[Martha And Mary] Spiritual Meaning-Sitting At The Feet Of Jesus And Then D

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “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 10:38-42 NIV)

Martha and Mary are sister in blood. Martha received Jesus at her house. Why Martha received Jesus at her house? Because she believed in Jesus.

After she accepted Jesus, she began to be busy doing many things. After being busy for a while, she came to Jesus and complained she had done a lot while her sister Mary hadn't come to help. Why Jesus you did not ask sister Mary to help me?

Jesus said Martha was upset and worried about many things. Mary had chosen which was better and no one can take it away.

What did Jesus mean? Martha did many things (obeying law) without coming to Jesus but Mary came to Jesus all the time and then listening words of God (obeying law).

It doesn't mean today we can only listen to words of God and we cannot do any other things. But it encourages us to come and sit at the feet of Jesus always. We can do anything but sitting at the feet of Jesus always. Depend on Jesus to obey the law. Martha accepted Jesus to the house, after that she set aside Jesus and did everything by herself. Finally she felt upset, worried and complaining since she set aside the faith in Jesus and would like to be justified by her behavior not by faith.

Paul encourages us to live by the Spirit and finish by the means of the Holy Spirit. But Martha and Galatian church who live by the Spirit at the begining while finish by the means of flesh( It means to depend ourselves). We need learn from Mary who live by the Spirit and rely on Jesus always before doing everything. Rely on Jesus to obey law( preach, live life, keep commandments, pray, read bible etc.)

Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?(Galatians 3:3 NIV)

So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Galatians 3:6-9 NIV)