LutheranLectionary.org

Series C – Ninth Sunday After Pentecost – Sunday, July 17, 2016 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:28	holy Gospel According to Saint Luke
0:31	chapter 10 verses 38 through 42.
0:34	now as they went on their way when Jesus
0:37	entered a village and a woman named
0:39	Martha welcomed him into her house and
0:42	she had a sister called Mary who sat at
0:45	the Lord’s feet and listened to his
0:47	teaching but Martha was distracted with
0:50	much serving and she went up to him and
0:53	said Lord do you not care that my sister
0:55	has left me to serve alone tell her to
0:58	help me
0:59	but the Lord answered her Martha Martha
1:03	you are anxious and troubled about many
1:05	things one thing is necessary Mary has
1:08	chosen the good portion which will not
1:10	be taken away from her
1:12	in the name of Jesus
1:15	kitchens are dangerous places for me
1:20	I see what goes on in kitchens I’m
1:22	Amazed
1:24	and at the same time I’m painfully aware
1:26	that I’m in the way when my wife is
1:29	cooking doubly so when we have company
1:32	coming for dinner
1:34	now my imagination in case you haven’t
1:37	figured it out is quite well intact so I
1:40	can actually imagine how crazy it would
1:43	be
1:44	um if I told my wife that hey honey
1:49	I don’t know how to break this to you
1:50	but
1:51	Jesus is coming for dinner on Thursday
1:55	okay I can actually see what would
1:57	happen all right let me explain to you
1:59	how I picture this in my imagination
2:01	Monday
2:04	breaks clean and scrub and dust the
2:07	house day
2:09	now I’d be called upon to repair that
2:11	loose towel rack in the bathroom touch
2:13	up a few places in the house with a
2:15	little bit of paint
2:16	and that would take pretty much all day
2:20	Tuesday
2:22	well that would be the finalizing of the
2:24	menu day
2:25	followed by lots and lots and and lots
2:29	of shopping
2:30	oh on top of that my wife would insist
2:33	that we begin to think about what it is
2:34	that we’re going to wear we might have
2:36	to pick out some outfits it might
2:37	actually require us to go to the mall
2:39	and get some new clothes right in fact
2:41	I’m pretty sure Barb wishes I had one of
2:43	those dinner jackets like the men wear
2:45	in Downton Abbey
2:47	all right on top of that I would get
2:49	sent to Sport Clips to get a haircut and
2:51	have them shave off those embarrassing
2:53	neck hairs that make me look like Fred
2:55	Flintstone every month right
2:57	Wednesday the day before Jesus arrived
3:00	cooking now Begins for the more complex
3:02	parts of the menu including the dessert
3:04	our daughter as much as I love her I
3:07	know exactly what’s going to happen to
3:08	her she’s going to be scolded for doing
3:10	a half-hearted job on her run through
3:12	the house with the vacuum she’ll end up
3:14	having to do it twice
3:16	tensions in the house will reach an
3:18	all-time high
3:20	Thursday the day Jesus shows up for
3:24	dinner right
3:25	the day begins at the crack of dawn the
3:28	beverages are cooled the house has gone
3:30	through one last time and the kitchen
3:33	turns into a high anxiety work Zone I
3:37	section it off with police tape lest it
3:39	turn into a crime scene right
3:42	the breads are being baked the soups
3:45	temperatures being closely monitored and
3:47	the salad okay we won’t talk about the
3:50	salad things are not working out with a
3:51	salad at the moment okay the China is
3:54	pulled out the table is organized
3:56	pristinely Faith takes a photo of our
3:59	perfectly set table and posts it on
4:03	Facebook and Pinterest with the
4:05	underlying caption Jesus is coming for
4:08	dinner
4:09	right clothes are ironed in press and
4:13	that stupid mirror now I call it the
4:16	stupid mirror now let me explain what
4:17	the stupid mirror is you ever seen those
4:19	mirrors that are circular okay and they
4:22	can flip right one side everything looks
4:25	great the other side magnifies
4:27	everything okay you could see every zit
4:30	every blackhead every out of place hair
4:33	it’s awful I hate the stupid mirror okay
4:35	but the stupid mirror for Jesus is a
4:38	time at our house is consulted
