15.30 SIT, WALK, STAND - The story of Mary & Martha
Today, we will wrap up on this series with a story that illustrates the truth so well. This is the story of Mary and Mary, and the two approaches. Mary’s approach is the grace approach, while Martha’s is the law approach.
Mary was busy SITTING at the feet of Jesus; drawing on her Savior. Martha was busy SERVING; trying to give to Jesus. Grace is about SITTING at the finished work of Jesus, and depending on His life within us. Law is about being busy on one’s self effort without depending on Jesus.
So what happens under the approach of law? Martha got stressed out and she got anxious over her serving. She felt inadequate and unable to perform. And she complained about her sister Mary. This is the result of walking under law.
(Luke 10:38-42)
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.”
Most of us would have expected Jesus to tell Mary to help Martha, or rebuke Mary for being lazy. But astonishingly, Jesus told Martha that only one thing is needed – SIT as the feet of Jesus. Today, only one thing is needed, to rest in the finished work and to draw on the life of Jesus. It is not about what we do; it is about what He has done and what He continues to do through us.
Some of us will echo Martha to complain that Mary is lazy. “She should be serving Jesus like the rest of us!” Few people realize that the one who SITs at the feet of Jesus ends up doing the thing that is needed – which has the greatest impact.
It was Mary, who sat at the feet of Jesus, who walked in grace, who knew the heartbeat of Jesus – that ended up anointing Jesus for His burial. And Jesus was so touched that he declared, “What this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” Mt 26:13.
(John 12:1-7)
1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. 7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the DAY OF MY BURIAL.
Isn’t it awesome? This story demonstrates the power of SITTING before WALKING. When you hear His heartbeat, you will do the right thing. When you depend on His power, you will experience more results.
That is what Paul experience – He worked zealously for God under law but didn’t achieve anything. After His encounter with Jesus, he labored more abundantly by the grace of God, left a legacy for all and his letters are still impacting the world today.
Mary was busy SITTING at the feet of Jesus; drawing on her Savior. Martha was busy SERVING; trying to give to Jesus. Grace is about SITTING at the finished work of Jesus, and depending on His life within us. Law is about being busy on one’s self effort without depending on Jesus.
So what happens under the approach of law? Martha got stressed out and she got anxious over her serving. She felt inadequate and unable to perform. And she complained about her sister Mary. This is the result of walking under law.
(Luke 10:38-42)
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.”
Most of us would have expected Jesus to tell Mary to help Martha, or rebuke Mary for being lazy. But astonishingly, Jesus told Martha that only one thing is needed – SIT as the feet of Jesus. Today, only one thing is needed, to rest in the finished work and to draw on the life of Jesus. It is not about what we do; it is about what He has done and what He continues to do through us.
Some of us will echo Martha to complain that Mary is lazy. “She should be serving Jesus like the rest of us!” Few people realize that the one who SITs at the feet of Jesus ends up doing the thing that is needed – which has the greatest impact.
It was Mary, who sat at the feet of Jesus, who walked in grace, who knew the heartbeat of Jesus – that ended up anointing Jesus for His burial. And Jesus was so touched that he declared, “What this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” Mt 26:13.
(John 12:1-7)
1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. 7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the DAY OF MY BURIAL.
Isn’t it awesome? This story demonstrates the power of SITTING before WALKING. When you hear His heartbeat, you will do the right thing. When you depend on His power, you will experience more results.
That is what Paul experience – He worked zealously for God under law but didn’t achieve anything. After His encounter with Jesus, he labored more abundantly by the grace of God, left a legacy for all and his letters are still impacting the world today.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 11:08 PM
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