Because of Bethlehem: HOPE

Nov 27, 2016 by: Sam Hestorff| Series: Because of Bethlehem

There have been times when my life where I have felt completely overwhelmed; too many things going on, stuff falling apart and certainly not going the way I planned.
And honestly, I just feel hopeless.
But instead of slowing down, taking time, taking a deep breathe and opening up to God . . .
I, in a sense, say to God, “You know what God; you must be busy working out everything for everyone else . . . so, I’ve got this one.”
The four weeks leading up to Christmas is called Advent; which is a latin word meaning waiting and let's me honest, that's not an easy thing for some of us.
But this Advent season, we are going to intentionally slow down and pause from our busy lives.
I want to encourage each of you to make this advent season at Logos Dei a priority in your lives and to invite others to join us as we, together, patiently wait for God.
And this morning, we are going to look at two women who were thrown into some unexpected chaos and how they handled it.
Read Text . . . Luke 10:38-42
Jesus has been on this multi month walk toward Jerusalem and He travels far less than first class . . . He’s homeless, doesn’t know where he’s gonna get his next meal and he walking with open toed shoes over incredibly rocky terrain.
Now I could tell you that when you’re traveling, even if you’re flying, when you arrive at your destination . . . you’re tired, you’re exhausted, you’re hungry, and you just want to kick back and relax.
But everybody who has been waiting for you is ready to take the life out of you. They’re all rested up, buzzing on caffeine, excited that you are there and they’re ready to go. That’s just how it works.
So when Jesus pulls into a town, the crowd swarms him. Everybody needs, wants, demands something.
But He’s tired, he’s hungry, he’s thirsty. He needs a quiet place to just be.
And Mary and Martha know this because they were his friends and so they open up their home to Jesus.
What a gift that is . . .
So Jesus kicks back in his favorite comfy chair with his favorite drink in his hand and he’s totally relaxed. And immediately Mary comes and sits at his feet in order to hear everything that Jesus had to say about his ministry; where he’s been, what’s he’s been doing, where God is moving.
Now, to sit at someone’s feet was an official position.

