Luke 10:38-42

Luke 10.

So, who doesn't want to be a good listener?

! Do you want to be a good listener?

Apart from a few narcissistic individuals,

it seems to me that everyone appreciates the value of good listening.

!

It reflects that.

So, there's articles like the five fundamentals of effective listening,

or seven keys to effective listening.

And the articles cover something like this.

Keeping an open mind.

Responding to non-verbal cues.

Maintaining eye contact.

Asking good questions.

And you read articles like that,

it'll reinforce this key question that people are trying to answer

when it comes to listening.

What is a good listener?

And, of course, that interests us as people of the kingdom of God.

And the Bible has got things to say in answer to that.

But I wonder if what sets the Bible apart in this topic

is that it's less interested in how you listen,

but it's more interested in who you listen to.

And that is, when it comes to the kingdom and the need to listen,

that's our key question.

Who do you listen to?

And particularly, are you listening to the king of the kingdom?

Are you listening to Jesus?

That's our question for this evening.

And as we reflect on these short few verses from the end of Luke 10,

they capture just one little moment in the life of Mary, Martha, and Jesus.

And I want to look at that tonight just by looking at each character in turn.

The sister who does not speak,

and the sister who does speak,

and then Jesus himself,

and what we're left to ponder when he speaks.

So, a moment in the life of Mary and Martha and Jesus.

Let's see, firstly, the sister who does not speak.

And I trust you noticed that about her as I read it.

And no word from Mary is recorded in these five little verses.

Martha speaks,

Jesus speaks,

but Mary is noticeably silent.

And her silence underscores what she's known for,

not for talking,

but for listening.

And when Jesus arrives,

she takes, doesn't he,

up the position, verse 39,

at Jesus' feet.

That is the position of learning for disciples in those days.

It's a position of humble listening.

And by taking her place at Jesus' feet,

she is recognizing Jesus' importance.

And she is, in this moment,

embodying a principle of discipleship

that the Gospel of Luke has already stressed.

I'd not really seen that until I studied this.

So come with me on a little tour of the Gospel of Luke.

Look at chapter 5 and verse 15.

Luke chapter 5 and verse 15.

Luke 5 · chapter mention

But now, even more,

the report about him went abroad,

and great crowds gathered to hear him

and be healed of their infirmities.

Just over the page of chapter 6 and verses 47 and 48.

Everyone who comes to me

and hears my word 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.

We'll go to chapter 8 and verse 15.

As for that,

in the good soil,

there are those who,

hearing the word,

hold it fast in an honest and good heart

and bear fruit with patience.

Chapter 8, verse 20 and 21.

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.

Chapter 9, verse 35.

Chapter 9, verse 35.

And a voice came out of the cloud saying,

this is my son,

my chosen one,

listen to him.

And as we read a couple of weeks ago,

chapter 10 and verse 16.

The one who hears you,

hears me

and the one who rejects,

you reject me

and the one who rejects him,

who sent me.

Chapter 10, verse 24.

For I tell you that many prophets and kings

decided to see what you see

and did not see it

and to hear what you hear

and did not hear it.

You see,

it's not an obscure little theme

in Luke's gospel.

It's central.

Perhaps we could even say,

actually,

it's paramount.

And noticing that

will help us understand

Jesus' reaction to Martha here.

But for now,

we're noticing Mary.

And she has learned,

doesn't she,

this lady,

she's learned,

it seems,

just how important it is

to listen to Jesus.

But what of her sister?

What about the sister

who does speak?

What about Martha?

Well, Luke tells us

that Jesus arrived at her home

and Martha welcomed him.

It's quite likely,

I guess,

that welcoming Jesus

meant welcoming his 12 disciples

who were on the road with him too.

She opens up her home.

And Martha is almost certainly

committed to cooking a meal

for 13 hungry travelers.

That is hospitable,

isn't it?

And generous.

But I think we're even more impressed

when we remember Jesus' words

from earlier in the chapter.

Do you remember them?

You might recall a few weeks ago

in Luke chapter 10,

Luke 10 · chapter mention

Jesus sent out the 72 followers

of his followers on a mission

and he told them,

in the towns you go to,

when you find somebody

welcoming you,

go on in.

