All right, we're there in Luke, chapter number 10, and we are going through the series Encounters
with Christ, and we've been going through and looking at these different conversations
that Jesus had with different individuals, and we started with Nicodemus, we talked about
the woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, Jesus in the house of Simon, the
rich young ruler, and today we're dealing with Mary and Martha.
Next week, we will deal with Zacchaeus, and then we'll be done, we'll be done with this
series and move on to something different, and we've just kind of been a fly on the wall
just listening, and we haven't, purposely, we haven't been studying the parables unless
the parables is part of the conversation, and we haven't been studying the miracles.
Those will be series for another day.
We've just been looking at these encounters, these conversations, these interactions that
Jesus had with individuals, and we've kind of just listened in and watched him deal with
people, talk to people, preach the gospel to people, and today we see him with Mary
and Martha, and the conversation's primarily between Jesus and Martha, but Mary's part
of it.
You're there in Luke chapter 10.
Look at verse number 38.
Luke chapter 10 and verse 38, the Bible says this, now it came to pass as they went that
he, that's Jesus, entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received
them into her house, and she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet
and heard his word.
Now this is the same Martha and Mary that later on we find out that they have another
famous brother named Lazarus, remember Lazarus dies, and Jesus resurrects him from the dead,
and this is the same Mary, this is the same Martha, Lazarus, this is a family that's very
close to Jesus, he was good friends with them, and here Jesus is invited over to basically
have dinner with Mary and Martha, and when he is at this meeting, he has this conversation
with Martha about Mary and about serving in general, and there are several negative lessons
that Martha, that we can learn from the story of Martha, and I want to just point those
out to you this morning quickly, we won't be any longer than we need to be, if you're
taking notes, and I would encourage you to take notes on the back of your course of the
week, there's a place for you to write down some sermon notes, and I want you to notice
just some negative things about Martha.
Martha in this story is not really highlighted as a positive person, I do think she was saved,
and I do think that she loved the Lord, but she's being used here, and sometimes when
you study the Bible, I teach the guys that, when I teach them on teaching and preaching,
and I tell them, you got to look at a passage and ask yourself, why did God give us this
story, why did God give us this text, why did God give us this chapter?
And when you look at this passage, and you ask yourself, why did God give us this story
about Martha, and about Mary, I believe that the primary reason is to show us how to serve
properly, or to show us someone who's serving in an improper way.
Now I want you to notice several things from this story, and the first is this, and if
you want to write some notes down, write this down, I'd encourage you to do that.
Number one, I'd like you to notice that Martha was drained spiritually.
She was spiritually drained, and I want you to notice that she was serving the Lord, but
there was a certain way in which she was serving.
Luke chapter 10, Luke verse 40, notice what the Bible says.
But Martha was cumbered.
You see that word cumbered there?
The word cumbered means to be hindered, it means to be hampered, it means to be impeded.
Notice what the Bible says, Martha was cumbered about much serving.
I want you to notice that Martha was actually serving.
She was working for the Lord.
Now here's the wrong application to this passage, and let me just go ahead and give this disclaimer.
This passage or this story is in no way teaching us that it is wrong to serve.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with serving, and if you take that application from this
passage, it's going to put you at odds with all sorts of other passages in the Bible where
God actually tells us that we ought to serve Him, that we ought to work for Him, that we
were created for work, and that we were created to be co-laborers with Him.
All throughout the Bible we're told that we ought to work with God and work for God and
be involved in the service of the Lord.
So sometimes people will look at this passage and they'll say, the application here is that
we shouldn't work that hard for the Lord.
No, that's not the application.
The application is this, that there is a wrong way to work for the Lord.
There is a wrong way to serve the Lord.
Here we are told that she was serving much, but she was cumbered about much serving.
What does that mean?
It means that her serving was actually hindering her or handicapping her.
It was actually hampering her or impeding her from serving the Lord.
See, she was working for the Lord, but her work for the Lord, her service for the Lord
was actually hindering her spiritual growth.
And notice the contrast.
The contrast to Martha is Mary.
Look at verse 39.
And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.
Now what is the application here with Mary?
The application, look, Jesus, of course, is physically here having dinner with them,
talking to them, teaching them.
And Mary chooses to take time out of her busy schedule and sit down at Jesus' feet and she
heard His word.
You say, how do we apply that today to us?
Well, look, Jesus is the word.
And the idea is this, that we ought to take time to make sure that we are spending time
with God and His word.
We ought to make sure that we are spending time and we are taking time with the Word
of God, with the Bible, and we're spending time with Jesus, and we're hearing the Word
and letting it help us.
And here's what you need to understand.
Mary, excuse me, Martha was working for the Lord.
Here's the application.
Say, what was wrong with what Martha was doing?
She was working for the Lord, but she was not walking with the Lord.
You understand what I just said?
You understand that you can serve God and yet not be spiritual?
You understand that you can be doing things and having motion for God and have actions
that are serving and working.
But here we are told that her working was actually hindering her.
Her working was actually cumbering her.
Her working was actually impeding her from growing spiritually.
Why?
Because you can work for the Lord and yet not be walking with the Lord.
And by the way, this is why people get drained spiritually while serving the Lord.
You say why?
Because they serve the Lord in the flesh.
Because they're not getting their sores or their nutrients.
They're not getting renewed through the Word and through the Lord Jesus Christ, but they
are doing it just out of the flesh.