4:41	and well every out of place eyebrow hair
4:45	is plucked nose hairs are tweezed out
4:48	painfully I might add and then comes the
4:52	obligatory standing in front of the long
4:54	mirror with rehearsals of my greeting
4:57	and Barb’s greeting of Jesus hi Jesus
5:00	it’s so nice that you would come to our
5:02	house welcome come on in no that was
5:04	two-step let me try that again okay you
5:07	know how this is going to go right
5:09	every item every course of the meal
5:12	everything that we’re going to drink
5:14	every piece of clothing the music that
5:17	is playing gently in the background on
5:19	my Apple TV it’s all designed to impress
5:23	Our Guest
5:25	so when we finally hear the doorbell
5:27	ring Faith Barb and I have a little
5:29	huddle our hearts sink a little bit and
5:31	we say to each other it’s showtime
5:35	and we’ve put on our best smiles
5:37	and we open the door
5:40	do you see the problem
5:45	do you see the problem there really is
5:47	one this is the scenario that we see
5:50	playing out in Our Gospel text this
5:52	morning
5:52	and it comes right on the heels of the
5:55	story of the Good Samaritan where we
5:57	learn that the law
6:00	does not indeed it cannot give us the
6:03	power and the freedom to love God
6:05	with our whole heart yet alone love our
6:07	neighbor as ourselves and this is going
6:10	to play into today’s Gospel text it’s
6:12	not an accent that the Holy Spirit
6:14	inspired Luke to put this immediately
6:16	after the parable of the Good Samaritan
6:18	and in fact I’d like you to think about
6:21	that a little bit
6:23	so our text begins as they went on their
6:25	way Jesus entered a village a woman
6:27	named Martha welcomed him into her house
6:30	she had a sister called Mary who sat at
6:33	the Lord’s feet and listened to his
6:36	teaching but Martha was distracted with
6:39	much serving
6:42	which kind of begs the question
6:43	distracted from what I want you to think
6:46	about this okay we’ve had scenarios like
6:48	this in all of our families right
6:51	where people are working and somebody’s
6:54	dawdling
6:55	and the text says that Martha is the one
6:59	who is distracted
7:01	are you kidding me shouldn’t the text
7:04	say that Mary was distracted I mean
7:07	after all Mary wasn’t lifting a finger
7:10	to help Martha she was just sitting
7:13	there listening to their guest doing
7:14	nothing all the while the bread was
7:17	burning the soup needed to be tasted the
7:19	noodles were getting soggy and the salad
7:21	fixings were still not finished being
7:23	chopped and the text actually has the
7:25	audacity to say that Martha was the one
7:28	who was distracted
7:30	clearly Luke got the details of the
7:33	story wrong surely Luke meant to say
7:36	that Mary was distracted not Martha
7:40	right
7:42	well that’s how Martha saw it
7:45	and what happens next
7:48	is unbelievably it’s it’s crazy in fact
7:52	if he were to have a photograph of this
7:55	and turn it into a meme and post it on
7:57	the internet it would have hashtag fail
8:02	under it here’s the reason why
8:04	she went up to Jesus
8:07	and she blurts out Lord do you not care
8:10	that my sister has left me to serve
8:12	alone tell her to help me
8:15	let me paraphrase that don’t you care
8:18	how is this fair I’m doing all the work
8:21	while my sister’s sitting there on her
8:23	lazy rear end doing nothing this food
8:27	isn’t going to cook itself you know
8:28	Jesus why don’t you tell my sister to
8:31	stop being so selfish and to get her
8:33	lazy good for nothing carcass in the
8:36	kitchen where it belongs and I’m sure if
8:38	you have something to say to her you can
8:40	say it after dessert and before she
8:42	begins helping me clean the dishes
8:44	they’re not going to clean themselves
8:46	either are they
8:52	foreign we’ve all been there when this
8:54	has happened
8:56	right
8:58	but see here’s the thing who’s she
9:00	talking to
9:03	who is she trying to impress
9:06	right
9:08	you can almost hear the awkward silence
9:10	that followed that tongue lashing
9:13	so think about it
9:15	there is the guest that you’re so busy
9:17	trying to impress with all of your
9:19	serving there’s your sister who you
9:22	think should be helping you impress your
