(Luke 10:42) "But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Introduction:

I realize that today’s woman has no easy task. I know that more appliances and conveniences are placed within the home with the goal of making the household chores easier. Things have certainly changed from the time that I was a child. There were no micro-wave ovens, icemaker refrigerators, and many of the other modern appliances found in today’s home. However, in spite of all these changes that supposedly add to the convenience of the home, women today are probably busier than at any other point in history. Expectations for women have changed as well. Today, she is expected to not only cook the bacon, she has to help bring it home as well. Even though she may work 40 hours plus, she is still expected to be the main housekeeper. She is often expected to keep the house, cook the meals, wash the clothes, and take care of the children. Their day is often from sunup to sundown.

Another change we have seen in recent years is the "super mom". This is the woman that attempts to have it all, a good education, a great career, and be a great mother as well. Many women are finding that this is not that easy. Regardless of time schedules, and calendar organizers, there is still only 24 hours to work with in a day. I know, there are occasions that I wish for 36 hours in a day so I could get everything done as well, but there is no such thing. With all that is expected of them, many women try to cut corners in order to make for time for a busy day. The problem with this is that one aspect that often gets cut or overlooked is that of the spiritual. Many women, (and men as well) fail to make time for God. If they focus only on the material, and neglect the spiritual, they will not be fulfilled and happy. Someone once said, "It’s the woman that sets the mood for the home." Today’s version of that is "If momma’s not happy, nobody’s gonna be happy." Today’s women, through motherhood, have the greatest opportunity to mold the future. It was Napoleon who once said, "The fate of a child is always the work of his mother."

I realize that the passage I read today is not about mothers. As far as I know, the scripture never mentions either Martha or Mary as being mothers. That’s one details that we may never know. We can only speculate and wonder. Tradition sees Martha as the older sister who was widowed and who took her brother and sister under her care. What we do know about them was that they lived in Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. However, Martha and Mary were women, who faced decisions that were important, with results that had eternal consequences. Jesus loved both of these women, they were dear to Him, along with their brother, Lazarus. Here in Luke, this is the only time they are mentioned. We are told that Martha received Jesus into her house. Jesus was an up and coming rabbi, Who was gathering a following. No doubt, Martha wanted everything to be just right, after all, some were even saying that this was the Messiah. She was busy, working, while Mary, her sister, was listening to the words that Jesus taught. Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the best part.

A. Martha was focused of serving.

"Much Serving"

B. Mary was focused on the Saviour.

A. Mary was as close to the Saviour as she could get. "at His feet"

1. You're as close to the Jesus as you want to be.

B. Martha was allowing her task to draw her away from Jesus.

(Heb 2:1) "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."

1. How many times after we have invite Jesus into our hearts do we allow other things to consume us and draw our attention away from Him?

A. Martha was "cumbered"

1. Worried

2. Anxious

3. Distracted

4. Unpeaceful

Illustration:

I love the old hymn, "What a Friend We Have". The first verse reads, "What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer. O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

B. Mary was "consumed"

The Bible doesn't say what she was feeling but we know that she felt peaceful.

(Isa 26:3) "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."

Jesus said that one thing was needful.

Close:

I realize that your days are filled with activities, I realize that your schedules are busy. But Jesus said one thing is necessary. Martha was busy, but what would it had mattered, in the big picture of eternity, if maybe supper was a few minutes late? What would it had mattered, if the biscuits were burned just a little? (I know they didn’t eat biscuits, but I had to put that in there). What would it had mattered, if she had everything just perfect, and yet missed out on eternity?

You may keep an immaculate house, I hope you do, but do you find time for God? You may be moving up the corporate ladder of success, but it is worth missing out on eternity? Jesus told Martha, "Mary has chosen the good part that won’t be taken away from her". She was making plans for eternity.