P a g e | 1 Luke 10:38-42 – Mary and Martha
Would you describe yourself as an activist or a contemplative? Are you more a thinker or a doer?
Would you rather just crash on and get things done, and think through the strategy later? Or do
you like to think long and hard before committing to action? Do you find it easy to sit and read
and be quiet and to think, or would you rather have your toe-nails pulled out one by one?!
Do you resonate more with those old Hamlet cigar adverts, where life is unravelling all around
you, but you like to sit and pull out a metaphorical cigar and ponder for while? Or does the
motto of Nike fit your personality better – Just do it!
At first glance, this passage could be seen as an homage to the contemplative character and a
rebuke to the activist. Mary is the contemplative, sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to his every
word, while Martha is the activist, bustling in the background, cooking up a storm in the kitchen,
and becoming increasingly irritated at her sister, and Jesus, that she is doing all the work while
they are having a merry old meditative time.
You could read it like that. Jesus’ gentle rebuke of Martha, his statement that Mary has chosen
what is better. If you’re a thinking, contemplative type that spends a lot of time at Jesus’ feet, you
could read this passage with a soupcon of smugness – you could feel quite good about yourself,
as you watch all the activist types, running around with their busy lives and their sense of duty.
You have chosen the better way!
But hold on a minute. Just put your hamlet cigar back in your pocket for a moment! Let’s think
about this. Let’s look at the two sisters and ask ourselves: what is the better thing that Mary has
chosen? And what role does service and ministry play in the great scheme of things?
40: but Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.
You have to love Martha. Long before Mary Berry, Delia or Nigella - she is the quintessential
domestic goddess. She has got the gift of hospitality. She has invited Jesus into their home – and
with Jesus comes his disciples. So there are AT LEAST thirteen hungry men to feed, plus Mary,
Martha, perhaps Lazarus and a few other hangers on. Perhaps a dinner party for 20 people.
That’s a lot of work. A lot of food. A lot of preparation. Pots and pans to prepare, fires to be lit,
fresh bread to be baked… there is loads to do. In my mind’s eye, Martha is a no-nonsense, get-itdone type of character. If you have seen Call the Midwife, she is the one who is somewhat
brusque, rolls up her sleeves and gets the job done, regardless of the difficulties. She is somewhat
on the larger side, red in the face, and sweating up a storm as she juggles pans and prepares a
P a g e | 2 feast for the hungry men. She is going to enjoy feeding them – it’s her love language. She will
enjoy ministering to Jesus and his followers in this way. It’s what she does.
You may know people like this. You might be Martha. Food is your language of love.
I’ll never forget a meal I had with Jenny’s family back in the day.
When I was first going out with Jenny, we lived in Germany. As it became apparent that our
relationship was serious and that we wanted to get engaged and married, I was to be introduced
to the wider family, in particular the grandparents on Jenny’s mum’s side. Jenny’s family was, of
course, American, and her grandparents were successful and wealthy business people who lived
in the States, but were over in Germany to visit the family. I was to be introduced to them for
the first time in a restaurant, now defunct, called Chicagos. The whole family was there and I was
seated opposite the matriarch and patriarch of the family, Bernie and George, the grandparents. I
am not necessarily, at least not overtly, comparing Jenny’s family to the mafia, but this meal was
like a scene from the Godfather. I was here in this American diner restaurant, Chicagos,
surrounded by these rich Americans, many of whom were eying this Englishman with
considerable suspicion, with their napkins tucked into their necks as they chewed on spare ribs
and hamburgers.
It was frightening.
What I do remember starkly was quickly realising that Bernie, Jenny’s grandmother, dealt in the
currency of food. So as I sat nervously opposite her, having lost much of my appetite, she
continually, throughout the meal, forced her food on me. Not only did I have to deal with what
was on my plate, but during every course, she would insist on lifting her plate and scraping half
of the contents onto mine. This was problematic for me on two fronts – one I was not hungry.
Two, and much more challenging, I have hygienic issues with sharing food off other people’s
plates. But Bernie was having none of it. This was her language. This was how she
communicated and connected. Have some more food Geoff. Have my fries Geoff. Here Geoff,
finish off these half-chewed ribs.
And like some male prototype of the Vicar of Dibley, I was forced to eat not one meal, but two.
Otherwise I would not be accepted into the circle of trust of this mafia clan.
I did and I was and I survived to tell the tale. Although now I have broken the code of omerta –
the silence of the mafia – I may not be here next week….
Martha ministered with food. She excelled in hospitality. This was her language. It was what she
did well. This was her ministry. Perhaps, arguably, it was not Mary’s. But as the pots and pans
started bubbling and things started to come to the boil, so did Martha.