Others will reject you.

And he told them

that you will be able

to recognize

those who are receptive

to my message

by the way they show hospitality.

And so it's got to be significant,

isn't it?

At the end of the same chapter,

Luke is telling us

about a woman,

Martha,

who is extremely hospitable

to Jesus and his disciples.

So this is not just a woman

who's performing a cultural duty.

I think we're meant to conclude

that she is genuinely

interested in Jesus.

like her sister.

She sees how important Jesus is.

And what's more,

we just finished,

didn't we,

last week,

looking at the passage before

about what it means to love.

And we learned from the Samaritan

in Jesus' story

what it looks like

to love generously.

What it looks like

to go out of your way

to love and serve.

And on that score,

Martha scores very highly.

Martha exemplifies

Jesus' teaching

in both these respects.

And what comes immediately

before this passage

predisposes us

as we read this

to be favourable

to Martha

and her hospitality.

And even here

in these verses,

the way that Martha

is described

is very positive,

at least in some respects,

because she's a servant.

Look at verse 40.

She's a sister called Mary,

you sat at the Lord's feet

and listed as a teacher,

but Martha was distracted

with much serving.

She was distracted

by much service.

And then later

in the same verse,

the word translated

as work

has left me alone

to serve alone.

It's the same word.

My sister has left me

to do all the serving myself.

It's the word

the rest of the New Testament

uses for Christian ministry.

And Luke wants us

to know that Martha

is not just twiddling her thumbs.

She's not just outside

playing with the pets

while Mary is in there listening.

She's not sitting on the sofa

reading the paper.

Martha is serving.

Martha is ministering

to the needs of Jesus

and his disciples.

And in that sense too,

Martha is to be commended.

And yet there are,

aren't there,

some significant differences

between Mary and Martha.

Mary is sitting

at Jesus' feet

and Martha is on her feet

working

and then standing

to talk to Jesus.

Mary is attentive

to Jesus.

Martha is distracted.

That's the word

verse 40 uses

or as Jesus puts it

in verse 41.

Martha,

Martha,

you are anxious

and troubled

about many things.

And so while Mary

is quietly listening,

Martha is complaining.

No doubt the frustration

has been simmering

in the kitchen.

We know what that's like,

don't we?

It's not uncommon

in our house

for Clara and I

to have guests over

and for one of us

to be working

in the kitchen

while the other

entertains

and talks to the friends

in the lounge.

and it's not unheard of

in our house

for the one

who is working

in the kitchen,

whoever that may be,

to begin

to feel frustrated

and feel that they're

doing all the work

themselves.

Well, that's what's

going on here, isn't it?

Martha's simmering frustration

leads to an outburst.

And to put it in

today's language,

she's a bit of a meltdown,

doesn't she?

Her sacrificial service

gives way to self-pity

and the emotional

damn bursts

and she finds fault

with both her sister

and with Jesus.

She's cranky

with Mary

for not helping her

and she's cranky

with Jesus

for not doing

anything about it.

Well, the Lord speaks.

How does Jesus respond?

What happens

when people get cranky

with Jesus?

How does he react?

There's a lot of tension

in the air, isn't it,

at this point?

And Martha has exploded,

there's a meltdown

and it falls to Jesus

to respond.

And no doubt

every ear in the room

was trained to hear

what he would say.

So look at verse 41.

But the Lord said,

Martha, Martha,

you're 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.

And Jesus' response

is rich in compassion

and clarity.

His repetition

of Martha's name

is full of tenderness.

He doesn't tell Martha

what she's been doing wrong.

There is no rebuke

for Martha.

There is only

kind compassion.

And yet Jesus' words

do bring remarkable clarity.

they clarify things

for us too.

Jesus clarifies

that Martha

is worried

about many things

but

Martha is worried

about many things

but Mary has chosen

to focus on the one thing,

the one thing

that Jesus describes

as necessary.

And Jesus clarifies

for us

that whilst Martha

has chosen

to do good things,

what Mary has chosen

is the better thing.

And so his compassion

is mixed with firmness

here, isn't it?

And Jesus is clearly

telling Martha

he is not going

to tell Mary

to get up

and go and help

in the kitchen.