They're not doing it from the Spirit.
They're not doing it from the proper source.
The Bible talks a lot about this, and I'll just give you some passages just to kind of
look at.
Go to the book of Psalms, Psalm 1, the very first Psalm.
If you open your Bible just right in the center, you'll more than likely follow in the book
of Psalms.
Go to Psalm 1.
And let me just say this.
I believe that the primary application, and I like this story about Mary and Martha.
One of the reasons that I don't go to this story a lot is because I believe that the
primary application for this story is meant for people who are in full-time ministry or
who are serving the Lord in full-time ministry.
And honestly, the primary application for this story, in my opinion, is that it should
be applied to pastors and pastors' wives.
It should be applied to staff people, people who work for church full-time and their wives.
It should be applied to evangelists, to missionaries, to people who are serving the Lord.
Because here's the honest truth.
It is very easy, it is very easy to begin to work for the Lord and to get so busy working
for God that you forget to walk with God.
You get so busy writing sermons, you don't read the Bible.
You get so busy doing things for God that you're not spending time with God.
I do think that that's probably the primary application.
Obviously, I'm not preaching to 197 people here this morning.
I'm not preaching to 197 preachers, so I'm going to apply this to you.
But the application to you, church member, the application to you, volunteer, the application
to you, non-full-time ministry worker, is this, that you can work for the Lord and not
be walking with the Lord.
And you say, well, what's the problem if I don't read my Bible, if I don't pray, if I'm
not spiritual, but I show up to all the services, I serve, I sing in the choir, I'm in the orchestra,
I'm an usher, I show up for the work days, I'm doing whatever.
What's the problem with me working and yet not walking, me serving and yet not being
spiritual?
Here's the problem.
You will get drained.
You will not make it.
You will not last long.
I remember a pastor told me this years ago that, and he said, statistics said this, I'm
not sure where he got this from, but he said that in church life, you can basically count
on the fact that most people will quit living the Christian life.
We're not talking about losing your salvation, but they'll quit walking with God and serving
the Lord within the first three years or really at their third year mark of just kind
of giving their life to God and serving for God.
And if they can make it past those three years, they'll usually quit at the seven year mark.
I remember that always stuck with me.
And when I started pastoring and I started kind of watching people and I started kind
of taking notes on people, I realized that a lot of times when we have, you know, we
have people that come in and out, people that will be here for a few weeks, get offended
and leave.
I'm not talking about those people.
But whenever we've had people that were part of this church, meaning they were Sunday morning,
Sunday night, Wednesday night soul winners, they were working for God, they were in it,
and then they just kind of quit or they just kind of have some major problem or they just
kind of left.
It seems, you know, and this is just anecdotal evidence, but I found that that statistic
is very much true.
It usually happens around the three year mark.
Someone will just get connected for about three years and then they'll quit.
Or they'll get connected for about seven years and then they'll quit.
And you say, why is that?
Here's why I believe that is, because they are working for God, but they are not walking
with God.
And when you work for the Lord, but you don't walk with the Lord, you will get drained.
You say, Pastor, how can I be the type of Christian that works for God and works with
God for years?
Because listen to me, the Christian life is not measured by years.
And honestly, people like to walk around and brag and boast about all these things.
I'm not impressed with how many years you've been doing anything.
You know the Christian life is measured by decades?
Don't talk to me about two or three years, come talk to me about two or three decades.
You've been soul winning for two decades, then we can talk, then I'll be impressed.
When you've been serving God for three decades, then we can talk, then we'll be impressed.
And you say, well, why is that?
Why is that the center?
Because so many, so few people make it to that mark.
So few people actually walk with God for a lifetime.
You say, why?
Because the Christian life, if not done properly, please understand this, the Christian life,
if not done properly, will drain you, it'll burn you up.
You cannot sustain walking with God in your flesh, do you understand that?
You cannot sustain living the Christian life, living by standards, living with integrity,
doing right, you cannot sustain that in your flesh.
You must do it in the Spirit.
And if you find yourself being a Martha who's working for God, but not walking with God,
she's serving the Lord, but she's not spiritual, she's not focused on the spiritual aspect,
you will burn out.
So let's talk about this, how to not be drained spiritually when serving the Lord.
Well, here's the secret.
The secret isn't do less.
That's called getting backslidden.
You know the term backslidden means you're doing less than you used to do?
Look, if you're doing less today for Christ than you did in the past, you are by definition
backslidden.
So the secret's not, well, I gotta do less.
No, no, no.
The secret is you gotta get plugged in to the source that'll renew you.
Psalm 1, look at verse 2.
Notice what the Bible says.
But his delight, but his delight, and notice verse 1 says, you know, blessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor walketh in the way of sinners, nor said
his deal scornful.
By the way, all of that, if you do it in the flesh, it'll wear on you.
Living the separated life, living the life that takes the higher road, that takes the
higher ground, that walks with integrity, all of that will drain you.
You say, well, how do we do that?
How do we do that and not get drained?
But his delight is in the law of the Lord.
Notice the focus is on the word of God.
His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law does he meditate day and night.
And notice what the Bible says.
When your delight is in the law of the Lord, and when you delight yourself, and you meditate
upon the word day and night, here's the promise from God.
Verse 3, and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.
He's going to be like a tree.
He said your Christianity can be like a tree that is planted near the source that provides
nutrients, the source that strengthens it.
