One Thing Is Necessary

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:38-42 ESV

Jesus is continuing His move toward Jerusalem. Since leaving Galilee, He has traveled through Samaria and is now in Judea, having arrived at the village of Bethany. While Luke does not provide the location for the events recorded in these verses, the apostle John reveals that Mary and Martha lived in the village of Bethany with their brother Lazarus (John 10:1). Sometime later, when Lazarus became deathly ill, the two sisters would beg Jesus to return to their home so that He might heal their brother. But by the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus would die, providing Jesus with the opportunity to display His power and authority over death and the grave.

But on this occasion, Jesus and His disciples visit the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, where they enjoy a much-needed respite from the travels. With His arrival in Bethany, Jesus had gotten within two miles of Jerusalem. Bethany will become Jesus’ unofficial headquarters in Judea as He prepares for the final weeks of His earthly ministry and life. In the days ahead, Mary and Martha will become recurring characters in the story surrounding His final days.

We are not told if Jesus had a previous relationship with these two women and their brother, or if this is His first encounter with them. But Luke reports that “Martha welcomed him into her house” (Luke 10:38 ESV). She played the role of gracious hostess, inviting Jesus and His disciples into her home, where she quickly busied herself with the preparations of a meal. But her sister, Mary, chose to join the disciples as they listened to Jesus teach. It seems clear that both of these women were familiar with Jesus and had some kind of former relationship with His ministry. Perhaps they had encountered Him in the Judean wilderness after His baptism by John.

But Luke’s intention for including this story seems to be based on the diametrically opposed responses of the two women. He presents Martha as an anxious and somewhat driven individual who wants to make a good impression on Jesus and His companions. Luke describes her as being “distracted by the big dinner she was preparing” (Luke 10:40 NLT). It seems obvious that Martha has the gift of hospitality. She is working feverishly to prepare a meal for Jesus and she wants everything to be just right. It almost appears as if Luke is attempting to portray Martha as being driven by a legalistic, works-based mentality. But for Martha, the presence of Jesus in her home presented her with the opportunity to do what she did best: Entertain her guests with a well-cooked meal. It was something she enjoyed doing and it brought her great joy. But Luke makes it clear that Martha was a bit put out that her sister was letting her do all the work. While she was slaving away in the kitchen, Mary was enjoying a relaxing evening in the living room, listening to Jesus teach. This prompted Martha to interrupt Jesus and ask, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me” (Luke 10:40 NLT).

It’s not difficult to tell that these two women had distinctly different personalities. Martha was a doer. Since the moment Jesus had shown up at her home, she had spent all her time in the kitchen, doing everything in her power to make sure that her guests were well taken care of. The thought of postponing her preparations so she could listen to Jesus teach never crossed her mind. And when she saw her sister doing just that, it made her angry and resentful – perhaps even jealous.

Martha wanted Jesus to take her side and order Mary to come to her assistance. But Jesus does just the opposite. Instead of speaking to Mary, He addresses the disgruntled Martha.

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things…” – Luke 10:41 ESV

Jesus can sense Martha’s frustration. She is filled with angst and anxiety, and more than a little put out with her sister’s lack of assistance. And Jesus’ words seem to convey that He knows there is more going on than meets the eye. Martha is dealing with far more than just resentment over having to prepare a meal on her own. Jesus reveals that she is “troubled about many things.” He seems to know that all her feverish activity is driven by hidden insecurities an incessant need to earn favor through hard work. And Jesus points out the fact that Martha’s nervous energy, while well-intended, was distracting her from what was really important. 

“There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:42 NLT

Whether she realized it or not, Martha had the Messiah of Israel as a guest in her home. But rather than sitting at His feet and listening to Him teach, she was busy trying to impress Him with her culinary skills. Mary represents all those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6). And as Jesus stated in His sermon on the mount, “they shall be satisfied.” But Martha was busy trying to prepare a meal so that she could feed Jesus. She had reversed the roles. She saw herself as the one responsible for meeting Jesus’ needs and she wanted Mary to assist her. But in doing so, she was missing the whole point of Jesus’ incarnation.

This entire scene is reminiscent of an earlier event in Jesus’ life involving a Samaritan woman whom He had encountered at a well. His disciples had gone into town to get food, leaving Jesus alone with the woman. He had struck up a conversation with the woman by asking her for a drink of water. “The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans” (John 4:9 NLT).

