A CALL TO WORSHIP

Luke 10:38-42

Luke 10:38-42 New International Version (NIV)

38
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a
woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called
Mary, who sat at the Lords feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was
distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and
asked, Lord, dont 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, 42 but few things are neededor indeed only one.[a] Mary has
chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.
41

Jesus was preaching in Jerusalem, Martha and her sister lived in Bethany.

Marthas family was closed to Jesus Christ.

Jesus had three friends who lived in Bethany. He would occasionally stay in their home when He
was in Judea. Lazarus, Mary and Martha were brother and sisters. They lived together in the
same house which probably was owned by Martha. At least, Luke records that it was Martha who
welcomed the Lord into her house (LUKE 10:38). Bethany was located on the eastern slope of
the Mount of Olives on the road linking Jerusalem to Jericho. It was just over a mile and a half
from Jerusalem, or about a half hour's walk. It would have been a very convenient place for Jesus
and His fellow Galileans to stay when visiting Jerusalem for a feast day or on some other
occasion. Also, its proximity to the garden of Gethsemane should be noted. Though we only have
the record of the Lord's final visit to Gethsemane for prayer and His subsequent arrest there, we
know that it was a favorite place of His while in the Jerusalem area. Luke records that it was His
custom to go to that particular place (LUKE 22:39,40).

There are three passages of Scripture which mention Martha. They are LUKE 10:38-42 when
Jesus taught in her home while she busied herself preparing food for her guests; JOHN 11:1-44
when Jesus raised her brother Lazarus from the dead and JOHN 12:2 when Jesus visited her
home just six days before His crucifixion. We find her busy again preparing food while her sister
Mary anoints Jesus' feet with costly perfume.

What would you do if Jesus will visit you?

What preparation will you do?

What food will you cook?

Will you clean your house?

Who is Mary of Bethany?

John 11 - Mary fell at Jesus feet

John 12 Mary poured perfume and kissed Jesus feet

Mary of Bethany: We know little about this Mary, unless she is identified
with Mary Magdalene.
This is what we know: She was the sister of Martha and Lazarus and lived
in Bethany, in the region of Judea (Luke 10:38, 39; John 11:1, 2). She used
to sit at Jesus feet to learn from Him.
Since this was the posture assumed by a disciple, we can conclude that she
was a disciple of Jesus.
She anointed Jesus shortly before His crucifixion, revealing her devotion and
love for Him (John 11:2; 12:1-8). This act was her expression of gratitude
for the forgiving love of the Savior she experienced (Luke 7:47, 48). Luke
implies that she had been forgiven much. After the anointing, no other
mention is made of Mary of Bethany.

LIFE'S DISTRACTIONS
"And she had a sister called Mary, who moreover was listening to the Lord's word, seated at His
feet. But Martha was distracted by all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, 'Lord,
do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me."
(LUKE 10:39,40). Both Mary and Martha are disciples of Jesus. These two women deal with
Jesus' visit in two different ways. It is certainly important to observe something just now: it was
not an either/or proposition for them or for us. We do not have to choose between worshiping the
Lord like Mary or serving the Lord like Martha. Neither does there need to be such a conflict
between our physical or secular needs and our spiritual growth. Sadly, that is exactly what many
believers end up with.

A careful reading of the context shows us that Mary had been in the kitchen with Martha until
Jesus started teaching. Note Martha said that her sister had left her alone to do all the serving.

But Jesus knows that neither Mary nor Martha can live by bread alone (MATTHEW 4:4). It was
now time to digest some spiritual bread and feed the soul. Martha was being distracted from her
soul's needs by other things. The other things in this case are not bad things. Sometimes, even
good things can fill up our lives to the point where we neglect our souls. God has not blessed us
with our families, friends, jobs, abilities and other gifts to give us an excuse to abandon a close
walk with Him. Without Him we can do nothing (JOHN 15:5).

DO NOT LET SO MANY THINGS WORRY YOU

"But the Lord answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so
many things." (LUKE 10:41). Anxiety is a killer. Many of the physical and mental ills of our
present day are stress related. And Martha is certainly a stressed out lady at this point in time.

Pag stress tayo, lagi mainit ang ulo natin..Konting bagay lang pagmumulan na ng away. May
ginagawa at may deadline na hinahabol, ang nakakabata mong kapatid nag bukas ng radio,
PATAYIN MO NGA IYANANG INGAY-INGAY, IHAMPAS KO YANG RADYO SA MUKHA EH!

Napaka grumpy!!!! Pwede naman sabihin ng maayos, pero hindi, dahil sa stress, mainitin ang
ulo at lahat nalang inaaway.

Her exasperation can be seen in the way she forms her question, "Lord, do You not care...?" Pati
si Jesus na bisita, pinag-disketahan. Panginoon (tiwawag pang Panginoon), wala ka bang
pakialam, wala ka bang kiyeme, deadma ka lang ba, Lord sa drama ng sistereret ko.

Imagine natin ang senaryo. Nag luluto ang beauty ni Martha,at ng mapansin na ang kanyang
baby sister ay mag disappear ang beauty, nag salubong ang kilay at nng hindi matagalan ang
pagka-inis, hala sugod sa labas. Lord, do You not care..?

At siyempre alamnatin ang sagot. The Lord does care, but not nearly as much about the problem
as Martha sees it as He does about the real problem of which Martha is unaware. The Lord cares,
but hindi kasing lalim ng Kanyang concern sa tunay na problema ni Martha na hindi niya
napapasin. May gustong bigyan ng pansin ng Panginoon ang dapat na nasa isipan at priorities
ni Martha kaysa sa Kanyang kakainin pagkatapos ng Cell Group.