In fact,

he's suggesting,

isn't he,

that Martha

should leave her pots

and pans

and her broom

and her tea towel

and come and sit down too.

Now of course,

Jesus is not saying

that serving

is completely unimportant.

No doubt

at some point

that evening

Jesus wanted to eat

and he wasn't suggesting

that the food

didn't need to be prepared

but he was saying

there is something

more important

to human survival

than food.

And that's something

that the Bible teaches

from beginning to end.

Right back

at the start

of the Old Testament,

God had taught

the Israelites,

man does not live

on bread alone

but on every word

that proceeds

from the mouth of God.

And so let me be clear

with you,

I don't think

Jesus is saying

that Martha was wrong

and Mary was right.

He's simply saying

that Mary grasped

something

that Martha

had not.

After all,

Martha welcomed Jesus

and served Jesus

but Mary could see

that welcoming Jesus

and serving Jesus

find their proper

orientation,

their proper

fulfillment

when you listen

to Jesus.

Mary had realized

that you need

to understand

that all the other

important things

in life

need to be understood

in the context

of the one

essential thing

of paying attention

to the word

that comes

from the mouth

of God,

from the mouth

of his son Jesus.

So this is not

a contrast

between somebody

who knows

how to be a good

host

and someone

knows how

to be a good

listener.

It's not that

these two sisters

have got different

skill sets

or different

spiritual gifts,

it's just that

one of them

understood the moment

they were in

better than the other.

Mary's choice

was wiser.

And what made

Martha's

the poorer choice

was everything

to do,

has everything

to do

with who it

was that had

walked through

the door.

This is not

about how to

listen.

This is all

about who

to listen to.

And Mary

recognizes who

Jesus is

and of all the

things she could

have done

to demonstrate

she knew

how important

he is,

this is the

one thing

she chose

to listen.

And Jesus

says,

doesn't he,

at the end

of verse 42,

it will not

be taken

away from her.

The last line

of the chapter

is beautiful,

isn't it?

It's Jesus'

word of promise

for Mary.

If you seek

me,

you will find

me.

If it's me

you want,

it's me

you'll have.

And many

other things

will be taken

from you

in life.

But if you

choose to

listen to

the word

that comes

from the

mouth of

God,

it will

be never

taken

from you.

I went

to see

Dick Lucas

this week.

He's now

96,

still living

on his

own.

He's slowed

down considerably.

He doesn't

get out very

much.

He's rarely

in church.

He's the

greatest preacher

I've ever

heard.

He's the

finest man

I've ever

known.

And he's

not able to

preach now.

His voice

is not

strong

enough.

But he

still has

Jesus.

He still

has

Jesus.

What a

stunning

word of

assurance

this is,

isn't it?

What he

has,

what you

have,

will not

be taken

away from

you.

And with

that word,

Luke 10

comes to

an end.

Now,

who am I?

That's my

last point.

Where do

we find

ourselves in

these verses?

What do

they say

to us?

And once

again,

I want to

return to

the same

application that

we've come

for the last

two Sunday

nights as

well.

Who does

Jesus say

that I

am?

What does

this passage

say to

us about

who we

are?

And once

more,

I think this

passage yields

two answers

to that

question.

on the

one hand,

we find

ourselves in

Martha,

and on the

other hand,

we find

ourselves in

Mary.

Let me

explain.

So in

the first

place,

like Martha,

I'm a

servant.

And this

is important

to say,

because it

may seem

less obvious

than what

we'll go

on to say,

but it's

vital here we

see how

Jesus responds

to Martha's

service.

She's

hospitable to

Jesus and

his disciples.

it's a sign

that she is

welcoming God

himself into

her life.

She goes out

of her way

to love like

all good

disciples should.

She's serving,

she's doing

ministry here.

And Jesus

does not tell

her you're

doing the

wrong thing.

And I think

that's

significant for

us to

notice.

There is a

place and

there is a

time for

being a

servant.

Ministry

does matter.

And Jesus

affirmed that

in the first

two sections

of Luke 10.

Do you

remember,

to belong to

the kingdom

is to be

a worker.

To belong to

the kingdom

is to be

a lover.

