Luke 10:38-42<\/p>\n\n\n\n
July 18, 2010<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church in San Francisco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the middle of summer, many people are taking vacations. From what I\u2019ve observed, there are \u201cMary Vacations\u201d and there are \u201cMartha Vacations.\u201d Joy and I just spent 10 days with our 4 adult children and our 5 grandchildren under the same roof. This was a \u201cMartha Vacation\u201d filled with cooking breakfasts, washing little hands, doing countless loads of laundry, washing pots and pans, going to museums, driving in the vans, and playing in the pool. I got up every morning at 6:15 to have breakfast ready at 8:00. \u201cMartha Vacations\u201d are absent from rest because we can always get that back home. I can say that for Joy, a \u201cMartha Vacation\u201d with 5 grandchildren was no vacation at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joy likes \u201cMary Vacations\u201d that \u201cget away from it all.\u201d For Joy, a great vacation is no agenda and doing absolutely nothing. She is in to serenity, a massage, reading a good novel, quiet relaxation, and no grandchildren. That\u2019s the idea of a \u201cMary Vacation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One type of vacation is no better than another. They are just different. One vacation puts a premium upon rest and rejuvenation; the other upon playground adventures with grandchildren and the surprises of not yet being fully toilet-trained. Either can be a great way to renewal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mary and Martha<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In our text for today, Luke recalls, \u201cNow as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord\u2019s feet and listened to what he was saying.\u201d If Joy and I were to find our selves in this story, Joy would be Mary and I would be Martha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have always been a task-oriented, goal-seeking, and hopefully a high-achieving person. I rarely move from one point to another without careful planning and preparation. Life in this world can be fairly unpredictable so I like to know where I am going. I do best when there is structure and order, where I know what is expected of me. I always come to worship prepared in what I will be saying and allow for the unexpected to not distract me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Early on in my education I learned to begin each day with a list. I check that list carefully and assigning time durations to every item and then moving through the day step by step. My weekly Day-Timer organizes my various appointments and assignments allowing me to set aside ample time for preparation and rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The trouble is, there is a part of me that is, Mary also. As a natural introvert according to my Myers-Briggs type, I enjoyed reading the San Francisco Chronicle<\/em> uninterrupted and sipping a good cup of Lanna Coffee in the morning. While I am a diehard Red Sox fan, I even enjoy just watching any baseball game on TV because the counting of balls and strikes relaxes me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps that\u2019s why now, when my life is busy, when I am speaking to a group in public, when I am preaching like what I am doing right now, I find that I must have times when I am absolutely quiet and absolutely alone. After a long day at church, I enjoy Sunday nights to be freed from other church related activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Someone told me that Gandhi always spent two to three days in complete silence for every day that he spent leading a religious and political movement in public. The Mary in him enabled him to be the Martha in him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pastoring as Mary and Martha<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the reasons why I enjoy being a pastor so much is that the pastoral ministry affords times when one is busy, moving forward, setting goals, going to meetings, and interacting with other people. Being a pastor is a very public job. That\u2019s the Martha in me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And yet there is also the necessity for a pastor to be alone, in prayer, studying the scriptures, reflecting upon the word of God. I literally spend my Monday mornings reading, studying the Bible, and discerning what word God may be placing on my tongue to preach about on Sunday morning. That\u2019s the Mary in me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a young pastor I learned from Dr. Chuck that it was important for a pastor to be well organized and punctual. He had me account for every hour in the day for every week in the month! A pastor has got to be on time for meetings with people. A pastor has got to organize the entire week knowing that a sermon will be required by the end of the week. Constructing a relevant sermon requires me to interact with people and know what may be happening in the world. And yet it is also important for a preacher to be alone, in quiet and in prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A pastor needs to work hard to be available to people in need. You\u2019ve got to be willing to go out in the middle of the night when there is some tragedy in your congregation. You\u2019ve got to schedule your day in such a way that there is time to meet with all the people who required pastoral support and guidance. That\u2019s the Martha in me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And yet, a pastor must also be like Mary. Sometimes the most important thing a pastor does is not to do anything, but just to be there. We preachers call this the \u201cministry of presence.\u201d That means that sometimes we are there just standing beside someone, not saying or doing anything, but simply present with them. As a man, learning to not try to fix something that\u2019s out of my control for someone and learning to simply be present is being the Mary in me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Part of me is like Martha\u2014busy, organized, goal-oriented, moving forward, getting the job done. And yet, part of me is also like Mary\u2014quiet, reflective, solitary, and simply sitting there, being present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Worship & Discipleship<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This story of Jesus in the home of Mary and Martha teaches us that Jesus blesses both sides of our personality. The Christian life involves times of frenetic activity. But the Christian life also involves times of quiet meditation. We can all testify that the harder we work at being a Christian, the more tough assignments you take on, the more desperately you need times of quiet and reflection, times like this service of worship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Sunday morning worship, you are not working on being a more active disciple by listening to me. But rather, you are reflecting upon your life and the demands of the gospel. You are at rest. Some of you may even be so rested that you are half asleep! It\u2019s when I give you the Benediction and commission you to go outside of these sanctuary doors is when you begin to move from being Mary and to becoming Martha in a life of active discipleship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take note of the fact that our 2010 annual church theme is a focus on both \u201cWorship and Discipleship.