Week 11 Homework The Barrenness of Busyness The feeling of being hurried is not usually the result of living a full life and having no time. It is on the contrary born of a vague fear that we are wasting our life. When we do not do the one thing we ought to do, we have no time for anything else -Eric Hoffer, philosopher and author (1902-1983) Barrenness: The condition of being barren; sterile; unproductive, pointless READ: Luke 10:38-42 Martha, Mary and their brother Lazarus lived together in Bethany, a village 2 miles from Jerusalem, on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. All three were close intimate friends with Jesus. Scripture gives three significant accounts of Jesus with the family. Jesus had many frequent stays in their home and hospitality was a special hallmark of this family. Martha was always portrayed as quite a meticulous hostess. On one visit, Martha became annoyed with her sister Mary. Martha got all steamed up and her indignation boiled over like water from a heated pot. Instead of helping with the considerable chore of feeding and housing Jesus and his retinue of disciples, Mary was been totally captivated at His feet. Feeling ignored, unappreciated and abandoned from the chores at hand, Martha marched over to Jesus and demanded, Master, don t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand. But Jesus wouldn t oblige. The Master said, Martha, dear Martha, you re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary had chosen it it s the main course, and won t be taken from her. (Luke 10:40-42 The Message) 1
Do you think that Jesus response was intended in any way to break the grip of self- pity that was taking root not only in her kitchen but also inside her heart? Have you ever throw a pity party? Has anyone ever come? Do you ever ask, Lord, don t you care? Martha busies herself in service to Jesus, while Mary chooses to listen at the feet of Jesus. Many times, our busyness is needed to get things done, but at other times, doing tasks, even in Christian service, can create barrenness within us. Stuart Briscoe Ladies, we are all busy and distracted by everyday life. But, do we place too much importance on our own ceaseless activity and not enough value sitting quietly before Jesus? Are we completely driven to distraction with our to do lists, smart phones and perpetual motion? Is our got to get it done list really what s essential? Find the word essential in the Luke 10 passage above. Underline it. What is essential? Was Martha so distracted by her need to serve that she forgot to take time to enjoy Jesus? Or perhaps, was she a tiny bit envious that her younger sister made her way into the circle of men to sit as his feet and learn? We will never really know her motivation for complaining. But we can take a look at our own motivations. Be prepared to share your answers to the following questions during the small group discussion: What distracts me? 2
Why do I serve? Is it to bless or impress? Am I using service to feel good about myself or to really help others? Honestly, do I ever just busy myself to muffle God s voice? When I fuss and grumble about what others should be doing what s usually behind it? What happens when I compare? Some of you might think Martha gets a continual bum rap (much like doubting Thomas). Hey, someone has to do the practical stuff, right? We can t all sit around. Food doesn t just magically appear on the table! READ: John 6:1-13 What has happened in this passage? Jesus performed many miracles, this one involving food. What if, Jesus had intended to do a miracle that visit? What do you think would have happened if Martha had sat at Jesus feet along with Mary? Take another look back at Luke 10:40-42 (in the Message) What was Jesus referring to as the Main Course? Underline that word too. 3
READ: John 6:47-51 No wonder He called Himself the Bread of Life! Bread must be eaten to sustain physical life and Christ must be invited into our daily walk to sustain and nourish our spiritual life. We eat food (bread) to satisfy physical hunger and to sustain physical life. We can only satisfy spiritual hunger and feed spiritual life with a right relationship with Jesus Christ. Taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8 We are all invited to His banquet table. And we are all unique in how we fellowship with God. I enjoy going on worship walks with my ipod full of praise music, how do you take time to taste and see that He is good? Martha s story, of course, points to what is really important in life, precious time with the Master. Like many of us today, Martha was conned into believing that ceaseless activity can produce something of eternal importance. Time with Him is when he can open our hearts to His truth and He gives direction to our lives. In those quiet moments He can pour His love and truth directly into our parched and hungry souls actually feeding us with His food eternal food that will last forever. Why then do we settle for scraps? So, what were some of Martha s positive qualities? Did you mention that Martha had a very open and transparent relationship with Jesus.so real, so solid and so close that no hiding was necessary? Martha was free to be herself in His presence. Martha was very frank and honest with Jesus. She knew she was loved and felt comfortable approaching Him. 4