Shocked that Jesus had even spoken to her, the woman responded, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” (John 4:9 NLT). And Jesus further surprised the woman by stating, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water” (John 4:10 NLT). This prompted a conversation between Jesus and the woman regarding that dealt with what Jesus meant by “living water.”

“…those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” – John 4:14 NLT

Jesus was offering the woman something far more significant than ordinary water from a well. He had begun by asking her for a drink of well water but had quickly turned the tables by offering her the source of eternal life. As their conversation progressed, the woman began to grasp the meaning of Jesus’ words. She went from thinking that He was offering her a better source of water to realizing that He was the long-awaited Messiah. She immediately left her water jar at the well and returned to the town where she told everyone she could find “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” (John 4:29 NLT).

Meanwhile, the disciples returned with food and urged Jesus to eat. But Jesus responded by telling them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about” (John 4:32 ESV). Like the woman who had considered offering Jesus water from her jar, the disciples had attempted to offer Jesus food they had purchased in town. But Jesus surprised them when He said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34 ESV).

Jesus didn’t need the woman’s water or the disciples’ food. He had not come to receive but to give. And Martha was learning a similar lesson concerning her relationship with Jesus. He did not need the meal she was so feverishly preparing. But she did need what He had to offer. That’s why He told her, “Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42 NLT). Mary had been sitting at the feet of the Messiah, taking in all that He had to offer. He was feeding her from the rich bounty of His wisdom, satisfying her hunger and thirst for righteousness. She had willingly and submissively come to the true source of all her needs. And, unlike her sister, Mary’s life was marked by peace and security, rather than frenzied activity and anxiety.

This passage is not intended to condemn Martha’s activity or her desire to serve. But it is meant to stress the disciple’s need to rest at the feet of Jesus. He is the source of living water. He is the bread of life. It is He who provides for all our needs and not the other way around. Serving Jesus is commendable. But recognizing our constant need to be served by Him is essential if we are to experience the fulness of life He came to offer. That is why He reminded His disciples, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 NLT).

We are to emulate His life of service and sacrifice, but we can only do so when we realize our complete dependence upon Him. When the Samaritan woman returned to her village, she was able to offer her friends living water because she had met the Messiah. After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the disciples were able to offer others the bread of life because their hunger for righteousness had been satisfied by Jesus, the bread that came down from heaven (John 6:50).

Mary had recognized that “one thing is necessary” (Luke 10:42). And it would not be long before Martha and all the disciples learned the same invaluable lesson. Jesus is the source of all that we need. He is living water, the bread of life, and the only means by which sinful men and women can be made right with God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

The Resurrection and the Life

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” 

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. – John 11:17-29 ESV

Jesus delayed. Lazarus died.

Those two statements sum up the first 16 verses of this chapter. After having received the news that His good friend Lazarus was ill, Jesus had chosen to delay His departure for two days. When He had finally decided to leave Bethany beyond the Jordan for Bethany near Jerusalem, it took another whole day to make the journey. So, by the time Jesus arrived on the scene, Lazarus had been dead and buried for four days.

This entire scene is intended to create an emotional disconnect in the mind of the reader. The mental picture John paints is meant to elicit feelings of pity, confusion, and even frustration. And these emotions are given voice by the two sisters who had sent word to Jesus about their brother’s desperate condition. Martha was the first to become aware of Jesus’ arrival, and she rushed out to greet Him, immediately expressing to Him her despair.

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” – John 11:21 ESV

Martha’s if-then statement to Jesus reveals her firm belief that had He arrived sooner, He could have healed her brother. But He was too late. There are some who read a hint of anger in her words and assume that she is berating Jesus for His late arrival. While that reaction would be understandable considering the circumstances, it seems unlikely based on the rest of Martha’s statement to Jesus.

“But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” – John 11:21 ESV

She is not angry and she has not lost faith in Jesus. In spite of what has happened, she still believes that Jesus has the ear of His Heavenly Father and is able to ask and receive whatever He requests. With this statement, Martha is not suggesting that Jesus could ask God to raise her brother from the dead. She is simply expressing her continued belief in Jesus despite her devastating disappointment. That Martha harbored no expectations of resurrection is made evident when Jesus later commanded the stone to be moved from the tomb. Martha immediately responded, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days” (John 11:39 ESV). Her brother’s resuscitation was the last thing Martha expected.

