A Tail-Chaser Wants Help

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.  She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.  But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” (Luke 10:38-40 NASB)

Jesus is traveling to Jerusalem.  Along the way, in an unnamed village, He stays with Martha and her sister Mary.  From John we learn that these two live in Bethany, and that they have a brother, Lazarus.  From John we also learn a bit more about the character of these two.  But from Luke we learn some of the  dark side of Martha.

When a person stays at your house, you want everything perfect.  When the guest is a surprise, that sort of desire just isn’t going to be met.  When the guest is a surprise and important person, well then the frustration at not getting the perfect house to host in is exponentially higher.  Martha, though, is not handling it well.  We have two clues (technically three).

First, she’s being “wheeled around” by the preparations.  Most translations use “distracted”, but this is too tame a word.  The Greek word used there is normally used to describe a rider “wheeling around” his horse to go in the opposite direction.  It was used of an army marching in formation being “wheeled around” to march in the opposite direction.  That rounding turn, or turning in circles, makes for a nice square dance in Virginia, but makes for a stressful work environment.  She’s basically spinning around in the house trying to make sure she has everything done.  It doesn’t have to be perfect.  It will never be perfect.  In modern vernacular, “Chill out!”

Second, Martha basically disrespects Jesus.  Call it what you will, but the grammatical construction missing the “if not, then” construction is more…harsh.  It’s typically worded in English without the “if not,then” construct, but the tone is translated softer too.  It’s not here.  Martha sees Mary not “wheeling around” with her (and who likes to dance alone?), and is frustrated enough to be disrespectful of her guest.  Think that through.  Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and listens.  Martha is trying to get a meal ready, but when she speaks it’s disrespectful.  So, Martha is really being selfish because she’s concerned about how the house reflects upon her, more than about her guest.  In her concern to be seen as a good hostess, Martha forgot to be gracious to her guest.  Oops.

Martha is a great depiction of us, or at least of me.  I get so caught up in the good things of “church” or the activities of my relationship with Jesus, I forget to relate to Him.  My selfishness sneaks in to the forefront, and how I appear as I serve becomes more important than Who I serve.  I want to be thought of as great because I know I’m not really great.  This happens when you get closer to God, you simply get used to a completely unattainable definition of “great”.  Ironically, I’m still not close enough to God not to care that others see me as “great”.  It’s a mental illness, really; but tightly connected to a spiritual one.  I’m still alive in there somewhere in my interior, and I need to die.  I need to die so that my Master can then make me alive in Him.  Jesus won’t “quicken” my spirit if my willfulness thrives.  He waits for me to give up so that He is invited in.

The scary thing about dying to self, is the cross.  “…deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me…”  Okay, I admit it.  I don’t really want to.  I want Jesus on my own terms where I can still maintain the semblance of respectability to others.  I have a foot in the world and a foot in His Kingdom.  That’s not going to work.  It’s time to pray.

What lesson do you see in Martha this morning?

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Jesus’ Family Portrait

And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd.  And it was reported to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.”  But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.” (Lk. 8:19-21 NASB)

This statement of Jesus has always confused me, so I’ve spent more time than I probably should thinking it through.  I’m going to provide both the surface thought, which is probably more important, and a “subsurface” thought which can be easily disposed of if you disagree.

Finding Jesus

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. (Luke 2:46-50 ESV)

In the movie, Forest Gump, Lieutenant Dan is annoyed with people asking him if he had found Jesus. When he asks Forest, the response he gets is, “I didn’t know I was supposed to be looking for Him.” We laugh, but ironically, the pagan writers of Hollywood may have accidentally hit on something important. Perhaps the best question I can ask from this passage is, “Why go to church?”

But Before Being Dismissed…

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Luke 2:25, 26 NASB)

Simeon is an anomaly in this account.  He’s somewhat like John the Baptist, somewhat like Zachariah John’s father, and somewhat like a respectable old man.  He does stuff by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, which means, in his day, he’s really weird and unpredictable.  On the other hand, he loves his people, and he loves his God.  He’s probably one of the most upbeat people in the temple any time he’s there; and that’s with the people suffering under Roman rule and the religious leaders being ridiculously unrighteous.

Christmas In July: Familiar Problems in the Light of the Summer Sun

While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6-7 NASB)

Perhaps it’s because this isn’t the Christmas Season that I see this passage differently.  In that season it’s familiar, and there seems to be an agreement about what all the elements mean, how we emphasize them, how we apply them and so on.  But now, in the light of a July sun, it seems oddly different. While it’s not radically different, somethings seem less important or stark, and other things come to the foreground.

