Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Jesus is invited into the home of Martha for a meal and conversation. Her sister, Mary, is present. The text is ambivalent as to whether Mary lives there or not. It just says she is there and absorbed in listening to Jesus.
As one can imagine, Martha is somewhat “ticked-off” that she is doing all the work in preparation for the meal and Mary is just sitting relaxed with a smile on her face as she listens to Jesus pontificate on the deep mysteries of the Kingdom of God and life. Martha does have a point or so she thinks. Leaving the kitchen, she comes to Jesus and insists that He instruct Mary to get up and help her. The way the text reads suggests Martha expects Jesus to agree with her and thus act. She may be expecting Jesus to respond, “Martha, you are absolutely right! Mary! Get up off your lazy _ _ _ _ and get in the kitchen and help your sister. What is the matter with you?”
But that is not the way it plays out. Jesus calls her name twice – “Martha, Martha” (v. 41). This may indicate that what sister Mary is doing is quite appropriate. “You are worried about dinner. You want the table set perfectly. You want everything in proper order. You want to make sure the food doesn’t burn. You need the floor swept and want the lighting just right. I understand. I truly do” Jesus could have said. He doesn’t seem to be upset about what Martha is doing; rather He seems to be bothered that she is more concerned about what somebody else is doing, namely, her sister Mary.
He then tells her that Mary is doing the thing that is better: listening to every word that He articulates. Duty to God and obeying His word always take preference over everything else. Discipleship often demands that simple tasks, even needful ones like preparing a meal, be deferred. There is to be a balance between service (“all the preparations… to be made” v. 40a) and contemplation (“listening to what he said” v. 39b).
My friend, New Testament scholar Alan Culpepper, retried Dean of McAfee School of Theology, notes a connection with the preceding story of the Compassionate Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. The Samaritan and Mary are unlikely heroes. Both represent the marginalized and unacceptable of society – a half-breed and a woman. But they are “model disciples” for they hear the word of God and act upon it.
Another friend, George Mason, pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, TX, is preaching a sermon this morning using this text with the title, “Learning to Eat with Our Ears.” I’m sure it will be thoughtful and engaging. The title itself speaks volumes. We have to learn to feast with our ears. We have to stop whatever we are doing and pause long enough to hear what is being said, ponder it, hide it in our hearts, and then act on it. We can’t act until we’ve listened.
Commit to maintaining a balance between service and reflection. One must first hear the word of God before one can do it. Martha came to understand this. So can we.
My sermon that I will preach this morning at Garden Lakes Baptist Church in Rome, GA, is the fifth in a series on The Beatitudes. Under the theme, Let It Beatitudes, my word this morning focuses on the merciful and is titled “Compassion for Our Neighbors in Need (which is everyone).” The text for this beatitude is Matthew 5:1-2, 7. I encourage you to read all of The Beatitudes in Matthew 5. Worship is at 8:45 a.m. in The Chapel and 11:00 a.m. in The Sanctuary. Rylee Shedd will be confessing her faith in Baptism during the 11:00 a.m. gathering. Bible Study for all ages is at 9:45 a.m.
