MORE WORD, LESS WORRY!

TEXT: Luke 10:38-42, Colossians 1:15-19

INTRO: Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get stressed out in the every day issues of life that you neglect the most important Person in life, Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior?

ILLUS: According to John MacArthur, some years ago, the Mayo Clinic stated that statistically 80 percent to 85 percent of their total case load were ill either in reality or artificially due directly to mental stress. Also according to MacArthur, not too long ago, there appeared an article in a leading medical journal entitled, “Is Stress the Cause of All Disease?” The author of the article says that at the beginning of the century, bacteria were considered to be the center of attention. Today, mental stress has replaced bacteria.

There’s got to be a better way to live than being stressed out, worrying all the time! Worry has been compared to the rocking chair. It will give you something to do, but won’t take you anywhere!

PROP. SENT. The Bible teaches that God would have us to learn what is truly necessary in life. God’s people are to be consumed with the uncompromising Word of God over the unnecessary worries of this life!

TRANS. SENT. With this in mind today’s scripture focuses us on the essentials of overcoming a worry-filled attitude and enjoying a Word-filled mindset!

I. THE DELIGHTS OF THE WORD

A. Companions & Communion (Lk. 10:38a)

1. Jesus and his disciples are in traveling mode here.

2. As they come into this certain village, most likely Bethany, the plan is just a short stay.
a. While Dr. Luke doesn’t mention the name of the village specifically, the Apostle John did in his gospel.
b. Bethany was the village where Jesus’ friend Lazarus lived and toward the end of His ministry Jesus stayed there during the Passover Celebration which ultimately climaxed with His crucifixion on the cross of Calvary.

3. Jesus greatly enjoyed the company of his companions!

4. They were out working together doing the Father’s will of preaching the good news of the kingdom and ministering to people of all kinds.

5. Jesus wants us to be involved in ministering His Word – yet HE also knows we need others to sustain us in the journey!

6. Not only does Jesus call each of us to “do” ministry for Him, He also calls each of us to “be” with Him in a personal relationship!

7. For example, Mark 3:13-15. So many of us focus on the duty side of ministry (power, prayer, preaching, providing, people, etc.) that we neglect simply the “being” side of ministry… “that they might BE with Him.”
a. Just think, Almighty God Himself wants to
spend each and ever day with you!
b. Jesus doesn’t just want to see you in
Heaven, He wants a closeness with you on the
earth!
c. The greatest experience in life is knowing
the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal way!
d. Knowing Him as Master leads to growing in
Him as a minister!
e. Did you know that the Lord Jesus Christ is
the Creator of the Universe, yet He desires a
personal one on one with you?

1) That’s where real meaning and purpose in life comes from!
2) Knowing that you are connected in a vital relationship with God fills your life with purpose and meaning!
3) What are you doing in the way of pursuing Him on a daily basis?

ILLUS: One man studied 50 pastors in search of the common denominators that led to church growth. They covered the bases from plenty of parking, vision for the future, creative programming, openness to new people, and financial stability. The man concluded, “I have found among these pastors a deep passion to build a big church; however I have not found a corresponding passion to know God."

B. Completion & Comfort

1. At the completion of a long days ministry, Jesus and His companions were probably famished!

2. They are eager to come in and put up their feet on the couch and find some much needed comfort!

3. Perhaps wanting to review some of the “ups” and “downs” of the day!

4. Talking about people’s lives who have been changed by the power of God!

5. Aren’t you grateful this Thanksgiving for a place to call “home?”
a. Many of your are completing a very tough
year and perhaps now is the perfect time to seek a little extra rest and relaxation.
b. If you have had a bit of a restful year, perhaps now is the time to get in gear and be busy about serving others in the name of the Lord Jesus!

6. One of the names of Jesus is the “God of all comfort.”

7. It’s the comfort and strength of the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ that enables us to go through even the most extreme of times!

ILLUS: Christ my Saviour, Christ my friend; Christ my treasure without end: Christ when waves of sorrow roll; Christ, the comfort of my soul. (Unknown)

II. THE DISTRACTIONS OF THE WORK

A. Courteous Luke 10:39

1. “Martha opened her home to him.”

2. Not only did Martha welcome Jesus into her home,
but his 12 disciples as well!

3. Because of Martha’s courteous attitude, I want you
to just imagine all that she’s going through in
preparation for the Son of God and His men!