She would keep nipping in and out of the room where Jesus was speaking and she would catch
sentences here and there. She wanted to listen to him. To hear his words. The words of God.
Just like Mary. But each time, she had to get back in the kitchen – otherwise the bread would
burn and the pans would boil over. This meal was not going to prepare itself.
P a g e | 3 The more Martha had to run in and out, the more Mary started to irk her. Sitting there so
serenely at Jesus’ feet, listening to his every word, not having to worry about the food and the
work in the kitchen. Calm as you like. Martha did what many of us do when we are angry.
Particularly the passive aggressives amongst us. She glared at Mary. Hard and long. She gave her
dagger looks. Dirty lingering looks. She jerked with her head when Jesus wasn’t looking – as if
to say: get yourself out here in the kitchen. Come and help me. Mary was not responding to the
sign language or the gestures. Maybe she even closed her eyes to focus on Jesus’ words. Martha
was starting to get hopping…and Mary was not helping.
I was on the train last week and I was in a quiet carriage. In a quiet carriage you are supposed to
be quiet. There’s a clue in the name. You are especially not meant to use mobile phones. There
was a woman a couple of seats away from me who proceeded to have a very long and very loud
conversation into her mobile phone. The type where the whole carriage has to listen in. It
normally involves someone shouting: “I’m on the train. Yes….on the train. I’m losing you. I’m
losing you. Yes, I’m on the train!”
It irritated me. She was in a quiet carriage. She was Northern and noisy. I leaned slowly out of
my seat. I glared at her. I’m quite good at glares. I squinted my eyes. I might even have tutted
loudly. She was having none of it. She was not reading the signals. She continued her
conversation, caring not one wit about my or anyone else’s irritation and annoyance. “I’m on the
train.” She shouted. “What’s that? I’m losing you. I’m on the train!”
This was Martha with Mary. Glaring. Tutting. Staring. And slowly, like the food in the kitchen,
she came to the boil.
Have you ever been there. Bubbling over. Muttering to yourself. Beavering away. No-one
helping you.
Finally she boiled over and she came to Jesus, hands on hips, towel over her shoulder, red in the
face and perspiring, and she asked:
“Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
I don’t know where your loyalties lie at this point of the story – but I’m with Martha. If I were
preparing dinner for 20 and my sister were sitting at the feet of Jesus, serenely soaking up his
words, I would be banging a few pots and pans, I would be slamming a few doors. I would be
giving her the evil eye.
P a g e | 4 Now.
Here’s the thing. If you are a Christian. If you are a disciple of Jesus. You are called to follow
Jesus and you are called to serve. To work You have gifts and you are supposed to use them.
The body builds itself up in love as each part does its work.
GOD has stored up good works for you and me to do. There is a list. And, over the years of
growing up in church, I have met the people who are too heavenly minded to be of any earthly
use. Full of dreams and visions and callings – but they don’t lift a finger to actually get the work
done. They can be infuriating. I have a friend who leads another church and he was telling me of
a lady that approached him and felt that she had a great calling on her life – that she was a
teacher and a leader. He asked her to serve coffee in the church. She was indignant. She left the
church shortly after.
I have felt the frustration and heard the frustration of others as they work hard and minister,
volunteering on top of busy jobs and lives, only to see others who do not help, will not work….
Don’t feel called or moved to help carry the load. Someone else will do it.
So I get Martha. I understand her. I empathise with her.
But Jesus’ response is enlightening – and it carries with it the main point of this story. The thing
that we need to learn this morning and remind ourselves of…
41-42:
There is a main thing. There is a better way. Jesus says. And Mary has chosen it.
Mary was listening to the word of God. She was spending time with Jesus. This would not be
taken away from her.
Martha was ministering and working and serving – but she had lost sight of Jesus – his presence,
his word. She was so busy working for Jesus that she lost her relationship with Jesus.
This is what Jesus challenges her on.
Now as a church, we have a strong volunteer base. Many of you are involved in some sort of
service or ministry within the wider body. You work full-time jobs, you work shifts, and you
serve in the church. This is not the rant today of an angry pastor with a lazy congregation. That
is not how I feel. That is not where we are. But I would like to make a couple of points this
morning for us to take away and chew on.
P a g e | 5 1) If you are not involved in ministry – we invite you to join in, to put your shoulder to the
plough, to get involved. As we considered recently, the fields are white unto harvest, but
the labourers are few – there is much to do, there are great opportunities – and you are
called to be a minister of the gospel. It may mean serving coffee, welcoming people on
the frontline team, befriending people as part of the debt counselling ministry of the
church, or helping carry the load of what is the largest church-based children’s ministry
in the city. There is much to do, and there are a wide range of ministries to get involved
in. And we need workers. Please sign up. Volunteer. Roll up your sleeves. If you do not
invest – you will lose interest. If this is your family, we expect you to help with the
chores. This story is not a story that encourages you to sit on your proverbial and do
nothing! There is a list. God has got stuff for you to do. Good works stored up for you.