He says he shall be like a tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth out her roots
by the river.
And notice, you say, what's the result?
What's the result of getting connected to the ... Doesn't the Bible talk about being
washed by the water of the word?
Here the river is being used in an illustration, the water is being used in an illustration
of God's word.
And here's what he says, Christian, when you are a tree that gets your roots down deep
in the water in the river, notice what it says.
He shall be like a tree planted by the waters that bringeth forth his fruit and his season.
And by the way, that's talking about soul winning.
See, I haven't seen somebody saved in a long time.
Maybe you need to spend a little more time in the Bible.
Maybe you need to spend a little more time in the word.
And I'm not saying that's the only reason you wouldn't see somebody saved.
Obviously, we go to difficult areas.
We understand that.
But here the Bible says he that bringeth forth his fruit and his season, notice, don't miss
this.
This is what I want you to see.
His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
See, if you are a tree, if your Christian life is a tree that has leaves that are withering,
all that, that should just signal you, that should just tell you that you are not connected
to the word, that you don't have your roots in the water.
You're doing it in the flesh, and you won't last very long.
Go to Jeremiah chapter 17.
Let me show you the same thing from another passage.
Jeremiah chapter 17.
You're there in Psalms.
Now do me a favor.
Keep your place there in Psalms.
We're going to leave it.
We're going to come back to it.
Keep your place in Psalms.
And let me just say this.
If you've ever said these words or thought these words, if you've ever said or thought
to yourself, oh, church is just kind of burning me out.
Church is just, I'm just kind of getting a little tired of church.
It's a little too much work.
Just realize that when you're feeling that way, what you should be realizing in your
mind, whether you understand it or not, is this, that the problem is not church.
The problem is you and the fact that you are not connected into the word.
Because look, a tree that's planted by the rivers of water, its leaves shall not wither.
It'll be strong.
It'll be renewed.
It'll be strengthened.
Say, why do Christians burn out?
Here's why they burn out.
Is it, Pastor, is it because of too much work, too much church, too much serving?
Maybe we need to scale back the church services.
Maybe it's too many churches.
Really?
Because the Bible says so much the more.
The Bible says forsaking not the assembling of yourselves together as a matter of some
is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching.
Oh, maybe we need to scale back.
No, maybe you need to get connected to the word.
Look, if church wears you out, there's something wrong with you spiritually.
Do you understand that?
When you're actually walking with God, you're actually in the word.
When Christ is your light, you know that church actually will renew you and strengthen
you?
You'll spend all week at work.
You'll spend all week with the world.
You'll spend all week out there in the world, and then you'll physically be tired on Wednesday
night.
You show up to church on a Wednesday night.
You get around God's people.
You start singing God's phrases.
You study God's word, and then all of a sudden, man, you're feeling renewed.
You say, why?
Because the word of God will renew you.
The word of God will strengthen you.
Jeremiah 17, look at verse 8.
Notice what the Bible says.
Jeremiah 17 and verse 8, the Bible says this.
For he shall be as a tree.
This is very similar to what we just read in Psalm 1.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river.
This is talking about the source.
It's talking about getting your roots connected to the source.
Notice what happens to the Christian that gets their roots deep down in the water of
God's word.
Notice and shall not see when he cometh.
Do you understand that?
He says when a tree gets rooted down, gets its roots down in the water, it shall not
see when he cometh.
When everything gets hot, when everything gets dry, here's the picture he's giving you.
He's saying, imagine a tree that's over by a river, and it's got its roots connected
to that river, and it's getting its source and its nutrients from that river.
He says, when everything gets hot, and all the other trees begin to die, begin to wither,
begin to have their leaves die, and begin to wither, this tree, the tree connected to
the water, it shall not see when he cometh.
And you know, the truth of the matter is this, when the heat comes, when the hard times come,
when things get difficult, and everybody else is complaining, and everybody else says, it's
too much, I can't deal with it, other Christians are like, man, I'm fine.
You say, oh, well, what, are they just different?
No, you know, maybe they just got their roots down in the water.
They got their roots down in the water.
They don't, oh, really?
Persecution came?
I didn't notice.
Oh, really?
Hard times came?
I didn't notice.
Oh, really?
Things got difficult?
I didn't notice.
He says he shall not see when he cometh, but her leaves shall be green, and shall not be
careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
See, when everybody else is in a drought, a tree that has its roots planted in the river
water, it shall not see when he cometh, the Bible says, because its source, because its
renewal comes from the Word of God.
Let me give you another example.
Go to John chapter, I just want to show you, this is throughout all the Bible.
John chapter 15, in the New Testament, you have Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
Maybe you're here this morning.
You're saying, man, I'm getting a little burnt out.
I'm getting a little tired.
Church again?
Soul winning again?
Look, if you've ever said these words, I remember when church used to be exciting.
I remember when soul winning used to be exciting.
I remember when, look, here's all you're saying.
Just please, translation, I'm back so I don't need to get right with God.
I need to get in the Word.
Because a Christian that's connected in the Word of God, they don't get tired.
I'm not talking about physically.
Obviously, we all get tired physically.
You need to take a day to rest and have your body renewed.
But spiritually, they don't get drained.
They can burn for Christ and not burn out when they're connected to the Word.
John 15, look at verse 3, notice what Jesus said.
Now ye are clean, John 15, verse 3.
