They say the first step in getting help is admitting that you have a problem. Hello, my name is Jay and I’m easily distracted. Do any of you any of you struggle with focus? I am a “brightest light in the room” kind of guy. It takes so little to steal my attention from the task at hand. I can devote myself to prayer and say, “Dear Lord…oh look, a bird!”
Let me give you an example of what I’m up against. My desk at home is usually a land fill, just piles of papers, books, guitar picks and paper clips. About once a month, I make the decision that for the next two hours I’m going to clean things up. I’ve resolved that today is the day. I begin by sorting through the first layer of papers, throwing some away and filing others. Then I run across a magazine that I’ve hung onto that has an article or two I want to save. I open the magazine to find the articles when an ad catches my eye. “That looks interesting,” I say to myself and notice that it has a website with more information.
I boot up my computer and as it’s spinning up, I remember that I need to send an email to a friend. I open my email and before I can send the note, I notice that I’ve received a note from another friend. Well, I’ve got to respond to that one first, don’t I? You can see where this is going. I can sit down with the best of intentions to clean my desk. And two hours later, my desk is still a mess but I’ve read two magazines, checked my email and surfed the web. Folks, I can head into the kitchen to do the dishes after supper and end up mowing the yard…and I can’t even figure out how I got there! I struggle with keeping the main thing the main thing.
I think many of us struggle with focus in our relationship with Christ. We are easily distracted and lose our focus, especially those of us who are involved in ministry. We are in a constant fight to keep the main thing, the main thing. And sadly, for many of us it’s a losing battle. Today we’re going to examine someone who fought the same frustrating fight. We’ll see what Jesus had to say about keeping the main thing the main thing.
As you turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 10, let’s set the stage. The Gospel of Luke is the story of Jesus told by Luke the Physician. Before there was Dr. Phil, there was Dr. Luke. Dr. Luke wrote this specifically as a report to person named Theophilis, which means “lover of God”. But he also wrote this to Gentiles or non-Jews in general. The Good Doctor describes this as an “orderly account”. So let’s pick up the story in Luke 10:38-42.
As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a
village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home.
Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what He taught.
But Martha was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to You that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it-- and I won't take it away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 NLT)
First of all, Martha chose her absence while Mary chose His presence (v 39-40a).
Mary made a choice to…
…Sit at His feet
…Listen to His word
…Take position of disciple
…Know Jesus!
Martha made a choice to…
…Stay busy
…Throw together HUGE meal
…Be “distracted” (Greek perispao)
Second, Martha chose to labor while Mary chose to listen (v 40b).
Third, Martha chose crisis while Mary chose Christ (v 41-42).
Martha created crisis where there was none
Mary kept the main thing the main thing...and knowing Christ is the main thing!
Paul’s main thing...
I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ. (Philippians 3:7-8 NLT)
David’s main thing...
Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires. (Psalm 37:4NLT)
Jesus’ words...
“And this is the way to have eternal life-- to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.” (John 17:3 NLT)
Our relationship w/JC calibrates all our lives.
3 Ways to calibrate our relationship w/JC
Spend time at His feet
Spend time in His Word
Spend time in His Will
Conclusion: Am I a Mary? Or a Martha?
So each one of us should ask the question, am I Mary? Or am I Martha? Do I choose His presence or my absence? Do I choose to listen or to labor? Do I choose Christ or crisis?
Have we lost sight of the main thing? Have we forsaken time with Jesus because we are just too busy? Ministry is no excuse. We can’t give what we don’t have. John MacArthur warns that we can’t let our service to Christ degenerate into busyness devoid of Christ. I ask again, have we lost sight of the main thing?
Keep the main thing, the main thing. And the main thing is knowing Christ.
Jay
From sermon at Freedom River CC on January 27, 2008.
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