Scripture Reading: Luke 10:38-42
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 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.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Our Father and from the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, there is a tension in life that many of us know all too well: the pull between doing and being, between service and stillness, between performing and simply listening, between serving faithfully and simply sitting still to listen. It is a tension that is not new. In fact, it's been around since Mary and Martha opened their home to Jesus, and it still speaks to us today.
Today's Gospel reading presents us with a familiar scene. Jesus visits the home of Mary and Martha. One is busy, one is not. One is anxious. One is at peace. One is doing all the right things, and yet Jesus says the other has chosen, quote, "the better part."
Let's walk through this story and let the Holy Spirit guide us to the feet of Jesus once again.
The Scene in Bethany
Luke tells us that Jesus enters a village and is welcomed by a woman named Martha. Her sister Mary was there also. From John 11, we know this town is Bethany, just a few miles outside of Jerusalem.
Hospitality in that culture wasn't a luxury—it was a sacred duty. Hosting meant water had to be drawn by hand. Bread had to be baked in a hot oven. Meat cooked, rooms prepared. Martha was doing what was expected. Martha was honoring Jesus by serving. There's no sin in this service.
But Mary was doing something unexpected. She sat at Jesus' feet, something only a male disciple would normally do in that culture. It was a bold and humble act. It said, "Rabbi, teach me." Mary chose to be still, to receive, to listen to Jesus.
Martha's Distraction
Luke tells us that Martha was "distracted with much serving." She was distracted, anxious and troubled. Her work, while good, had become a burden. Her heart, once focused on the guest, was now fixated on preparing food.
Eventually, she burst out with, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!"
This portion is familiar. We find ourselves pulled in all directions, distracted by much service: work, church, committees, parenting, social obligations, etc. Good things, but they can crowd out the best thing.
Her frustration sounds familiar: "Lord, don't you see how busy I am, how tired I am? Doesn't anyone care?"
We may believe doing more will make us better Christians. We may think our busyness may even be a way to earn what is already freely given—God's grace. It wasn't the service that was wrong; it was the worry of Martha, the frantic heart, the loss of focus on the guest who had come not to be served, but to serve them.
Jesus' Gentle Response
Jesus doesn't scold her. Instead, he speaks with tenderness. He says, "Martha, Martha"—that double name, like "Jerusalem, Jerusalem" in the gospels, is a sign of compassion. He sees her, he knows her heart, and he gently tells her, "You are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary."
Jesus then praises Mary, saying she has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her. Mary has chosen the good portion—God's word right from the lips of Christ. That's what nourishes the soul, and this portion isn't temporary.
Jesus, the living Word, never fades, never fails. Christ is not crowded out by to-do lists, not silenced by Satan's lies, and not even lost to death, because he rose for us. He went to the cross for us, bearing our sins and finished the work of salvation. We are forgiven.
The Better Portion: God's Inheritance
The word "portion" echoes the Old Testament language of inheritance. In Psalm 16, verse 5, David writes, "The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup."
Martha's anxiety was real, but Jesus offers her—and us—a better way: not to earn but to receive, not to strive but to sit. Mary models discipleship by putting herself in a posture of faith and dependence.
We are often tempted to define ourselves by what we do, even in church. But faith begins not with doing, but with receiving. Christ's word is not just advice—it is life. Jesus doesn't need us to accomplish more. He desires that we abide in Him.
Service Rooted in Scripture
This story immediately comes after the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. It's no coincidence. First, Jesus shows us what it means to love our neighbor. Then he shows us that loving our neighbor must be rooted in something deeper: loving God by listening to his word.
Yes, love your neighbor, but also sit at Jesus' feet.
Mary and Martha are not opposites in a battle. They are both faithful women, but Jesus teaches us that our service must flow from our time at his feet—and not the other way around.
We Lutherans confess we are saved by grace, not works, and yet from grace flows love and then action. The place where that love is poured out most clearly and consistently is in the Divine Service, as we are doing right now, where Christ gathers us, speaks to us, and feeds us.
It's a reminder: love your neighbor, but also sit at Jesus' feet.
Now we don't forget about Martha and leave her behind in this tale. In John 11, she makes one of the boldest confessions in Scripture, where she says, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God."
Jesus' Invitation Today
Let's not miss this invitation. Jesus still calls us to sit with him today. This passage isn't just about Mary and Martha—it's about us. Jesus is still inviting us to the better portion today.
He invites us to:
Open the Word daily—even 10 minutes matter, not as a chore, but as life-giving nourishment. Read together as a family, couple, or by yourself, perhaps before dinner or bedtime.
Pray as individuals and as couples and families.
Gather with the saints, as we are doing right now, especially in the Divine Service, where Christ Himself gives his grace through Word and sacrament.
Now, if time and schedule limit your ability to attend both Bible study and the Divine Service, come to the Divine Service. There Christ speaks, forgives, and feeds us.
Unplug from the constant noise of life. Silence helps us to hear Christ best.
And when we fail—and we will—Christ is there with forgiveness. His mercy is bigger than our distractions.
The Promise That Cannot Be Taken Away
Jesus said of Mary's choice, "It will not be taken away." The Word she heard gave her something no one could steal, and it's the same Word we hear today in Word and Gospel.
Jesus comes to us today. That Word gives us hope stronger than death—resurrection hope, the kind that raised Lazarus. He baptizes us, feeds us, forgives us, and restores us. He doesn't wait for us to get it all together. He shows up in our messy kitchens, our distracted minds, our weary hearts, our full garages of storage, and he gives us himself.
Even when we are distracted—and we will be—Jesus is there. Even when anxiety overwhelms us, His peace is stronger. Even when death seems to take everything, His Word gives resurrection hope.
Come and Rest
Today, Jesus invites you to slow down, to stop proving yourself, to stop striving, and simply sit at his feet.
Hear the invitation again today from Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Sit at his feet. Receive the better portion. It's yours, and it will never be taken away.
May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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