{"id":107,"date":"2010-07-25T09:00:35","date_gmt":"2010-07-25T16:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=107"},"modified":"2017-03-29T10:09:03","modified_gmt":"2017-03-29T17:09:03","slug":"come-and-sit-at-jesus-feet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2010\/07\/25\/come-and-sit-at-jesus-feet\/","title":{"rendered":"Come and Sit at Jesus\u2019 feet"},"content":{"rendered":"

Luke 10: 38-42 | July 25, 2010<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong> The hymn we just sang says something that cannot be said enough in this world where we are tempted to put God’s Word after all kinds of other things instead of before.\u00a0 Think again about the words of this hymn that recall the lesson Jesus taught dear Martha.<\/p>\n

One thing’s needful; Lord, this treasure, teach me highly to regard<\/span>….<\/p>\n

This hymn was written by Johann Schroeder more than 300 years ago.\u00a0 Schroeder was a Lutheran pastor in Germany.\u00a0 Six months after he was ordained a pastor, his wife died. Three years into his ministry, Schroeder’s body was laid to rest at the age of 32.<\/p>\n

When you combine this hymn with the shortness of his life, it preaches a powerful sermon.\u00a0 It preaches a powerful sermon to us who busy ourselves with so many things that seem so important.<\/p>\n

Yet who of us knows when our last hour will come?\u00a0 Maybe those things that we let crowd out God’s Word are not so important after all.\u00a0 Maybe I’ve let them keep me from sitting and reading and listening to Jesus’ Word.\u00a0 Maybe I’ve let those things distract me and my family from the one thing needful – the words of my Savior.<\/p>\n

So we pray:\u00a0 Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us this morning. Help us to listen to these words you spoke so lovingly to Martha that day.\u00a0 Help us to give your Word its’ rightful place in our hearts and lives.\u00a0 One things needful Lord, this treasure, teach me highly to regard. Amen<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

So this morning, as we think about Mary and Martha, the Holy Spirit invites us:<\/p>\n

Come and Sit at Jesus’ feet<\/strong>
\nI.\u00a0 Leave behind those distracting cares.
\nII.\u00a0 Listen to the saving words of Jesus.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Jesus had come to the small village of Bethany about two miles from Jerusalem.\u00a0 Two sisters lived there, Mary and Martha.\u00a0 You remember that they had a brother named Lazarus get sick and die.\u00a0 This was the Lazarus that Jesus would raise to life just before he gave his own for you and me.<\/p>\n

Mary and Martha were both disciples of Jesus. It seems that whenever Jesus was in the area they opened their homes to him.\u00a0 They fed Jesus and his disciples and game them a place to stay.<\/p>\n

On this day, Jesus came into Martha’s home.\u00a0 Let’s say something about Martha. She wasn’t the kind of believer content to hide in the background and let others pull her weight.\u00a0 She loved the Lord and wanted to serve him.\u00a0 So when Jesus entered her house, she got right to work.\u00a0 You can just picture Martha in the kitchen, feverishly kneading the dough, checking and stirring the pots, maybe roasting some meat. This is going to be more than a good meal. it’s going to be special.\u00a0 He’s going to have the best we can offer.<\/p>\n

We can learn something from\u00a0 Martha here.\u00a0 You see, Martha was a devoted follower of the Lord. No doubt she was happy to offer the Lord this service.\u00a0 In our congregation, we would call her a committed member.<\/p>\n

But something began to bother Martha.\u00a0 Why is my sister not helping me?\u00a0 Why is she sitting out there with Jesus?\u00a0 Doesn’t she know that there’s work to be done if we’re going to fix the Lord this special meal?!<\/em><\/p>\n

So out she comes, probably storming, fuming, all upset.\u00a0 That sister of mine. She’s left me to do it all.<\/em> She’s so annoyed \u00a0she gets on the Lord’s case. Lord, don’t you care?<\/span> In other words, Lord straighten her out.<\/p>\n

Let me ask you.\u00a0 Do you find yourself siding with Martha at least a little bit?\u00a0 It’s annoying when someone doesn’t pitch in.\u00a0 But the Lord doesn’t scold Mary like she’s some kind of deadbeat.\u00a0 Instead he surprises Martha with these words:\u00a0 \u201cMartha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42<\/sup><\/strong> but one thing is necessary.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

You see, Martha let herself get herself worked up and distracted from what is most important. Of course, \u00a0serving the Lord is good. But when the choice came between serving the Lord and letting Jesus serve her with his Word, Martha made the wrong choice. \u00a0She let herself be distracted.<\/p>\n