9:24	guest sitting and listening to your
9:26	guest and get this truly enjoying his
9:29	company
9:30	so the person you lash out at
9:34	is your guest
9:39	oh and your guest also happens to be God
9:42	in human flesh
9:46	what is going wrong here why is this
9:51	text making the hard-working one look so
9:55	awful and out of touch with reality
9:59	this runs contrary to all of our
10:02	experiences
10:03	why is the one sitting doing nothing not
10:07	the one being scolded why is the busy
10:09	one who’s doing something looking so
10:12	awful
10:14	I mean that’s not how religion’s
10:16	supposed to work right everyone knows
10:18	that I work hard to clean up my life
10:21	obey the ten commandments so that I can
10:23	impress God with my good behavior and my
10:26	moral Improvement and those people who
10:29	come to church and hear the message but
10:30	never apply it as vigorously as me well
10:33	they have no chance in a thousand years
10:35	of ever impressing Jesus the way that I
10:37	impress him right
10:41	Jesus you need to tell those lazy good
10:43	for nothing people who are poor excuses
10:45	for Christians to get busy they need to
10:48	volunteer at church they need to stop
10:50	watching TV maybe they need to give up
10:52	playing cards or wasting their weekends
10:54	at the lake they need to join me in my
10:56	service that I know impresses you
11:02	see Martha wanted to please
11:05	Jesus she wanted to impress him with her
11:08	house and her award-winning dinner she
11:12	wanted
11:13	to serve him with her very best and yet
11:17	it all failed miserably it literally
11:21	blew up in her face
11:25	she wound up scolding Jesus and being
11:28	angry and upset with her sister
11:32	she wasn’t loving God with her whole
11:35	heart
11:36	and she clearly was not loving her
11:40	neighbor
11:41	as herself
11:43	so the Lord answered her Martha
11:46	Martha
11:48	you are anxious and troubled about many
11:51	things
11:52	but one thing is necessary Mary has
11:55	chosen the good portion which will not
11:57	be taken from her
12:00	yeah she was occupied with many things
12:01	when only one thing was needful she was
12:04	busy preparing an award-winning dinner
12:06	that Jesus actually would have been
12:08	content with Pizza Hut being delivered
12:11	that day that day
12:14	why
12:15	why is that
12:18	the answer is simple
12:20	Jesus didn’t want Martha’s service
12:23	Jesus wanted Martha
12:31	so as far as Jesus was concerned
12:34	Martha’s house could have been in
12:36	shambles
12:37	she could have gone to Sam’s Club and
12:39	bought a cold cut platter and some
12:41	cheese
12:43	What mattered most to Jesus was that she
12:45	have communion with him
12:47	that she hear his word
12:52	and let me remind you
12:55	when it comes to our justification
12:57	Jesus doesn’t need your service nor does
12:59	he want it
13:00	he wants you
13:02	he has Heaven and Earth at his beck and
13:04	call
13:05	all Jesus has to do is say the word and
13:08	ten thousand upon Ten Thousand Angels
13:10	will attend to his needs and fight for
13:12	his honor and his life
13:14	what can we give God that God does not
13:16	already have
13:18	Jesus did not come to seek your service
13:22	in fact Jesus explicitly says this in
13:24	Matthew 20 verse 28 the son of man came
13:27	not to be served but to serve and to
13:31	give his life as a ransom for many
13:34	Martha is the way of the law
13:38	Mary is the way of the Gospel
13:41	Martha is about Works busyness the
13:43	treadmill of self-righteousness that
13:46	ultimately leads to utter frustration
13:49	hatred of God and hatred of other people
13:53	Mary is about faith and freedom trust in
13:57	Jesus freedom to sit at his feet and to
14:00	take in his word Martha seeks to be
14:03	justified by her works of service and
14:06	ends up frustrated and angry you can
14:11	literally say all of her efforts were
14:13	spent working in Hell’s Kitchen
14:18	Mary on the other hand is justified by
14:20	grace through faith for Jesus’s sake
14:23	literally sitting at the Gates of Heaven
14:25	itself
14:26	hearing the voice of God
14:29	she does nothing but to be given to
14:31	Jesus does everything