In that day, people didn’t apply to go to a school but instead they would apply to follow a teacher.
If after being thoroughly examined by the teacher and accepted as his student, you would then be given the honorable position of sitting at their feet while they lectured and instructed.
Lots of people wanted to sit at Jesus’ feet, but only a few were allowed to, and Mary was among them.
And this is a radical thing because women were not regarded as equal to men. But Jesus allows both men and women to sit at his feet . . . together.
This is radical. This is revolutionary. And this is a gift given to Mary.
Here’s Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus; being teachable, being humble, being present, getting her time with Jesus. It’s all about being in this moment!
But this doesn’t settle well with Martha because Jesus needs a place to stay and something to eat and she’s kind of freaking out because this is short notice. Not to mention, it’s Jesus, plus the twelve disciples, plus the entourage that are following them.
She didn’t plan for this . . .
So she’s thinking, “I haven’t had a shower. I’m in sweats, we don’t have anything to eat for Jesus and his entourage and the house isn’t clean. And this is a small village so there’s no Sam’s club here so I can’t pick up a quick meal and pop it into the oven. Not to mention, dessert. I mean, how are we gonna provide a quality dessert for all of these people.”
And then all of a sudden she’s going through her cupboards and she realizes, “I don’t have enough plates. I don’t have enough soup spoons. I don’t have enough napkins. Where’s everyone gonna sit?”
I mean, this is a lot of pressure to pull off something special for her friend Jesus and so she’s all worried.
Do you get the picture here . . .
• Mary’s sitting at the feet of Jesus, just in the moment.
• And then there’s Martha scrambling, “We need to do this and then we can do that, and if we’re going to pull this off we’ve got to stick to a strict schedule. At 10:07 we’re going to need to chop cucumbers and at 10:11 we’re going to put the cake in the oven.”
Now some of you can totally resonate with Martha . . . right? Especially during the holiday season.
I mean, you just can’t sit down. You want to sit down but you’re like. “Oh I've got guests coming over and that picture is not even. Ok, now I’ll sit down. Oh wait, There’s dust on that, let me dust it off. Ok, I’m going to sit down. Oh wait, I haven't put up the Christmas tree. Where should it go this year? And which decorations should I put up that will match my décor for the season? Ok, let’s sit down, relax and watch a little TV. Oh my gosh, the tree is leaning and there's needles all over the floor."
And you can’t just sit down and relax until everything is in order . . . right?
And if you’re honest, you kind of get annoyed with the Mary’s . . . don’t you?
Because Mary’s are just hanging out and just being in the moment with one another, completely unaware of all the stuff that needs to get done.
Come on Martha’s, admit it . . . you’re a little annoyed with us Mary’s . . . aren’t you?
Well, that’s how Martha’s feeling . . . as she’s slaving away in the kitchen, trying to stick to this schedule she created in order to pull of something really special for Jesus . . . and Mary’s sitting at the feet of Jesus . . . doing nothing.
And so she pulls Jesus aside and says, “Don’t you care that my sister left me to serve all alone? “Jesus, you need to do something about this . . . tell her to help me out!””
Do you see what she’s doing . . . she’s bossing Jesus.
“Jesus, if you would just do what I tell you to do, we’ll get things thing knocked out pretty quickly. I’ve got a plan here. And you and Mary just sitting there singing songs and being in the moment doesn’t get meals made . . . let’s go Jesus, help me out here . . . this is all for you!”
Martha is just really burned out and frustrated . . . but she’s doing things that Jesus didn’t ask her to do in the first place . . . isn’t she?
Now before we get into Jesus’ response, I want you to know that I love Martha’s. Mary’s . . . we need Martha’s. I surround myself with Martha’s because they help keep me in line and keep me focused and not stuck in the moment. Martha’s get things done . . . and for us Mary’s that’s a gift!
And the way this story typically goes is Martha is bad and Mary is good. Be like Mary and not like Martha.
But we need to see what a gift Martha is and that Martha absolutely loves Jesus and wants nothing more than to serve him. And Jesus loves Martha.
So Jesus says to her, “Martha, Martha, your anxious and troubled about many things” . . . I see Jesus smiling, maybe even being a little bit playful . . . a little goofy because she’s so serious.
You see, Martha is like a sister to him and so he’s drawing her out, “Hey, Martha, let’s refocus this. Let’s talk about this. Let me help pull you out of your funk.”
And he says, “One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
And here he’s using language that will resonate with Martha. What’s has Martha been doing all day? Preparing a meal for Jesus and his friends . . . and I’m sure that she was hoping to serve Jesus the good portion. He was going to get the big piece of chicken and the big piece of cake . . . the one with the most frosting.
And what Jesus tells her is, “You know what Martha? You are trying to give me the good portion and I’m incredibly grateful for that . . . but Mary was wise, humble, teachable, available and present. I gave her the good portion.
She got the best feast of all because ‘man does not live on bread alone but every word that proceeds from God’”.
• You see, once you’re done with a meal, it’s over.
• Once you’ve picked up the house, it’s just gonna get messed up again.
• Once you’ve straightened the mirror, it’s just gonna get crooked again
• Once you’ve put on a nice clean pair of clothes, they’re just gonna get dirty again
• But once you’ve spent time with Jesus . . . that gift lasts forever.
And so Jesus says, “Martha, I know you’re freaked out. You’ve got a million things to do. You’re never gonna get them done. So how about if we start with this?
Slow down. Put down your lists and spend some time with me.”
You see, I think Jesus appreciated her hard work, her devotion, her hospitality. I believe that he was grateful that she opened her home. I don’t think Jesus condemns her for any of that.
But he does reveal her motive and he invites her to stop making life lists and spend time with him.
Because the truth is, Martha, you’re never gonna get everything done that you’ve got on your list. And if spending time with Jesus is last on your list, you’ll never get to him.
And that is the point . . . Mary first, Martha second
• Spend time with Jesus first, then get stuff done.
• Worship like Mary and then serve like Martha.
• Worship God before you work so that you can worship God in your work.
• Spend time listening to the narrative that God is writing and then go live it.
• So what we all need is Mary’s heart and Martha’s hands . . . both are incredibly important
Jesus doesn’t need any of us to do more. Like every relationship, he just wants to spend time with you because he cares for you. And I believe that’s the invitation to Martha.
“Martha, I’m passing through town. I’m not going to be here for long. Eventually, they’re going to crucify me. Martha, you’re one of my friends. We’re here . . . so let’s just sit in the living room and visit with everybody and pray and laugh and talk.”
You see, Jesus didn’t need Martha, but he loved her and he enjoyed her and he pursued her.
That’s just what Jesus does . . . that’s the story of God. He pursues people and he invites them into a relationship with him. And in that relationship he calls us to serve and to live the story of our lives with him.
Mary first, Martha second.
So, here’s what we’re going to do now . . . we’re going to have a little Mary time. Throughout the advent season, we are going to give ourselves time to pause, reflect and spend time with Jesus.
And then, we’re going to take communion and remember Jesus’ broken body and the shedding of his blood for our sins . . . we’re going to remember the work that Jesus did on our behalf.
You see, we don’t work for our salvation . . . we work from our salvation.
As Jesus hung on the cross and he said the words, “It is finished” . . . He completed the most important work of all . . . that was the good portion that he offers to all of us. And it was done on the cross and through the empty tomb.
And we’re going to sing. And as we sing, it’s a Mary moment together as men and women who have been called to live our lives together in this place and to sit at the feet of Jesus and to enjoy him, and him to enjoy us.

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