Martha or Mary

Luke 10:38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

Here what do you see? The first picture... Do you see a Martha laboring to serve Jesus the Lord? Do you think Martha is serving out of willingness or obligation? Do you think Martha is wrong to blame Jesus and her sister for not helping her? Do you think Martha loves Jesus more than Mary? Do you think Martha is wrong to serve Jesus?

If you have been in a Church for sometimes, you've probably seen many Marthas around and if you are not one yet, you'd probably being asked by one to some sort of ministry works. You probably being asked by one to go out and save the lost. You probably being told by one that it's your duty to serve the Lord and His people. You probably heard one saying Jesus Christ laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. You'll probably be a Martha soon.

My answers to the first picture... I'm sure you'd agree with me that Martha is laboring to serve Jesus out of her own effort. And she served willingly and also with obligation. If I were Martha I would also blame Jesus and Mary for not helping. I believe Martha loves Jesus as much as Mary. Martha is definitely not wrong to serve Jesus but there is something more important than serving.

The second picture... Do you see a resting Mary enjoying Jesus' companion or a lazy Mary avoiding the works of serving? Do you think Mary is right for not helping Martha? Do you think Mary loves Jesus less? Do you think Jesus loves Mary more? What do you think is the "One thing needed" said by Jesus?

My answers to the second picture are... I'm sure you would agree that Mary is resting to receive from Jesus. Helping Martha is good but resting to receive from Jesus is the priority here. I've said Martha and Mary both loves Jesus the same and likewise Jesus loves both of them the same. Mary has done the "One thing needed" by sitting at Jesus' feet to hear His word.

How many Martha have seen left the ministry or the Church after devotedly serving the Lord? Either due to strife with other members or stress from the overwhelmed works. Burnt out is natural term used to describe a Martha. If you were one, you'd know what it is. From the two pictures we learnt that Jesus wants us to be like Mary and not Martha because He wants us to sit at His feet and receive from Him rather than worrying and troubled of the ministry works in serving Him.

You may ask who then would do those works? How to run a Church without the workers? How to praise and worship without the musicians? How can the people be saved without a preacher? How? How?... Hold on a minute! who is running the Church? You or Christ? But only if we receive from Him, we then can grow strong and bear good fruits and so shall be the ministries and the Church too. When the fruits come forth you wouldn't be able to content it even if you want to. From the surface it might look like Mary is selfish for not helping but not according to Jesus because she has chosen the good part doing that "one thing needed". Later we see Mary was found doing the right thing at the right time anointing the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair preparing Him for His final moment. (John 11:2)

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying don't serve the Lord but do that one thing needed first and you shall serve Him well and never burn out like Martha. All ministries must be run by the fruits of the Spirit and not the works of men and from the results would easily tell if it is by the fruits of the Spirit or by effort of men. So why worried and troubled about many things? The Lord is in control. Rest in Him first and you shall serve Him well. Always hear Him first!

Men's rebellions against God

Heb 9:1 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; 3 and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat...

Ever wonder why God covered up these three things (the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod and the ten commandments) in the ark of the covenant? It is because they are the rebellions (sin) of men and God does not want to see them anymore but only the blood of His Son that cleansed away all the sin of men on the mercy seat.

1) The golden pot of manna placed in the ark indicated men's rebellion against God's provision.

Exo 16:1 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death." 4 Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

By works or by faith

Here what do you see? Do you see men's rebellion against God's provision? Do you see men's trust in their own works to provide for themselves? Or do you see the Bread of heaven and believe that He shall continue to provide for tomorrow? Are you of works in yourself or of faith in God? At a time like the Israelites in the desert, do you still believe that He shall continue to provide for you? Or do you feel that you must do something to solve the problem? That's the test of God... by works or by faith? The answer is "The just shall live by faith" (Rom 1:17) and without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).

2) Aaron's rod that budded placed in the ark indicated men's rebellion against God's choice.

Num 16:1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; 2 and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown. 3 They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?" 4 So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face; 5 and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, "Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him.

By works or by faith

Here what do you see? Do you see men's rebellion against God's choice? Do you see men's trust in their own way to direct themselves? Or do you see the God's way to delivery them into the promise land. Do you see Salvation by works in men or by faith in the One whom He chooses? The answer again is "The just shall live by faith" (Rom 1:17) and without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).

3) The two tablets of the covenant placed in the ark indicated men's rebellion against God's word.

Exo 19:1 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. 3 And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." 7 So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8 Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD.

Exo 32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."

By works or by faith

Here what do you see? Do you see men's rebellion against God's Word? Do you see men's pride saying "All that the LORD has spoken we will do"? Do you see God's voice as His law of the ten commandments that you boast you can obey just like the children of Israel in the wilderness or do you see God's voice as His Word (John 1:14) whom He sent to bring us into the promised land. Do you see God's covenant as the covenant of law or the covenant of Grace that He made with Abraham (Gen 15:18)? In Exo 19, the law has not been given yet. The answer again is "The just shall live by faith" (Rom 1:17) and without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. And in Mat 26:28 Jesus said: For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Now you know why God locked up these three items and covered it by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ we are completed! Hear Him only!

You Hold Me Now

1Jn 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

Do you have the Son? Do you have life? Remember it is only the Son and nothing else matter. Hear Him!