Monthly Archive for December, 2009

Having a “Mary” Christmas Part 3 of 3

Published on December 21, 2009 in Family, Uncategorized, encouragement and ministry. 1 Comment Tags: , , .

3) Mary was concerned about the Eternal Things….Martha the Earthly things.
Notice this expression at the end of verse 42. When the meal is done, and the dishes are cleaned and all the decorations are put away…what will be remembered. What do you remember about last year?

I remember last year we had our Christmas musical drama…I remember last year we went caroling at the nursing home. But I could not tell you what we had for dinner at the fellowship or what we ate after the nursing home…but I remember the interaction with the people.

Notice the Lord’s rebuke of her in verse 41…that word careful means “anxious” Doesn’t the scripture tell us in Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Not only that, but the anxiety was causing her to be troubled, disturbed, in a bad mood. Let me ask you something…this Christmas…all the things that you have invested your time and money in…are they strictly earthly things? Or do they have eternal value. The answer to that question determines if we are having a Mary Christmas or not. In the book of Revelation, we are given the insight into a church that has taken the Martha approach to ministry.

(Revelation 2:2) I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
(Revelation 2:3) And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
(Revelation 2:4) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Let’s remind someone that this season is all about a Virgin who gave birth to a child called Emmanuel which means “God with us”…

Turn with me please to Luke 1:76…here Zacharias is speaking prophetically…first about his son John the Baptist…then about the message that John will bring…his ministry…

My prayer for your family and mine is that we will not only have a Merry Christmas…a holiday that is full of joy and happiness….but also a Mary Christmas…a Holiday that is focused on the person of Christ.


Having a Mary Christmas Part 2 of 3

Published on December 13, 2009 in Christian Growth, Family, Uncategorized and encouragement. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

christmas32) Mary was devoted to the person….Martha was distracted by the process. 39a-40 If you notice something….and this is very obvious…the whole purpose for what they are doing here in this passage is because the Lord had come to visit them.   This expression in verse 40 about “much” serving….gives us an indication that maybe Martha was going overboard…maybe she was preparing well beyond what they needed…yes they needed a meal, but something simple would have been sufficient….it seems that she was going beyond that….and I can understand that…you want everything to be perfect, if you are someone who expresses their love by serving, then there is a tendency to serve more….but Martha crosses the line and she makes the process of serving more important than the guest she is serving.

To the point where she “CAME TO” which means to burst in…she bursts into the room and accuses the very guest that she is working to express her love to of not having concern for her. What is Martha’s focus…is it on Christ….no it distracted to the “Stuff” that is going on around it. What she is doing right now is no longer about the Savior… it is about herself. … Her ministry has become a burden…

Jesus led them then to the top of a mountain and commanded that the stones be made bread. Each disciple, by this time tired and hungry, was allowed to eat the bread he held in his hand, but of course Peter’s was not sufficient to satisfy his hunger. John gave him some of his.

Many times we will spend time for the Savior and not with the Savior. How do you know which one is you….let me ask you something. And may the Spirit of God do its’ work…When you went out to do your shopping did you see only hordes of people in the stores, or did you notice the expressions on some of their faces because they are as sheep without a shepherd.

If you have gone this season without passing out a tract, or speaking to someone about the Lord or inviting someone…then you are distracted by the process of Christmas and you have missed the devotion to the Person.
You are cumbered about much serving…you are having a Martha Christmas…and the person of Christ becomes secondary to the process of Christmas…and the whole thing becomes a burden.

Remember Martha is not a bad person or a person who does not have faith…or a person who does not love the Lord….she is a person who is distracted…that is her sin….and we will see it in just a moment.

I have been reading the Christmas story during part of my devotions, and the most amazing thing to me is found in Matthew 2….when Herod inquired of the Chief priests and scribes… these men, knew the prophecy…they knew that Jesus would be born 5 miles from where they sat. but they missed it…because they were caught up in the process and not devoted to the person.


Having a Mary Christmas Part 1 of 3

Published on December 2, 2009 in ministry. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Luke 10:38-42 portrays a contrast between two women who both love the Lord Jesus Christ. The contrast is made between the way they are prioritizing an event that is taking place in their lives… think about this for a moment.

If you search online about stress during the holidays… you will find articles on “Managing Stress”… “Tips for surviving the Holidays”…. Fox news had an article regarding “7 ways to Avoid Holiday Stress induced Acid Reflux”. And it doesn’t take long to realize that people view the Christmas season as having the more stressed attached to it than any other season.

And I can understand financial concerns… but there are the cards to send out, and the decorations to put up, and the things to do and the get-togethers, and the family that you may not get along with but you have to see during the holidays.

Have you ever been in a position around this time of the year, when you will just be glad when it is all over. The cards and the decorations and the presents and the shopping, and the wrapping and the money that is spent and the visits that have to be made…and “man I will be glad when this is all done”.

If that is you…and I have to admit, there have been years when that is me….but if that is you this year…you are not having a “Mary” Christmas, you are having a “Martha” Christmas.

So what is the difference…1) Mary was balanced….Martha was Busy. 10:39-40a
Some would have the impression that Jesus and the disciples showed up and Mary immediately went to the feet of Jesus and Martha was stuck doing all the work, and of course the thought is….well if Martha doesn’t do it then how is it going to get done.

But the solution to this thinking is found in that little word “ALSO”. It means that Mary was helping Martha and doing her part, and then when the Jesus began speaking, Mary sat down…and right here is the key…Martha allowed herself to be “Cumbered”… The word means as I mentioned distracted…it means that as you go to do one thing, two more things come to your mind to be done, and as you go to do those two things 5 more things come to your attention….you have seen the people that I am speaking of…they are always busy… it is a feeling that they are comfortable with. They are workers, they are comfortable working…but at times it is to the exclusion of the most important things….Christmas is about people…not events.

A Mary Christmas puts her emphasis on the Lord….Notice the difference….Martha welcomes Jesus into her home…Mary welcomes Jesus into her heart.

Has your emphasis this year been on the Lord? Do your Christmas cards emphasize Santa, or Christ…What about your decorations…What about in your gift giving. I know that so and so needs a new tie or a new sweater, but do they also need their own bible? What I am suggesting is that we not compartmentalize the holiday into the religious side and the holiday side.

What does it profit you to live your life for Jesus all year long just to follow the world at Christmas? And we do the same things and get caught up in the same mindset. Part 2 next week. May we use every opportunity to focus on Christ this Christmas.