Martha Martha...

[OneAccord]

Martha, Martha

Luke 10-38-42

By OneAccord, July 16, 2009

A certain village, a certain person. Of all the people in your town, Jesus chose YOU! Jesus entered a certain village (Bethany) and was welcomed into the home of a certain person. He chose YOU to welcome Him into your home. This Martha had been a woman of ill-repute. In Luke 7, and with tears of repentance, Martha washed the feet of her Lord and dried them with her hair. She poured expensive ointment on the Lord’s tired feet, to express her love and gratitude of this One who said to her, “Thy sins are forgiven”. ( John 7:48) I’m reminded of that great song, penned by Bro. Joel Hemphill: “The Sweetest Words He ever said was ‘I forgive’”

Not only had Martha received Jesus into her heart, but here she receives Him into her very home. Our commitment to Christ begins when we accept Him into out lives, but is not complete until we invite Him into our homes. Joshua said, “As for me AND my house, we will serve the Lord”. On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Sprit “filled ALL the HOUSE where they were sitting”. We need to allow Jesus to reign, not only in our hearts and lives, but our homes should be a place of welcome to the Lord.

As Martha busied herself in serving the Lord, Mary, her sister sat at the feet of Jesus and heard His Word. Our faith comes not from our service to the Lord, but from the Words that proceed out of His mouth. In Bible times, bread had to be processed from flour that was grown, and made into bread. An individual farmer sowed the seed, tended the plants, harvested the grain, cleaned the seed through a process called “winnowing”, ground the grain into flour, kneaded the dough, baked it into bread and finally ate it. Jesus said that we can’t live just on bread (by our own labors), but by every Word of God. (Luke 4:4). That’s why church attendance and Bible reading is so vital. We need to sit at the feet of Jesus to hear His Word.

Martha sought to please God through her service, but faith comes by hearing the Word. Without faith we cannot please God and faith comes from hearing the Word. If we seek His Word through any other means, we become “cumbered about much serving”. “Cumbered” means to become burdened down. Martha was burdened down by her service, because she sought to please God through some other means other than by hearing the Word of the Lord. Many people “encumber” themselves with rules and doctrines that are man-made. They follow rule books, by-laws and ritual to try to please God. There are people in the Philipines who beat themselves with whips and some even have themselves nailed to a cross, thinking this somehow pleases God. They “encumber” themselves with religious slavery. Paul speaks of people who ensnare themselves with the very same bondages the Lord had delivered them from. Jesus freed us from the yoke of bondage and slavery but many people “entangle” themselves with the yokes of religious bondage. Not only was Martha “cumbered about much service” but she thought Mary should be as well! She was careful and troubled by the fact that, here she was, trying to gain the Lord’s favor by doing, while her sister just sat there! It was WHERE Mary was sitting that made all the difference. She sat at the very feet that Martha had just washed a few chapters ago… but she was doing so for a purpose. Our purpose in inviting Christ into our hearts, lives and homes should always be to HEAR HIS WORD!

Martha thought Mary needed to do more. To some, becoming a Christian is too easy. Surely there’s more a person has to do to be saved. So, unscriptural rules, extra-biblical standards and unspiritual rituals are imposed that only serve to enslave people rather than give them liberty in the Spirit. “…bid [Mary} to help me”, cried Martha. Misery loves company and people who are bound in prisons with stained glass windows think everyone should be “cumbered about” with them.

Finally, Jesus answered Marthas pleadings by calling her name twice; “Martha, Martha…” I can think of three times in the Bible (there may be more) when God said a name twice. He called Samuel by saying “Samuel, Samuel…” (1 Sam 3) In Matthew , Jesus spoke over Jerusalem by saying, “O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem…” Here in Luke 10, Jesus says, "Martha, Martha” The significance of this is that YOU are as important to God as is an OT prophet or the beloved city of Jerusalem. Martha asked the Lord, “…doth thou not care…?”,. By saying her name twice, Jesus was showing her that, yes, He does care for her, as much as he did for the child prophet Samuel and for the entire city of Jerusalem. Its easy to think the Lord doesn’t care when we allow ourselves to become care-filled and troubled. But He does care! “Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you!” 1 Peter 5:7

Jesus reminded Martha of the one needful thing. This reminds me of the most frightening verse of the entire Bible: “One thing thou lackest…”. I’d hate to know that I spent my entire life in Christian service, only to learn that I neglected that one needful thing. Marthas service was appreciated, I’m sure, but God isn’t so interested in our service to Him as He is in us as His children. All that we have in life can be snuffed out in the twinkling in an eye, but those precious Words of God that we hide in our hearts can never, ever be taken away. Nothing will stand in the Day of the Lord but His Word. Grass withers, flowers fade, but His word endures forever. Our rituals, our man-made doctrines, our “revelations” that come from any other source rather than His Word, will vanish in a puff of smoke, but God’s Word is forever. So the “one needful thing” for us to do is to remain at the feet of Jesus to hear His Word. That’s the “one needful thing” that will never be taken away from us.

