Mat 6:25-34; How to Teach Martha Not to Worry.

Class Outline:

Wednesday September 25, 2024

 

Idea: Jesus teaches us how to focus on the good treasures of heaven when we start to become overwhelmed. 

 

MAT 6:25-34

 

Anatomy of a warning. 

 

Command. 

 

Reason logical and experiential. 

 

Logical = more to less and less to more. 

 

Empirical = look at the birds, flowers, grass. 

 

Encouragement - you are much more oligopistoi (vs. 30; a little faith is enough; mustard seed but it must not remain a seed). 

 

Conclusion (vv. 31-33) Seeking the kingdom and His righteousness (singular, clear eye; they are intimately connected as a place is what it is because of its character). 

 

Teaching Martha not to worry (LUK 10:38-42). 

 

Martha’s condition: She is distracted - she has many things on her mind instead of one. Vs. 40 - distracted (perispao) = to have one’s attention directed from one thing to another, distracted, quite busy, overburdened. 

 

That does not mean that we are to always think of one thing, it means that we see all things through the eye that fills the body with light. 

 

She prays the wrong prayer: Lord, change the person (or circumstance) that is making me anxious. PHI 4:5-7

 

Jesus evaluates her: anxious and bothered about many things. Both verbs are present tense - she is consistently anxious and troubled during this event, i.e. she didn’t have a moment of anxiety and then correct herself.

 

Concerning many things - she does not have a clear and singular eye on the kingdom of heaven but an eye looking at many things, and that is filling her with worry. 

 

Teaching her as Jesus taught us: Application - have the same conversation with yourself.

 

Command: stop worrying. 

 

Reason: you are missing the Lord’s words. Serving lunch, you always have, but you do not always have Him.  

 

Encouragement: You can hear Jesus’ words and still have time to do your chores. Set aside life as you listen to God’s Word and then go back to life with His mind.  

 

Conclusion: Do not worry about the chores of life when you can hear the Lord’s words. 

 

Whatever your worry is, you must have the same conversation with yourself, focusing on the one thing that is important - the Lord Jesus and His kingdom and righteousness.

 

Jesus tells her that only one thing is important and Mary chose the good part which will not be taken from her, i.e. it is eternal. 

 

The eye that clear and singular takes in all things from the viewpoint of Christ in heaven.  

 

This Mary is mentioned three times in the Gospels and in each instance, she is at the Lord’s feet (JOH 11:32; 12:3). I liken this to walking with the Lord.

 

When anxiety is breaking through the soil of your soul, focus your singular and clear eye on the Lord’s words. 

 

If they don’t come to you quickly (relatively) then pray properly (PHI 4:4-7). Do not pray for God to change the behavior of him or her nor even to change the circumstances, but to remind you of the treasures of heaven and then put your faith in them. 

 

Dwell on what is PHI 4:8.