Working From Rest

Wes Terry

Broadview

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Lead Pastor Wes Terry preaches on the story of Mary and Martha out of Luke 10:38-42. This message was preached the Sunday before a Sabbatical. The sermon was preached on July 2nd.

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Transcript

INTRODUCTION

Today is my last Sunday to preach for a few months. Tomorrow begins an extended season of time away.

In church world they call this time a sabbatical. It comes from the more familiar word we just studied in Genesis 1 which is the sabbath.

From the very beginning, the LORD wove the disciplines of rest and renewal into the very fabric of human flourishing.

Shabbat: This was practiced weekly with Shabbat. (Sabbath rest)

Shmita: It was practiced annually with Shmita. (after 7 years they would rest the land for a year and forgive major debts.) (Lev 25:1-7; Deut 15:1-6)

Year of Jubilee: Finally it was practiced every fiftieth year (after seven cycles of Shmita) with what was called the “year of jubilee.” (Freed slaves, forgiven debts, mercy manifest) (Lev 25:8-17)

We obviously don’t practice these things today but it is interesting to note the principles behind God’s design.

Seasons of rest are central to God’s design for human flourishing.

Even Jesus Christ himself would often go off to the lonely places for extended seasons of prayer and renewal. These seasons were core to his effectiveness in ministry.

That’s why local churches - throughout church history - have afforded their pastoral staff extended seasons of rest and renewal so they can come back recharged and refocused.

Not every church gives their pastor a sabbatical but this church does and I’m really grateful for the opportunity.

What I’d like to do this morning is examine a passage in the life of Jesus that has application to this question of a sabbatical.

In it I think we’ll find some truths that are relevant for understanding the value of a sabbatical and how we ought to think about it as a church, moving through this season.

A Tale of Two Sisters

It’s one of those passages that has perennial relevance because human nature never really changes.

Our passage is Luke 10:38-42. It’s a story about two sisters (Mary & Martha) and two different responses they have to the person and presence of Jesus Christ.

Introducing Martha

To give you a little bit of context, Jesus was heading to a town called Bethany when he and his disciples got invited over for dinner by some close friends: Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

Luke 10:38 (ESV)

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.

Martha is one of those task-oriented, type A - go getter type people.

She more than likely had the gift of hospitality. She loved to busy herself with taking care of things and taking care of people.

Without the Martha’s of the world, nothing would ever get done. They keep the wheels turning and make things “actually happen.”

As you might imagine, having Jesus over the dinner was a pretty big deal because Jesus - at this point - had become a BIG DEAL. More than that, he also had his disciples who were following him everywhere he went.

With Martha being the one who extended the invitation, you can imagine the kind of care she would’ve taken to ensure everything was “just right.”

She was crossing every T and dotting every I.

Introducing Mary

Verse 39 introduces us to the second sister, Mary. Except the actions of Mary form a stark contrast to that of Martha.

Luke 10:39 (ESV)

39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.

Unlike Martha, Mary seems to be more of a people oriented, type B type of person.

The CSB & KJV translates verse 39 “also sat...” The word also is used because it was atypical for a woman to sit at the feet of a rabbi.

“At the feet” was a place for disciples and most disciples were men.

But Mary is so captured by Jesus and his teaching that she inserts herself into the moment. (don’t you love that Jesus is breaking the norms here)

Mary is joining the other disciples at the feet of Jesus, listening to what he has to say. Martha on the other hand is slaving away trying to get everything ready to facilitate the moment.

Notice the contrast. Martha is fixated on “doing things” for Jesus whereas Mary is fixated on “being with.” Jesus.

A Reasonable Request

As you might imagine, Mary’s failure to help her sister with the “womanly duties” of preparing the meal was unacceptable in the eyes of Martha.

I’m assuming with a meal that important and a crowd that size there was LOTS to do and it was all on Martha’s plate.

Luke 10:40 highlights this. “Martha was distracted with MUCH SERVING...”

In Martha’s mind, her sister Mary should’ve been helping but she’s not. Maybe she even tried to get Mary’s cooperation at one point but it was ultimately unsuccessful.

Overwhelmed and distracted by her many tasks, puts Jesus on the spot.

Luke 10:40 (ESV)

40 ... she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

The nature of Martha’s response tells you a bit about her attitude in asking the question.

Maybe she had already tried getting Mary to come help but she kept brushing her off.

Maybe the men disciples were acting awkward and Mary was ruining the environment Martha was trying to create.

We don’t know. What we do know is it upset Martha enough she calls Jesus out on it!

