(July 28, 2023) Richard Winter challenges attitudes…

What do a lawyer and two women and their kitchen have to do with we Christians?

Most of us would probably say, ‘Not much – I don’t really know such folk.’ Well, let me teach some principles about these three…

Let’s take the lawyer first
Ever had a dialogue with a lawyer? The ones I had left me a little intimidated as the impression was I didn’t know much about the law!

Jesus was once questioned by a lawyer, not like a modern-day lawyer but an expert in the laws of Moses.

And the question he asked Jesus was a gotcha one, like many lawyers do, perhaps the Perry Mason type suddenly asking a gotcha such as… ‘And by the way, where were you on the night of the 14^th at 11.00pm?’

Luke 10:25 records the incident with Jesus this way… ‘A certain lawyer stood up, testing Jesus, saying, “Teacher,  what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”’

Now that’s a good question… but the wrong motivation by this guy! He didn’t ask it because he really wanted to know, he said it because he wanted to test Jesus. Eg… ‘I’m going to tempt him. I want to see if he can come up with an answer to this.’

Gotcha question
So… good question, bad motivation. A gotcha question. Did he really mean what do ‘I, myself’ need to do to inherit eternal life? No! The CJB version reads that he ‘… stood up to try and trap him…’

Look how Jesus turns that question around –

• ‘Why are you asking me?’ 
• ‘What is written in the law?’
• ‘After all you’re an expert of the law. You’re a lawyer.’
• ‘You study the laws of Moses.’
• ‘What is your reading of it?’

Verse 27 tells us that the lawyer answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength with all your mind’; and ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.”’

So, he knew the answer to this question having studied Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 and recited them  from youth no doubt! And Jesus said to him, ‘You’ve answered correctly’ (v28). In other words, ‘You get an “A” on the test. Do this and you will live.’

But pushing Jesus’ response aside this clever lawyer, wanting to justify himself, quickly asks Jesus another gotcha question, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ 

A classic lesson for Christians!
It’s impressive that when you have questions Jesus has answers.

His answer to this lawyer – a story about a robbery – is a classic lesson for all of us! Luke records it in verses 30-35NKJV: ‘A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side’ (v30-31).

The priest’s attitude was ‘Technically that’s not my neighbour. Anyway, if he is fully dead and I go near him and touch him, I’ll be defiled.’ So, that religious guy didn’t help him out.

Verse 32 tells that ‘Likewise a Levite [a temple assistant], when he arrived at that place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.’ Not my neighbour either as far as this other religious guy was concerned.

Jesus’ robbery story goes on: ‘But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you”’ (v33-35).

Jesus’ gotcha question
Do you see what Jesus does here with this story? He makes a godly hero of one of the most hated people by the Jews of that day – a Samaritan! And this would have made the lawyer go, ‘Ugh! We don’t deal with them!’

• Then Jesus asks His gotcha question – ‘So which of these three [Priest? Levite? Samaritan?] do you think was neighbour to him who fell among the thieves?”’ (v36).
• A case of ‘So, Mr Lawyer: “Which guy that did the right thing?”’

Look how the lawyer answered Jesus’ gotcha question –  ‘He who showed mercy on him’ (v37a). He won’t even say, ‘The Samaritan of course!’ Only the word ‘He.’ That’s how much Samaritans were despised! But Jesus didn’t despise them (not just this hero, but John 4 tells how Jesus went out of His way to minister to a Samaritan lady of dubious background).

Making a Samaritan the hero of the story was a poke in the eye to that Jewish lawyer… but note Jesus’ thoughtful final words to him: ‘Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise”’ (v37b).

Your gotcha question
‘Friend… you want to know who your neighbour is?’

Why anyone both in your neighbourhood, your church and in other countries!

Anyone? Yes… anyone who is in need whatever their background… whoever you can help is your neighbour! Give mercy and grace to everybody just as Jesus did!

Secondly, two women and the kitchen
Luke adds another little story so that we will understand Christian principles and activate them in our lives (Luke 10:38-42NKJV).

‘Now it happened as they [Jesus and His disciples] went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed him into her house’(v38).

Now this was the home of Martha, Mary and their brother Lazarus who lived in Bethany just east of Jerusalem. And here’s what happened…

‘…Mary… sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him, saying, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me”’(v40).

Another gotcha incident
Jesus’ answer was this ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen the good – that good part, which will not be taken away from her’ (V41-2).

No, He didn’t slam Martha and neither should we! Have you ever had somebody at your house for dinner that was important to you? You’ve invited them and you want to make a good impression. You want to do it right… right?

