“One Thing is Needful”

Lectionary 16 2007

Luke 10:38-42

              In our gospel lesson for today, we hear that familiar story of Mary and Martha and the time Jesus came to their house for a visit, stopping on his way to Jerusalem.  You all know what it is like around the house when company is coming over.  Everyone shifts into high gear, well, most people unless you are talking about teenage girls like at my house.  Then you must qualify that statement somewhat.  The house needs to be cleaned, the floors vacuumed, the clothes picked up and put away, the shopping needs to be done, the food needs to be prepared and cooked.  It really becomes a time of hustling and bustling around.

              And the work doesn’t stop there, but it continues even after the company arrives.  There is much serving to be done, and then the table is to be cleared of its dishes and trays.  Sometimes it seems as though there is no time for talking and good conversation.  All too often your guests tell you to sit down and eat before the food gets cold.  The desire to be good hosts can get in the way of what’s most important – quality time spent together in each other’s company.

              It is the same kind of thing going on in our gospel lesson about Martha and Mary.  Martha is obviously concerned about serving and tending to the needs of Jesus.  Who wouldn’t be?  This was no ordinary Rabbi coming over for dinner.  It was the Lord and Master.  But poor Martha.  She wants everything to be just right.  She means well.  The Martha’s of this world always do.  Yet, she is troubled and anxious about many things.  She becomes distracted with much serving, pulled around in many directions, doing all the things that are not in and of themselves wrong or bad, in fact, they are very good and helpful, yet, she’s missing the one thing needful and essential.  Martha must have become frustrated with all the serving, wondering “Why should I do all the work?  Why doesn’t Mary help me?”  She tells Jesus to order Mary to help her.  But instead, Jesus gives a gentle reprimand to Martha.  “Martha, you’re getting upset about the wrong things.  Get your priorities straight.  Don’t forget or ignore the one thing needful.”

              That one thing needful is to hear Jesus’ word and teaching.  Mary recognized this and took her place at the feet of the teacher, Jesus, her Lord.  It was a place usually reserved for men and the disciples of the great teachers, like the Apostle Paul who sat at the feet of Gamial.  For the disciple Mary, the serving and work could wait.  She didn’t wan to miss this opportunity to spend quality time in conversation with Jesus.  Mary recognized the same thing that Peter did when he said, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.”  Jesus commends Mary and tells Martha, “Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

              This tension between Martha and Mary is not so unusual as we, too, try to balance the need to be of service to others and tend to our own spiritual lives.  Both are important marks of what it means to be a disciple, or as Paul says in the lesson from Colossians, to be “mature in Christ.”  Yet, to be of service to one another, we need to be about that one thing needful, to nurture our lives through the hearing of God’s Word and incorporating it into our lives, for it is through the hearing of the Word that we come to faith and our faith is nurtured.

              It seems so simple, that one thing needful, but it is sometimes a difficult thing to realize.  Often our PERSONAL LIVES get in the way of the one thing needful.  Maybe it’s our job that prohibits our hearing the word.  It is a powerful force to work extra hours and make that extra dollar.  Our society has changed so much with stores and businesses open on Sundays.  Maybe it is our LEISURE ACTIVITIES that draw us away from the one thing needful.  The call of the river, bike trail, or the golf course can be enticing.  Maybe it BALL GAMES, TOURNAMENTS, and COMPETITIONS that take place out of town over the weekends.  This is a very challenging thing these for parents and families.  May be it is just FATIGUE and TIREDNESS from the many activities we are involved in and the many different roles we must play through out the week.  We are just too tired to do any more.  So we miss out on the one thing needful.

              In addition to our personal lives, our involvement in CONGREGATIONAL LIFE may become an obstacle or barrier.  Some may equate church busyness with that which is needful thinking that they have already fulfilled their duty by attending a church meeting, preparing Sunday school lessons, or doing whatever other activities there may be.  I know in my own work as a pastor, it’s very easy to get caught up in the administration of the church, in planning activities, visiting people, meeting with staff, attending to ministerial duties, and forget to tend to the one thing needful.  Just because I may be at church all day doesn’t mean I don’t need to be refreshed and strengthened by God’s Word.  Most pastors cherish the opportunity to hear someone else preach and be fed.  The same holds true, I think, for all of you members of the congregation.

              As disciples of Jesus, how can we tend to the one need needful?  How does Jesus get through to us?

              It is important to remember that Jesus came not be served, but to serve.  He gave his life for us so that we might be freed from thinking that I need to do more in order to receive his benefits of forgiveness and life.  His grace is given in order to enhance our life, not make it more burdensome.  So if the one thing needful for Mary was to pay heed to Jesus and his Word, it is for us to do the same.  This is possible in three ways, I believe, and perhaps even more:   First, through daily Bible reading and personal reflection as to what God’s Word is for us and for the world.  Secondly, we can do this alone, but it is even better when we can meet with others in small groups to read and study God’s Word.  This can be done in homes, at work, on vacation, or in the hotel or at the field or rink before the game or competition.  Read the lessons for the next Sunday and pray together.  You may have more people joining you than you think.  Finally, worshipping together with the community is what Jesus calls us to do, hearing the Word and sharing in the Sacraments.  Through these things God’s gifts of grace, forgiveness and life, is proclaimed and given.  These are marks of discipleship, that which will strengthen our lives of faith.

              Hearing and listening to God’s Word is the one thing needful for a life of service.  To know and understand what God has done and continues to do for us gives us the power and ability to serve others and to find the joy in it.  What Martha was doing was not in conflict with what Mary was doing.  What Martha lacked was a sense of the one thing needful to make her service joyful and meaningful, time to hear and listen to Jesus.  We need to pay attention to this, because listening to Jesus and serving him by serving our neighbor are two facets of the same gospel.

              The work of ministry is so great and needs to get done, no doubt about it, but more importantly, the Word needs to be heard and listened to.  One thing is needful – to hear and be nurtured by the Word which comes from the mouth of the Lord.  Once we have heard, then that same Word sends us out to do acts of love and to serve in Jesus’ name.  Let this be our pattern as disciples of Jesus.  Amen.