There are people who like to hate on Martha but this is not an unreasonable request!

Mary was breaking tradition, she was probably making things awkward and it was expected for her to be assisting her sister - not listening to Jesus!

Put aside whether or not you “agree” with those cultural norms. The fact that they existed should make us sympathetic to Martha’s request.

Where Martha crosses the line is assuming that Jesus doesn’t care or that Jesus doesn’t see.

“Don’t you care? Can’t you see how hard I’m working? Does this not bother you like it bothers me?”

Martha’s frustration was legitimate but her words exposed a problem in her heart.

A Shocking Response

The shocking response of Jesus addresses Martha’s heart.

Luke 10:41–42 (ESV)

41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

You gotta believe this is NOT what Martha was expecting to hear. If I were Jesus it’s probably not what I would’ve said.

I probably would’ve said, “Come on Mary, go help your sister. You can talk with Jesus later.”

“Come on Mary… your sister is all by herself and she needs some help and it’s only reasonable for you to be the one to do it.”

Or Jesus could’ve at least stayed neutral. I’m not getting between you two. Yall figure it out.

Jesus does none of those things. He not only denies her request but defends Mary in the process!

Why? Because Martha’s words exposed a problem in her heart. Jesus’ response to Martha provided a solution to that problem.

The Heart of the Problem

Like most conversations with Jesus - he exposes the fact that the heart of most problems is the problem in the heart.

It’s important to note what Jesus ISN’T doing here.

He’s not making a value statement on Mary/Martha’s personality type.

He’s not saying work is unimportant or that we should just read our Bible 24/7.

He’s not saying busy people are unspiritual or unbusy people are more godly.

In fact, Jesus’s response has little to do with Mary and almost everything to do with Martha.

Jesus’ response is bringing clarity to an issue that we all struggle with.

A distracted life undermines a devoted heart.

The distractions of life can rob us from what ultimately matters the most.

The busier your life gets the more focused your heart must become.

We must prioritize our heart before we perform our duties.

To do otherwise will rob us of what ultimately matters the most.

Determining “What”

Before we move on I want to dive into three phrases from this passage that help us more fully understand what’s going on in Martha’s heart.

Distracted by much serving

Anxious & Troubled

Choosing the Good Portion

The first is the phrase “distracted by much serving.” (Luke 10:40)

The Greek word translated “distractions” means to “be pulled away from a point of reference.”

So it’s not just that Martha had “things to do.” It’s that the nature of those things or the way that she viewed them “pulled her away” from something else.

ANYTHING in life can become a distraction because anything in life has the power to “pull you away” from what matters the most.

In leadership we call this “mission drift.” It’s good becoming the enemy of the great. It’s the tyranny of the urgent at the expense of the most important.

In some ways this is inevitable. It’s part of being human. We all have our chores and they all must get done.

But a certain kind of serving can cause a little SWERVING. It’s pulls your focus from where it really needs to be.

I think the goal is to realize when your SERVE becomes a SWERVE.

Good Things > Best Thing

The reason this is so tricky is because “even good things can distract you.” Good things become a bad thing when they pull you away from the MAIN THING.”

In the case of Martha it was actually a ministry FOR Jesus that became a distraction FROM Jesus.

Martha wasn’t doing anything wrong or sinful. (porn, gossip, wasting time/money) Certainly sinful vices can also pull us away from Christ but that’s not in view here. It was the opposite.

Martha was doing something righteous. She was serving the Lord. Making preparations.

Just because an activity is a good doesn’t mean it’s not a threat to your relationship with God.

Serving up at the church to help with ministry needs.

Raising your children to love and fear the Lord.

Work related activities that help put food on the table.

These are all things you must do! They’re things you SHOULD do.

But when done in the wrong way and for the wrong reasons they become a distraction.

Personal Application

It’s not a question of morality it’s a question of priority. It’s not a question of what but a question of WHY.

It may not look/feel like a threat on the surface but under the hood it can do serious spiritual damage.

What are your distractions? Usually there is more than one. It might be helpful to make a list of ALL of the things you do. Got that list?

Now look it over and ask yourself the question of whether or not they’ve “pulled you away” from the most important thing.

Illustration: Velcro - I had a friend use the illustration of velcro to establish this point. We were made to stick but the more stuff we allow to get in between us and what we’re made to stick to the less likely we are to fulfill our proper function.

Determining When

How do you know when a good thing has distracted you from the main thing? What is the clue that your serving has turned to swerving?

In the case of Martha, there are two things. They show up in her question to Jesus and in Jesus’ response to her question.

