Today we are going to to be in the book of Luke chapter 10.
To give us some perspective of where we are in the life of Christ, we are about 5-6 months out from the crucifixion. Jesus has just finished his ministry in Galilee for the last time. Toward the end of chapter 9 and through chapter 10, Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem and is traveling down through Samaria, continuing His ministry. (cleansing of the 10 lepers, seventy-two sent out for ministry, parable of the good Samaritan, etc)
As they enter into Judea, where Jerusalem resided, Jesus and His followers stop in Bethany to visit the home of Mary and Martha. This is where we will pick up.
v38 - As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.
Mary, Martha, along with their brother Lazarus all were close friends with Jesus. Jesus loved them and they loved Jesus. (John 11:3,5,36)
It seems that Jesus visited their home often. One could imagine Martha wanting everything to be perfect when He arrived.
Anytime Jesus showed up to their place, he most likely arrived with his disciples. That could have been anywhere from 12-72 people! (Jesus sent out seventy two disciples while in Samaria on their way to Bethany)
The village they lived in was a town called Bethany, which was a little less than 2 miles away from Jerusalem, where Jesus would go next.
v39 - She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
Mary often spent time at Jesus’ feet. This was a posture of a
student with their rabbi. A student would sit at their feet in a posture of
humility and listen to every word.
While Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet, Martha was busy making
all the preparations for Jesus and his entourage. The text gives no indication
that Mary was being lazy or irresponsible of some sort. The opposite is more
likely. Mary, more than likely, helped Martha with getting the preparations
ready before Jesus arrived.
Nevertheless, what Mary valued in that moment versus what Martha valued seemed to be completely different. Mary valued spending time with Jesus, listening to His every word. All her thoughts and actions were in Jesus and what He said. She simply wanted to be with Him.
v40 - 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 on the other hand spent all her time getting things
ready for Jesus and His followers. Now, to be fair, this is exactly what Jesus
asked for. Jesus most likely sent one of his disciples ahead to let them know
He was coming so they could be prepared.
Nevertheless, the scriptures specifically say that Martha was
“distracted” by all of the preparations. This means that her work and
preparation got in the way of what was important.
Martha valued what she could do for Jesus. She wanted to
please Jesus with how hard she was working for Him. All of her thoughts and
actions were busy trying to earn the approval of Jesus.
However, it got to the point to where she was wanting Jesus
to condemn her sister Mary for not helping Martha “do" what she was doing.
A moment that was about Jesus being in her home quickly
became all about Martha and all the work she had put in, along with what Mary
was not doing. It became about Mary not valuing the same thing that Martha
valued.
What would make Martha go up to Jesus and get Him to tell
Mary what to do?
Frustration? Anger? Resentment?
What would cause her to have these feelings?
Why didn’t Mary have these feelings?
Why didn’t Mary have these thoughts?
One reason could be their temperaments. Martha could have had
a temperament that caused her to worry a lot.
On the contrary, it could have been deeper. Maybe this was
more about where she drew her value. It is possible that Martha drew her value
from what she could do for Jesus (performance) while Mary drew her value from
Jesus Himself (grace).
Mary’s value was tied to Jesus himself and every word that
came from His mouth. Where Jesus was, she was. Mary understood that her value
was “in” Christ. Her value, significance, security, acceptance, approval, joy
were all wrapped up in Jesus. In other words, her identity was “in” Christ.
You may have heard this term before, “in Christ.”
Paul uses it often when describing the position we hold
through our salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 - “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold,
the new has come.”
Romans 3:24 - “[We] are justified by his grace as a
gift, through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus
Romans 8:1 - “There is therefore now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 6:11 - “So you also must consider yourselves dead
to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
What does it mean to be in Christ?
In Christ means to be “hidden” in Jesus.
Galatians 2 explains it well:
Galatians 2:20 - “I have been crucified
with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave himself for me.”
In other words, our life and “who we are” is placed inside of
Christ. We are hidden from the world’s way of doing things and the world’s way
of thinking. The world is out there and we are here in Christ. Our former way
of life is out there and our new way of life is here in Christ. Out there, we
are exposed and subject to God’s wrath toward sin. In here, we are covered by
the blood of Jesus and by the grace of God. In Him we are justified as if we
never sinned. In Him we are new creatures.
Our new life is hidden in Christ, along with our identity.
Before Christ, our identity was found in what we do, family expectations, our
performance at work, etc. Nevertheless, in Christ, our identity is not in these
things, but from the work He did on the cross.
In Christ we are:
•
New - We are no longer defined by our past but by our future
in Christ
•
Forgiven - It’s no longer about what we did but what He did
•
Loved - Not for what we do but for who we are
•
Chosen - Not due to our accomplishments but what He
accomplished
•
Secure - Not because of our position in life but our position
in Christ
•
Significant - Not for how important we are but how important
Christ is
•
Accepted - Not because of what we can do but what He did
•
Valued - Not for what we bring to Christ but what for what
Christ brings
Our identity can never be wrapped up in what we do but rather
who we are.
If our value is tied to our performance then we will always
find ourselves frustrated and upset as Martha was. Why? Because we will always
fall short. Nevertheless, if our value is found in Christ then our confidence
can never be shaken. Why? Because our position in Him will never change.
Performance based identity is about perfection, which is
impossible. We can never be perfect enough, therefore we will always fall
short. Our confidence will fall short, security will fall short, significance,
etc, we will always fall short.
Grace based identity is about being perfected in Christ. It’s
not about doing, rather what is already done. It’s not about who you can
become, rather who you are. Grace is the unmerited favor of God, meaning that
we don’t deserve it. It is the gift of God. In the same way we cannot earn our
salvation, we cannot earn our value.
While Martha was working to earn her validation, I believe
Mary worked from a place of validation (was already validated). While Martha
worked to be valuable, Mary worked understanding her value. As we serve Jesus,
we must do so understanding that we have already been validated. Our value is
not determined by what we do or lack thereof. Rather our value is found in
Christ and His finished work on the cross. Our value is found in the gospel!
The gospel is not only for tomorrow but also for today.
The gospel is not only for our future day but also for our
current day.
How do we walk in our true identity in Christ?
v41-42 - “Martha,
Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about
many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has
chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Abiding in Christ.
John
15:4-5
“4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Abide = To Stay
It means to live; to continue in. It means to keep on keeping
on. To remain unchanged. Other translations also use the words remain, which
has the same idea.
Mary stayed at Jesus’ feet. She remained there. She continued
to stay with Jesus. Mary abided in Jesus. In other words, she spent time with
Jesus.
Just as Mary did, we must spend time with Jesus. We must
carve out time and invite Jesus into our home. We must sit at His feet and
glean from Him through His word. Serving is good, and it is what Jesus wants us
to do. In fact, Jesus expects us to do so. Jesus sent word that He was coming
to their home, which gives the idea that He expected Mary to help get things
ready. Nevertheless, when Jesus walked into her home and began to speak, Mary
sat at His feet and allowed herself to be filled up. In the same way, we too
must be careful not serve God in place of spending time with Him. Nothing can
take the place of spending time with Jesus.
Takeaways
1.
Your identity is found in Christ
2.
Jesus gives grace in your lowest moments
3.
Nothing else takes the place of spending time
with Jesus
