March 23, 2014 - Luke 12

Luke 12

New Living Translation (NLT)

A Warning against Hypocrisy

12 Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy. 2 The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.3 Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!

I try to live my life that way...knowing that everything will one day be exposed.  I'm still working on what I say in private, about others.  I need to speak as though that person were standing right there. I'm doing better, but still have a ways to go.

4 “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.5 But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell.[a] Yes, he’s the one to fear.

Every time I go for a walk, I think about this. I'm not particularly fond of the neighborhood I walk in, but it's where I am living for now.  However, if I don't walk, I'll die of high blood pressure or heart attack...or worse yet, I'll have a stroke.  So I just ask God's protection when I step out, and ask Him to remove any fear I have.  I'm ready to meet God, and I know He's my Father, and I'm His child.  I don't fear where I am going.

6 “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins[b]? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

Thank you, Father.

8 “I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man[c] will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. 9 But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels. 10 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

There are so many opinions and explanations as to what it means to blaspheme the Holy Spirit.  The one I think rings most true is a person has become hardened against God (Holy Spirit) and will not budge when spoken to by God.  He'll sit in his pew and rot before he would acknowledge things are not right between him and God.  He's had so many chances to be melted by the Holy Spirit and change his ways, but pride would not let him.  So sad.  I believe there are many people in the church who have hardened their hearts toward God, but they still go to church and wear a mask so others will think they are Christians.  If there is one thing God hates, it's pride!  It is the deadliest of sins.  I Peter 5:5 says "God opposes the proud."

11 “And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”

Parable of the Rich Fool

13 Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15 Then he said,“Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Teaching about Money and Possessions

22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs.31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

I read these verses again and again, and I believe them.  Yet here we are in the midst of unemployment and no funds coming in, wondering how we will pay our bills.  God has provided thus far, and we have plenty to eat.  We have enough clothes and shoes.  So why do I fret over the future?  This is God's time to take care of us...why don't I just let Him?  I am too much of a planner and a doer, and I possess pride over paying my bills.  Maybe I have something to learn during this period that I haven't paid attention to before.

32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Well, I just listed more furniture for sale on Craig's List.  So I'm selling my possessions, but I'm doing so to have money to live on while we await a job for Paul.  God knows I am a giver, and we have given many of our possessions to the needy across the years.  I am glad to do so.  But I also believe selling possessions to provide some cash flow is a directive of God as well.

Be Ready for the Lord’s Coming

35 “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn.[d] But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.

39 “Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

41 Peter asked, “Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?”

42 And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 43 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 44 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 45 But what if the servant thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 46 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.

47 “And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. 48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

Jesus Causes Division

49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against.

53 ‘Father will be divided against son
    and son against father;
mother against daughter
    and daughter against mother;
and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law
    and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’[e]”

54 Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, ‘Here comes a shower.’ And you are right. 55 When the south wind blows, you say, ‘Today will be a scorcher.’ And it is. 56 You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.

57 “Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right? 58 When you are on the way to court with your accuser, try to settle the matter before you get there. Otherwise, your accuser may drag you before the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into prison. 59 And if that happens, you won’t be free again until you have paid the very last penny.[f]”

Footnotes:

1. 12:5 Greek Gehenna.
2. 12:6 Greek two assaria [Roman coins equal to 1⁄16 of a denarius].
3. 12:8 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
4. 12:38 Greek in the second or third watch.
5. 12:53 Mic 7:6.
6. 12:59 Greek last lepton [the smallest Jewish coin].

March 16, 2014 - Luke 11

Luke 11

New Living Translation (NLT)

Teaching about Prayer

1 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:[a]

“Father, may your name be kept holy.
    May your Kingdom come soon.
3 Give us each day the food we need,[b]
4 and forgive us our sins,
    as we forgive those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation.[c]”

I taught this prayer to our granddaughter when she was 5.  We made a bead necklace, and each bead represented one line of this prayer.  Three years later she still remembers The Lord's Prayer.  I trust it will go down through life with her, and she will come to cherish it and grow in relationship to her Father.

