November 9, 2023
#prayingmantis
#choosethegoodpart
After our midweek
Wednesday Bible study last night, while I was closing the roller
shutter (we
meet in a 20' x52' shop lot on the first floor), this praying mantis landed on
my left shoulder. It whispered into my ear, "Choose the Good Part"
Brief notes for the Bible study are pasted below.
Luke 10 KJT
38 Now it came to
pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman
named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a
sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was
cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not
care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she
help me.
41 And Jesus
answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about
many things:
42 But one thing is
needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away
from her.
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We were looking at
Luke 10: 38-42
a. Jesus and His
disciples are travelling to Jerusalem and arriving at Bethany, a village several
km east of Jerusalem.
- In Bethany, they
entered the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. It is in the context of this
humble home of some of His dearest disciples that the narrative in this
paragraph took place.
- There is a close
connection between the previous parable and the present narrative. Be a loving
neighbour is wonderful; but active love for the Lord is better, see v27. And
the most basic expression of the love for the Lord our God is to be attentive
to Him and His words.
- Yet this is one
thing most commonly forgotten or neglected by many believers, you and me.
b. Well, Martha did
a very commendable thing - she gladly received the Lord into her home,
something commendable.
- But after she has
welcomed the Lord into her home, what did she do? She gets busy preparing a
meal for the Lord and His company. No doubt she does it all with a genuine
desire to please the Lord, as an expression of her love and devotion to Him.
But does the Lord approve of what she does?
- The spiritual
malady brought to our attention by the Lord Jesus Christ is obvious; we are
often sincerely distracted by many things which are unnecessary distractions.
- Let us consider
our subject under three headings. The Lord has these to say to us…
1. Beware of Many
Distractionz
a. The reality and
constant danger distractions.
b. The meaning of
'distracted':
- 'peris-taoo', in
the passive, is 'letting yourself drawn or pulled in every direction...' a mind
preoccupied with many things, a mind distracted with many cares, a mind drawn
away from the chief object or purpose or duty.
c. The
manifestation of being distracted:
- Distractions
usually lead to the neglect of our spiritual duties and privileges.
d. The consequences
of these distractions are dreadful: 'you are worried and troubled...'
- these
distractions shall burden a child of God with worries and troubles. The word
'worried' - 'merimnaoo' literally means breaking into pieces. Martha was 'going
to pieces' over all the things she is distracted with.
- 'troubled' means
to be disturbed or upset... emotionally in turmoil, agitated. The heart and
mind are unsettled and ravaged with so many unnecessary cares...
2. Choose the One
Good and Needful Thing
a. 'But one thing
is needful"'
- A few things are
necessary in life... but only one is good & needful.
b. 'Mary has chosen
that good part.' In contrast to His gentle rebuke to Martha, the Lord Jesus
commended Mary for her choice - Mary has chosen to act differently from her sister Martha.
- what Mary did was
a deliberate choice... an intelligent choice informed by the will of God... she
did not just get carried along like Martha did... being distracted by the many
unnecessary things in life.
- She consciously chose to do what is needed and what is good. By a deliberate
choice, she chooses to sit at the Lord's feet.
c. In what sense is
Mary's choice the 'good' part? We can think of several reasons readily...
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