The Lord is more concerned about Martha's state of mind and priorities than He is about being
served a feast later on.

SIGNS THAT A PERSON IS DISTRACTED

1) Theres grumbling
2) We compare
3) We start to tell God what to do

TOP 3 DISTACTIONS

1) Internet
2) Work
3) Television
Were so connected with technology, Are we still connected with God?
Where faith grows, anxiety lessens. This is one of the chief lessons Jesus taught earlier in His
ministry during what we call the sermon on the mount; "Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What
shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?'... But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and
all these things shall be added unto you." (MATTHEW 6:31-33). Having the correct set of
priorities (putting His kingdom first) will greatly reduce your chance of heart attack.

Thoughts to Ponder

Were so in tune with technology that we never sense that were starting to forget God.

We must sense that we are grieving the Holy Spirit

Sometimes distraction could be a destruction in our lives

COMPARE - THE NECESSARY THING

"...but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which
shall not be taken from her." (LUKE 10:42). The good part which Mary had chosen was to listen
to the Lord's teaching. In the final scheme of things, the things Jesus said that day were of much
more importance than what He ate.

Today, if we are too busy to commune with the Lord; to pray and study His word; to meditate on
life's purpose and to enjoy a peaceful, private time with Him, then there is something horribly
wrong with our practice.

Hindi ako makakaattend ng Sunday Service, dahil maglalaba pa ako. Sunday na nga lang ako
makakpag pahinga. Bible nakaka antok basahin yan.saka sabi nila nakakabaliw daw basahin
ang Bible. Christian Church ayaw ko diyan ang daming bawal.

Ang daming dahilan.sabi nga pag gusto maraming paraan, pag awaytalagang ayaw. Pwede
naman maglaba ng Sabado ng gabi. Kung pagluluto lang ang problema, magluto na gabi pa
lang para iinitin na lang after ng service. Mayron tayong pitong araw at sa bawat araw
mayroon tayong 24 oras. Ang hinihingi ng Diyos ay ilang oras lang sa pitong araw at hindi mo
pa maibigay. Kung iisipin, ang tinatamasa mo ngayon ay bigay ng Panginoon. Hindi rin ba
nung nangangailangan ka, naalala mo Siya at panay ang panalangin mo, at heto ngayon ng
naibigay na, ang sasabihin mo wala kang oras sa Kanya.

Kung talagang iisipin natin, kaya hindi mo binibigyan ng oras ang isang bagay dahil may
gagawin ka na mas importante kaysa ditto. Ngayon, sabihin ninyo sa akin, ano ang maari
ninyong ibigay sakin na gawain na mas mahalaga kaysa sa inyong kaluluwa, kaysa sa bagay
tungkol sa eternity.

Kung hindi mo kayang bigyan ng oras ang pagsamba sa Kanya, ang pagbabasa ng Kanyang
Salita, ang pananalangin, ang pagkakaroon ng tahimik sa sandal upang lasapin ang
kapayapaan na dulot ng Kayang presensya sa iyong buhay.OBVIOUS NA MAY MALI SA
IYONG SISTEMA.

If our walk of faith consists mainly of going to church and then on with life's busy day then we
are not receiving of the goodness that the Lord has planned for us. And if we are so hassled by
the routines of daily existence that we find ourselves lashing out at those we love as Martha did
on that occasion, then isn't that a good indication that something needs fixed?
THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE
"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if He
dies." (JOHN 11:25). After Lazarus had died, and as Jesus approached Bethany, it was Martha
who ran to meet Jesus while Mary remained at the house. Her first words seem to mingle faith
and complaint; "Lord, if You had been here my brother would not have died. " (JOHN 11:21).
While one does not want to condone the complaint, it must be understood that many of the
faithful have complained about one thing or another. Abraham, Job, Moses, David and Jeremiah
to name a few. God seems to have more patience with this than He does with faithless grumbling
and foolish accusations such as those made by the Israelites in the wilderness.

Martha's faith in Jesus never wavered. When Jesus asks her about her belief in Him, she sums up
her faith this way; "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He
that comes into the world." (JOHN 11:27).

Jesus had earlier said only one thing is really necessary. I believe He was referring to faith. Faith
comes by hearing His word (ROMANS 10:17). Faith overcomes the world (I JOHN 5:4).

Without faith it is impossible to please God (HEBREW 11:6). We must keep the faith to receive
the crown of righteousness at life's end (II TIMOTHY 4:7,8). For that reason, the gospel is taught
that men and women might be led to the obedience of faith (ROMANS 16:26).

Jesus approached the tomb where Martha's brother's body lay. Four days before he had died. But
the One with the keys to death and Hades was about to call Lazarus back to this realm. Martha
would soon be reunited with her brother.
A BALANCED APPROACH TO SERVING JESUS

"So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving but Lazarus was one of those
reclining at the table with Him." (JOHN 12:2). Here we find Martha serving again. This time the
purpose of the gathering is to have supper. The end of Jesus' ministry is approaching, and it
seems as if both Mary and Martha are far more aware of the fact than even the apostles. Mary
anoints Jesus' feet with costly perfume and weeps openly. Martha does the thing she evidently
knew the best. She fixes our Lord a dinner for perhaps her last time. No complaint this time. The
Lord is about to go to the place from which He had called Lazarus. But remember who we are
talking about. It is Jesus, whom Martha had identified as the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus had
identified Himself as the resurrection and the life. He had proven it by raising her brother from
the dead. He would prove it again on the third day following His own death. He would live
again!

Choices
Life is about choices and Mary chose the best
Make your choice
FACEBOOK OR FACE GOD?

CHECK BOOK OR GODS BOOK?