The Magnificent Savior of the World

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.
“HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; And sent away the rich empty-handed.
(Luke 1:52,53 NASB)

I really have never opted to spend much time in Mary’s song for a few reasons.  First off, as I was growing up, this song actually sounded out of place to me, like something Mary wouldn’t have actually said/sung.  I admit that was partly because of its similarity to a musical, and my prejudice against such entertainment.  But also because this song didn’t seem to relate to what was happening to Mary.  I couldn’t make the connection between the lofty viewpoint of the song, and a pregnant teenager with serious social trouble.

Magnificent Mother of Jesus

And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
(Luke 1:46-47 NASB)

The Magnificat is one of the beginning ‘hymns’ included in Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth.  This is the song of Mary sang when she visits her very elder relative, Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John (the Baptist).  Mary is very far from her immediate family visiting Elizabeth.  Suddenly, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, and affirms the angel’s proclamation to Mary.  The pregnant teenager, Mary, then sings this song.  It’s called the Magnificat in church tradition because that’s the first word in the Latin version of it.

Angelic Prejudice or Insight?

 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.”
The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.  And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.” (Luke1:18-20 NASB)

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.  And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.  For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:34-37 NASB)

These two accounts of an annunciation of good news both end very differently.  On the other hand, they also begin differently.  But the similarities in both are striking.  In both the response is initially fear.  In both there is a question about how such things can become true in the current situation.  Yet in each the response of the messenger is very different.

So why does Gabriel, the messenger of the Almighty, punish the old priest, but coddle the teenage girl?  It’s a mystery, but one that has some lessons for me, possibly us.  Like perhaps angels can do what they want, so don’t upset them.

Punishing the “Old Priest”

It could start out as a joke, “A priest walks into the temple…” but this is a special day for Zachariah.  This event appears to take place as part of the ‘sin offering’ described in Leviticus 16.  In that description, the incense is put on a pan of coals from the sacrifice outside, brought inside to the incense altar before the holy place, before the veil, and the smoke ascends over the mercy seat.  That is where he meets Gabriel.  It is a once in a lifetime event for Zachariah, a tremendous honor.  And anyone else in the temple would be expected to be killed by God.  Yet there stands a man by the altar.

There are a variety of competing emotions that probably flowed through Zachariah, but the fear is what the angel addressed.  The setting (inside the temple at the altar of incense), the situation (another person standing where no one should), and the person (an aged priest of pedigree and experience) all combine together to strengthen the message of this angel.  But it doesn’t seem to be enough for Zachariah.

Sure this is an unexpected place; yes, this guy shouldn’t be here and alive; and of course, he has heard and read of such things in his studies and training.  But still, now?  Now, when he’s too old to toddle after the toddler, now he is to be a father?  Now, after he has had to endure the whispering, the shame, the prejudice, and indirect scorn of his fellows, now he gets to be a father?  Where was God ten or twenty years ago? Still, he should have known better than to ask for another sign, “How will I know this for certain.”  It is the last request he voices for a very long time.

The setting, the situation, and his background indicated he should have faith in what he was told.  Perhaps it was his bitterness and pride that hindered him.  Whatever it was, he was muted until he should finally speak in faith.  That is his only sign.

Coddling the “Teenage Girl”

The teenage girl isn’t in the temple.  She’s not a seasoned religious leader.  She’s not even involved in some religious ceremony.  She’s at home, probably doing chores, which means she’s in her day, daily routine, contributing her part to the family program.  In the midst of just another day, this person appears with a really weird greeting, “Greetings one highly favored of God.”  So, “highly favored of God” is now a euphemism for, “one doing dishes?”  So she ponders, wonders, crunches in her mind, tries to figure out just what this person means.

The angel continues to describe what cannot be since she’s only betrothed, not actually married.  As would be expected, she doesn’t see the connection between her situation (dish washing in dad’s house) and having a divine baby.  It is one of the minute, yet significant, differences that Mary does not ask for a sign, just an explanation.  So the angel explains, and his explanation contains a sign, Elizabeth is pregnant. This is proof that nothing is impossible for God.

Conclusion

Considering the two situations, I would probably fall more closely into the categories of Zachariah.  So unfortunately for me, I get no space for lack of faith.  No asking for a sign for me.  While it is true that I have a daily grind, and I’m not necessarily involved in a religious ceremony on any given day, I still have enough training and experience that I have no excuse for not believing a visitation.  And all that means is that I’m in real danger of being placed on mute.

Which category do you fall into?  Are you the experienced religious person or the young neophyte of faith?  Are you a seasoned veteran of religious life, or a new believer struggling to connect faith with life?  Are you also in danger of being muted until you act in faith, or will you receive an honest answer to an honest question for clarity?  Do you wrestle with pride, or are you willing to admit you ‘don’t get it’?  Jesus would later claim that only a wicked and rebellious generation asks for a sign. Suddenly, I don’t feel so wonderful about my pedigree.

What’s your view through the knothole?