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Pastor Tom Johnson, July 17, 2016
Jesus is in Mary and Martha’s home. Both are showing hospitality in their own way. Mary is listening to Jesus. Martha is busy in the kitchen. It would be rude not to pay attention to one’s guest. It would be rude not to feed one’s guest. They actually make a pretty good team—Mary and Martha—in making Jesus feel welcome into their house. It only become a problem when Martha reveals unrest, resentment, and anger brewing in her heart and mind. Martha came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” Jesus responds, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things.”
Jesus’ response is to hold up a mirror. He wants Martha to be aware of her many distractions and worries. He is not trying to give her more to worry about. He is not trying to add guilt and shame to her anxiety. Jesus reaches out to her out of compassion. For Martha, it was having the most important dinner guest in the history of the world. At the end of Jesus ministry—just six days before his crucifixion and death—Martha will serve Jesus dinner again (Jn 12:2). Hospitality is clearly one of Martha’s spiritual gifts. It is her love language—to cook and serve food to her Master. But at some point she lost sight of her joy. And maybe it was the sight of her sister Mary sitting calmly and contentedly listening to Jesus’ stories.
Jesus will tell all his disciples later (12:22-31), “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.” He will tell us to look at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field to see that God richly and daily provides for his creation. And that by worrying we cannot add a single hour to the length of our lives. Distractions and worries can slowly sneak up on us one at a time. We take on responsibility. We agree to do something and then begin to plan ahead. Our planning slowly becomes worry. And after worry takes hold, we look at those around us with a growing critical eye and judgmental spirit. Self-righteousness sets in. “Lord, do you not care that I am doing all the work!” Before we know it, we are overwhelmed with all our demands. Our imagination gets the best of us. Our brains are wired to come up with the worst case outcome of our troubles. It is how we survive difficulty.
Anxiety is one of the most common—if not the most common—mental health challenge in the United States. And even those who consider themselves healthy will struggle with worry and distractions. Worry and distraction rob Martha of joy in the presence—and even more importantly—in the presence of the Word made flesh. She may be able to hear Jesus teaching outside the kitchen but she is not listening. Anxiety has prevented Martha from the joy of the moment—a moment that is preciously rare—Jesus of Nazareth—the Lord of glory at our dinner table. Mary and Martha were so blessed and privileged to entertain such company. And Martha, if she is not mindful, will completely miss it. As we are called to serve the Body of Christ—even as we nobly call it “ministry”—it still has the potential of being filled with distractions, worries, and conflict. That is not the way of Jesus. That is not the path of the Prince of Peace.
“Martha, Martha,” Jesus says, “you are worried and distracted by many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” The one thing needed is Jesus himself and all the benefits of a relationship with him. It is being guided by the voice of our Good Shepherd. It is hearing the Good News of forgiveness and eternal life in him. It is what Jesus promises—like peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you,” Jesus says. “Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (Jn 14:27).
The one thing needed is to fully take in this moment. That means taking our minds off ourselves. It means “fixing our eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2a). The Word of Jesus is here to lift us out of our distraction, worries, and fears. Christ is here to bring us peace and joy that transcends our daily troubles. His Spirit dwells in us to bring us assurance of acceptance, forgiveness, and a bright eternal future. Like Mary and Martha, we have that rare privilege of coming to Supper with Jesus. We get to come to the Table with the Lord of glory where he gives his own Body and Blood to strengthen and preserve us—to melt away our worries and deliver us from the tyranny of our distractions. Jesus gives us the better part—his own self with the bread and the wine. He gives his life to purchase a place for us in heaven. He sustains us by the Word of his power. We have the peace and joy of the better part of the Kingdom—Christ himself.
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