To belong to

the kingdom

is to be a

server.

There is

ministry to

be undertaken.

Disciples

serve, and

so if you're

a disciple,

you're a

servant.

And yet

what Jesus

is pointing

out here,

isn't it,

which is so

helpful,

is that even

ministry,

serving,

can be a

distraction

from listening.

that being

a servant,

as good

as that

is,

can actually

distract you

from the

one thing

that's more

necessary than

anything else.

And I think

that can come

to us as

quite a

surprise.

In fact,

it's quite

common to

read this

passage and

feel like

Martha gets

a bit of

a raw deal

here from

Jesus.

It's often

the case that

when we read

these verses,

our sympathies

lie really

with Martha.

but it

might not

be that

the reason

why we

really need

to understand

these verses,

why we

really need

to understand

what Jesus

is saying

here,

is because

the point

that I'm

trying to

make to

you is

that

Christianity,

many people

think that

it's all

about

serving.

Many people

think the

heart of

Christianity

is how

we live

our lives

for the

sake of

others.

they think

it's about

doing to

others as

you will

have them

do to

you.

And there

are so

many people

that think

that the

good Samaritan

captures the

whole of what

it means to

be a Christian.

But we

saw last

week the

real point

of that

section in

Luke 10

is that

being

neighbourly

is not

the way

to eternal

life.

That people

cannot justify

themselves.

They need

God to

justify

themselves.

People

cannot get

right with

God on

their own.

They need

God to do

that for

them.

And so

you cannot

love your

way into

heaven.

The only

way to

get into

heaven is

by being

loved.

By Jesus

himself.

And yet so

many people

still think

that being

like the

good Samaritan

or being

like Martha,

well that's

the way to

God's heart.

Which is why

most unbelievers

when they come

to this passage

will naturally

side with

Martha.

other.

But the

surprising thing

that the

Bible says

to us

again and

again and

again is

that loving

or serving

your neighbour

is not at

the centre

of the

Christian

faith.

That's not

the one

thing that's

essential to

being a

follower of

Jesus.

The one

thing that

is essential

is to

what?

It is to

listen to

Jesus.

listen to

Jesus.

That's the

difference

between giving

and receiving.

And that's

the same

distinction we

hear Jesus

making in

chapter 10

and verse

21.

In the

same hour

he rejoiced

in the Holy

Spirit and

said to

I thank you

Father Lord

of heaven

and earth

that you've

hidden these

things from

the wise

and understanding

and revealed

them to

little children.

Yes Father

for such

is your

gracious

will.

I hope

you understand

this.

That when

we take

when we

serve and

when we

take pride

in our

service in

what we

give to

Jesus we

can seek

to justify

ourselves.

But when

we listen

we acknowledge

that we need

to receive

from Jesus.

He alone

has what

we need.

But of

course it's

not just

in the

world is

it that

this

misunderstanding

is prevalent

it's also

in the

church.

It's not

just

unbelievers

who find

their

sympathies

here with

Martha

it's many

believers

too.

So we

need to

hear Jesus

reminding

us whilst

we are

servants

there's

something

more

essential

to who

we are.

Listening.

I'm a

servant.

And the

tragedy of

the church

in the

UK today

is they

want to

say we're

serving

Jesus but

actually we

won't listen

to him.

Last point

is this

I'm a

listener.

I'm a

servant and

I'm a

listener.

Listening to

Jesus is how

the Christian

life begins.

You cannot

enter the

kingdom of

God by

working or

by loving

or by

serving.

You enter

by listening

to Jesus

and receiving

what he

reveals to

you.

But

listening is

also how

life in

the kingdom

continues.

Listening is

at the

heart of

what it

means to

be a

disciple

from the

beginning

to the

end.

But what

do we

actually mean

when I

talk about

listening to

Jesus today?

After all,

for Martha it

wasn't very

complicated,

was it?

Jesus was

in a

lounge room

in the

flesh and

he's

talking.

But Jesus

isn't in

your lounge

room,

he's not

in mine,

not in

the flesh

anyway.

So how

do you

listen to

him?

In some

ways that's

a whole

other sermon.

