Missing or Replacing the One Thing Necessary in Your "Religious" Service

Sermon on Luke 10:38-42 - Lords Day May 4th, 2025 - Trinity Reformed Church.

Martha is serving the Lord and Mary is hearing the Word of God. Martha's service was well intentioned, motives were right but it represents false religion. When we are convinced we are right and this is love but it goes against the Word it is wrong no matter how it appears. Follows the account of the good Samaritan. Why is Martha's service wrong? It must be done in love, actively with knowledge of the Word. Martha in her heart thought she was serving the Lord but Jesus points put she is not. She is distracted by so many things that she is missing Him. What is amazing in serving Christ she missed Christ. Serving is good. It is not what she did that was so wrong it's what she didn't do as she served. Our attitude and anxiety as she served. She is elevating her idea of service above Christs. False religion abandons the Word of God and replaces it with what we think is right. Then we assume that God approves.

Martha welcomed Him. Intensified hospitality. Vs 39 she had a sister named Mary. Mary stopped serving and sat down at His feet to listen to His Word or "continued" to hear His Word. You can be one who enters communion of the presence of God in Christ through His Word. We are taught about hearing throughout the Gospel or Luke: Luke 8:18 , Luke 8:10, Luke 6:47. This is a very careful hearing. Luke 8:21, Luke 10:24. Luke 9:35 - This is my beloved Son - hear Him. Martha is a saint that is distracted. She has so much to do that she is missing what is vital. Every Saint has been like Martha. These verses teach us that we need to examine ourselves and our motives. V41 Jesus gently responds and corrects. Examine your service, examine your works. Mary has chosen the good part. What keeps us from sitting at His feet?

Luke 10:38-42 (NKJV) 38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”