I appreciate how succinct this prayer is...it covers all the basics and doesn't ramble on and on.  Sometimes we think we need to use a lot of words, either to impress others, or get God's attention.  He knows our hearts, He knows our needs.  He wants us to acknowledge His presence in our lives, and our need of Him...not for what He can do for us, but for Who He is.


5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.[d]

9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

I wrote verses 9-11 in my daily journal, for it is God's reminder to me that He is very aware of our current circumstances (unemployed for almost 8 months), and He wants us to continue to trust Him, to ask, to seek, and to knock.  We have asked Him to keep all doors closed to jobs where He doesn't want us.  He's been very faithful to answer that prayer with several closed doors.  Our second half of that prayer is that He will open doors He wants us to walk through.  We are still waiting for those doors to open, and when they do, it will be the perfect situation for us for it will be God's will, not ours.  We desire only to follow His path for our lives.

Being human, I sometimes get scared of how we will pay the bills and where we will end up.  However, I fully trust Him, and He knows that.  I now say that I'm at the end of my rope, hanging onto the knot.  God can cut the knot and let me fall, and wherever I land will be okay with me.  I just want Him to be in control.  I am here for one purpose...His.  I want my life to count for His Kingdom.  I want to finish well, be an example to others of Christ-likeness.  May His Holy Spirit continue to work in me and continue to cleanse me of any impurities.


11 “You fathers—if your children ask[e] for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Jesus and the Prince of Demons

14 One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn't speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed, 15 but some of them said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan,[f] the prince of demons.” 16 Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

17 He knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 18 You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive? 19 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 20 But if I am casting out demons by the power of God,[g] then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 21 For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe— 22 until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.
23 “Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.

Jesus answered them well.  I love His discernment, His wisdom, and His forth-rightness in dealing with those who did not believe in Him.


24 “When an evil[h] spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ 25 So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. 26 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.”

Confusing to me.  If the person has his house in order, I would think that means he is following God.  But these verses would indicate something is missing, and even more evil spirits take up residence.  Is this  referring to those who ask for forgiveness of past sins, but fail to turn around and walk a different path...one that is led by the Holy Spirit?  Salvation (forgiveness of sins) and sanctification (total submission to God's will) are both needed in the Christian walk to maintain a close relationship that pleases the Father.


27 As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”
28 Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

Obedience...practicing what God's Word says...is what is pleasing to the Father.

The Sign of Jonah

29 As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, “This evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of Jonah. 30 What happened to him was a sign to the people of Nineveh that God had sent him. What happens to the Son of Man[i] will be a sign to these people that he was sent by God.

31 “The queen of Sheba[j] will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen. 32 The people of Nineveh will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.

Receiving the Light

33 “No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket.[k] Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.

34 “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness. 35 Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. 36 If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.”

"Jesus, shine down on me...
let your love flow through me
in the night."  (line from a song I don't totally remember)

Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders

37 As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table.[l] 38 His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. 39 Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! 40 Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside? 41 So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over.

42 “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,[m] but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
43 “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces. 44 Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on.”
45 “Teacher,” said an expert in religious law, “you have insulted us, too, in what you just said.”
46 “Yes,” said Jesus, “what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden. 47 What sorrow awaits you! For you build monuments for the prophets your own ancestors killed long ago. 48 But in fact, you stand as witnesses who agree with what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you join in their crime by building the monuments! 49 This is what God in his wisdom said about you:[n] ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.’
50 “As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world— 51 from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation.
52 “What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.”
53 As Jesus was leaving, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees became hostile and tried to provoke him with many questions. 54 They wanted to trap him into saying something they could use against him.

Sounds like politics to me.  Spiritual leaders want the applause of men, and yet they fail to follow the ways of God.  Instead they have their own little rules and games.  I'm so glad God looks on the heart, not the outside appearance.  We are accountable to Him inside out.  The Great Judgement Day awaits.  May I be honest and true in all of my ways so that I may hear His words, "Welcome home, Child.  Come on in."

