MARTHA


A. "AND JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HER, MARTHA, MARTHA, THOU ART CAREFUL AND TROUBLED ABOUT MANY THINGS; BUT ONE THING IS NEEDFUL; AND MARY HATH CHOSEN THAT GOOD PART WHICH SHALL NOT BE TAKEN FROM HER" - LUKE 10:38-42
  1. The words of our text were spoken by our Lord, not to criticize, but rather to gently admonish Martha:
    1. To make the things of the Spirit the first concern in her life - Matt. 6:31-34
    2. Mary gave the feeding on the word of life her first attention
  2. The words of our text remind us of the words of Christ to the tempter:
    1. "Man doth not live by bread alone, but be every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" - Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4
    2. Martha was reminded that in the presence of the Word Made Flesh, all other concerns faded away - John 1:14
B. THE STORY OF THE LIFE OF MARTHA IS RICH ON HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS TO THE DEEPLY CONCERNED SAINTS CONCERNING THE CARES OF LIFE
  1. Martha's family relation:
    1. Of the history of Martha the Bible tells us nothing save that she was the sister of Mary and Lazarus and lived in Bethany
    2. Some early commentators thought that Martha was the widow of Simon the leper - see Matt. 26:6; Mark 14:3
  2. Of special interest is the Bible record:
    1. Of our Lord making the home of Martha His home on number of occasions - Luke 10:38; John 11; 12:1-3
    2. He loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus; they were His adopted family - John 11:1-42
    3. This must give the serious reader some second thoughts about the home environment of our Lord - where he was born and raised
  3. Martha was one of the devout disciples of our Lord and was deeply concerned about his physical well-being:
    1. To see that He was properly cared for was her first concern
    2. But her Lord and Master was deeply concerned about her spiritual well- being
C. TIMELY LESSON FOR THE MARTHAS IN THE CHURCH OF TODAY
  1. We learn from the life of Martha that:
    1. The sinister and ever present danger of the cares of the material things in this life
    2. Our Lord saw that deadly danger and warned Martha against it; and in Martha He warns all the believers - Luke 21:34
    3. In one of His parables He calls attention to the seed that fell among the thorns - Matt. 13:7-22
  2. Martha's great danger was:
    1. Her mind seemed to dwell more upon the material things of life and not upon the nourishment of her soul - Matt. 16:26
    2. I fear that there are many Marthas suffering from the same ailment among us today - Rev. 3:14-17
  3. But Martha had good traits of character which we shall not overlook:
    1. She loved and practiced hospitality; she was given to hospitality; her home was wide open to receive the Son of man who confessed, "The foxes have holes, and the birds have nests, but the Son of man hath no where to lay His head" - Matt. 8:20; John 1:4-8
    2. Paul admonishes us to be given to hospitality - Heb. 13:2; Rom. 12:13
    3. She did take time to sit at the feet of Jesus and meditate upon His words Luke 10:39
    4. She was a woman of deep sorrow. Sickness and death shadowed that home in Bethany
    5. Mary had faith in the power of the Son of God, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee" - John 11:20-22
  4. These glorious truths shine forth out of the life of Martha:
    1. Sitting at the feet of Jesus and learn of Him
    2. To keep secular service in its proper perspective
    3. To offer our best to Him and His cause


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