Priorities

One day when she was tidying up the web she came to a particular thread and asked, “Now what is this? I can't see the end of this up there in the shadows somewhere.

I don't know why it is here and why it is in the way.

I think that I will just get rid of it.”

So she snipped the thread, and of course the whole web collapsed.

Remember what is of first importance

Remember whence you have come, and remember the goal of all fo your living.

Keep the priorities straight.

Sarah, standing behind the tent flap, had forgotten.

She laughed when the three messengers spoke the promise of a son next year.

She should have remembered and held onto the Lord's word from long years earlier, but she forgot.

After all, it had been so many years, and the promise was so long- delayed. She laughed.

The key line in the story is the Lord's gentle rebuke which the visitor gives to Abraham and Sarah: “Is anything too hard or wonderful for the Lord?”

As long as that thread of his promise is there, only the Lord knows what wonderful things can happen.

Sarah was ready to snip off that thread.

She was so busy with the hard work of just surviving in that hot and dry land, and despair was ready to overwhelm hope.

“Let's be practical, Abe,” we can imagine her saying to her husband, “God just isn't going too make good on that promise.

We're going to have to make other arrangements.”

“Oh, no,” say the messengers.

“The promise is what is of first importance for you, still.”

Let's notice the parallels with the Gospel lesson today.

1—There is a visitor coming to the house; this time it is Jesus himself.

2—There is a meal to be prepared.

3—There is a message that turns out to be more important than the meal.

What is the one thing that is needed?

What is the one thing which is not to be wrested from Mary?

Often this scene has been taken to mean that sitting still in contemplation is more important or superior or better than action.

Surely that is a misuse, especially since this passage comes immediately following the story of the Good Samaritan and its call to unambiguous action.

It is not either action or contemplation; it is both at the same time.

Our call is to thoughtful and purposeful action.

But even with this misunderstanding straightened out, we have not yet reached the root of the question.

The “one thing needful” which Mary grasped and which Martha her sister (and indeed Sarah in the Old Testament story) did not see was the reversal of roles which takes place whenever God reaches out to us.

Sarah thought that she and Abraham were the hosts and the three strangers were the guests.

Martha thought that she and Mary were the hostesses and Jesus was the guest.

But in both cases, the message changes things; the three messengers and Jesus suddenly become the ones in charge of the situation.

Whenever Jesus speaks, he becomes the host giving good things to his guests who thought that they were the hosts.

To pay attention when Jesus gives his gifts; that is the one thing needful, that is what is crucial.

Notice that Mary has assumed the posture and attitude of a disciple, a learner, when she is sitting at the feet of Jesus just as a male disciple would do.

Jesus is breaking down that barrier also, in order to make clear what is crucial for all people.

Remember the story of Zacchaeus, when Jesus announces “I'm coming to your house today.”

Remember the scene with the disciples on the road to Emmaus when they invite him for supper and suddenly he is the one in charge, revealing himself to them.

For anyone and everyone, to pay attention when Jesus is giving his gifts: that is the one thing needful.

And it is needful not only for Mary and Martha, but also for us.

To pay attention in worship, and Bible study, and devotional times, Yes...

but also in the ordinary busy times,

--feeding the family

--at work, at play, at leisure

--whenever we are rushing around feeling very much in charge of things...

the one thing needful is to keep asking, “What is Jesus' gift to me in this job, task, or situation?”

We are to look for it, to watch for it.

A fishing vessel returned to shore after a long and difficult voyage.

One of the sailors got out his binoculars and looked toward the shore.

“There I see Bills' wife Mary, and Tom's Margret, and David's Anne”

One man's wife was not on the dock.

He became worried and rushed home.

When he opened the door, his wife met him with “I've been waiting for you.”

He replied, “Yes, but the others were watching for their spouses.”

May we not only wait, but also watch actively for our Lord's gifts and our Lord's presence in all that we do this week.

He is the one in charge, and he is here to work with you and me.

Let all joyfully say Amen.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.