Now ye are clean through, notice the emphasis, the Word.
Now ye are clean through the Word, which I have spoken unto you.
Now who's the Word?
Remember?
Jesus.
Notice what he says in verse 4.
Abide in me, and I in you, as the branch.
Now we're using a different analogy.
Before it was a tree with its roots in the waters.
Now the analogy is a branch.
Notice as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine.
So we're talking about a vine that's the source, and the branch is coming off the vine.
Except it abide in the vine, no more can ye accept ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches.
He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth.
Isn't it funny how consistent the Bible is?
The same bringeth forth much fruit.
We saw it in Psalms, we saw it in Jeremiah, we see it in John.
If you get connected to the Word, if you get connected to the vine, if you get connected
to the source, God promises you'll bring forth fruit.
Maybe you ought to quit complaining about how difficult it is to go soul winning in
Sacramento and you got to spend more time in the Word of God.
Maybe you ought to quit complaining about how hard it is to go soul winning in so hard.
Maybe your problem is you need to get connected in the vine.
Because it's funny how other people get people saved.
It's funny how other people can do soul winning for years and years and years and years and
years and not get burnt out.
And it's not that they're ultra-spiritual or they're better than you, it's that maybe
they've learned the secret that staying in the race and staying in the course and staying
in it for decades, it's connected to how much time you spend with God.
Because you can work for the Lord and not walk with the Lord.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.
For without me, Christian, without me, you can do nothing.
Notice verse 6, if a man abide not in me, this is Martha.
You serve but you're not spiritual.
You work but you're not walking.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch.
People try to take this verse to teach you can lose your salvation.
Look, this is a parable, this is an analogy.
You got to not get your doctrine from parables, you got to get your doctrine from clear statements
in the Bible.
You can look at a story and twist it whatever way you can.
But here's what I believe the application to this story, because I know you can't lose
your salvation.
The Bible's clear about that.
You say, what do you think this is talking about?
Here's what he's saying.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, notice these words, and is withered.
See, the tree that's planted by the rivers of water, it bringeth forth its fruit in his
season, his leaf also shall not wither.
But a Christian who's not abiding in Christ, the Bible says he will wither.
What do you think this is talking?
I think it's talking about not staying in the fight, not staying in the Christian life,
not staying in the course.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather
them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
What's he saying?
Here's what he's saying.
And please understand this.
Your word.
You say, is this parable about us doing less?
You will never find that concept in the Bible.
The Bible says, you know, the Bible says to be steadfast, always abounding in the work
of the Lord.
He never tells you to do less work for the Lord.
He says you ought to be abounding in the work for the Lord.
But here's what he's saying.
Your work for Jesus should be an outgrow of your walk with Jesus.
Your work for Jesus should not be at the expense of your walk with Jesus.
Because we learn from Martha that you can work for the Lord and not walk with the Lord.
You can serve and not be spiritual.
And you say, well, what can we expect from that?
Here's all we can expect from that is that you will not last.
You will not last long.
You will get drained.
You will get burnt.
You will begin to say things and think things like, maybe it's too much.
Maybe the church is keeping me too busy.
Maybe it's just not sustainable, and you're right.
It's not sustainable in the flesh.
You can't do it in the flesh.
You can't do it unless you're connected to the vine.
So I want you to notice, if you go back to Luke chapter 10, we see that Martha was drained
spiritually.
Why?
Because she was working for the Lord, but she was not walking with the Lord.
Because she was serving, but she was not spiritual.
I'd like you to notice secondly this morning, not only was Martha drained spiritually, but
Martha was disgruntled socially.
Martha was a disgruntled church member.
We've got some Martha's at Verity Baptist Church right now.
In fact, every church has a Martha in it.
We've got several, I'm sure.
Martha was a disgruntled church member.
She was drained spiritually, and she was disgruntled socially.
Let me just say this.
Look, we ought to take some introspection this morning.
Ask yourself, am I the Martha?
Am I Martha or am I Mary?
Are you a disgruntled church member?
You say, how can I tell?
We'll take this test.
I'll help you out.
Notice, let's look at the characteristics of Martha.
Why was she disgruntled?
Number one, she was complaining.
Luke 10, look at verse 40.
But Martha was covered about much serving, and came to him and said, notice what she
says, Lord, does thou not care?
You know what she's doing?
Complaining.
It's not fair.
I'm not getting the recognition that...
Listen, disgruntled church member.
Say, how do I know if I'm disgruntled?
Well, you know.
You know.
And by the way, we do too.
But let's just quantify it.
What makes you a disgruntled church member?
Do you complain?
And I realize that from time to time, all of us complain, but are you just a complainer
constantly complaining?
She was complaining.
I mean, she's got the Lord Jesus Christ having dinner at her house, and she can ask for anything.
She can pray about anything.
She can ask him anything.
And she's worried with just her, Lord, does thou not care?
Notice she was complaining.
Notice secondly, she was comparing.
Lord, does thou not care?
Verse 40, notice what she says, that my sister has left me to serve alone.
Notice she was comparing herself with her sister.
Well, I'm doing this while she's doing this.
Doesn't the Bible say that we dare not make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves
with some that commend themselves?
But they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves
are not wise?
And here we've got Martha, the disgruntled church member, and her real problem is that
she's drained spiritually.
Her real problem is that she's a cardinal Christian.
