denomination that was going to cover their cross so that a speaker could come for a conference.
   16. When we are that welcoming we compromise truth and Jesus is not welcomed.
   17. Do you notice people when they are here?
   18. Do we all greet them?
   19. Do we all have conversation with them?
   20. In the next few verses we see that though she was opening her home to Jesus, once He came in she really did not pay attention to Him.
   21. Such is the case with some of us. We may welcome people into our church and we say come and visit, but we really do not talk to them or visit with them when they are here. We all love each other and we can tell that we do, but we ignore others. It may be because we are so busy. But in this passage we see that busyness is not an excuse.
   22. That is a message about noticing others, but what about Jesus?
   23. Could it be that we get so busy, even at church, that we miss Jesus? Could it be that our busyness through the week keeps us from Jesus on Sunday?
   24. We may be here, but are we here?
   25. In verse 41, in the Message, Jesus says that she is “fussing” about things.
       1. That is what I do I fuss and Mercedes shows my weaknesses. I get frustrated when things don’t work right. Then I see Mercedes throwing a fit when her shoes don’t go on right. I think “where does this come from?” It comes from me.
       2. I can get so busy and then frustrated and miss Jesus.

• On Sunday we are here to worship in community, but life makes us skip or miss out when we are here.

1. Don’t miss it, it does seem that Martha wants to be with Jesus. She is just busy. I get this because I am always thinking about details too. Let go, worship.

1. Learning from Mary for church
   1. It appears that Mary is one where we would think, “Teacher’s pet.” Mary is the student who when you are sitting in class and class is about over and you think “great, no homework!” But then Mary says, “Teacher you forgot to give us homework.” You are sitting thinking, “Noooooooo!”
   2. Mary was close to Jesus, look:
   3. We find out more about Mary in John 11:2: It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.^[1]
   4. Mary has a theme song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkdjfwMwfXw
   5. Slow down by Nichole Nordeman

 

Amazing Grace My Chains are Gone

 

1. Jesus rebukes Martha, but not Mary.
2. We love from Mary to focus on Jesus. We learn to be here now.

• What can we learn for Sunday mornings?
  1. How can you be here now?
  2. Maybe if you start out Sunday mornings earlier or maybe on Saturday night and pray you can ask the Lord to prepare your heart for worship.
  3. Maybe you need to cut something out, so no to something. Maybe you are too busy.
  4. Maybe you are too busy, even at church and you are missing Jesus.

 

Close:

One writes:

While I was serving in Paraguay, a Maka Indian named Rafael came to sit on my porch. I was eating and went out to see what he wanted. He responded, “Ham, henek met.” Again I asked what I could do for him, but the answer was the same. I understood what he was saying but not its significance: “I don’t want anything; I have just come near.”

I later shared the incident with a local veteran missionary. He explained that it was Rafael’s way of honoring me. He really didn’t want anything; he just wanted to sit on my porch. He found satisfaction and pleasure just being near me.

“What brings you here, my child?” the Lord asks.

“Ham, henek met.”

Doesn’t that reveal the heart of true worship?[2]

Do you know Christ?

Luke 9:23

 

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

 

 

 

^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Jn 11:2.

[2] Stuart Sacks, Villanova, Pennsylvania