One Necessary Thing

Jess Arnds

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A contrast between two sisters trying to please the Lord. Why did Mary make the better choice?

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An Age of Distraction

We live in an age of distraction. How many of you have smartphones? How many of you have sent or received a notification already?

Texting/Driving Stats

General Cell Phone Statistics

Note: These are the most recent statistics available

The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year.

Nearly 330,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving.

1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving.

Texting while driving is 6x more likely to cause an accident than driving drunk.

Texting while driving is 6x more likely to cause an accident than driving drunk.Answering a text takes away your attention for about five seconds. Traveling at 55 mph, that's enough time to travel the length of a football field.Texting while driving causes a 400% increase in time spent with eyes off the road.Of all cell phone related tasks, texting is by far the most dangerous activity.94% of drivers support a ban on texting while driving.74% of drivers support a ban on hand-held cell phone use.

Answering a text takes away your attention for about five seconds. Traveling at 55 mph, that's enough time to travel the length of a football field.Texting while driving causes a 400% increase in time spent with eyes off the road.Of all cell phone related tasks, texting is by far the most dangerous activity.94% of drivers support a ban on texting while driving.74% of drivers support a ban on hand-held cell phone use.

Teen Driver Cell Phone Statistics

11 teens die every day as a result of texting while driving.

According to a AAA poll, 94% of teen drivers acknowledge the dangers of texting and driving, but 35% admitted to doing it anyway.

21% of teen drivers involved in fatal accidents were distracted by their cell phones.

Teen drivers are 4x more likely than adults to get into car crashes or near-crashes when talking or texting on a cell phone.

A teen driver with only one additional passenger doubles the risk of getting into a fatal car accident. With two or more passengers, they are 5x as likely.

Now, my purpose here is not to give a lesson on roadway saftey. But to illustrate the point that we live in a particularly distracted age.

Let’s think about this for a moment. What makes something a distraction? Distractions pull our attention away from where it should be.

In the case of driving and texting, the phone is pulling our attention away from the very serious responsibility of driving. As these statistics show, this distraction has serious and even fatal consequences.

What is it about that phone? Why are we so easily distracted?

Why do we take such risks?

Overconfidence in our own ability

Lack of awareness of the danger

Boredom with our primary task

Lack of self-control - instant gratification

Impatience

Fear of man

Fear of missed opportunity

Carelessness/Complacency

It is not the phone itself that distracts us, but our own pride, pleasure, complacency and misplaced priorities.

Just as these things lead to distracted driving, they also lead us to distracted devotion.

What are your distractions?

What makes something a “distraction”?

Luke 10:38–42 NASB95

38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Preliminary Comments

We are a distracted people

Why is distraction bad?

Keeps you from what is really important

With that in mind, Let's turn to the book of Luke, chapter 10. We will read from verses 38-42.

Read the text

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Only One Thing is Necessary?

Jesus says here that only one thing is necessary.

What do you think is necessary?

What is the One thing?

Jesus does not actually state what the one thing is. He just says that Mary has chosen it - and that it wont' be taken away from her.

4 The Context

In order to understand what Jesus is getting at, it is especially important that we understand the context of this story.

vs 38 38 Now as they went on their way

Where were they going?

9:51 -

Jesus entered a village

What village is this?

one of the Villages the 72 had visited

Bethany where Martha, Mary and Lazarus lived - John 11.

And a woman named Martha

This appears to the be same Martha that is mentioned in the book of John whose brother Lazarus was raised from the dead.

Probably single or a widow

Probably the oldest sibling - she is always named first.

welcomed him into her house.

This story occurs at her home.

So Jesus and his disciples are on their way to Jerusalem, preaching in many small towns and villages, he comes to this small village where Martha welcomes him and in verse 39, we see a contrast made between Martha and her sister Mary. Let's look at this contrast in Verse 39 - 40 - The Contrast

5 The Contrast

And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet

This was no place for a woman

The Rabbi's never would have let this happen

let the Torah be burned rather than handed over to a woman

This is astonishing

A woman sitting among the disciples

Ignoring her cultural obligation of hospitality

Sitting in the front, at his feet, right next to him.