Join in! That’s the first point.
2) But I think perhaps more pertinently, in a busy church with many committed volunteers,
I would like to speak to the Marthas amongst us. First of all, I would like to encourage
you this morning: don’t fall into the trap of comparing what you are doing with what
others are doing. Peter fell into the same trap when Jesus was speaking to him and
recommissioning him for ministry. Peter looked over at John and asked Jesus, Lord what
about him? Jesus basically responded – none of your business, Peter – I am telling you
what you need to do, I am calling you, I am commissioning you, based on the
foundation of your love for me – now feed my sheep, do what I am calling you to do.
Don’t fall into the trap of Martha of getting mad at Mary. I know it can be frustrating if
you are working hard and others are not helping who you think should be helping. They
tell you they are tired. Or they are busy. As if you’re not tired and busy! We can all fall
into the trap of thinking everyone should be as passionate about this ministry as I am.
Why can’t they see how important this is? Why don’t they help. Martha’s gift was
hospitality and she expected Mary to get it and get with it. Not everyone will share your
passion or gifting. Not everyone will feel the urgency or the passion you feel in a
particular area. But do what you are called to do – on the same basis that Peter was called
to serve Jesus – on the basis of loving Jesus. Do you love me? Jesus asks you this
morning. Right. Serve my sheep coffee. They like coffee! Do you love me? Help those in
debt. Do you love me? Serve the children of the church and raise them to know me and
love me! Do you love me? Spend time with the teenagers in this turbulent and uncertain
time of their life? Love them in my name. Do you love me? Be the very best
administrator you can be. Do you love me? Welcome the stranger in my name…
Friends this is the foundation of your service. IF you find yourself boiling over at what
others are not doing – by all means try to recruit and encourage others into the game. If
you are in a ministry about which you are passionate, you’re the best advert – the best
recruiter. Pray and ask for workers for the harvest. Invite others to join you. But remain
true to your calling. Keep serving the Lord because of your love for him. Ask him to
renew your passion and your heart. That’s the second point. Do what you are called to
do. Do it in the name of Jesus, and do it because you love the Lord. And don’t expect
everyone else to get it or be the way you are.
P a g e | 6 3) The third point about Martha and Mary is that Mary stayed centred on Jesus and his
word. And this is the challenge to all of us who are busy in any kind of service or
ministry. Are we still centred on Jesus? As R. Kent Hughes states, there are many
preachers of the word that have an anaemic relationship with Jesus and who don’t read
the bible for themselves. There are worship leaders that lead others in worship, but do
not have a worshiping heart, spending time at the feet of Jesus. In every area of service
and ministry, it becomes very easy to fall into the trap of working for Jesus, but losing
touch with his word, his heart, the very essence of his calling. I think this is the danger
for many of us in a busy church with a lot going on.
“You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.”
I know, like many of you know, that I can be so busy doing things for Jesus, in the name of
Jesus, that I don’t spend any time at his feet, listening to him, spending time with him. It’s not
that there is anything wrong with the activity. The meal needs to be prepared. The message
needs to be preached. The work needs to be done. It’s just that there is “one thing that is
needed”. It’s just that this is the central thing – the most important thing – that we need to be
reminded of, and encouraged like Martha, to return to.
Martha, Martha…. Put your name there, on the lips of Jesus. Maybe he’s speaking to you. Have
you been feeling angry. Disappointed. Let down. Frustrated. Worried and upset about many
things.
Are you worried and upset about many things? Lists of things to be done. People who are not
helping. People who don’t see what you see and feel what you feel. There is a lot to do. It’s easy
to get distracted. And frustrated. And upset.
But there is one thing that really matters. One thing. It’s your relationship with Jesus. It’s your
time with him. It’s your love for him. His words into your life.
He’s calling you back to that. He’s not asking you to stop the other stuff. But it needs to flow
from a place of fellowship, of intimacy, of love for Jesus.
Jesus asks you this morning – Do you love me? Then….feed my sheep, fulfil your ministry – in
my name.
So whether you are a contemplative or an activist – a thinker or a doer. A Mary or a Martha –
keep the main thing the main thing. If you are not involved, not ministering, not contributing –
it’s your time. If, like Martha, you are beavering away, don’t keep looking what others are not
P a g e | 7 doing. Whatever you are doing, do it with all your heart to the glory of God and for the love of
God. And let us all remain at or return to the feet of Jesus
Amen.