If you were to be so honest, more honest than you have ever been before, what would you tell Him? READ: John 11 Again, Martha meets Jesus this chapter after the death of her brother Lazarus. With characteristic honesty and forthrightness she tells Jesus that if he had come sooner, her brother would not have died. What is taking place in this set of passages? How does Jesus feel about Martha, Mary and Lazarus? (John 11:5) Martha and Mary s brother Lazarus dies. How long had Lazarus been dead? (vs.17) We see Martha running to meet Jesus as soon as she heard He was near. Her greeting to Jesus was tinged with another complaint, Lord if only you would have been here, my brother would not have died. Have you ever asked, Lord, If only you had? Again, Mary showed her true feelings and her faith was strong and present. What did Jesus assure her in verse 23? 5
What was her reply in verse 24? What does Jesus say in verse 25? What did Martha say after that? Re- read Martha s faithful response. You see it was the very answer Jesus was looking for. It was the statement that paved the way for all to hear that Christ alone was the resurrection and the life In 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 what has been swallowed up in victory? Look up & fill in the blanks for 1 Peter 1:3a In His great mercy He has given us into a through the of Jesus Christ from the dead Beloved, because He lives, we live!!! Because He lives we can face tomorrow! And every day after that! Death has been swallowed up in Victory! What a comfort to know that through Jesus, death no longer has power over us! This is the gospel message and what our entire faith hangs on! If we believe in the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ we live, we live abundantly and we live forever. Can I hear a hearty Amen? The shortest verse in scripture Verse 35 says, Jesus wept. Why do you think Jesus cried? In verses 38 & 39, Jesus was deeply moved as He approached the tomb. He told them to Take away the stone. How did Martha respond? Martha s love for Jesus was very real and she was confident in His love for her also. How else could she have found the courage to keep pressing him for answers to her numerous questions? She displays tremendous faith and then her practical side emerges again. She must have been shocked to see Lazarus emerge from the tomb and guess what? He Stinketh NOT! (Coined by Beth Moore) 6
This was for the benefit of the people that they may believe that God sent Jesus! Do you realize the length and depth of His love for us? Martha offers a warmly familiar human portrait. The more we delve into her story the more familiar it seems- - - as familiar as the face gazing back in the mirror. Martha allowed Jesus to stretch her faith, rebuke her limited understanding, and show her what exactly the power of God can do. Once again, read and reflect on Luke 10:38-41 on page 1 of the homework. Let s look at Martha s sister Mary for a minute. Not only was Martha irritated with Mary because she wasn t helping her, but Mary broke with tradition too. There were certain roles that were given to the women of that day. Mary sat with the men at the feet of the Master when she should have been helping with the chores. But Jesus encouraged her devotion. He was changing hearts one person at a time. He came to change everything and He did. Just how do you think we do the work of Christ with the heart of Christ? READ: John 12:1-8 Here we find Jesus six days before the Passover again in Bethany at a dinner given in His honor. What was Martha doing? What was Mary doing? Martha was doing her usual serving, but this time with no echo of complaint. Mary was again at Jesus feet, worshiping. From the very first encounter with Christ, Mary seems to have pursued one thing above all, one essential thing- - - the deepest possible relationship with Christ. Her love gave her insights that others missed. Somehow she must have known that Jesus would not enter Jerusalem to high acclaims but to death and dishonor. As we read on, Judas is now the one complaining about the waste and Jesus rebuked him saying the perfume is intended for His burial. Mary was preparing Jesus body for what was to come. She was unafraid to express her love and was determined to seek the very heart of God not matter what. 7
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION: What keeps us from pursuing the deepest possible relationship with Christ? Lastly, write out 1 John 3:19 Martha was not perfect. Neither was her sister, Mary. Neither are we. There is only One perfect One and we can go directly to Him with our concerns and our praise. Why, because Jesus cares so much about our hearts. That s because it s were He lives and dwells. We can have an abundance of head knowledge and never truly know the heart of God. But He knows everything about ours. It takes time to plumb the depths of His Word to know His heart well. For our lives to be fruitful, it s essential to have intimacy with Jesus on a regular basis, both in the quiet still moments and in the busyness of life. Lord, Thank you for pursuing me. Sometimes the relationship you offer seems too good to be true. You pour your very life into mine. In a world characterized by working and taking, the call to rest and receive seems too easy. Thank you for loving my heart and giving me place to rest. I want to serve you and offer myself generously. I want to worship you in spirit and in truth. I want intimacy with You, the lover of my soul. Teach me how to be still and know that you are God. Amen RESOURCES: NIV Study Bible and Commentary The Closer Walk New Testament by Walk Thru the Bible Ministries Jesus Calling by Sarah Young Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver The Message / Remix by Eugene H. Peterson Women of the Bible by Spangler and Syswerda Twelve Extraordinary Women by John Macarthur 8