Well Martha and Mary were having the most important person for dinner – Jesus the Messiah! So before you get mad at Martha fussing, remember that she’s having the Saviour over and naturally concerned about what serve God in the flesh for dinner, right? She would have been so concerned… ‘Chicken or lamb or fish? Which desert… and not just for Jesus, but His twelve disciples too! And my family of three as well! Help, Lord!’

No wonder Martha is –

• Busy cooking… 16 mouths to feed!
• ‘Rushed off her feet…’ as we would say.
• Serving not only Jesus but His disciples too… and her family!
• ‘… distracted with much serving.’

You get the picture? Mary is a woman of adoration whereas Martha is a woman of action.

Both important!
I’m not here to tell you one is bad and the other is good. Both are important… in balance! They’re both acts of worshipping Jesus!

But if you had to choose one over the other, sitting is better than standing. Because if you sit now at Jesus’ feet and receive His teaching, you’ll be able to stand tomorrow during all the trials you face. If you fail to sit, you’ll fall under pressure.

These two ladies approach Jesus from differing directions –

• Mary is possibly thinking Jesus’ visit may never happen again… I better sit and listen!
• Martha is probably thinking it’s critical that we’re the best hosts… but Mary isn’t helping me!

Martha asks Jesus to sort Mary out – a ‘Don’t you care that I’ve got so many people to feed?’ approach but hears a subtle gotcha response.

Dear reader – have you ever said that to God? A ‘God, don’t you care that I need help’ attitude. Did you experience a gotcha response?

A caring Jesus
Note that Jesus’ response to Martha was most intimate and gentle (sort of ‘Martha… Martha… Martha. Oh my dear Martha, why are you so worried, so troubled about many things. We’ll get round to eating in a few minutes…’).

Many people are troubled by many things like Martha was… are you one of them, worried today? Jesus gives us the answer to worry and troubled thoughts – as the Message Bible puts verse 41, ‘Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing.’

Then He draws Martha’s attention to the most important gotcha… ‘One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it – it’s the main course…’ (v42Mge).

Without opening them up, let me just simplify some points here as I see them …

• Work without worship produces worry. You are just too busy!
• Over busy work without worship produces trouble; Business without Jesus will do that.
• Action without adoration produces aggravation,wrong attitude.
• Jesus direction: Mary’s choice of what would not be taken from her. Don’t you miss out!
• It’s the right thing to listen to Jesus and not just be overworked, troubled and worried!

‘Mary and Martha’s kitchen lessons’ to be learned
To be a balanced and strong Christian, the following is vital – learned from the above – times of sitting with Jesus are important to get you to be able to stand tomorrow in a trial.

Therefore I encourage you to –

• Sit before the feet of Jesus.
• Soak in all that you can get.
• Get every Bible study you can listen to or be in.
• Enjoy the fellowship because that too helps you stand.
• Remember Isaiah 40:31, ‘Those that wait on the Lord, will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles, they will run and not be weary, they shall walk and they shall not faint.’

And so I ask this: Are you encumbered in some ‘kitchen’ or are you encountering Jesus Christ? You can have both, you know. You can be working in the kitchen, you can be working for the Lord, but at the same time taking opportunity to come before Him.

I always ask people who come in for counselling ‘What does the Bible say about your problem?’ And that gotcha question leads us to discussing Jesus and His teachings.’

Learning from Jesus means being with Him eg start learning His teachings from His word. Begin each day sitting (or kneeling) comfortably reading, praying and worshipping so that you can stand victorious the rest of the time.

Read a chapter a day of the New Testament and you’ll be amazed at how God will speak to you and you’ll see victory rather than victimisation and worry in your life! And open your day with ‘Good morning, Lord’ rather than ‘Good Lord, it’s morning… arhhhhh!’

Some final thoughts…
The lawyer knew scripture but did not know what it meant.

• The Holy Spirit reveals truth and convicts us of sin. As He reveals God’s will to us we will live and bless others.

Mary and Martha both had a relationship with Jesus.

• Mary’s was closer than her sister’s. Yes, be engaged in whatever is meaningful… but ensure Jesus is uppermost.

The message here? Three highlights –
1) Be a good Samaritan!
Because many people out there need help.
2) Don’t be so religious!
A lot of Christians are heavenly minded that they’re no earthly use!
3) Get with Jesus!
You’ll know the right priorities to live and enjoy life!

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Dr Richard Winter pastors The Connection Church, Huntington Beach, California. Link: OnlineConnect@gmail.com
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