Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Luke 10:38-42 is a passage that helps us to better understand how to live quiet and peaceable lives (I Timothy 2:2-3). This familiar vignette about Martha and Mary confirms that we need to simplify our lives. “Martha was cumbered about [distracted by] much serving” (verse 40), and Jesus told her that she should not be “careful [anxious] and troubled about many things” (verse 41). He told her that “one thing is needful” (verse 42). Some have suggested that He was saying that only one simple dish was required for a good meal, but that interpretation is suspect for at least two reasons. First, Jesus had just miraculously fed more than 5,000 people (Luke 9:10-17). He certainly did not need Martha to prepare any food. Second, the immediate context of verse 42 provides the correct interpretation: “Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Mary is commended for her interest in the important thing – sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to His teaching (verse 39). In simple terms, Mary understood that a relationship with Jesus was the most significant thing in the world. Without a personal faith in Jesus Christ, we cannot have peace and quiet.