Martha’s Question

First let’s look at the question.

Luke 10:40 (ESV)

40 “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

Jesus don’t you care? Make my sister help me!

Martha’s question is not asked out of curiosity. It’s a loaded question. There’s a statement behind her question. She’s saying, “If you really loved me you wouldn’t allow my sister to do this.”

Martha’s request is also a loaded question. She’s questioning Jesus’ wisdom. She’s saying, “If you’re plan is to let my sister sit here and do nothing then that’s a BAD PLAN.”

She questions Jesus’ wisdom and she questions Jesus’ love.

A distracted heart often questions the will of God.

Jesus’ Response

Jesus’ response get down to the root of Martha’s issue.

Luke 10:41 (ESV)

41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary....

This response by Jesus is so insightful because he identifies what is plaguing Martha’s heart: worry and fear.

The Greek word translated “anxious” means to be concerned to the point of fear.

The Greek word translated “troubled” is the image of an unruly sea or being disturbed or uneasy over something.

Worry and fear just grow in a heart that’s lost it’s focus.

Busyness = Mask

Well generally speaking people don’t like to live and fear and we don’t like to feel anxiety. So what do we do in response?

We do what Martha did. We fill our life with distractions. We get busy. We stop thinking about it.

She was probably saying to herself,

If I don’t do this then it’s not going to get done.

If I don’t do this then Jesus and the others will think less of me.

If I can’t perform then I won’t measure up.”

These were lies from the enemy to rob her heart of joyful devotion and intimate communion with the Lord.

Distracted & Disconnected

And we do the same things today.

We grid ourselves to the ground, trying to please people and prove ourselves worthy.

Afraid of what they’ll say or think if we don’t take on the extra responsibility or do the extra work.

Proving ourselves to a parent, a spouse, a sibling or a teacher/coach..

Doing whatever we can to silence that voice in our ear shouting ‘you’re not good enough.’

In this way, distractions are both a cause and a cover up. They cause our hearts to pull away from God and then become a cover up so nobody else will see it..

But eventually - like Martha - our words expose our hearts.

We begin to say things and do things that reveal our hearts are out of focus.

Sometimes those words expose arrogance in our hearts. (I’m better than the others, I’m unique and solely gifted.)

Sometimes those words expose insecurity in our hearts. (I’ll never be good enough… They should look somewhere else.)

In either case our hearts drift away from the source of ultimate comfort and contentment.

If your heart could talk, what would it say about you? Has your distracted life become a mask for disconnected heart?

Are the distractions in your life an attempt to compensate for what’s disconnected in your heart?

Personal Testimony

This was one of the reasons I knew that a sabbatical was needed in my life. This time last year I was in the middle of a season that exposed some of these things in my life.

The Lord put me in a pressure cooker and my heart started to talk. And I began to hear my heart say things that I didn’t think were in there.

I shared about that process last winter and coming out of it I knew that taking this sabbatical would be a way for me to reconnect with what’s most important.

Like Martha, I was really really busy doing important things for the Lord. The last ten years have been a roller coaster of hard work and joyful service in the Lord.

But also, like Martha - I was questioning God’s wisdom and even questioning his love.

The Lord exposed things in my heart I simply never thought I struggled with.

There was anxiety in my life that I didn’t know was really there.

There was a selfish complacency and arrogance that I didn’t know had taken root.

When the Lord begin to lead in ways that I disagree with I pushed back and got angry and entitled.

And throughout the entire process the reminded me of what he said to Martha.

Refocusing The Heart

What does Jesus tell Martha she needs to do to heal her distracted heart?

Luke 10:42 (ESV)

42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus is reorienting Martha’s heart back on what’s most important.

“One thing is necessary.”

A life of much serving isn’t bad. But it’s not the “one thing” that’s necessary.

Good things are good things but they’re not what’s most important.

What’s the most important thing? What is the “good potion” to use the words of Jesus?

Jesus is the good portion. It’s the person of Christ himself.

The remedy for a distracted heart is stop and sit at the feet of Jesus.

Stopping & Sitting

Stopping and sitting at the feet of Jesus are exactly what this sabbatical are all about. This is an important point because a sabbatical is not just a long vacation.

It’s stopping AND sitting. There will be time “away from work” to rest and recharge my body. But there will also be time “with Jesus” to refuel and refocus my heart.

When it comes to “stopping” there is a sense in which I’ll be totally disconnected from my duties here at the church.

I will not be preaching during the Sunday morning services.

I will not be meeting with people for counseling or things like that.