This scene is filled with contradictions and contrasts. Mary and Martha are accompanied by mourners and friends who have gathered to console them. There is an overwhelming sense of loss and sadness because of the death of Lazarus. But for the reader, there should be a sense of eager expectation because the light of the world has just arrived on the scene. The words that Jesus spoke to His disciples take on a special significance at this point in the story.

“This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” – John 11:4 ESV

But the 12 men who had accompanied Jesus to Bethany would have wrestled with the meaning behind those words because they had just heard the same news that Jesus had: Lazarus was dead. How would God receive glory now? How did Jesus intend to be glorified through the death of His friend? It all made no sense. The entire situation seemed hopeless and maddeningly pointless.

Yet the reader has been provided with 10 chapters of information that should act as a corrective filter through which to view this unfolding scene. John had opened his gospel with the declaration that Jesus, the Word of God, had taken part in the creation of all things.

“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” – John 1:3-4 ESV

He was the original giver of life. And His incarnation had not diminished His capacity to bestow life. In fact, Jesus had told Nicodemus that He had come to earth so that He might provide eternal life.

“…whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 ESV

“The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life…” – John 3:35-36 ESV

Yes, Lazarus had died. But in spite of what Martha, Mary, their friends, and the disciples of Jesus believed, Lazarus’ death was not the end of the story. Yet when Jesus informed Martha, “Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23 ESV), the full import of His words escaped her. From her limited perspective, Lazarus’ death had been final, but she believed that she would one day see him again at the final resurrection. Her belief in the future bodily resurrection of the dead was based on several Old Testament passages.

Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.
    You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!
For your dew is a dew of light,
    and the earth will give birth to the dead. – Isaiah 26:19 ESV

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. – Daniel 12:2 ESV 

That Martha was thinking of this future form of resurrection is made clear by her response to Jesus.

“I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” – John 11:24 ESV

And rather than refute her belief in that future reality, Jesus provides her with additional information intended to clarify the nature of that future resurrection.

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” – John 11:25-26 ESV

While Martha’s mind was focused on a future event, Jesus was redirecting her attention to a present reality: Him. The very one who was life and had the power to give life was standing right in front of her. And He declared Himself to be the resurrection and the life. There was no present life or future resurrection apart from Him. His power had not been impacted by the death of Lazarus. And while physical death was an inevitable and unavoidable reality for every human being, it was not the end. The death of Lazarus was not final. It was not the end of the story. And Jesus makes it perfectly clear that, though Lazarus had died, he would live again. It was just as Jesus had told the religious leaders.

“For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.” – John 5:29 ESV

But the key to resurrection and eternal life was belief. Jesus had made that point perfectly clear: “everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:26 ESV). And when Jesus asked Martha whether she believed, she responded, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” (John 11:27 ESV).

Martha responded affirmatively. She verbally confessed to her belief that He was the Son of God and the long-awaited Messiah of Israel. He was the fulfillment of all the prophets had promised. But it seems clear that Martha had not fully comprehended all that Jesus had said to her. His declaration that He was the resurrection and the life had gone over her head. And the way she describes Jesus to her sister seems to verify that little had changed regarding her assessment of Jesus and His identity. John describes Martha as running to get her sister Mary and telling her, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you” (John 11:28 ESV).

Martha says nothing about Jesus being the resurrection and the life. There is no hint in her words that she anticipated something supernatural was about to happen. She simply informed her sister that “the Teacher” had arrived.

But little did Martha know that Jesus was about to back up His words with action. He was going to put on a never-before-seen display of power that would not only defy their limited expectations but the laws of nature. The Teacher was about to give them a lesson they would never forget.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

That You May Believe

1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” – John 11:1-16 ESV

Chapter 11 marks a major point of transition in John’s gospel account. Jesus has left Jerusalem and returned to the area near the Jordan where His ministry began. His face-to-face confrontations with the Jewish religious leaders have come to an end, but not their quest to see Him put to death. And with the opening lines of chapter 11, it is clear that death, including His own, will become the primary theme of the second half of the book.

Jesus has already broached the topic of death before, insisting that He was the key to victory over death and the source of eternal life.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” – John 5:24 ESV

“Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” – John 8:54 ESV

Back in chapter four, John records the occasion when Jesus healed the official’s son who had been “at the point of death” (John 4:47 ESV). The young man had been restored to health – in an instant and from a distance. Whatever his illness had been, it had come close to taking the young man’s life. But at the father’s impassioned plea for help, Jesus had interceded and provided an instantaneous and full recovery. That story is important to consider when reading the details of all that takes place in chapter 11.

