Mary and Martha: Lessons and Gifts

August 8, 2004

Arlene Bougher, Lay Speaker

Montgomery United Methodist Church

Good Morning.

I’m so glad we are all worshiping here together on this gorgeous day. Our sermon this morning is entitled “Mary and Martha: Lessons and Gifts.”

Pastor Tony once shared an observation that “studying the Bible is like traveling down a road. You can open the Bible and discover side roads that are always interesting and rewarding.” Today I invite you to travel to the village of Mary and Martha, to Bethany.

In his book, Outstanding Women of the Bible, Laurence S. Price paints a picture of the peaceful setting in Bethany, away from the enemies of pressing crowds and persecution, and the short hour’s walk that Jesus may have taken from Jerusalem as one might have “…passed over the Brook Kidron and by the Mount of Olives and passed not far from Gethsemane. The valley in which Bethany was situated, and the hillside, were dotted with olive trees. And from (that) height the traveler could catch a glimpse of the white houses in the contented village below…”  Here Jesus could easily relax at the home of his friends, Lazarus, Martha and Mary.

The short story of Jesus visiting Mary and Martha seems simple enough. As Jesus and his disciples were traveling, a woman by the name of Martha, kindly opens her house to them, offering them sustenance and relaxation.  While Martha goes to work in the kitchen to prepare a meal, her sister Mary sits at Jesus’ feet listening to His every word.         

Now, preparation for thirteen guests demands time and many hands. Martha is understandably a little put out that Mary isn’t helping, and asks Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

 Jesus says, in loving repetition, “Martha, Martha …” Take it easy. Calm down.  “There is only one thing needed. Mary has chosen the better and it will not be taken from her” (Luke 10:40, 42).

 We can see Martha receiving a sudden jolt of understanding as to the real needs of Jesus. He came “Not to be served but to serve.” Like Martha, how often we are bent on providing a service whether it’s wanted or not, at the wrong time or place. We are embarrassed, and suddenly realize the situation is not about us. We relax, begin to listen, and find ourselves in a better place to do God’s work.

Martha’s gift was speaking in gestures. She was head of her household. She welcomed Jesus and his disciples into her home. She “represents many people who played an important role in the spreading of the gospel (those who opened their homes for the teachings of Jesus and who) often became patrons …of (what were called) ‘house churches’. With this, came a position of influence in the life of these churches” And so Martha’s gift was important for the big picture in the spread of Christianity.

Mary’s gift was listening…and so is my husband’s. One day when I was feeling overwhelmed with work and housework, I found my husband, who works many hours, clearing the sink of dishes. Now, coming from a family of seven, I’d rather scrub floors than do dishes, So that evening I left a little note on his nightstand which read, “I feel loved when you do the dishes.”

Since then he’s done a lot of dishes. I’m grateful for his gift of listening.

Mary took a “bold action in leaving her expected role of preparing and serving dinner in order to listen to Jesus. In one of my commentaries regarding the Gospel of Luke I read, “It’s clear that listening to the word is only the first step…Jesus’ teaching elsewhere in Luke suggests that Mary, if she is really listening to Jesus, cannot remain a passive listener,” but must continue to grow spiritually and turn faith into action.”

Perhaps, this is what Jesus wanted to do for Martha, to help her grow in faith as much as she had developed into a kind, generous, and socially responsible member of her family, and of her community.

Loving friends of Jesus, the two women did what came naturally to them. Martha’s gift was taking care of the physical comfort of Jesus, his disciples, and those who came to listen to Jesus. She paid strict attention to the etiquette of the day, providing a place to recline and an over abundance of food. Bethany was sometimes called the village of Mary and her sister, Martha. Martha was a woman of position and means. Because it was unusual and rare for a woman to be head of the household, this doubled the importance that everything was to be perfect for her guests. A stay at their home wouldn’t be the same without her.

Some of us can easily relate to what I call the Martha syndrome. It’s a big family holiday, the meal is cooking nicely, but we are still worried that there is dust under the sofa. How much better to lounge for a while in the midst of the chattering group or sit and listen to the needs of a loved one!

Mary sat at Jesus’ feet as a disciple. Spiritually connected to him, she couldn’t have done otherwise. She had to be filled with his words of wisdom and blessings.

Martha, also, came to Jesus because she believed in Him as “Lord”. She invited Him into her home to share her God given talents and give the man who, “had no place to lay his head,” a comfortable space to recline at supper. It was a blessing given for a blessing -out of love.

As for Mary, writes Lawrence Price:
 “Her choice was the better one, because she herself received so much, and then could return so much to the Lord in gratitude for what she had received. It was not long until she rendered her master an incomparable service, and that she so honored Him was not by mere chance. Her action received its inspiration when she sat at Jesus’ feet, heard His word, and accepted His salvation.”

It was her God given gift that she was already spiritually tuned in, listening closely to His word. He inspired her to “Six days before the Passover… take about a (half liter) a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume, pour it on Jesus’ feet and wipe His feet with her hair.” (John 12:3)

My Bible commentary tells me “pure nard was a fragrant ointment imported from the mountains of India. You can imagine the expense. The amount Mary used was worth a year’s wages

And so Mary honored Jesus in life, in her own home, at her own table, as honorably as the women expected to do when they came to prepare Jesus in the tomb. The using of an expensive ointment was not a matter of impulsive impracticality, but a display of deep faith and spiritual love.

And finally, the lessons I believe we learn from Mary and Martha, are that all of us have God given gifts that we can use, to continually grow in an active faith. We can use gestures of kindness that may ripple from one person to another to another. We can bend a gentle ear, which will help to heal someone’s grief.

Today, you are invited to explore your God given gifts, to raise them up and realize, like love, they become more valuable when you give them away.

Have a wonderful week

Works Cited

Life Application Bible, NIV. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991 and Wheaton: Tyndale, 1991

Lockyer, Herbert. All the Women of the Bible.  Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995

Mathews, Alice. A Woman God Can Lead. Grand Rapids: Discovery House, 1998

Newsome, Carol A. and Sharon H. Ringe, editors. The Women’s bible Commentary.

     Louisville: Westminster/ John Knox Press, 1992

Price, Lawrence S. Outstanding Women of the Bible. Columbus: The Book Concern, 1940’s

Rusche, Helga. They Lived By Faith. Baltimore: Helicon Press, Inc., 1963

Tannehill, Robert C. Luke. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996