I will not be leading the staff or other meetings to keep things moving forward.

Instead I’ll be at HOME with my family. We will have together like never before.

I’ll be unable to use my work as a way to distract from what really matters the most. My relationship with God and my relationship with my family.

When it comes to “sitting” at the feet of Jesus, there is much I’m looking forward to.

I’ll still remain in my church small group and stay connected with the relationships I have here. I’m not disappearing! Don’t avoid me in walmart!

I plan to visit some other churches (with pastors who are my friends.)

Many of these churches are experiencing a unique season of revival and outpouring of God’s Spirit. I want to participate and learn from those churches.

Whether in town or out of town I’ll be worshipping and sitting with my family as we listen to the Word of Christ.

I plan to get some counseling and perspective so my heart can draw closer to the Lord.

I plan to study and sharpen my understanding of God’s Word. Just because I’m not “working” at the church doesn’t mean I’m not improving my ability to lead and to pastor.

What I Anticipate to Learn

This will not be EASY for me any more than it was probably easy for Martha. But just because it’s not easy doesn’t mean it’s not necessary.

We ALL - pastors included - need to be reminded of some important truths when it comes to our work. We need to hear Jesus say THREE THINGS as we pursue the ONE THING.

#1. Your Work Will Not Save You

Jesus was addressing Martha’s prideful assumption that her ministry for God somehow made her more valuable in God’s eyes. If she wasn’t productive then she had no value.

But the approval of God is a gracious gift to be received - not a status to be earned.

God doesn’t love/accept us because we’re busy. He doesn’t love us because we serve.

What makes us accepted before God isn’t the sweat on our brow but the blood of his Son.

#2. Your Work Does Not Define You

The second thing Jesus is saying in this is that Martha’s work does not define her. In other words, she need not find her identity in her work. Her identity is in Christ’s love.

What’s she’s ultimately striving for in all of these responsibilities is the person of Christ himself.

He’s saying, “You’re looking for approval and recognition in doing all of these things but what you’re really after ultimately is my love and affirmation.” And you don’t have to do a thing for me to love you other than repent of that idolatry and rest in my love.

HE is the bread of life. At his right hand are pleasures forever more.

#3 Your Work Is Better WITH ME

The last thing Jesus is saying in this is that Martha’s work is better WITH HIM.

Martha is getting all worked up over dinner with Jesus. The same Jesus who took some fish and a few loaves of bread and fed 5,000 people.

She had gotten so wrapped up in her responsibilities that she forgot about Jesus’ capabilities.

What About Broadview?

What about Broadview? How should our church think about this season with the senior pastor being away?

As I was studying this passage and reflecting on Jesus’ words to Martha I was reminded of another sermon Jesus gave called the sermon on the mount.

It, too, dealt with the topic of anxiety and worry.

I’m not going to lie. I’m am ANXIOUS about stepping away for such an extended period of time. YOU might be anxious about what’s going to happen while I’m away.

Taylor and the staff might have anxiety about what’s going to go down during this season.

Here’s what Jesus had to say in Matthew 6:31-33

Matthew 6:31–33 (ESV)

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

It’s almost exactly what he said to Martha. Choose the “good portion.”

Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness - and let the Lord take care of all of the other important but secondary needs.

This season is actually a wonderful opportunity for our church to grow!

My absence will create opportunities for people to step up and serve in ways that they’ve never served before. And our church will be better off for this time I’m spending away.

It will also be a reminder that the Senior Pastor of Broadview Baptist Church has ALWAYS been the Lord Jesus Christ. He’s the chief shepherd and myself and the pastoral team are just under shepherds.

The Lord will be faithful to care for our needs as we are invited to cast our cares on him.

What About You?

I want to close with a question that’s less about the sabbatical and more about your personal life.

I know I’m being given a tremendous privilege that not many people receive. And I promise I’m going to maximize this time and allow the Lord to use it for good in my life and for our church.

But Jesus’ words to Martha don’t just apply to pastors taking Sabbaticals. They apply to every single one of us because we all have this need to refocus.

It applies to ministerial staff who will be taking on extra responsibilities.

It applies to Fathers and Mothers who are balancing their home, church and workplace.

It applies to students who are on summer break and teachers enjoying the same.

Will you listen to your heart and see if it’s out of focus? Will you allow the Lord to search you and draw you closer to his heart?

Only one thing is necessary. In Jesus Christ we’ll find rest & renewal that leaves our hearts refocused and recharged.

If you’re here this morning and your not a Christian there will be an opportunity for you to respond. However the Lord leads you can do that now.

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