John records that Jesus received a report that His good friend, Lazarus, was sick. Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, had sent word to Jesus informing them of their brother’s illness. Unlike the official from Capernaum, Mary and Martha make no mention of the severity of their brother’s condition. Their message to Jesus, while urgent, does not suggest that their brother is near death. Even Jesus seems unconcerned, suggesting that Lazarus’ condition is not life-threatening.

“This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” – John 11:4 ESV

But there is far more to this statement than the disciples of Jesus understood. Perhaps they recognized something familiar in Jesus’ words. On an earlier occasion while still in Jerusalem, they had come across a blind man and had asked Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2 ESV). And Jesus had responded, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3 ESV).

Here we have Jesus making a similar statement regarding the illness of Lazarus. Once again, He seems to be indicating that there is a sovereign plan unfolding right before their eyes. A divinely ordained encounter was about to take place that would reveal the glory of the Son of God like never before. While giving the gift of sight to the beggar who had been born blind was proof that Jesus was doing the works of His Father, something even more glorious was about to take place.

The next verses create a rather strange image of Jesus. John reveals that Jesus had a great love for Lazarus and his two sisters. And yet, rather than drop everything and head to their home in Bethany, Jesus chose to delay His departure for two days. This was clearly a conscious decision on Jesus’ part – a premeditated plan designed to  allow the events to unfold “so that the Son may be glorified.”

After the two-day delay, Jesus informed His disciples that it was time to go. But they resist, questioning the wisdom of making the trip to Bethany, which was just two miles east of Jerusalem. With respect and a bit of poorly veiled incredulity, they asked Jesus, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” (John 11:8 ESV). Jesus’ decision to return to the vicinity of Jerusalem so soon after His less-than-pleasant run-in with the religious leaders made no sense to them. It was risky at best and potentially deadly at worst.

But Jesus, in His inimitable way, answered their question with a cryptic response that had to have left them staring at one another in confusion.

“Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” – John 11:9-10 ESV

Jesus’ disciples were clearly concerned for His safety. They knew that Jewish religious leaders were out to kill Him, and they were simply trying to protect Him. But Jesus was indicating that as long as He was acting in accordance with His Father’s will (walking in the light of the day), He was perfectly safe. And as long as they remained in step with Him, they would not stumble.

Jesus’ words are in keeping with what He said concerning the man who had been blind since birth.

“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” – John 9:4-5 ESV

He had repeatedly told His disciples that He was the light of the world and that as long as they walked with Him, they would be safe.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12 ESV

Jesus knew that their fear of the religious leaders was justifiable. But He also knew that His fate was securely in the hands of His Heavenly Father. The time was quickly coming when the light of the world would be extinguished but until then, He had work to do. And the illness of Lazarus was part of God’s divine plan that would jump-start the final days of Jesus’ ministry and life.

The disciples were works in process. Their understanding of Jesus was incomplete and not always accurate. In their hearts, they truly believed Him to be the Messiah, but their comprehension of what that meant was clouded by their preconceived and somewhat selfish preconceptions. They were expecting Jesus to be a conquering hero, a warrior-king like David had been, who would deliver the nation of Israel from the oppression of Rome and restore God’s people to power and prominence. But Jesus was slowly exposing their misconceptions and preparing them to embrace the true purpose behind His mission and their calling.

Jesus, knowing exactly how His disciples would understand His words, informed them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him” (John 11:11 ESV). And they didn’t disappoint Him. They responded, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover” (John 11:12 ESV). In their minds, there was no longer any reason to risk a trip to Bethany. If Lazarus was sleeping soundly, that was good sign that he was on his way to a full recovery. But, as usual, Jesus was saying far more than they realized, and John points out the gap between Jesus’ meaning and the disciples’ understanding.

Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. – John 11:13 ESV

But Jesus, refusing to leave them in the dark, explained exactly what He meant.

“Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” – John 11:14-15 ESV

It is so easy to read this statement and miss the impact it must have had on Jesus’ disciples. We know how the story ends, but they did not. In their minds, Jesus’ words must have sounded callous and confusing. How in the world could He be expressing joy at the news that His friend has died? Now, rather than going to Bethany to witness the healing of a sick man, they would be attending a funeral. And one that could have easily been prevented.