14:35	Martha Martha you are anxious and
14:37	troubled about many things
14:39	one thing is necessary
14:42	what is that one thing Jesus is the one
14:45	thing that is necessary Jesus is the one
14:48	thing that is needful
14:50	and for us to hear him and hear his word
14:54	you need nothing else except for Jesus
14:58	in fact
14:59	this theology is consistent in Scripture
15:03	to the churches in galatia the Apostle
15:05	Paul had some very harsh words
15:07	because they had mixed works and Grace
15:10	they had mixed together what Christ had
15:13	done and mixed it with
15:15	self-righteousness and works in order to
15:17	be saved and the Apostle Paul rebukes
15:20	them and he reminds them
15:23	in a way that almost sounds like the
15:25	playing out of Mary and Martha in
15:27	theology listen to what he says o
15:29	foolish Galatians you can say o foolish
15:32	Martha who has Bewitched you it was
15:35	before your eyes that Jesus Christ was
15:37	publicly portrayed as crucified so let
15:39	me ask you this did you receive the were
15:42	the spirit did you receive the Holy
15:44	Spirit by works of the law by working
15:47	hard in the kitchen to impress God
15:50	or by hearing with faith like Mary
15:56	are you so foolish having begun by the
15:59	spirit are you now trying to be
16:01	perfected by your amazing meal
16:07	did you suffer so many things in vain if
16:09	indeed it was in vain does he who
16:11	supplies the spirit to you and works
16:14	miracles among you do so because of your
16:17	amazing soup
16:19	or because you sit at Jesus’s feet and
16:21	hear with faith
16:25	just as Abraham believed God and was
16:27	counted to him as righteousness so know
16:30	then that it is those of Faith who are
16:32	the sons of Abraham
16:36	are you tired
16:39	are you worn out
16:42	are you frustrated
16:44	are you angry with God and your neighbor
16:48	are you tired of trying so hard to
16:52	impress Jesus with your changed life and
16:55	your good behavior
17:00	I mean you work really hard at it right
17:02	and you sit there and you wonder at what
17:05	point am I going to get the blessings
17:07	that I have earned I am really trying
17:10	really hard
17:14	keep it up
17:16	your frustration level hasn’t hit the
17:18	right level yet
17:19	you need to be more frustrated more
17:22	tired more uncertain
17:24	more anxious more upset more distracted
17:30	and as your frustration and anxiety
17:33	grows I will point out to you again
17:36	Jesus says come to me all you who labor
17:39	and are heavy laden and I will give you
17:42	rest
17:43	all you’re striving is for naught the
17:46	Salvation is free it’s a gift why are
17:49	you trying to earn it why are you
17:51	working so hard to keep it
17:54	it’s already yours
17:56	free
17:58	you are not here today by the way to
18:00	serve Jesus with your worship or to
18:03	impress him instead Jesus is here
18:06	actually to serve you
18:08	he was here this morning forgiving your
18:11	sins and the words that you heard in the
18:13	Absolution he’s here right now giving
18:15	you his word as you sit at his feet
18:17	listening and in a few minutes
18:20	Jesus will be the host of The Lord’s
18:22	Supper as he feeds you his body and his
18:25	blood given and shed for you for the
18:26	Forgiveness of your sins
18:28	so sit
18:30	rest
18:31	enjoy Jesus
18:34	Marvel and revel at his word
18:37	glory in his Mercy
18:40	give thanks for his grace
18:42	Wonder at his compassion and his
18:44	kindness
18:48	be humbled by his love for you
18:51	he truly offers you peace and rest you
18:55	don’t need to impress him he’s already
18:57	washed away your sins and the Waters of
18:59	your baptism and he’s clothed you with
19:01	his perfect and sinless righteousness
19:03	doesn’t get any more impressive than
19:06	that
19:07	he doesn’t want your service he wants
19:09	you
19:10	and he came to seek and save you
19:15	he has given his life as a ransom for
19:17	your life
19:18	in other words your slavery has ended
19:20	the work day is over
19:22	enjoy your Sabbath rest in Jesus he
19:25	promises that it will never be taken
19:28	from you
19:29	in the name of Jesus
19:31	amen
19:32	[Music]

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