Her real problem is that she's not walking with God.
She may be working for God, but she's not walking with the Lord.
She may be serving, but she's not spiritual.
And that shows up in her life as complaining, as comparing.
Lord, does thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?
Notice thirdly, she was criticizing.
Notice what she says, the end of verse 40.
Bid her therefore that she help me.
What is she doing?
Criticizing.
She's not doing the right thing.
Make her do the right thing.
Make her do what I'm doing because she's complaining, and she's comparing, and she's critical.
And here's the truth.
Here's the truth.
She's disgruntled because she's upset, because she's serving God, but she's not walking with God.
And here's the truth, and here's the honest truth.
If you don't get connected to the vine, you'll be disgruntled too.
I would.
You think living the Christian life is worth it if we're not doing it for God?
I mean, if I'm going to live for myself, I mean, why don't I just go make a lot of money somewhere
and go live a real comfortable life somewhere and forget all the persecution, forget all the backstabbings,
forget all the people talking, you know, crap about you, forget all that.
I'm going to do it for me.
Now, if I'm doing it for the Lord, I'm not being sustained with the Lord.
And if I'm walking with the Lord, and if I'm connected to the Lord, that's different.
But she was drained spiritually, she was disgruntled socially, she was complaining, she was comparing, she was criticizing.
And let me just tell you something.
Martha's make serving God miserable.
I mean, imagine Mary, Mary's sitting there.
She's like, we get to have dinner with Jesus.
I'm going to go sit at the feet of Jesus.
I'm going to go spend time with Jesus.
And she's sitting there, you don't think she can overhear, I mean, unless she lives in some mansion, Martha.
Martha's probably, you know when people talk loud enough for you to hear, Lord, does that not care?
Make her do.
I'm upset, I'm disgruntled, I'm burnt out, I'm upset.
And let me tell you something, serving God with people like Martha is miserable.
And look, here's the thing, go to Acts chapter 20.
Let me show you this, I've shown you this before, but I want to show it to you again.
Acts chapter 20, you're there in Luke, you got John, Acts, Acts chapter 20.
Here's the thing, I would rather do less, I would rather do less with people that are happy to serve God,
than to accomplish much with people that are just negative and critical and cynical and ugly and mean.
A few months ago, I was a guest speaking somewhere and I preached a sermon called The Best of the Worst Church Members.
And Martha would fall in that category, she was the best of the worst.
She was getting things done, but she was ruining relationships in the process.
She was getting things done, but she couldn't get things done without comparing and complaining and criticizing and ruining the joy.
Do you know the Bible says that we as a church ought to be like a family?
The Bible says that we as a church are to be like an army.
The Bible says that we as a church are to be like a body.
The Bible says that we as a church are to be like a building.
One of these days I'm going to preach a series on a Sunday night, everything that the Bible compares the church to.
You know that all those things only work if they're working together?
You can't win battles when you're fighting each other.
Your body won't be healthy when it's fighting itself.
And look, when you've got, you say, oh man, the Marthas, the Marthas are great, they're doing so much.
No, you know what, sometimes I'd rather do less and not have Martha.
Because the truth is this, notice what Paul says, Acts 20, verse 24,
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself.
Acts 20, 24, so that I might, notice these words, so that I might finish my course.
Now usually when we talk about Peter, Paul, excuse me, when we talk about finishing the course,
we look at 1 Timothy and we look at that when he says I'm going to finish my course and I'm going to get things done and I'm going to get things accomplished and all that's good and all that's great.
But I want you to notice that in Acts 20, he says that I might finish my course.
And look, you've got to finish your course.
You should strive for finishing your course.
You should strive for finishing what God has called you to do.
But notice, he says finish my course, don't mess this with joy.
You understand what I just said?
See, Martha might finish her course ugly, upset, irritable, and irritated, ruining relationships.
I don't want to be Martha and I don't want to be around Martha.
See, you say, Pastor, do you want to be in it for the long run?
Yeah, I want to be in it for the long run, but I want to be in it for the long run with joy.
You say, well, how do you do that?
Well, you go back to point number one, get connected to the vine.
Get connected to the word.
Get your roots down into the water.
And you can finish this thing out with joy.
Look, look, it's not just about finishing your course.
And look, some of you need to just decide you're going to finish the course because you're about to quit.
And you need to just realize that I'm backslidden and I just need to make a decision to get right with God.
But understand this, once you get right with God, get connected to the word and then get some joy back in your life.
And you'll get joy in your life when you quit comparing, when you quit complaining, when you quit criticizing.
Decide, look, I don't want, look, Pastor, do you believe in divorce?
I don't believe in divorce.
I don't believe any couples should ever get divorced.
I think you made a vow to your spouse.
You got to stick with it till death do us part.
But listen to me, it'd be better if you finish that course of marriage with joy.
Not just, well, we're going to stay married to the bitter end.
Good night.
Who wants to live with you?
You know, I want to finish my marriage with joy.
I want to finish my ministry with joy.
I want to finish, you know, what God has given my wife and I to raise our children.
Let's do that with joy.
Not critical, not cynical, not comparing, not complaining.
See, we see that Martha was drained spiritually.
She was disgruntled socially.
Let me give you one last thing on this point.
Go to Proverbs 22.
Have you kept your place in Psalms?
Right after Psalms, you have the book of Proverbs, Proverbs 22.
