Good Choice
A sermon preached at
Luke 10:38-42 (NIV)
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t 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, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Dear friends in Christ,
Is it possible for a parent to be too involved with their child’s school? Think about a parent who is always the first to volunteer when the school asks for volunteers. This parent is strongly involved with the PTA. This parent helps in the school office and in their child’s classroom. They make copies, organize projects, go on fieldtrips and are at the school every day. In fact, this parent is at their child’s school more than the child is. If they can’t find something to do in the school they go out on the school yard and clean up. They help with after school activities and do their planning and attend meetings related to the school in the evenings. Obviously, this parent loves the school and wants the best for their child.
Could this parent be missing something in life? Could there be any downside to other areas of life caused by doing all this good volunteer work at the school? I think we can all see how such busyness, even though it is doing good, could cause harm to other areas of life. This parent should probably make the choice to give up a little of the volunteering for the good of their family. In God’s Word before us today, we see two sisters. Martha is very busy serving the Lord. However, Jesus says to her, “Mary has chosen what is better.” Mary made a good choice. Before we can make a good choice in our lives we first look at God’s choice and then at our choice.
Good Choice.
God’s Choice
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.
Some would look at this and say that Martha made a great choice. She chose to let Jesus come into her house. Yes she did, but it was Jesus who first chose to come to her house. That is how it works. God chooses us. We do not choose God.
There is a false idea in much of the Christian world that somehow people have to make a choice to believe in Jesus. This false idea is nothing new. It has been around for centuries. Some versions of this teaching are quite crass. They would say that a person has the ability to follow the commandments and by so doing please God. This is nothing more than a religion of works and the Scripture is quite clear that this is not how we are saved. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Obviously, we are not getting to heaven by being good. But some say that a person can get to heaven by making a good choice. Listen to four statements I found on the websites of popular radio and television ministries and hear how they put the focus on a choice made by an unbeliever.
“It is [the preacher’s] deepest desire…that everyone who hears this message of hope and encouragement would choose to accept God's goodness and mercy.” (Joel Osteen website)
“He offers His unmerited favor, or grace, if we will only accept it.” (Focus on the Family website)
“We must step forward into the relationship with God that He has prepared for us” (Insight for Living website)
“To reach God and live in heaven after you die, you must accept Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord.” (In Touch Ministries website)
Notice how all of these statements require an unbeliever to make a decision to accept Jesus. Now, some of these ministries do not believe what God clearly says in his Word about humans being born in sin and being blind to God’s Word and being enemies of the Lord. If you don’t believe what the Bible says about our hopeless, sinful condition from birth you could easily believe that a person has the ability to choose to believe in Jesus. But the surprising thing is that some of them believe that we were blind, dead, enemies of God and they still think a blind, dead, enemy of God can make a good choice to accept Jesus.
Blind, dead, enemies of God do not make any good spiritual choices. But God only makes good choices and he chose me. He did not choose me because of my greatness. He did not choose me because he looked into time and thought I would be a good contributor to his kingdom. He did not choose me because of any good in me. There wasn’t any. He chose me because of his great mercy. He chose me because of his grace and his great love.
That is why he chose you too. In that great love for you and me God sent Jesus live a sin free life for us. Jesus then died an innocent death to pay for our sins. And then he rose from the dead so we too will rise from the dead and be in heaven forever. That is God’s love for us in Christ. Did I decide to believe this message of forgiveness and eternal life in Christ? No. God brought the message to me and brought me to faith. He did it when my parents brought me to church when I was a little boy and the pastor poured some water on my head and baptized me in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. My sins were washed away and I was brought into the family of God through his Word.
Maybe the details of your story of being brought to faith are different but I know this. The Holy Spirit worked through the gospel to bring you to believe in Jesus Christ. God chose you. May we always give our God the honor, glory, and praise for giving us forgiveness and eternal life.