But at

the very

least today I

need to

point out

to you that

is why

as Christians

we take

the Bible

so seriously.

Because in

the Bible we

read the

words that

Jesus actually

said when

he was in

the flesh in

people's

lounge rooms

like we

are here

this evening.

In the

Bible we

read page

after page

after page

of words

that come

from the

mouth of

the Lord.

And that's

why we

read our

Bibles in

our homes

and on

our iPhones

and on

the way

to school

and on

the way

to work

and when

we meet

together

on Sundays

and during

the week.

And that's

why we

pray that

the spirit

of the

risen Jesus

who still

speaks

through

his

ancient

words

will give

us ears

to hear

his voice.

And this

is also

why we

don't just

read because

true listening

is not just

about words

going in our

ears.

It's about the

truth of those

words penetrating

our hearts.

So we meditate

on God's

words turning

them over

and we pray

about them.

And we meet

with others to

talk about them.

And we read

what other people

have said about

what they mean.

And we hear

those words

proclaimed and

expounded.

So like

Mary we're

attentive to

Jesus and

we attend

to the

Lord and

his word.

And we

let it

shape us

and we

respond when

it corrects

and rebukes

us.

We're

provoked

by it

into work

for Jesus.

Into the

love of our

neighbours.

Into ministry.

And we

relish the

way that it

grows in us

the character

of Jesus

and it

teaches us

repentance

and obedience

because we

know that

there's a

real danger

of listening

but not

putting it

into practice

don't we?

There's a

danger of

hearing but

not also

doing.

And we

know that

there's another

danger,

one that

Jesus warns

us about

here and

that is the

danger of

being distracted

from hearing

by doing.

It's the

danger of

being like

Martha.

Of being so

busy trying to

be a servant

that we fail

to be a

listener.

And so we

must hear

Jesus point

this evening

at the

end of

Luke 10

that even

ministry,

even serving

can deflect

us from

listening.

And that

applies to

the person

writing and

giving this

sermon on

a Sunday

as much to

the mum and

dad of a

busy household.

Jesus says

to us through

these words

it's better to

be a listening

disciple than

being a busy

servant.

It's better to

be a listening

disciple than a

busy servant.

time.

And so let

me ask you

is there a

time each

day when

you slow

down and

listen to

God's word?

Or are you

too busy,

too distracted

to make

time?

Or do you

find that your

Christian identity

in your service

of others is

in what you

do for the

Lord is in

your ministry

or in

you as a

little child

sitting before

him, hanging

on every

word the

Father speaks?

Are you

comfortable being

alone with

Jesus or is

there just an

awkward silence?

Is your mind

full of worries

and things you're

upset about?

Lord?

Or are you

gladly focusing

on the words

of Jesus

your Lord?

Of course

there's many

things, many

many things

that are

important for

life in

this world.

And Jesus

isn't saying

that you should

give up eating

and drinking,

that you should

give up your

jobs or your

education,

you should give

up social

education,

retreat to

a cave

somewhere with

a torch and

a Bible.

He's not

saying that.

Because we're

servants, there's

work to do for

Jesus.

There are people

to love for

Jesus.

But Jesus

does say to

you there's

something more

necessary than

all those

things.

There's

something more

essential to

who we are,

humbly listening

to Jesus.

And the word

humble is

important,

isn't it?

Because this

final passage of

Luke 10

lands us where

the previous

two passages

have as well.

The heart

of being a

disciple of

Jesus is

humility.

It's the

humility of being

a child

rather than

a wise

and learned

one.

It's the

humility of

knowing that

you need to

be loved.

And you

need to be

justified by

God rather

than trying to

justify yourself.

And it's the

humility of

being a

listening learner

at the feet

of Jesus.

And humility

is at the

heart of

discipleship

precisely

because of

who it is

that we

follow.

Ultimately,

Mary's response

was not better

than Martha's

because listening

is better than

serving, but

because Jesus

is better than

serving.

Martha was

in the

kitchen.

Mary was

with Jesus.

Jesus who

deals

compassionately

with suffering.

Jesus who

sees through

hypocrisy like

a laser.

Jesus who

has no

intolerance

for just

injustice.