But Jesus informs them that there was a purpose behind His delay and Lazarus’ death: Their belief. Jesus was preparing them for what was to come. This entire scenario was intended as a precursor for an even more significant event that would soon be taking place. What they were about to witness would establish Jesus as the Son of God in a way that would have been unimaginable and impossible.

Yet, after informing the disciples that Lazarus had died, Jesus told them, “let us go to him” (John 11:15 ESV). And Thomas, aiming his words at his fellow disciples, responded with what appears to be pessimism and sarcasm: “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16 ESV). There are those who believe Thomas was expressing his expectation that Jesus was headed to His own death at the hands of the religious leaders, and was declaring his willingness to die alongside Him. But it seems much more likely that Thomas was expressing his belief that, if they followed Jesus’ plan, they would all end up dead, just like Lazarus. In other words, in Thomas’ mind, this trip was a suicide mission. But his fears were unjustified because the light of the world was still shining, and as long as they walked in the light, they would remain safe and be witnesses to the glory of God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Look at me, God!

Luke 10:17-41

"All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God's authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you--that's the agenda for rejoicing." – Luke 10:20 MSG

I love this story. It is so typical of how we respond to God as we "perform" for Him. We get so proud of our efforts on His behalf. Like the disciples, we come back all excited about the power we have demonstrated. "Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!" (Luke 10:17 NLT). The disciples are pumped. No longer relegated to the role of spectators in Jesus' earthly ministry, they are now the stars. So they come back excited and proud, "Look at us go! Aren't we doing some really fantastic things for you God? Aren't You proud of us? What would you do without us?"

Yet Jesus responds to them in a very interesting way. He says, "don't rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven." (Luke 10:20 NLT). This all had very little to with what the disciples had just done, but it had everything to do with what Jesus was going to accomplish not too long into the future. We have a tendency to believe our own press clippings, and to begin to think that we are far more important to this endeavor than we really are. In fact, we tend to want to make ourselves the stars of God's redemptive story. But there is only one star and that is Jesus Himself. He is far less interested in what we can do for Him than what we think about what He has already done for us.

In his classic devotional book, My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers says, "Beware of anything that competes with your loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him. It is easier to serve than to pour out our lives completely for Him. The goal of the call of God is His satisfaction, not simply that we should do something for Him. We are not sent to do battle for God, but to be used by God in His battles. Are we more devoted to service than we are to Jesus Christ Himself?"

We should rejoice that what Jesus has done makes it possible for our names to be written in heaven. We have permanent, irrevocable reservations there. Not because of anything we have done or will do, but because of what He has done on our behalf. You see this illustrated so clearly in Jesus encounter with the two sisters later on in this same chapter. He arrives in Bethany, a small village just about two miles outside the city gates of Jerusalem. He is welcomed into the home of Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, the man Jesus will raise from dead later on in His ministry. As Jesus and His disciples rest in their home, Martha busies herself with preparations for a big dinner on their behalf. Meanwhile, Mary, her sister sat quietly at the Lord's feet, listening to Him teach. Martha, all hot and bothered by the inequity of it all, complains to Jesus about her sister's laziness and demands that Jesus tell her to get to work. But again, Jesus' response is unexpected and surprising. He simply says, "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details. There is only one thing worthy being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41 NLT). In all her efforts to do something for Jesus, Martha was missing the opportunity to be ministered to by Jesus. It had become about her. Her efforts. Her meal. Her housekeeping. Her culinary skills. Her hospitality. And there is nothing wrong with any of that. But she was missing the fact that Jesus, the Messiah, was in her home.

Listen again to what Oswald Chambers said: "The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him." Don't let your efforts for Jesus rob you of the joy of knowing Him. Don't let yourself be deceived into thinking what you do in His name is somehow more important that what He has done on Your behalf. Time spent with Jesus must always take precedence over work done for Jesus. Otherwise we risk doing our work in our own strength and for our own glory.

Father, thank You that my name is written in heaven. And it is not because of anything I have done or will do. Otherwise, it wouldn't be there at all. It is simply because of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross as my sin substitute. Forgive for the many times I put far too much value in my accomplishments for You. Forgive me for trying to serve You more than worship You. Amen.

Ken Miller Grow Pastor & Minister to Men kenm@christchapelbc.org