By Doing this, she is choosing to endure the scowls of the other listeners and the disapproval of her own sister

For her to choose to do this goes beyond mere preference, laziness, etc. There was something more important going on than social acceptability.

you see this attitude among those who Jesus honored

Zaccheus in a tree

the adulteress who washed Jesus feet with her tears

The sinner who beat his chest and begged to be forgiven

There is a humble desperation that rightly grasps the importance of Jesus words.

listened to his teaching - Literally "His word"

THIS IS KEY: We will come back to it.

But Martha was distracted with much serving

This is a story of contrast

"But Martha"

"But Jesus"

"But One Thing is Necessary"

It is a contrast between what Martha and Mary did

It is a contrast between what Martha wanted from Jesus and How he actually responded

It is a contrast between what Martha thought was most important, and what actually was important.

Martha was distracted - KJV = "cumbered about"

The word for "distracted" literally means "to be pulled about" or "dragged around"

Have you ever seen one of those Dog walkers? Ever tried to Talk to one?

What is She Distracted with?

with much serving

The word primarily refers to food preparation.

Notice - she is not distracted with gossip, slander, greed. No She is distracted by serving. Serving the LORD and his disciples.

Think of What it would take to prepare food for this occasion.

Have you guys ever had a big party at your house? Have you ever paid attention to how do your parents usually handle that?

She would like to listen to Jesus

- but she was dragged away by her responsibilities

- by what she thought was important.

She thinks to herself

I hope we have enough bread

Does everyone have enough to drink

Where is Mary?

She obviously believes she is doing the right and honorable thing because we see in middle of verse 40 - the confrontation

6 The Confrontation

Vs 40 "and she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."

Do you think she feels justified in what she is doing?

Obviously she does

She and everyone else in that room probably thought she was right to do this

She is the responsible one, the selfless one.

We would ask Martha to speak for our women's ministries

So she confronts The Lord

Interrupts his teaching

Commands him to tell Mary to help.

Notice Jesus Response and we will call this the correction

7 The Correction

Vs 41- But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

Jesus answer is so often the opposite of what we would think.

No one is naturally wise

You must search for it like gold

Martha, Martha

Lovingly stops her in her tracks

Anxious

Troubled

Many things

But One thing Is Necessary

8 The Conclusion - what is the one thing?

Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

Whatever it is, Mary has chosen It. And whatever she ha chosen will not be taken away

What did she do?

Listened to his word - why?

What was so important about his word?

Remember why he came - to save his people from their sins

Think about his purpose: To Preach the Gospel

To peach the gospel of the kingdom of God.

This was no casual FYI that Jesus was teaching

Remember what he sent the 72 out to proclaim?

The kingdom of Heaven is near!

Martha would have known that this was his purpose in coming to their village.

This may have been the first time that Mary and Martha had met Jesus - he came to proclaim the kingdom of God and how to be saved

So Jesus came to preach the kingdom - what did he say About it?

A. Eternal Life is the highest priority

Higher than spiritual accomplishments

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

Higher than physical life

12:4-5 "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

Higher than Man's Approval

12:8-9 "And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

Higher than earthly riches

12:13-34 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."

Higher than physical needs

And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. …… But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Luk12:31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Higher than Family Relationships

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Eternal life is a higher priority than family relationships

Higher than everything you have

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

B. Eternal Life is Urgent

You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

Repent or you will likewise perish

So the Question is "What must I do to be saved?"

C. Eternal Life is given to those who hear and do his Word

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."

In - Jesus tells a parable about seed that was scattered on different kinds of soil. Starting in v 11 he gives the interpretation. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. "No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away."

Mary chose what would never be taken away

And he was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you." But he answered them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

So these are the types of things Jesus was saying

Can

Why didn't Martha come listen - she was distracted by things of lesser importance. She was not driven by her own desperate need

You desperately need the word

What is impossible with man is possible with God

Once you are saved, Jesus and his words continue to be your focus and priority.

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