Your Service a Tradition of Excellence - Bro Joe Sabareza

LUKE 10:38-42 ( NIV)
As JESUS and HIS disciples were on their way , he came to a village where a woman named MARTHA opened her home to HIM . She had a sister called MARY, who sat at the LORD'S feet listening to what HE said. But MARTHA was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to HIM and asked ," LORD , don't YOU care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?" Tell her to help me!"
" MARTHA, MARTHA," the LORD answered , you are worried and upset about many things , but only one thing is needed ,MARY has chosen what is better , and it will not be taken away from her.
 

Introduction:
It has always been customary for us especially when we welcome somebody into our household and prior to the coming of our guests we make so many preparations like food , house cleaning, room beddings and other set - up to make our house more appealing to the guests. And sometimes if we are running out of time we become so tense and uneasy that sometimes the guests have already arrived and yet we're still doing the tasks.

In Revelation 3:20, JESUS, said, " Here. I AM , I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears MY VOICE and opens the door , I will come in and eat with him and he with ME." In the gospel reading we found out JESUS was not standing and knocking but HE was gladly welcomed and accepted as honoured guest by the host and by her sister . Their willingness showed that even the LORD was so pleased. If we are going to look at the passage we can see that even though Martha had already invited JESUS , in reality she was still distracted by the worries of taking all the tasks and later grumble .

When we welcome our LORD JESUS into our hearts, HE will also welcome us to listen to HIM. In MATTHEW 11:28- 30JESUS said, " Come to ME all you are weary and burdened and I will give you rest . Take MY yoke upon you and learn from ME, for I AM gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for MY YOKE is easy and MY BURDEN is light." In the letter of ST. PAUL To the Romans 10:17 ,HE said, " Consequently, Faith comes from hearing the MESSAGE , and the MESSAGE is heard through the WORD OF CHRIST." Let's take a look again at MARTHA, She welcomed JESUS gladly and received HIM with approved reaction, and yet she failed from giving full attention to what JESUS HAS TO SAY. In other words She was so distracted by doing the chores which is but secondary. She failed to develop Her Faith, she failed to have an intimate personal relationship with JESUS , she failed to be still and know and understand by listening to the WORD , She can do all things through CHRIST WHO will give her strength . She failed to cast all her anxieties to HIM because HE really cares for her. She was so anxious of anything that she failed to present everything by prayer and petition, requests to GOD. She failed to receive the peace of GOD , which transcends all understanding that will guard her heart and mind in CHRIST JESUS( PHIL. 4:13; 4:6-7). MARTHA was so distracted that she commanded JESUS instead of HIM commanding her, though we are GOD'S fellow worker! ( 2 COR. 6:1 ) . That is we are not working for HIM but with HIM, Who will cooperate with HIM. See, no matter how hard the tasks are,we will always accomplish without difficulty. For with GOD nothing is impossible everything is possible.(MATT. 19:26;MK.10:27; LK. 18:27). Though he was commanded , HE was able to maintain HIS humility , but made himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness , and found in appearance as a man HE humbled HIMSELF... ( PHIL. 2:7,8).

When we are overburdened we will start to worry, when we are burnt out we become restless and sometimes that will trigger us to commit mistakes and make us hot tempered thereby lost our self control . And worrying is a sin, why? Because you don' t trust GOD with all your heart, you didn't let HIM become a partner , you depend on your own understanding, you didn't acknowledge and recognised HIM WHO in turn will direct you to the right and straight path or way ( PROV. 3:5-6).

Look at MARY ! When she welcomed JESUS , SHE listened to the VOICE, SHE wasn't distracted by the earthly things around Her. She wasn't worried of anything instead she worshipped the LORD, She sat at the LORD'S feet paying attention and inclining Her ears to what the LORD is saying in which She made the right choice. She opened her heart and let the WORD OF GOD MANIFEST. Accordingly, the WORD will never depart from Her. In that , she unlearned the things of the world and learned the heavenly things.

How about you? Are you that MARTHA WHO is so anxious of anything? Will you let the things of this world overcome you? Just like MARY , She learned that fixing her eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal ( 2 COR. 4:18 )She fixed her eyes on to JESUS WHO is the author and perfecter of her faith ( HEB. 12:2).

In this passages let's ponder on the following words to live by :
(1) WELCOME-(v.38) REV. 3:20
(2) LISTENING-(v.39). MATT.11:28-30; PROV.4:20-27; ROM.10:17.
(3) WORSHIP -(v.39) DEUT.6:13; MATT. 4:10
(4) DISTRACTED-(v.40) LUKE 8:14; 1 PET. 5:7; PHIL.4:6-7.
(5) DEMANDING-(v. 40) PHIL. 2:7-8.
(6) WORRYING and UPSET ( v.41) MATT. 6:25-34
(7) RIGHT CHOICE and WILL NEVER DEPART-(v.42) JOSH. 1:8 ; PS. 1:2-3.
(8) SERVICE(v.39) MATT.4:10
" YOUR SERVICE WILL BECOME A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE TO YAHWEH EL SHADDAI."

Copyright 2013 Bro Joe Sabareza, Sydney