Sermon Tone Analysis

Savouring Christ – Luke 10:38-42

Introduction

I want you to think back to just a few minutes ago – to the moment you walked into the service this morning.

What were you thinking about?

What were you meditating upon?

What was foremost in your thoughts?

Perhaps you are here this morning and you are worried about something, or someone.

A bank statement, or a close friend.

Perhaps you were thinking about what you’re having for lunch, who you’re sharing it with.

Perhaps you were even thinking unkindly about somebody else.

It’s funny how crowded our minds become, isn’t it?

The real reason we’re here this morning is Jesus Christ.

If you’re a visitor here this morning, like I am, I can assure that our chief design in this time is simply to consider Jesus.

We worship Him, and we love and desire Him.

And so as we come to the Bible, the reason we’re doing so is to help us love Him more.

It is my usual practice to take a passage of scripture and move through it, making observations as we go, and then to seek to apply it’s main lesson to our lives.

That isn’t going to be any different this morning.

We’re going to be looking at this text under three headings.

Number 1, Sitting.

Number 2, Seething.

And Number 3, Savouring.

1. Sitting

So, let’s set the scene.

The Lord Jesus and His Disciples have been traveling around, proclaiming the Gospel, healing the sick and casting out demons.

They find their way on their travels to Bethany.

Bethany is about 2 miles outside of Jerusalem, and at Bethany live three siblings – Martha, Mary and Lazarus.

Jesus makes a number of visits here throughout the course of His ministry, the most notable of course being the occasion in John 11 when he brings back His friend Lazarus from the dead, in order to display the Glory of God to those present.

Jesus has probably sent word ahead that he was coming, and his hostess Martha has been a busy-bee.

We read in verse 38 that Martha welcomes Jesus into her house.

It may be that Martha is oldest of the Siblings, and therefore has a kind of matriarchal, motherly role amongst them.

Regardless, she is certainly the designated hostess for this particular visit.

So picture the scene – she learns that Jesus and His disciples are coming to see them.

Although the disciples aren’t directly mentioned in the text, their presence in implied in verse 38 when we read that “They went on their way”, the plural revealing that the group is present.

So Martha, a probably unmarried woman is set about preparing a meal for at least 14, and perhaps 15 people if her brother Lazarus shows up.

15 People is a lot to cater for by modern standards in somebody’s home, but it’s even more so back then.

Mary and Martha would probably have been dependent upon their brother Lazarus to live, there is no mention made in the Gospels of either of the women having husbands, or of their parents being there to.

For a small, probably four sibling-family unit to afford a meal for 15 would have been quite a stretch.

And as Martha is still busy about her preparations, the guests arrive.

Horrible feeling that isn’t it.

Women, you know of what I speak, I’m sure.

It seems to me that most people seeking to give hospitality, also go to great length to make it appear effortless.

Terrible business for your guests to discover you actually have to prepare the found, rather than simply, praying it down from heaven.

So the guests arrive.

Martha and Mary have both been busy at work, preparing the meal.

And Mary leaves the room to go and sit down and listen to Jesus.

Verses 38, 39 and 40 set up this contrast between Martha and Mary.

Martha is the busybody her mind is “distracted” we read, with much serving.

Mary, on the other hand, has left Martha at it to go and listen to their guest’s doctrine!

Can you imagine!

Whilst there are cakes to be iced, and tea to be made, and pasta to strain, Mary just leaves her sister to it!

Let’s be honest – our initial assessment if we saw such thing would be that Mary is lazy.

Surely diligent Martha is the godly one here, and Mary is the lazy child of an ungrateful philistine?

But all may not be as it seems.

Mary comes into the room and simply sits beside the feet of our Lord Jesus, to listen to Him teach, and to what He has to say.

NKJV is right to translate it ‘word’, that’s the most literal rendering, and the use of the term here may mean that it was specifically Jesus’ spiritual conversation that she was listening to.

It doesn’t just mean she went in for a chat – she was listening to Jesus teach.

Mary had refrained from a good thing, to do a better thing.

That is why all is not as it seems.

But Martha, of course, has not grasped this.

This leads to our second point of consideration.

2. Seething

Martha sees what Mary is up to, and she is very much annoyed.

She clearly becomes embittered that Mary has left her alone to cope with the preparation of this piéce de resistance.

And Martha storms and starts complaining.

Big time.

And she’s complaining to Jesus.

Now, let’s understand this.

What is it Martha’s heart that has led to this outburst?

What is it that makes her so upset?

Is it merely a desire to provide a good meal?

Because good meals in the first century didn’t have to be lavish that you were still preparing it when the guests arrived – and besides, Jesus and His disciples live on the hospitality of others, all the time.

They haven’t come here expecting a 5 course display of Martha’s culinary prowess, nor to be doted upon from a sense of pride and greatness.

Jesus Christ is, do not forget, perfectly humble.

Had he not been fed, he would not have complained.

But Martha is trying to impress.

Isn’t that what she’s doing?

Isn’t this busyness and distractedness really about her, rather than Jesus?

Isn’t it really about her keeping up appearances as a good hostess?

Isn’t this really about pride?

And that of course leads to her outburst at Mary.

Mary is damaging Martha’s chances of impressing Jesus.

Martha is living to hear Jesus say, “That was a great meal, thank you.”

And without Mary’s help, the process is slowed, and perhaps even lessened in quality.

15 is still a lot to cater for.

And she charges in, and literally in the Greek says something more like, “Jesus, tell her to get a grip and help me!”

What an unkind thing to say in her sister’s presence.

Don’t forget that her sister is still sitting at Jesus feet.

She hears this.

And that is very unkind, very hurtful.

Martha’s pride, has led to anger, which has led to her sinning against Jesus (by complaining to Him) and against Mary, (by complaining about her in her presence).

It all sounds far too familiar, doesn’t it?

I have lost count of the times when, in my pride and desire to impress, I have become angry when my desires are crossed.

Doesn’t James say, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you?

Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

You desire and do not have, so you murder.

You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.

You do not have, because you do not ask.”

(James 4:1-2).

James makes it clear that the real root behind conflicts and fights, complaining, bitterness and anger is our own desires.

Our desires for things like approval, influence, value, happiness, and so on, some of them legitimate and some not – when these desires are crossed and thwarted, especially by others, we are provoked to sin against them.