When people are disgruntled, let me just help you out, trying to help you as a pastor.
When people are disgruntled, it's better for them, if they're not going to get right with God,
it's better for them to leave.
You understand that it's okay for some people to leave?
Sometimes people get really discouraged, oh, so-and-so laughed.
Sometimes I think to myself, praise the Lord.
Sometimes people leave and I think to myself, that's an answer to prayer.
Say, Pastor, I can't believe you would say that.
You know that there are people right now, I won't tell you their names and I won't show you my prayer list,
but there are people right now and my wife and I are praying, Lord, help them get right with God,
help them get right or help them get out.
Because their angry, bitter, critical, complaining, comparing spirit is hurting the cause of Christ.
You say, I can't believe you're saying that.
Proverbs 22, verse 10.
Cast out the scorner, cast out the scorner and contentions shall go out.
Yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
You know what I believe?
I believe that there are some people, if they laugh the gossiping would all of a sudden just stop.
If they laugh the strife, the pinning against each other, the clicks and the I don't like you and all of that would just, you say why?
Because you cast out the scorner, contentions cease.
Strifes go out.
You cast out the scorner and reproach and strife and contentions go out.
So look, look, maybe you're here this morning and you say, hey, I think he's talking about me.
Look, let me help you out with something.
You ever have to ask yourself while I'm preaching, is he talking about me?
Yeah, it's you.
I can't believe, it's called the Holy Spirit of God, all right?
I mean, you think I just get up here to preach to fake people that don't have problems?
It's 197 people here this morning with a lot of issues.
I wonder if he's talking, yes, it's you.
You're the problem.
You're disgruntled and you're, I'm a complainer.
I'm a criticizer.
I'm a cynical.
I'm angry.
I'm causing all sorts of problems.
I wonder if it's me.
Yeah, it's you.
And look, if you're here this morning and you say, that's me and I'm not getting ready to get right with God, then do us all a favor and just go.
And for the rest of you, be okay with that.
It's okay sometimes for people to go.
Now look, I realize, and here's a problem.
And here's a problem with what I just said, is that in nine years of ministry, I've never seen this.
I'm not saying it hasn't happened.
I've just never seen it in nine years of ministry.
And I've never known a pastor who's said this.
I've known lots of pastors who are going to attest to what I'm going to tell you right now.
Most people, when they leave the church, they can't just be honest and say, listen, brother, here's the truth.
Because you know, a friend will call and say, hey, I haven't seen you in church in a while.
And most people can't say this.
They can't say, here's the truth.
I'm not right with God.
I'm backslidden.
Remember that Martha sermon?
That was me.
Most people don't have the courage to say that.
You know what most people do?
They have to figure out something that they're against so they can leave and say, well, here's why we left.
Look, most of the time, and just know this, just understand this.
Most of the time when people leave, the reason they left for is not the real reason.
That's the reason they want to tell you that's not the real reason.
And we have to be okay with that.
You know, my wife and I, we kind of market.
You know, we stay up on Sunday nights and we just kind of talk.
How's church today?
How are people doing?
There's certain people we're praying for, and it's not a negative thing.
We're just kind of praying for them.
How are they doing?
Do they seem okay?
They're going to do something, you know, whatever.
There's some people that are problem people, and we just kind of, how's so-and-so?
How's Martha doing well?
You know, and we'll just kind of talk through some of these things.
You know, we'll stay up on Sunday night and we'll just kind of rehearse today and how are things going and how's the spirit of the church and these things.
And, you know, sometimes we'll say, man, I've noticed so-and-so has been kind of complaining a little bit.
I've noticed so-and-so, they've been a little critical.
Their spirit's been different.
And my wife will say, well, step two, they're going to start picking something apart.
Sure enough, a couple of weeks, they start bringing up, I don't like, you know, things we've been doing for years.
It's funny how I didn't bother you for three years, but now all of a sudden, I don't really like how we do this, and here's all it is, and here's all it is.
They're looking for their reason to be able to leave.
And look, you say, Pastor, why are you bringing this up?
I'm just bringing this up to help you, those of you, the Marys, the Marys.
I'm just trying to help you.
It's okay when people leave.
Sometimes it's better when they leave.
Go back to Luke chapter 10.
Luke chapter 10.
What did we learn from the encounter with Martha?
We learned that Martha was drained spiritually because you don't work for the Lord and not walk with the Lord.
And when you work for the Lord and you don't walk with the Lord, when you serve the Lord and you're not spiritual,
you will burn out.
And it's not just you.
It's all of us.
Look, I'm not preaching to preachers here, but I do have several staff people here this morning.
And listen, all of you staff guys and staff wives, you better make sure you're in the Word because this job will knock you out.
We deal with a lot of things and a lot of burdens and a lot of problems, and you better make sure you're connected to that vine or you're not going to make it.
Better Christians than you and better pastors than me have quit because they forgot that you can't work for God without walking with God.
We see that Martha was disgruntled socially.
How can I do introspection and inspect myself?
Well, ask yourself, honestly, truthfully, how's your complaining?
How's your comparing?
How's your criticism?
If you can put a check by all of those, hey, you're not doing well spiritually.
I'm just trying to help you out.
You're not doing well spiritually.
Like notice thirdly, Martha was disappointed by the Savior.
She was drained spiritually.
She was disgruntled socially.
She was disappointed by the Savior.
Notice Luke chapter 10 and verse 41.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things.