\u201d Mary is our worship and Martha is our discipleship\u2014both are necessary to being who we are as followers of Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Playing Your Good Part<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I think we do a disservice if we interpret the story of Jesus in the home of Mary and Martha in such a way that we contrast one of the sisters with the other. The challenge here is not to decide which of the sisters got discipleship right. The message here might not be that Martha is doing something wrong and Mary is doing something right. The struggle here is not that Martha is a busy bee who can\u2019t stay still long enough to enjoy Jesus and that Mary is the adoring, perfect disciple who sits quietly at Jesus\u2019 feet, hanging on to his every word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Jesus says that Mary has \u201cchosen the better part,\u201d I think it\u2019s a mistake to stress that word \u201cbetter.\u201d Probably we ought to stress the word, \u201cpart.\u201d In the New Testament Greek, this little phrase is perhaps better translated that Mary is playing at a \u201cgood part.\u201d It\u2019s not that Martha\u2019s part is a bad part. Martha is just playing her part, busy doing good things, getting ready to show Jesus warm hospitality. And her part is good too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And Mary, reflecting upon the significance of what Jesus is saying, listening to his every word, is also playing her part. It\u2019s a role that is different from that of Martha, but it\u2019s a good role for someone to play. It\u2019s a necessary part of the whole picture of discipleship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We know that Jesus spent time with Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus in Bethany because he loved them. It would be a disservice to the story to take sides in this family dispute, choosing one sister over the other. Jesus engages both sisters, though he engages them differently, and he gives them both the benefit of his teaching and presence. Jesus loves both Mary and Martha and each sister shows love for Jesus in different ways. Both ways are essential for faithful following of Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your Good Part<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the great aspects of Jesus is that he blesses each of us and our various parts. I can tell you as a pastor that I have learned that every church badly needs some people who are mainly Martha and others who are mainly Mary. We need people who are good at organizing and doing, and we need people who are good at reflecting, praying, and just being present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Pastor Chris shared with us last Sunday, we need some more Marthas to help with the toddlers program to teach and help with the many little ones. Pastor Jane needs more Marthas to teach and help with Friday Night School. But as a church, we also need Marys to pray for the Search Committee as they begin posting our new position for a Pastor of Family Ministries and to lead the 9:10 Worship congregation. We need more Marys to pray for those who are sick in health and discouraged over unemployment. We need some Marys who are willing to simply be present with our church members as they experience some of the challenges of everyday life. You have a good part to play!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of us are either Mary or Martha. But probably most of us have some of Mary and some of Martha within us. And Jesus blesses both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Frankly, it is a bit of a surprise to see Jesus bless Mary, who simply sits there and listens to Jesus. For so much of Luke\u2019s gospel, Jesus is calling people to get up and follow him, to walk with him, to give a cup of cold water in his name, reach out to those in need, go, do, work, and act. Right before our passage this morning is the Parable of the Good Samaritan when Jesus commended the Samaritan for his actions in behalf of the needs of another. But here, Jesus also blesses Mary, that part of us that simply wants to be with Jesus, enjoy his presence, to sit at his feet and to drink in his every word, to adore him and to praise him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following Jesus is a demanding task. Sometimes it takes energy, resourcefulness, and lots of bold, hard work. And sometimes it means simply being with him, listening to him, enjoying him, and hanging on his every word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That evening, Jesus did not simply go to the home of Mary and avoid Martha. He did not talk to one sister and ignore the other. He loved and blessed them both by his presence. Teaching both sisters, he blessed them both as his disciples. And so Jesus blesses you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that we have had a \u201cMartha\u2019s Vacation,\u201d Joy and I still need to figure out a way to have a \u201cMary\u2019s Vacation\u201d for her to enjoy and relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let us pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lord Jesus, you have come among us in our time of worship. You have chosen to visit us, to speak to us, to teach us, and thereby to show your love for us. Give is the grace to be still, quiet and attentive, to listen prayerfully to what you have to say to us. Then give us the grace to go forth refreshed, renewed, and recommitted to follow you into your world, doing your will, and acting in your name. Let us be both courageous listeners to you and be courageous servants of you. Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Luke 10:38-42 July 18, 2010 Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church in San Francisco. In the middle of summer, many people are taking vacations.