In Luke 10:38-42, we read of two sisters with different priorities.As Jesus entered their village, Martha invited Him into their home.Once He was inside, Martha was consumed with her preparations for their visitor, but her sister Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to His words.When Martha complained that Mary did not help her, Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”Let us appreciate that Martha was a noble woman, for she practiced hospitality and kindness toward the Lord.However, Mary’s priorities were nobler, for she desired the Lord’s words of life.
The Lord’s teaching to Martha demonstrates to us the nature of the kingdom of God, which is spiritual rather than physical.Jesus expressed this when He said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).In fact, He expressed this many times and in many ways throughout His ministry as He explained His kingdom.This concept was contrary to the Jews’ expectations, for they had expected the Messiah to establish a worldly kingdom.However, Christ emphasized spirituality in His teachings, preparing men and women to become part of His spiritual body, His church (Eph. 1:22-23).
Just as the primary nature of the Lord’s church is spiritual (Eph. 2:19-20; 1Pet. 2:4-10), so also the church’s primary function is spiritual.The church has been designated as the “pillar and support of the truth” (1Tim. 3:15).As such, the church is to spread the gospel of Christ (His spiritual words – John 6:63; Rom. 1:16-17; 1Cor. 2:6-16) to outsiders and to edify its own members in the word of God.Christ has thoroughly equipped His church for this work, giving spiritual talents to men for the church’s spiritual work (Eph. 4:11-16).
Yet, too often men overlook the church’s spiritual function in favor of other functions.In doing this, they have remade the church in the likeness of Martha rather than the likeness of Mary.The works in which they have consumed the church are often good on some levels, but they are not the primary, spiritual function of Christ’s church.In some cases, they are not the function of the church at all according to the pattern of the Scriptures.Nevertheless, men feel confident about busying the church with these physical works while giving neglectful lip-service to the church’s primary, spiritual work.
One of those secondary functions of the church is the work of benevolence.Let us understand that the church clearly has a responsibility to practice benevolence toward its own according to the Scriptures (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-37; 11:29; Rom. 15:26; 1Cor. 16:1-4; 2Cor. 8-9), but this work is clearly a distantly secondary function founded upon the spiritual relationships that members of the church have with the Lord and with one another.However, men have remade the church into a benevolent society.Moreover, the expectation of the world is that the church exists to provide the needs of all needy people regardless of their relationship with the Lord.This is not the purpose for which Christ established the church.
Another function that often supplants the church’s primary work is that of social interaction.Some view the church primarily as a means of establishing and maintaining social relationships between its members.Let us understand that members of the church are to be close in their relationships with one another (John 13:34-35; 15:12), but this is to be done in a spiritual way through Christ Jesus.Too often the spiritual relationship of fellowship between brethren is bypassed in favor of common, social relationships.In this case, Christians become friends with one another rather than brethren in a spiritual family.Let us appreciate that the relationship that Christians have with one another is rooted in their relationship with the Lord (1John 1:5-7).Members of the church should not be closer to one another than they are to Christ, nor should they love one another more than they love Christ.
Therefore, let us be certain to set our priorities in the likeness of Mary, who chose the good part (i.e., Christ) by being spiritually minded.Moreover, let us be certain to work in the likeness of Christ, whose primary purpose on earth was not to tend to the world’s physical maladies, but instead He worked to save the souls of all people.His instruction and His pattern for our work is stated well in John 8:27 – “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal.”Our priorities are clearly set by the Lord – spirituality over physicality, which is the likeness of Mary over the likeness of Martha.