And she came specifically your sister Mary.
You know, while Martha, please get this, while Martha was disapproving of others,
it's funny how the Martha's always want to tell you how bad everybody else is doing, how they would do it different,
how they would do it better, how if it was my decision, if I could choose, if I could do that, I would never wear it.
I would never go.
Does thou not care?
While Martha was disapproving of others, Jesus says, thou art careful and troubled about many things, verse 42.
But one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
I want you to notice, while Martha was disapproving of others, Jesus was disapproving of her.
And I think, because we don't get to go to dinner with Jesus and have Jesus kind of tell us what he thinks about us right then and there,
I think there's going to be a whole lot of Martha's who are going to get to the judgment seat of Christ.
And when I say Martha, I'm not just talking about ladies.
There's some male Martha's here.
There's some Martins.
I think there's going to be some people, they're going to get to the judgment seat of Christ,
and they're going to be surprised how disappointed Jesus was.
They're going to be disappointed at the judgment seat of Christ.
Because while they were the experts, and they were the ultra spiritual, and they were just disapproving of everybody,
and they could tell you how everybody's doing it wrong, and how they would do it better, and that person's this, and that person's that,
while they were judging everyone, Jesus was judging them.
And while they were disapproving of others, Jesus was disapproving of them.
You're going to get to the judgment seat of Christ. Go to Matthew chapter 6.
I was really hesitant to go to this passage, because I feel like I've gone to this passage recently,
and I'm planning to go to this passage again for one of our sermons in the Drop Dead series.
But I thought, you know what, maybe God just wants us in this passage.
Maybe we just need it.
You know, maybe the reason that this keeps coming up over and over is because this is what we need right now.
But I think a lot of Christians, because here's what the Bachelor of the Word church member thinks.
They think, well, I'm doing more than everyone else, so I'm awesome.
And they don't realize that actions matter, but so does attitude.
And motion matters, but motives matter also.
And if you want to be approved of God and rewarded by God, you better make sure your motion's right and your motive's right.
You better make sure your actions are good and your attitude is good, because there's two ways to lose your rewards.
One is by not working.
The other one is by having the wrong attitude while you're working, doing it for the wrong reason.
Matthew 6, look at verse 1.
Take heed that you do not your alms before men.
Well, we shouldn't do our alms. We shouldn't do alms then.
No, no, no, no, backslidden one.
That's not what he's saying.
Take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them.
Here's what he's saying.
Don't do it for the wrong motives.
Martha, why are you so busy?
Why are you doing so much?
Is it just to be seen of men?
And here's the point.
Here's the point.
Otherwise, ye have no reward of your father, which is heaven.
Here's what he's saying.
When you don't serve, no rewards.
1 Corinthians 3, very clear.
If you do nothing for God, God says you will be saved as of by fire.
You can go to heaven, but there's no reward for no work.
But in Matthew 6, we're told, but if you work for God for the wrong reason, if you work for God with the wrong motive,
if you work for God with the wrong spirit, if you do for God with the wrong attitude,
God says you'll lose your rewards too.
He says, take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them.
Otherwise, you have no reward of your father, which is in heaven.
Look at verse 2.
Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, he's not saying don't do your alms.
He says, when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee.
Here's how we would bring this up in 2019.
When thou doest thine alms, don't put a picture on Facebook about it.
Don't put a picture on Twitter about it.
Don't put a picture on Instagram about it.
Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, you know that you're allowed to be a good parent
and you don't have to post all your good parenting on social media?
In fact, God says if you are just trying to be a good parent so that everyone else sees how great you are
and in the process how much they stink, God says that's fine.
But you have no reward for me.
He says, when thou doest, therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee
as the hypocrites do in the synagogue and in the street that they may have glory of men.
You know what I think?
I think that guys like me, that the Lord has given some small measure of platform and influence.
Guys like me are going to be really surprised when we get to heaven and we receive whatever
rewards the Lord gives us and I hope the Lord gives us some reward.
I think people are going to be surprised.
They're going to be like, wow, I would think Pastor So-and-so was going to get a lot of awards.
And there's going to be just some lowly, meek and quiet church lady who just served God
just quietly in a corner somewhere.
Never talked about it, never bragged about it, never posted it anywhere, never said anything,
never made an announcement about it because God says, look, it matters to me what you
do, but it also matters to me why you do it.
And he says, look, if you're doing it to have glory of men, verily I say unto you, they
have their reward.
And look, if you're living the Christian life to have glory of men, to have people say,
wow, you are so amazing, that eventually will burn out because eventually, eventually
it's just not worth it.
Eventually, and look, I'm speaking to you as a guy who, here at Verity Baptist Church,
I'm your pastor and I praise the Lord for it, I always think it's funny to me how true
the Bible is.
The Bible says that a prophet is not without honor saving his own country and I get that
and I appreciate that and you guys are all loving and caring, but here I'm just Pastor
Jimenez and I'm your pastor.
I travel places, I go places and people act like, oh wow, can you sign my Bible, can you
do this, can you do that?
And I appreciate it.
I'm not saying that in a disrespectful way, I appreciate that, but let me tell you something,
that will not get you through the Christian life.
And if you are living the Christian life for the one week of Red Hot Preaching Conference
when people act like you're some great star, you will not make it.
So appreciate the appreciation, but make sure you're connected in the Word.