4. Remember, hospitality was a very important
ingredient to strong relationships in Jesus’ day!
a. Can you see Martha bringing out fresh
towels and basins of water to wash her guests
feet as they entered her house?
b. Can you see her rushing throughout her
rooms bringing out extra chairs so everyone
can feel comfortable and rested?
c. Can you just smell the food and spices that
would fill her home and make mouths water?

5. Martha was a giving and courageous woman of faith!

6. Her giving spirit is shown in the way she entertains and takes care of these men.

7. Her courageous spirit in shown because being associated with Jesus in Jerusalem was not a popular thing.
a. She really is risking her reputation and
possibly her life through her faithful service to the Lord!

ILLUS: My mom is also named Martha and I see many of the same characteristics in both of these ladies. Recently, my parents moved to Dallas, TX, and mom had not stopped getting her new house prepared for Thanksgiving and Christmas guests! In the heart of my mom is a deep desire to love and serve people!

B. Cares Luke 10:40

1. What started off as such a good act of service
Martha desires to render to others, begins to get out
of hand!

2. The Bible tells us that Martha becomes
“distracted” with much serving.

3. Instead of enjoying what she’s doing, Martha
begins to be loaded down with all the heavy burdens
of serving.

4. What started out as such a ministry of love and
hospitality has really turned into a time of burden,
anxieties, pressures, problems, pains.

5. What is happening to Martha here is a picture of
what can happen when we get so “busy” in the work
of Jesus, that we neglect “being” with Jesus.
a. It’s easy to get excited about serving the
Lord when you believe it’s going to be a great
ministry – but if you are not careful you’ll get
burned out because that ministry might not go just as exactly as you planned!
b. People say they are going to show up, but
don’t.
c. They say they are going to help, but don’t.
d. It’s easy to get very frustrated in ministry
when you sense you are doing your part, but
others are not doing theirs!

6. By the way, is there something that is distracting you from being found faithful in the Lord’s service this morning?
a. Too much on your plate?
b. Kids taking up all your time?
c. Spending too much time on unnecessary things?
d. Just don’t feel like being involved?
e. Health or family problems?
f. Laziness or holding a grudge against someone?
g. Don’t know what God has called you to?
h. Depressed because of difficult times?

ILLUS: Rick Majerus, men’s basketball coach at the University of Utah, recently captured a common concern: “Everyone’s worried about the economy this year. Hey, my hairline is in recession, my waistline is in inflation, and altogether, I’m in depression.” —Leadership, Vol. 16, no. 4.

C. Critical Luke 10: 40

1. Do you sense that Martha is not really happy in her ministry unto the Lord right now?

2. You know it’s time to readjust your priorities when you begin to tell the Lord of glory what He’s supposed to do…instead of the other way around!

3. Often what leads to a critical spirit in our lives is
thinking we are in the right and everyone else is in
the wrong! “Tell her to help me!”

ILLUS: A preacher asked a certain man why he had just ceased to attend the services of the church. The man replied, “They haven’t treated me right over there.” The preacher asked, “Then why don’t you go home and beat your wife?” The startled backslider gave the preacher a look which questioned his sanity. “My wife hasn’t done anything against me,” he said. “Well,” the preacher said, “has the Lord Jesus done anything against you?” Being peeved at the brethren and forsaking the Lord is about as logical as being angry with the dog and kicking the cat.

4. Martha’s “critical spirit” was found even though
she was in the very presence of the Lord and that
same critical spirit can be found in God’s house
today.

5. What is a critical spirit and do you have one?
a. If you are excessively negative, harsh and
judgmental of others…Yes!
b. If you are known for faultfinding,
complaining, picking…Yes!
c. If you assume the worst before hearing the
whole story…Yes!
d. If you make judgments based primarily on
appearances…Yes!

ILLUS: June Hunt says, “People with a critical spirit look like kids on a big see saw. They push others down just to elevate themselves.

6. I struggle with a critical spirit in my own life at
times.
a. I know it’s time to slow down and refocus
on God’s Word and God’s Son, when the
smallest of things gets my temper flared up!

