THAT GOOD PART

Text: Luke 10:38-42.

Purpose:  To see how good people may be distracted by less-important affairs, to the neglect of what matters most.

Introduction

This story of Mary and Martha is familiar to all. Books have been written under the title of this sermon, and the Lord's theme statement from which it comes has been the focus of many a sermon through the years. In this lesson we will see some of Martha's good points, some of her weaknesses, and then notice possible distractions today which hinder us from choosing "that good part" of which Jesus spoke.

Body

I. Martha's commendable strengths.

   A. She was hospitable, a virtue commended to Christians (Romans 12:13; 1 Peter 4:8,9).

   B. She was diligent and industrious, the mark of a noble and virtuous woman (Proverbs 31).

   C. She was humble and willing to serve, a characteristic commended and exemplified by Jesus Himself (John 13).

II. Martha's common weaknesses.

   A. She was over-anxious ("careful"). She let trivialities weigh heavily on her mind.

   B. She had a touch of jealousy: "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me with all the work?"

   C. She lacked singleness of purpose, perhaps flitted about from one thing to another with no real order or accomplishments. Jesus said she was troubled over "many things."

   D. She was unbalanced in her emphasis. "One thing is needful," Christ said, and she had missed it.

E. How like Martha is each of us in many ways!

III. We face many distractions which turn us from "that good part," the "one thing needful."   Matthew 23 suggests several areas in which Christians are often "careful and troubled" to the neglect of true religion.

   A. Talking without doing (verses 1-4).

   B. Human glory and "church politics" rather than the praise of God (verses 5-12).

   C. Public worship without daily walking (verses 13,14).

   D. Proselyting converts instead of producing character (verse 15).

   E. Logic instead of love (verses 16-22; see I Corinthians 8:1-3).

   F. Majoring in minors (verses 23-26).

   G. Appearances instead of attitudes (verses 27,28).

   H. Pious retrospect instead of present performance (verses 29-31).

Conclusion

In Martha we can see much of ourselves. Let us imitate her good points and learn from her weaknesses. Most of all, let us hear the Lord's word to her - and to us - that "one thing is needful," and then let us apply ourselves carefully to it.

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