One Thing Is Necessary

In one paragraph

Pastor Toby worked through Luke 10:38-42, the story of Mary and Martha, and let the congregation in on something he is genuinely wrestling with himself. The passage turned out to be less about correcting Martha and more about recognizing how easy it is to be so consumed with doing good things that we stop paying attention to God. The text lands Mary and Martha right between the Good Samaritan and...

Read together

1. Romans 5 hope will not lead to disappointment, God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love
2. Proverbs no human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord
3. 1 Peter 1 praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, into an inheritance that can never perish or spoil or fade
4. Luke 10:38-42 the main sermon text, Mary and Martha
5. John 11 identifies the village as Bethany and mentions Lazarus as Mary and Martha's brother
6. Acts 22:3 Paul educated at the feet of Gamaliel, used to show Mary's posture was that of a disciple
7. James a double minded man is unstable in all his ways, connected to the word for distraction
8. Colossians 3:1-2 closing benediction, set your heart and mind on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God

Talk about it

1. Pastor Ray talked about how what we listen to on the radio started to shape his thinking and attitudes without him fully realizing it. What are the things in your daily life that are quietly shaping the way you see the world, and are you aware of their effect on you?
2. The word translated 'distracted' in the passage carries the idea of being pulled apart or troubled greatly, and Pastor Ray pointed out it can be read as Martha distracting herself rather than being distracted by outside forces. When you find yourself anxious or pulled in many directions, how much of that is something being done to you versus something you are doing to yourself?
3. Pastor Ray noticed that when he gave Tanya the book about Martha, he was certain it was for her and not for him, and he read the whole thing out loud feeling like he had nothing to learn from it. Can you think of a time when you were sure a message was for someone else and later realized it was for you?
4. The commentary Pastor Ray read described the Good Samaritan, Mary and Martha, and the Lord's Prayer as three connected pieces: loving your neighbor, paying attention to Jesus, and depending on God through prayer. How do you see those three things holding each other up or breaking down in your own life when one of them is missing?
5. Pastor Ray's dad told him he was close to being a human doing instead of a human being, and Pastor Ray admitted he struggles to take regular Sabbath rest. What does rest that is actually restful look like for you, and what gets in the way of it happening?