In Colossians chapter three we hear that we are to let the word of Christ to dwell richly in us.
We are now halfway through summer.
Each Sunday during the weeks of summer we hear teachings and parables from Jesus.
I hope that these stories from our Lord dwell richly in you during these summer days.
Each Sunday we are given the opportunity to ponder Jesus’ words for the new coming week.
Let these words work in you during the week.
Let these words from Jesus, dwell in your hearts and your minds.
Last week we heard the parable of the Good Samaritan and how Jesus taught us to redefine
who our neighbor is.
Maybe we took some time last week to truly consider what this teaching might mean for our
lives.
Today we hear a Bible story on the priority of hearing the Word of the Lord as Jesus visits the
home of Martha and Mary.
When I read this Bible reading now what came to your mind?
How might you apply this reading in your life?
In this story from Luke chapter ten we have two opposite responses to Jesus.
When Jesus comes – Martha decides to get busy with her many tasks.
Mary simply sits at Jesus feet.

Now it doesn’t say this in the text but I image here that Martha prepares a nice spread of food
for Jesus.
She was the one who welcomed Jesus into her home.
So probably she is also the one who is serving Jesus.
And, as far as we know, Jesus accepts her hospitality.
But Mary is not helping at all.
Mary is not helping her sister with any of the jobs that need to be done.
This is just not right!
She should be serving too and helping Martha.
I learned early in my marriage with Kalen that when we have company over,
I cannot let Kalen do all the work in preparing for and having company over,
and then for me to just sit on the couch while she is busy working.
Well, I actually I could do that but that would be a very bad idea.
No, I need to help and to serve with Kalen when we have company.
So, there is this feeling of: “Where is the fairness here?” – that Mary is not doing any of the
work and Martha is.
Where is the justice in that?

But as it is the case in many of the Bible stories and parables from Jesus – Jesus is making a
larger point here.
This Bible reading is not so much about Mary not working and Martha working as it is about
how we respond to Jesus.
Here Mary is giving her complete devotion to Jesus while Martha is distracted by other things.
The distractions are pulling Martha away from and not closer to Jesus.
Martha’s worries and her distractions are keeping her from Jesus.
In verse forty-one we hear:
“Martha, Martha, 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.”
When I first read this text earlier this week, Jesus’ answer to Martha about her worries and her
distractions jumped out of the text for me.
I said to myself, “That is me too.”
My worries and all the distractions in my life pull me away from Jesus and from my faith.
In this text there is a way in which Mary does something very beautiful here.
She simply sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to him.
At that time, to sit at the Rabbi’s feet meant that you were taking the role of a disciple ready to
learn from your teacher.
Here Mary takes on that role as disciple eager to listen to and to learn from her teacher, Jesus.

Martha is not doing anything wrong here.
If she is serving Jesus food, Jesus is probably eating the food that Martha gives him.
But what Martha needs to do is to let go of her worries, to let go of her concerns, and all of the
distractions and tasks at hand and then to go and to sit by Jesus.
There she will learn things about God and she will receive exactly what she needs to receive –
God’s love and God’s grace.
God’s love and God’s grace will never be taken from her.
Jesus loves her and Jesus wants her to be a follower as well.
This coming week let this Bible story dwell in you richly.
Consider the worries and distractions in your life and how they pull you from Jesus.
What is preventing you from sitting at Jesus’ feet in order to listen to him?
What is getting in the way of your relationship with Jesus?
Remember that Mary chose to sit and to listen to Jesus and by doing so she was given
something that will never be taken away from her.
How might you find time this week for purposeful silence to simply listen to Jesus?
No phone, no screen, no distractions, just time with Jesus.
This coming week may we take this teaching to heart…
May this word from Jesus dwell richly within us…

May we be ready to welcome and to serve Jesus as Martha did…
And may we especially be ready to sit and to listen to Jesus as Mary did.
Amen.