Realize that God has put people around you to bless you, but realize that that won't
get you through.
And people say, I'm not getting the attention that I deserve and the recognition that I
deserve, I do so much.
Look, you're doing it for the wrong reason and you're disgruntled and you're critical
and you're cynical.
And it's funny to me, people get mad like, oh, pastor doesn't give us the recognition
we deserve.
And I'm like, you're so critical and cynical and complaining and causing so many problems,
why would I recognize you?
It's like this circle, this vicious circle.
Why would I uplift someone that's in the middle of all the drama all the time?
When thou pray is, look at verse five, thou shall not be as the hypocrites are, for they
love to pray standing in the synagogues and the corners of the streets that they may be
seen of men, verily I say unto you, they have their reward.
Please understand this.
And I don't know.
You said, pastor, you just brought this up a while ago.
I know, and I'm going to bring it up again.
Look, I'll tell you.
About three weeks from now, around Sunday night, I'm going to bring this up again.
Why are you bringing it?
I don't know.
It seems like it's just going with everything that we're putting together for service.
Maybe God just needs us to hear this, but please understand this.
Motion matters, but motives matter.
Actions matter, but attitude matters.
You can work for the Lord and not be walking with the Lord.
You say, how do we know?
How do we know that's us?
Are you disgruntled?
Are you complaining?
Are you critical?
Are you comparing?
Are you burnt out?
Well, you should be burnt out.
You're doing it in the flesh.
Go to Luke chapter 10, look at verse 42.
Luke chapter 10, verse 42.
We have Martha, the disgruntled church member.
Then we have Mary.
I want you to notice just real quickly, look at Mary.
Luke chapter 10.
Let's talk about this.
How to make sure that what you do for God lasts, because I don't know about you, but
if I'm going to give my life to something, I want to make sure it lasts.
I want to make sure I get ... Look, don't give me recognition on earth.
I want the credit in heaven.
I want that crown that I can cast at Jesus' feet.
That's what I want.
Notice what Jesus says, but one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen the good part.
Notice what he says, which shall not be taken away from her.
You know what Jesus is saying to Martha?
Here's what he's saying, Martha, Martha, you're troubled and careful about many things, and
none of it is going to last, because you're doing much for the wrong reason, and you have
your reward.
He says, do you see Mary?
Do you see Mary?
What she's doing, what she's doing, that shall not be taken away.
From her.
You say, well, how do we make sure that that's us?
How do we make sure that what we do is actually something that will last?
Verse 42, but one thing is needful.
See, here's what I know.
Here's what I know.
If you spend time at the feet of Jesus, you will not help but to serve Jesus, but if you
serve Jesus without spending time with Jesus, you will burn out.
So Jesus says to Martha, he says, Martha, Mary's doing exactly what she needs to be
doing.
One thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part.
Go to 2 Corinthians chapter 4, we're done.
This is the last page we'll look at.
2 Corinthians 4, you've got Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians.
Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians.
You say, pastor, I don't want to burn out.
I want to stay with it and stay at it, and I don't want to do it for the wrong reasons.
I want to get rewards, and I want God to approve of what I'm doing.
I don't want to be wasting my time.
Well, look, in your flesh, understand this, in your flesh, your flesh will get burned
out.
Your flesh will get tired.
Your flesh will get discouraged.
I'm not going to stand up here and tell you, I'm just always just, let's do something
great for God.
There's times when I get discouraged, sometimes my wife gets discouraged.
It's human nature.
2 Corinthians 4, 16 says this, but Paul says, here's the secret to not quit.
He says, for which cause we faint not.
Now, if you read the context of this chapter, you'll find that he's talking about all the
persecution, all the trials, all the heartaches, all the hard things, and that's what he's
referring to.
He says, for which cause we faint not.
He says, those things don't drain us.
Those things don't cause us to faint.
We don't get drained.
We don't get knocked down.
We don't get out of the fight.
For which cause we faint not.
You say, how do you do it, Paul?
How do you go through the persecution, through the imprisonment, through the beatings, through
the people backstabbing you and lying about you?
How do you do it?
How do you get through it?
He says, but though the outward man perish.
He says, look, in my flesh, the outward man, it perishes.
The outward man gets tired.
The outward man gets sad.
The outward man gets discouraged.
The outward man wants to quit.
You know, people think, they look at pastors and they go, oh, you guys must be spiritual.
Every pastor I know quits a ministry about three times a day.
But though the outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
So how do you stay with it?
How do you faint not?
You make sure the inward man, every day, is renewed through the word of God, through spending
time with Jesus, to getting your roots down deep into the river and getting your branch
attached to the vine.
Otherwise you'll be drained and disgruntled and at the judgment seat of Christ, disappointed.
Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer.
Heavenly Father, thank you, Lord, for your word, thank you for the Bible, thank you for
these stories you've given us.
And Lord, I pray, I pray that if there are people here who are disgruntled, complaining,
comparing, and criticizing, that you would help them to get their hearts right.
But I pray that they genuinely get their hearts right.
They would apologize to some people.
They make things right.
And Lord, if they refuse to, I pray you make them leave.
Because I want to serve you in joy.
And sometimes Martha is just not worth keeping around.
Lord I pray you bless our church, I pray you strengthen our church, I pray you help us
to be filled with Christians that are working for you, but not at the expense of walking
with you.
In the matchless name of Christ, we pray, amen.