Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
The sermon text is from Luke 10:38-42.
I have a confession to make… I’m ashamed to say when I was a kid and I got to church on days when there was a baptism, my heart would sink. Today, we were so blessed to share God’s gift of new life in Baptism for Madelyn and Spencer. We are blessed to celebrate this Sacrament with Mark and Kristie, Nathan and Amanda, and all their families… but back then I would have groaned.
Back then I would have been thinking about ball games or some such nonsense, but today God by His water and Word raised Madelyn and Spencer from sin and death to life in Christ. Sometimes we forget but a few minutes ago we witnessed a miracle of God driving out the devil by His mighty Word and pouring out His Holy Spirit. You don’t get more amazing than that. But 30 years ago, I wouldn’t have been impressed. But that’s how children and spiritually childish adults are.
St. Paul said, “When I was a child, I thought like a child. Now that I have become a man I have put childish ways behind me.” Well, I wish we could put those ways behind us. For us, it’s more a daily struggle to put away our cold, indifferent, sinful flesh. Daily we are lazy and lethargic about God’s Word, distracted by worldly things, and daily we must repent.
Part of me thinks Martha takes a bad rap in our text. Do you blame her for being distracted by a dozen visitors on a surprise visit one of whom was God? Particularly in that culture, hospitality was important, as evidenced by Abraham hosting God in our Old Testament lesson. If someone came to your home, they were your guests, a meal was expected. I bet Martha was exhausted and panicked and angry that Mary stayed sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to Him teach, instead of helping out.
God’s Kingdom needs doers, too. James wrote: “Be doers of the word and not hearers only.” The Church needs “Marthas” – willing saints who sacrifice their time and energy, not for recognition or honor, but because they are compelled by the love of Christ. For us who know so completely that we are saved without any works, apart from anything we do, but saved solely by grace for Jesus’ sake, it’s a disgrace that we are so lazy and careless about using our time, talents and treasures in service to God and our neighbor. Remember, Jesus said, “To whom much has been given, much will be required.” The church needs her “Marthas.” Humanly speaking, our ability to impact the world with the Gospel depends on getting involved and letting God use us.
Jesus didn’t rebuke Martha for her passion to serve, but for misplaced priorities. Before Martha could feed Jesus and the 12, she needed to be fed by God’s Word. You and I have nothing to offer unless we are fed. There’s only so long you can use a bucket to water the flowers if you never fill it up. A Christian un-connected to Christ through His Word is useless – “a resounding gong or clanging symbol”, Paul says. The Church is in deep danger when she mistakes meetings and committee work and service opportunities for the essence of church life. True Christian good works flow from buckets filled to the brim and overflowing… hearts bursting with God’s grace, allowing that grace and forgiveness to flow through us to our neighbors. We are thankful for every “Martha.” And this church has many. But Martha’s problem is sometimes our own. Remember being a Christian is first and foremost about receiving from God – not giving to Him. In fact, it’s the receiving that makes us joyful servants.
I’ve heard lay leaders and pastors of many different churches say how hard it is to find people to serve on church council or sing in choir or teach Sunday school or vacation Bible school. Churches never have too many volunteers. All of Christendom struggles to find “Marthas”, Christians willing to serve sacrificially. But if you keep looking, you’ll see even fewer emulate Mary. My informal survey of pastors indicates it’s easier to get people to build a table or clean one than to get them to sit around it with other Christians and learn God’s Word. It’s easier to fill a church council than a church Bible study. “Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things, but only one thing is needful. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
True faith begins with Mary at the feet of Jesus, absorbing, being fed, nourished by God’s Word and the Lord’s Supper. “I am the Vine,” Jesus said, “You are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” My brothers and sisters, no matter what else a church does or how else she grows, the true measure of spiritual health is found in the number of branches connected to Jesus the vine.
What God offers you in His Word is the best, and it won’t be taken away from you. He offers you this – the promise that for all your and my misplaced priorities and distracted lives – God came in living flesh. He shared our humanity in every way, except without sin. His Word gives us the best because God’s Word in every sentence and every page is about God loving us sinners so much that He came to live and die in our place. It’s the best, because God wants on every page of His Word for us to come to the conclusion that we sinners have been redeemed. Our failures were carried by Him, and His victory over death and hell is His free gift to us through faith.
His Word gives us the best, because His Word with water clothes us in Jesus and God’s Word names us orphans as His adopted sons and daughters with a heavenly home. His Word is the best, because when we’re worn down and run down from a million jobs, it brings us rest and confidence that Jesus did the greatest work that really matters by dying for our sins and rising from the dead. His Word is the best because it’s filled with the Holy Spirit and makes our weak faith forgiven and strong.
His Word is the best, because His Word with lowly bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper, means God serves you, spreading the Table of His love and feeding His family with Jesus’ very body and blood. His Word is the best, because when Jesus serves us with His words of love and life, it won’t be taken away. Resting at the feet of our Savior in His Word, no one in all the world is strong enough to tear us from the arms of God’s love. God’s Word promises you, you are His, bought and paid for by Jesus. Amen.
And now may the peace of God which surpasses human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.