Our Choice
Just because we were unable to choose to believe in Jesus does not mean that we are unable to make any choices in life. We make many choices and as Christians we can even make spiritual and God-pleasing choices with the help of the Holy Spirit. Listen to how these two believers chose to express their faith.
She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
Look at this from Martha’s perspective. The Lord has decided to come to her house. He is sitting in the house now. There are a few hungry disciples with him. It is time to get things ready. We can’t let the Savior come to our house and not serve him something to eat. And it can’t just be anything. This is going to be special because Jesus is such a special guest. Martha wants to serve her Savior and has chosen to do so by serving him a meal.
But here is where things take a turn. Martha sees her sister, Mary, sitting there. Company has come and Mary sits. There are things to be done and Mary just sits. She always slips away when there is work to be done. She gets all the attention while I do all the work and get no appreciation. I’m not going to let her sit there. I’ll get Jesus on my side. He won’t let her get out of helping. So Martha goes to Jesus and demands, “Tell her to help me!” What started off as willing service to the Lord became something Martha was not happy to do.
She is probable surprised by Jesus’ response.
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Jesus says Mary has made a good choice. Notice that he doesn’t scold Martha for wanting to serve him a meal. Jesus is not only true God but also true man and did get hungry. But Jesus did not come into the world to be served. He came into the world to serve and give his life as a ransom. Jesus did not come into the world to gather up a huge following who would make him an earthly celebrity. He came to tell people how to get to heaven. He came to be the way to heaven through his sacrifice. And even now he serves us. He is preparing our place in heaven. He is interceding with his Father on our behalf. Martha wanted to serve the Lord and that is good but Jesus gently reminds her that he came to serve her and give her gifts. Listen to him for comfort, peace, forgiveness, and eternal life.
Martha got so involved with the details of her life that it caused her to worry and get upset. 14% unemployment. Oil spill. Air conditioning bill. House payment. Doctor’s appointment. Children. Grandchildren. Parents. Friends. Politics. Wars. Weather. Worried and upset yet? The worries can come from the world. Or they can come from our own busyness at home, church, school and work. Sometimes you might have so many things going on that you can’t think straight. Jesus has one answer to our worries and busy, busy lives. Be like Mary. Sit and listen to his Word.
Mary is not just sitting and doing nothing while Martha prepares a meal. She is actively listening to Jesus. The Lord and Savior of the world comes to her house and she can’t wait to hear what he has to say to her. This wasn’t like having an entertaining uncle stop by for a visit and tell stories of his adventures. This is God’s Son in human flesh talking to her. Mary is not going to miss it. This is the Messiah speaking about the
You made a choice to sit and listen to God’s Word today. I encourage you to keep making that choice. Jesus says it is a good choice. Continue to hear his message of forgiveness and comfort and joy for you. Continue to hear his Word that tells us he will be with us no matter how bad the economy gets or how bad our health becomes or how bad we mess up. He is there to comfort and forgive. Make the choice to open your Bible and soak in the good news God has for you. Make the choice to read a Bible story to your children or grandchildren so they know their Savior. Make the good choice to be like Mary and sit at Jesus’ feet.
When we do that, we can also be like Martha and put our renewed and strengthened faith into action. We can serve out of thanks and joy that God has given us in his Word. Maybe you choose to serve God by taking care of your family or watching out for your neighbor. You can do it by being a faithful employee or a good employer. You can do it here at church too by serving in the nursery or bringing cookies, by being an usher or greeter, by teaching Sunday School or filling the candles, and many other ways as well. However you are serving the Lord, whether at home, school, work, or church remember what Mary did. She made a good choice to hear God’s Word. If we don’t take time to listen to what God has done for us and given to us, we will soon become tired of serving and complain as Martha did.
So listen to God’s Word in worship, listen to God’s Word in Bible class, listen to God’s Word in Sunday School, listen to him as you open your Bible and read. Then, as you serve the Lord in your life you will know why you are doing it and will stay motivated by his love for you. Jesus came to serve you. May we continue to make the choice to hear his Word. That is a good choice.
Amen.