[ANGELFACE]

The word and prayer is what we need to making after we let jesus in. Let the word live thru us.

[Esther]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

Martha, Martha

Luke 10-38-42

By OneAccord, July 16, 2009

A certain village, a certain person. Of all the people in your town, Jesus chose YOU! Jesus entered a certain village (Bethany) and was welcomed into the home of a certain person. He chose YOU to welcome Him into your home. This Martha had been a woman of ill-repute. In Luke 7, and with tears of repentance, Martha washed the feet of her Lord and dried them with her hair. She poured expensive ointment on the Lord’s tired feet, to express her love and gratitude of this One who said to her, “Thy sins are forgiven”. ( John 7:48) I’m reminded of that great song, penned by Bro. Joel Hemphill: “The Sweetest Words He ever said was ‘I forgive’”

Not only had Martha received Jesus into her heart, but here she receives Him into her very home. Our commitment to Christ begins when we accept Him into out lives, but is not complete until we invite Him into our homes. Joshua said, “As for me AND my house, we will serve the Lord”. On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Sprit “filled ALL the HOUSE where they were sitting”. We need to allow Jesus to reign, not only in our hearts and lives, but our homes should be a place of welcome to the Lord.

As Martha busied herself in serving the Lord, Mary, her sister sat at the feet of Jesus and heard His Word. Our faith comes not from our service to the Lord, but from the Words that proceed out of His mouth. In Bible times, bread had to be processed from flour that was grown, and made into bread. An individual farmer sowed the seed, tended the plants, harvested the grain, cleaned the seed through a process called “winnowing”, ground the grain into flour, kneaded the dough, baked it into bread and finally ate it. Jesus said that we can’t live just on bread (by our own labors), but by every Word of God. (Luke 4:4). That’s why church attendance and Bible reading is so vital. We need to sit at the feet of Jesus to hear His Word.

Martha sought to please God through her service, but faith comes by hearing the Word. Without faith we cannot please God and faith comes from hearing the Word. If we seek His Word through any other means, we become “cumbered about much serving”. “Cumbered” means to become burdened down. Martha was burdened down by her service, because she sought to please God through some other means other than by hearing the Word of the Lord. Many people “encumber” themselves with rules and doctrines that are man-made. They follow rule books, by-laws and ritual to try to please God. There are people in the Philipines who beat themselves with whips and some even have themselves nailed to a cross, thinking this somehow pleases God. They “encumber” themselves with religious slavery. Paul speaks of people who ensnare themselves with the very same bondages the Lord had delivered them from. Jesus freed us from the yoke of bondage and slavery but many people “entangle” themselves with the yokes of religious bondage. Not only was Martha “cumbered about much service” but she thought Mary should be as well! She was careful and troubled by the fact that, here she was, trying to gain the Lord’s favor by doing, while her sister just sat there! It was WHERE Mary was sitting that made all the difference. She sat at the very feet that Martha had just washed a few chapters ago… but she was doing so for a purpose. Our purpose in inviting Christ into our hearts, lives and homes should always be to HEAR HIS WORD!

Martha thought Mary needed to do more. To some, becoming a Christian is too easy. Surely there’s more a person has to do to be saved. So, unscriptural rules, extra-biblical standards and unspiritual rituals are imposed that only serve to enslave people rather than give them liberty in the Spirit. “…bid [Mary} to help me”, cried Martha. Misery loves company and people who are bound in prisons with stained glass windows think everyone should be “cumbered about” with them.

Finally, Jesus answered Marthas pleadings by calling her name twice; “Martha, Martha…” I can think of three times in the Bible (there may be more) when God said a name twice. He called Samuel by saying “Samuel, Samuel…” (1 Sam 3) In Matthew , Jesus spoke over Jerusalem by saying, “O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem…” Here in Luke 10, Jesus says, "Martha, Martha” The significance of this is that YOU are as important to God as is an OT prophet or the beloved city of Jerusalem. Martha asked the Lord, “…doth thou not care…?”,. By saying her name twice, Jesus was showing her that, yes, He does care for her, as much as he did for the child prophet Samuel and for the entire city of Jerusalem. Its easy to think the Lord doesn’t care when we allow ourselves to become care-filled and troubled. But He does care! “Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you!” 1 Peter 5:7

Jesus reminded Martha of the one needful thing. This reminds me of the most frightening verse of the entire Bible: “One thing thou lackest…”. I’d hate to know that I spent my entire life in Christian service, only to learn that I neglected that one needful thing. Marthas service was appreciated, I’m sure, but God isn’t so interested in our service to Him as He is in us as His children. All that we have in life can be snuffed out in the twinkling in an eye, but those precious Words of God that we hide in our hearts can never, ever be taken away. Nothing will stand in the Day of the Lord but His Word. Grass withers, flowers fade, but His word endures forever. Our rituals, our man-made doctrines, our “revelations” that come from any other source rather than His Word, will vanish in a puff of smoke, but God’s Word is forever. So the “one needful thing” for us to do is to remain at the feet of Jesus to hear His Word. That’s the “one needful thing” that will never be taken away from us.

