Dear Christian friends:

Daily we must make choices, many choices. Sometimes we make a good choice and are happy, and then at other times we make a bad choice and are sad. All people must make choices daily, and then live with that, be it good or bad, wise or foolish.

We Christians also must make many choices about our life and our service to God. Sometimes we choose wisely and are blessed in that; and sometimes we choose foolishly and are not blessed or happy.

Our text today tells about two sisters, Mary and Martha, friends of Jesus, who lived in Bethany. These sisters had to make a choice one day when Jesus came to visit in their home. If we study their choices and see what happened after they decided, we will learn some things that will help us to make wise choices in the future.


We, also, like Mary and Martha are confronted with the same choice. What is this choice? The choice is whether to serve Jesus by working or by hearing His Word. Which is more important? To work or to hear God's Word.

Martha invited Jesus to come and visit in her home. As visitors do Jesus sat down and talked with the two sisters for a while. Perhaps their brother, Lazarus, also sat down and visited. After a little while, Martha excused herself and went out to prepare the food for their dinner. Martha chose to serve Jesus and honor Him by preparing a fine tasty meal for Him. And we must agree that Martha intended to do a good work for her Lord. But her sister, Mary, chose to stay and visit with Jesus and hear Him explain the wonderful words of God.

Today, we Christians also meet this choice in our daily life: should we serve God by working or by worship and listening to His Word. Should we spend fifteen or twenty minutes reading our Bible and praying or should we drop the Bible and prayer hour and do more work for the family or school P.T.A. or the church Guild?

On Wednesday evening should we spend it at home with our family doing service to our children, or should we come to Bible Class and choir practice? Should we join the bowling team or come to Bible Class? Should we work overtime and help the war effort or come to Bible Class?

We may think like Martha that good works and good service to our family and neighbors is most important. We may even become cross and upset with those who always spend much time reading their Bibles and sitting in church, like Martha became cross with Mary.

But which sister made the right choice? You know that Mary did. Jesus said to Martha, "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10: 41-42) Jesus supports Mary's choice. He says, "One thing you need." You need what Mary has chosen. You need to listen to God's Word.

Why is Mary's choice the right choice? Because our chief need is for the soul, not the body. God's Word is what our soul needs so that it can become alive and grow, and flourish. Jesus said, "I am the living water; I am the Bread of life." "If you're thirsty, come to Me and drink. If you believe in Me, streams of living water will flow from you, as the Bible has said."

Jesus' Word is water and bread for our souls. By that Word we receive God's Spirit. We believe in God that He loves us and forgives our sins through Jesus crucified. We receive His love so that we can now honor Him as our God and Father. Thank Him, worship Him and praise Him.

By that same Word of God we receive power to love our neighbor and forgive him when he sins against us. If we first listen to God's Word about the Savior Jesus and worship Him and then go work and serve, we will have the right, cheerful heart and spirit.

Martha failed to first listen to Jesus' Words. She thought that a waste of time. She worked and served with the wrong spirit. After a while she became upset and crabby and angry against her sister Mary. She even blamed Jesus saying, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me and I have to do the work alone? Now tell her to help me."

This shows that Martha was working and serving without faith and love and honor to God. If a person is working and serving with the right spirit, he doesn't care care if others do not help. Even if he works alone and no one else is helping him he is cheerful and happy. He thinks, in his heart, "I am serving my God and Savior in the work. I am honoring Him with my work. I am glad He saved me and lets me have health and time to serve.

But often we are like Martha. We look to our right and left to see if other members are helping in the work. If they don't join and help we forget that we can serve and praise God ourself alone. We complain and say, "I think I will quit, too. Nobody else helps. What's the use?

Let's try to do like Mary and make the right choice. First spend plenty of time listening to God's Word and in prayer and worship. Then go to work and serve. You will go with the right cheerful spirit and with the purpose of serving God and honoring Him. Then you will not get upset even if you work alone, and nobody else is helping. And believe me often we must stand alone and work with few others helping us.

But that is good for us and if we stay cheerful and always first choose to hear His Word, others will see our strong faith and cheerful spirit. They will join with us too.

Amen.