7. Sometimes I hear pastors or church members and
they are critical about each other…very hard and
harsh.

8. There’s certainly a time to take a stand if
someone is blatantly distorting the Word of God.

9. There’s a time to go to your brother or sister in
Christ if they’ve sinned against you.

10. Yet more times than not…YOU are the one
in need of the attitude adjustment…not them!

III. THE DISCOVERY OF WORTH

A. Choices Luke 10:41-42

1. Martha and Mary both had choices to make this
day…to serve Jesus or to sit at the feet of Jesus.

2. Martha had gotten so wrapped up in her service,
that she forgot about “It’s all about Him…not about
me.”

3. We too, have that daily choice (1) Take time to
learn His Word and sit as His feet or (2) Go through
the day without really acknowledging our ultimate
need of that personal relationship with Him.

4. If we go too long without sitting at the feet of
Jesus, we easily forget that God is not only concerned
with our service…but the strength of our relationship with Him!

5. Psalm 39:6, “Surely they busy themselves in vain.”

6. None of us would like that to be said of us.

7. The number one way to avoid this is reprioritize
our relationship with the Risen Lord Jesus!

IILUS: We can worry or we can worship. Strangely enough, busy people find it a whole lot easier to worry than to worship. Briscoe, J.

ILLUS: Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. – Corrie Ten Boom

A. Contemplation Luke 10:42a, Colossians 1:15-19

1. We contemplate the Lord Jesus and listen to Him
today by setting our affections and appetites on the
Word of God!

2. Although we don’t see Jesus with our physical
eyes, we see Him with our spiritual eyes as we open
up His life giving Word.

3. Colossians 1:15-22, Jesus is the “image of the
invisible God,” “firstborn over all creation,” “created
all things that are in heaven and on earth…created
through Him and for Him,” “He is before all things,”
“in Him all things exist,” “He is the head of the body,the church,”
Jesus is “the beginning,” “the firstborn from the dead,”
“in all things He may have the preeminence.”

4. Where do I start to contemplate Jesus?
a. The Worth of Jesus – Creator of Heavens
and Consolation of our Hearts!
b. The Work of Jesus – Commander of Saints
and Canceller of Sins!
c. The Worship of Jesus – Cornerstone of the
Body and Completed through the Blood of the
Cross!

5. The more you focus on Jesus the more you are
going to become like Jesus!

ILLUS: Worship helps us find who we are and why God has placed us here on the earth. When we bow in God’s presence with worship, only then are we made complete. —Judson Cornwall. Leadership, Vol. 16

B. Comprehension Luke 10: 42

1. Mary discerned and comprehended where the most
important meal of the day was coming from…and it
wasn’t Martha’s kitchen!

2. Mary’s spiritual hunger for the Word of God was so
strong and so important that it would not be taken
away from her.

3. The world would say that Martha had chosen the
most important things...busyness, hard work,
sacrifice to the bone.

4. Jesus said Mary, not Martha truly comprehended
what was needed most.

5. Do you? Do you believe God values your busyness
over your simply being present before Him?

ILLUS: The Bethlehem Steel Corporation was struggling, so its president, Charles Schwab, hired consultant Ivy Lee to help out. Schwab agreed to pay Lee anything within reason if Lee’s suggestion helped the company. A few days later, Lee had his plan. He suggested the Schwab, before leaving the office at night, write down the most important tasks that he had to accomplish the next day. Schwab was then to order them in the order of importance. He would work on priority number one until it was done, them move to number two, and so on. Occasionally Schwab was to recheck his priorities and then continue on. Lee recommended that Schwab make this a daily habit. Within five years, Bethlehem Steel was the biggest independent steel producer in the world and Lee was rewarded with a nice $25,000 check!

6. Schwab reaped the benefits of putting first things
first!

7. What benefits are you reaping if you are full of
worries all day…what benefits would you reap if you
put your mind on the Word of God?

8. Would you begin to set aside some time to spend
with God in His Word each day this week?
a. The Disciples Prayer is found in Luke 11:1-4
b. Devotional Books are available in the front!

ILLUS: The dying words of Queen Elizabeth I were these: “All my possessions for a moment of time.” Unfortunately, we cannot buy more time—not one more day, not one more hour, not one more minute.

8. Isn’t it “time” to lay down your worries and learn
at His feet the very words of life?

CONCLUSION: The Word of God is necessary to rid you from so many unnecessary worries! It’s so easy to get wrapped up in what we think is important that we lose sight of what is most important to God…our relationship to Him in His Word! God’s Word is good for the soul! Isaiah 55:2, “Listen, and I will tell you where to get food that is good for the soul!”