Footnotes:

1. 11:2 Some manuscripts add additional phrases from the Lord’s Prayer as it reads in Matt 6:9-13.
2. 11:3 Or Give us each day our food for the day; or Give us each day our food for tomorrow.
3. 11:4 Or And keep us from being tested.
4. 11:8 Or in order to avoid shame, or so his reputation won’t be damaged.
5. 11:11 Some manuscripts add for bread, do you give them a stone? Or [if they ask].
6. 11:15 Greek Beelzeboul; also in 11:18, 19. Other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.
7. 11:20 Greek by the finger of God.
8. 11:24 Greek unclean.
9. 11:30 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
10. 11:31 Greek The queen of the south.
11. 11:33 Some manuscripts do not include or puts it under a basket.
12. 11:37 Or and reclined.
13. 11:42 Greek tithe the mint, the rue, and every herb.
14. 11:49 Greek Therefore, the wisdom of God said.

March 9, 2014 - Luke 10

Luke 10

New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Sends Out His Disciples

10 The Lord now chose seventy-two[a] other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. 2 These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. 3 Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.

These 72 other disciples are being given pretty much the same instructions as His chosen 12 disciples.  He sent them out in pairs, and I think there is great wisdom in that.  It's not only safer, but it's a deterrent for loneliness in the ministry.  How many in ministry today feel like the Lone Ranger without a Tonto?  It's easy to get discouraged when you are doing something all by yourself.  

I was going to question why the disciples were not to stop and greet anyone on  the road, but I am guessing it has something to do with being sent as lambs among wolves.  It was for their own safety.  They were specifically sent to towns and places that Jesus planned to visit...that was their mission.  They were not to get delayed along the way.

5 “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ 6 If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. 7 Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.

So if the people in the home were not peaceful, I assume the disciples went on to the next house, for surely they would not stay where there was no peace.  Hospitality (which would have meant a place to sleep, clean up, eat and drink) was to be their pay.  


8 “If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. 9 Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ 10 But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say,11 ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’ 12 I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day.
13 “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 14 Yes, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. 15 And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.[b]”

This again is the same thing Jesus had told his twelve disciples...to wipe the dust from their feet of any town who did not welcome the other disciples.  Jesus had already declared judgement on Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.  He had already been there and was not accepted?  The other disciples were going to towns where Jesus planned to go, so these towns must have already been visited and did not accept Jesus.


16 Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”
17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”
18 “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

The disciples were not to rejoice because of the power Jesus had given them, but rather they were to be glad that they were on the rolls of heaven.  I doubt Jesus would have chosen any one who was not sincere in serving Him, but only wanted to be recognized for the power to heal and have authority over demons.  Still, He was warning them.  Human nature is fickle.

Jesus’ Prayer of Thanksgiving

21 At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.

22 “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
23 Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen. 24 I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.”

I wonder if the disciples understand what Jesus said to them...if they understood the blessing of seeing the miracles of God being done through Jesus, and the blessing of hearing the message of Jesus.

The Most Important Commandment

25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”
27 The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”[c]
28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”
29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus is about to answer their questions by telling a parable, a good story that illustrated His principles, and how they are different from the principles of the "religious leaders".

Parable of the Good Samaritan

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant[d] walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins,[e] telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’
36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.
37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”
Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Zap.  There it is...the difference in truly loving your neighbor, and not being too caught up with your own importance, or with "righteous rules".  Expressing care and concern for those who are hurting, no matter who they are, is the way of Jesus.

Jesus Visits Martha and Mary

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by 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.”

41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

This is one of those passages that leaves me a little chastised.  I am a doer, like Martha.  I could understand her frustration with Mary being with Jesus and not helping her prepare for the guests.  And yet, I understand that Mary sought something from Jesus that she needed to be the person God wanted her to be.  Martha needed that same teaching, but the dinner for the guests took first place, not the presence of Jesus.  

Seeking after Jesus will sometimes mean letting go of the details of daily living.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33)

Footnotes:

1. 10:1 Some manuscripts read seventy; also in 10:17.
2. 10:15 Greek to Hades.
3. 10:27 Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18.
4. 10:32 Greek A Levite.
5. 10:35 Greek two denarii. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.