Jesus who

absorbed the

terrible way he

was treated

with seemingly

limitless

patience.

Jesus who

heals people,

who forgives

people, who

tenderly restores

the broken.

Jesus whose

life was

taken from

him on a

lonely cross

outside Jerusalem

as he

suffered and

bled for the

sake of people

everywhere who

have spent so

much of their

lives failing to

listen to him.

I don't know

if you noticed,

but in the

very first

verse, verse

38, Luke

tells us, just

interestingly, that

Jesus and his

disciples were on

their way.

They were on

their way.

Let me take you

back to where

they were on

their way to.

Look at chapter

9 and verse

51.

And when the

days drew near

for Jesus to

be taken up,

that is to be

crucified, he

set his face to

go to Jerusalem.

And so Jesus

stops on this

journey to

share with you

this valuable

lesson with his

two friends,

Mary and

Martha.

But this was

really a detour.

He was headed

for his destiny

in Jerusalem.

That's why he'd

come.

He came because

he knew that

the only thing

more essential

to our lives

than us listening

to him was

him enduring

death in place

for us.

And that's by

far the most

astonishing thing

that Jesus ever

did.

And it's the

most powerful

word that Jesus

ever spoke.

And I want to

ask you tonight

what Luke asks

each one of us

in the gospel.

Is there anyone

who deserves your

attention more

than Jesus?

Than the man

who came from

God, the Lord

of heaven, who

surrendered himself

to death

that you

might have

life?

So can you

see why I

want to say

to you, it's

not so much

an issue of

how you

listen, but

who you

listen to.

Because there

is no one

more essential

to listen to

than him.

There is no

one worth

listening to

more than

him.

And Mary

had understood

that.

Martha had

yet to

grasp it.

You see, at

the end of

the day, that's

why these

five verses

are here.

They're not

here to tell

you that Mary

was better

than Martha.

They're not

even here

primarily to

tell you that

Mary's response

to Jesus

was better

than Martha's.

They're here

to tell us

that Jesus

is better

than every

alternative.

They're here

to tell us

that the man

who sat in

Mary and

Martha's

lounge that

day is the

one every

faithful Jew

longed to

see and

hear.

He's the

one who

every

spiritually

hungry

person

in

their

day

longed to

spend

time

with

and

listen

to.

And he's

the one

who every

wise

person

since the

days of

Mary and

Martha

has paid

careful

attention

to.

Because all

the ministry

in the

world and

all the

voices in

the world

and all

the

distractions

in the

world

only ever

last a

lifetime.

But you

can have

Jesus

forever.

one of the

privileges of

my job is

that I'm

with people

sometimes at

the end of

their lives.

I'm with

people when

they pass

from this

life into

eternal life.

And

very often

with people

at the end

of their life

there's very

little you can

say.

You read

them the

Bible and

you pray

with them.

And then

you read

them more

of the

Bible and

you pray

with them.

And you

keep reading

the Bible

with them

because there's

very little

to say.

Comes a

time when

they're not

able to

talk and

eat.

When they're

largely

non-responsive.

But what

you often

notice is

that they'll

nod their

head when

you pray.

Or they'll

nod their

head when

you read

the

scriptures.

Well that's

what I want

isn't it?

That's what I

want for you.

I want you

to listen to

Jesus in

your very

last

breath.

To

recognize

his voice

with joy.

To die

with his

words ringing

in your

ears.

To nod

your head.

That's what I

want for my

children.

That's what I

want for those

I love.

That's what I

want for you.

I want you

and I want

myself to be

a listener.

And if

you're a

disciple of

Jesus,

you are

too.

You can

listen to

other people

for as long

as life

lasts.

And you

can be

distracted

by a

great,

great many

things.

Maybe you

are.

Many of

them are

good.

And you

can have

years and

years and

years of

ministry that

will bear

great fruit.

But one

day they

will all

come to

an end.

time for

you.

And you

will

come to

time for

you when

you'll

stop nodding

your head.

And you'll

stop

breathing.

But if you

trusted and

listened to the

Lord Jesus,

the next thing

you will hear

is the voice

of Jesus.

And you'll

still be

listening to

him.

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.

Let's pray.

Mary has

Mary has