Think about that.\u00a0 The Greek word for distracted<\/span> literally means to be dragged away<\/em>.\u00a0 Martha let herself be distracted and so can we. We can be distracted from our Savior and what he offers \u00a0even as we seek to serve him and one another.<\/p>\n

Yet \u00a0it seems to me that we usually are distracted by other things. \u00a0\u00a0We let ourselves get dragged away to things that would otherwise be good. \u00a0Dragged away from worship, dragged away from Bible study.\u00a0 \u00a0I need to get my homework done.\u00a0 My children want to be in sports.\u00a0 The lawn needs attention.\u00a0 I need to study.\u00a0 I worked hard this week -The best thing I can do is rest.\u00a0 My friends or relatives are coming.<\/em> By the way, before I was a pastor, when family or friends were with us on Sunday, we told them we go to church on Sunday morning.\u00a0 You’re welcome to come or stay here, but that’s what we do on Sunday morning.<\/p>\n

I hope you see my point. That list of potential distracters goes on and on, doesn’t it? \u00a0\u00a0It goes on and on, if we let it. But don’t let. Don’t let these things drag you away.\u00a0 The lawn can wait, the sports, that extra pay, the studies, the cares and concerns of this life can wait.\u00a0 For think about it:\u00a0 In all the years I have visited people in the hospital, not once has anyone complained to me:\u00a0\u00a0 I’ve been too close to the Lord. I’ve come to church too often.\u00a0 I’ve read my Bible too much.\u00a0 \u00a0If anything that person has regretted being too far away from the Lord and his Word.\u00a0 So leave behind those distracting cares<\/strong>.\u00a0 Come and sit at Jesus’ feet<\/strong>.\u00a0 Come and listen to his saving Word.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you first picture these two dear Christian ladies, you might think that Martha was the sensible, hardworking one, Mary, she was the lazy sister. For what did Mary choose?\u00a0 She chose to sit and listen rather than do the work of getting the meal ready and the table set.<\/p>\n

Yet Mary wasn’t some lazy sister looking to avoid pitching in.\u00a0 She made a choice and the Lord commended her for it. Mary chose to listen to the Word of her Savior. Well today Jesus sets Mary before us as an example.\u00a0 He tells Martha. He tells us. Mary has chosen what is better<\/span>.<\/p>\n

For it might sound surprising but it’s true.\u00a0 The best service we can offer to God is this – to sit and listen, treasure and believe the word of his Son, Jesus Christ.\u00a0 The best service we can give to God is to let Jesus serve us with his Word.<\/p>\n

Think about it.\u00a0 Why did Jesus come to this earth?\u00a0 Why did the Son of God become one of us?\u00a0 He tells us in Matthew chapter 20:\u00a0 He came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many<\/span>. (28) Jesus came to serve us by rescuing us from the judgment we deserved to death and a real place called hell. He came to live and die for us to make it possible for sinners like us to become part of God’s forever family.\u00a0 And now the Son of God serves us by offering us the riches of his grace in his saving Word<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

So Jesus told Martha what is true for each one of us.\u00a0 Only one thing is needed.<\/span> One thing is needed above all else. And that is this.\u00a0 To hear the words of Jesus and learn of him. \u00a0For everything else will spoil and fade.\u00a0 Everything else can satisfy only for a time. Everything else will one day perish.\u00a0 But NOT Jesus’ word and not what you have in Him.\u00a0 God’s love and forgiveness, the hope\u00a0 promised in his Word. It could not be taken away from Mary.\u00a0 It cannot be taken away from you.<\/p>\n

There came a time in Jesus’ ministry when many who once followed turned away from Jesus. They no longer followed.\u00a0 You can read about it in John chapter 6.\u00a0 On that occasion, Jesus turned to the twelve and asked them:\u00a0 You do not want to leave too, do you?<\/span> St Peter answered:\u00a0 Lord to whom shall we go.\u00a0 You have the words of eternal life.<\/span> (67,68)<\/p>\n

Peter had it right didn’t he?\u00a0 So did Mary.\u00a0 They chose what is better.\u00a0 You do the same.\u00a0 Leave behind those distracting cares and concerns .\u00a0 Come and sit at Jesus’ feet.\u00a0 Hear his Word in worship, in Bible class, at home. \u00a0Listen to the words of your Savior.\u00a0 Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Luke 10: 38-42 | July 25, 2010 The hymn we just sang says something that cannot be said enough in this world where we are tempted to put God’s Word after all kinds of other things instead of before.\u00a0 Think again about the words of this hymn that recall the lesson Jesus taught dear Martha. One thing’s needful; Lord, this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":855,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107\/revisions\/855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}