John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

OA it was Mary that had the bad reputation and it was she that washed Jesus feet and dried them with her hair. Many believe it was Martha's sister and Lazerth's was her brother.

But you are right it was Martha that complained to Jesus that Mary wasn't helping her serve the people.

Also, I think it is interesting how you pointed out He called Martha's name twice, I never looked at it from that angle.

You made some good points here.

[Falla39]

Very good, Bro. OneAccord. Jesus (Word made flesh) fed many during the
approximate time of his anointing at his baptism when he was "about thirty".
From the time "about thirty" when he began ministering until His death, burial
and resurrection three or three and one half years later, He "fed" many both
physically and spiritually (with the words the Father (Spirit) gave him to say.

Today we "hear the Word" via parents, preachers, etc., and faith comes by
hearing and hearing by the Word of God. As we are "fed" the Word, and the
Word gets IN us, and in time, the Spirit (Father) brings about a conception.
By this time we should be able to feed ourselves the written Word. When we
"eat" the Word and pray, we are growing in wisdom and in stature, both in
the natural and in the spiritual! The time will come when, IF we continue in his Word, we will be His disciples indeed!

Too many have depended on others to feed them the Word, as they grew
physically, but Paul asked the question,. My little children, of whom I travail
again in birth, till Christ be formed in you". Obviously they ate physically but
the inner man never grew. There may have been a conception but because
of spiritual malnutrition, the inner man never matured.

Have you ever talked to people who have claimed the Holy Ghost from a child, yet they do not know the Word. They always depended on someone
else (parents, grandmother, preacher) etc. to feed them. They were never
taught or learned to eat the good Word of God for themselves. Spiritual
dependance on others.

There are those who have no faith because they have no Word in them. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

In Amos 8:11, it speaks of a famine,

11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

These is a lack of good Bible teaching and teaching from the Word of God!
It not a time for fairy tales and fiction stories. It is time to get into the Word
and eat it like our life depended on it. It could!

Several years ago I went through something and it was definitely spiritually
related. I would wake up at night and words would be going through my mind.
Sometimes just one word. I believe God used this to teach me by the Holy
Ghost. One night it seemed I kept hearing the word "Cam" "Cam a lot" I tried
and tried to relate this word or words to what it could mean. As I desperately
sought God for what He was trying to tell me. it became clearer. Finally I felt
it was not Cam but Cram a lot. And then to confirm it, the words were added,
"There will be a test". Cram a lot, there will be a test. And indeed there was to be a test. A test like unto one I had never experienced. I "ate" the Word
of God as if it was the last "meal" I would have of the Word. I thank God for
that lesson.
If we fear God and eschew (hate/despise) evil, HE will show us the Path of
Life, wherein is fullness of JOY!

O, taste and see that the LORD is GOOD! It tastes like honey in the Rock!

Just some thoughts,

Falla39

[Scott Hutchinson]

If we truly have faith in Christ,then our faith will cause the right kind of works to be in our lives,it's faith and then works,not more works to get faith.

If we abide in Christ,then our fruit will be good fruit,when our fruit is not good,then our quality time with The Lord,and our fellowship with the Holy Ghost is lacking,because if we have a true walk with Christ,then our external behaviour will reflect this.

If the seed of Christ that is deposited in our life is nurtured with prayer,and time in the word then good fruit can be harvested.
True faith in Christ will in due time produce true Holiness.

[1Corinth2v4]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

Martha, Martha

Where's the beef?

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by Esther

John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

OA it was Mary that had the bad reputation and it was she that washed Jesus feet and dried them with her hair. Many believe it was Martha's sister and Lazerth's was her brother.

But you are right it was Martha that complained to Jesus that Mary wasn't helping her serve the people.

Also, I think it is interesting how you pointed out He called Martha's name twice, I never looked at it from that angle.

You made some good points here.

Well, would you believe, I just wanted to see....

1) if any would would catch my dumb mistake. (Note to self: Read text FIRST, then write, THEN post).

2) if anyone would would notice my intentional mistake ( I wanted to see if anyone was even reading my posts!) (Did you notice I typed the word "would" twice in this sentence?)

3) if anyone even reads their Bibles anymore!

Thats what I get for writing after midnite!

[Scott Hutchinson]

We forgive you you are only human,c'mon and post another one.
You might inspire me to write something.

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by 1Corinth2v4

Where's the beef?

You want Beef? Might have to go see a butcher. I'm just a milkman.