"One Thing Is Necessary" - Luke 10:38-42

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Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to His teaching. ⁴⁰ 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.” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ⁴² but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” [Luke 10:38-42]

One Thing Is Necessary

Anxious and troubled about many things. And, more and more things to have – or more and more things that you accomplish. That more and more doesn’t take it away. More sure, more certain, more secure, will never be enough. And more itself will never be enough.

The anxiety of life – whether it’s anxious worry or that anxiousness for something more – is an empty spot in the middle of us that gets bigger the more you try to fill it or meet its demands.

There is, by nature, a big empty area in the center of each of us – needing to be filled or satisfied – with love and certainty, security, identity and belonging – which can only be filled with our Creator and Redeemer. He’s what’s missing. Only He can fill it.

There’s a saying, which comes from the thought and writing of Saint Augustine, that we have a “God-shaped hole” in our hearts, or in ourselves. Saint Augustine said it this way, in a prayer to the Lord, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” [Saint Augustine, Confessions]

Jesus Christ – who is God in human flesh – one of us – came down to us to be for us God-who-can-fill-us in the way needed. You are His. He is yours. And you have Him in the means by which He comes to you to keep you filled – to keep filling that spot of anxious need in you – until He comes again to make us fully whole.

The way that Jesus comes to you is in His Word, the Scriptures. Preached and read. His Word heard in your ears and read by your eyes fills your heart and your deepest being with Him, the One who can fill it. The One who does make your heart content and at ease.

He is daily available, yet we are distracted by many things.

Martha was “distracted with much serving.” Even serving the Lord much cannot replace receiving the Lord much. He Himself is what we need.

Let’s look at our Gospel reading. The village that Jesus entered at the beginning was called Bethany. It was the village where Mary and Martha lived with their brother Lazarus [John 11:1]. Jesus is there at Mary and Martha’s house. He is in their home, teaching His word.

While the teaching is going on, Martha is, as we said, “distracted with much serving.” Martha is focused on everything that she believes is most important. And she is doing all of it. And because Martha is convinced that she’s doing what’s really needed, she’s frustrated that her sister Mary isn’t: “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?”

Jesus responds, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary…” 

The one thing necessary is Jesus and what Jesus does for you. Jesus gave Himself for you and, as we said, gives Himself to you.

Jesus gave Himself for you on the cross. He laid down His life to redeem sinners. By atoning for your sins with His death, Jesus restored full unity between God and you. That’s what you needed.

Sin separated us from God and created that empty spot in us that the whole world spends its time trying to fill. Jesus died for your sins. By His death, your sins are forgiven. This unites you back to God.

Jesus gave Himself for you. Jesus gives Himself to you in His Word and Sacraments. Jesus in your life is the one thing necessary.

Having Jesus in your life is the one thing necessary, and He is yours as you sit at His feet to hear His Word as Martha’s sister Mary did. “…Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

You are not left empty. You are not left to your own solutions. You are not left to your “much serving”. You are not left to the unending list of things you can do or acquire to fill yourself or make yourself secure.

Though you may, like Martha, be “anxious and troubled by many things” you do have – for you, given to you – the “good portion”, “the one thing necessary”, “which will not be taken from you” – His Holy Word, by which He keeps coming into you like a daily meal.  

You have His Word preached here. You have a Bible at home. You have the Portals of Prayer devotions. Only a fool would starve while their fridge is full. You are well supplied, so be sure to be filled with His Word.

“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly” [Colossians 3:16]. “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst” [John 6:35]. His is the “Word of Life” [1 John 1:1]. “Whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life.” [John 5:24]

Don’t leave yourself empty for even one day. Jesus made you His in your Baptism. A living believer in Christ was born in you that day. Let Him dwell in you richly through His Word, every day.

Sit at Jesus’ feet like Mary, choosing the best portion each day. Jesus, who is Lord of this life, will be there for the things you struggle with and are anxious about. Jesus, who is Lord of time, will give you the time, not less, if you spend some time in His Word.       

Listening at Jesus’ feet by hearing and receiving Him in His Word is the one thing which is most necessary in your life. Don’t approach all the rest without Him but with Him each day by receiving Him each day in His Word. Like Mary, choose the good portion. Amen.