Sermon – “Keeping Your Eye on the Prize”

⁸ Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. ⁴² But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

I want to share a little a little story little bit so with you it’s kind of here Merce you know or our should say do you think God has a sense of humor. He does. And I believe. I believe I experience a little bit of his sense of humor yesterday they before yesterday we plowed some fields down form to get ready to plant some corn So yesterday the next step we have what you call call a packer it’s a father 12 foot wide piece of equipment that you run over the plowed ground it knocks the big clumps down flattens out a little bit praise the Lord we have tractors and we don’t use oxen’s and horses so bit so I go down about noon time in go to there’s 3 feels a need to do I go to the 1st field it’s sunny now it’s windy as all get out but so I commence the color back in this 1st field and I get it done I go to the 2nd field is getting a little cooler now I had just a sweatshirt on so it got a little bit cooler and little bit cooler but I finished the 2nd field I get to the 3rd field and I’m start to go around that thing and I could see over towards Carmel and I could see the clouds getting dark and I even seen some rain coming or the rain them I’m praying Lord Lord just let me finish this stored please let me finish Copaxone let me get this done so then we can get corn planted Sunday and then they caught seem to go away then I seen another area over here it gets dark and I could feel a little bit of showers once well little bit of rain and pull my hat down trying to keep a look at grab a cup or a don’t go wrong again Lord just let me finish this. So I get down I go I’m on my last pass some like Lord I’m going to finish thank you and poor that field and I get off the tractor didn’t hook that piece of equipment to leave it in sooth I pulled the pin out it starts raining out I mean it’s right in the winds are blowing and I’m going up from the field up to the bar and I’m like This is gold and I’m livin I said Lord thank you let me finish the pay of the next I’m going to pardon or let me get the tractor to barn 1st. And I can see the Lord Lakas is vision or laugh and I gave you what you asked for right he gave me what I asked for I believe God does have a sense of humor because Alan I was laughing with him I was mighty cold but I got up there but I was laughing with Him God does have a sense of humor and I mean he created us right he created us you know the songs this morning and even the Sabbath school the entire thing the song keeper we were in the race Let us not look back keep your eye on the prize I don’t think she do that when she picked out that praise and worship song I don’t think we keep your eye on the prize let me just go ahead and open a prayer then we’ll get in with the story Heavenly Father we do praise you and magnify you Father we thank you that you have a city whom are we thank you that you are so loving and compassionate Father that you care for each and every one of us Father we know that you demonstrated your love towards us and that you allowed your son Jesus to die on the cross Father there is no doubt about your love. The question is Father do we love you follow that’s the theme today do we love you do we have the kind of love towards Jews that you desirous to have a father I just prayed your spirit will be in this place Jew would touch each heart Father each heart listening father they may hear it months from now when the Internet father touch each harness new fall that we may search our hearts and ask ourselves the question do we love you the way that we should bother just hope us to love you help us to be thankful for who you are and what you are into realize that you are God and Father I just pray that you be glorified through these words spoken today in Jesus’ name amen so I have a little story to share 1st then I’ll get to the scripture Once upon a time I’m not nervous as someone just made to sup but it’s really a really unique story once upon a time many years ago there lived a king who had a beautiful daughter this princess had many offers a marriage but she couldn’t make up her mind so be they were magic type she wanted a man that would love her more than anything else in the world what kind of woman would want that right you want to man it’s going to love you unconditionally Finally she devised a way to test the love of her suitors an announcement was made and sent throughout the kingdom that on a certain day there would be a race and the winner of that race would marry the Princess the race was open to every man in the kingdom regardless of his position all that was required was that the man had to love the princess more than he loved anything else when the chosen day men rich and poor gathered at the starting line each man was told that the princess waited at the finish line whoever reached her 1st could take her as his bride. Just before the race was to begin the king made an announcement not wanting any man to run this race in vain to King had liberally scattered some of his finest traders along the course there were gold necklaces there were pendants and jewels incrusted jewel encrusted cups swords nods all sorts of treasures and each runner was welcome to take as many as he’s liked then the race was begun one by one the runners princes and paupers alike turned aside to fill their pockets and carry off whatever trays or they could blinded by the immediate promise of wealth they forgot the princess and all their professions of love all except one he pressed the horn ignored to him and to him were just trinkets when compared to the in comparable beauty of the Princess finally crossing the finish line the winner only one was victorious and that was because he kept his eye on the prize I meant I mean it sounds like a parable doesn’t it it sounds like a parable that Jesus would tell let’s look at Luke Chapter 10 versus 38 or 42 now it happened as he went that he entered a certain village and a certain woman named Martha welcome him into her house and she had a sister called Mary who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his words but Martha was distracted with very much serving and she approached him and said Lord do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone therefore tell her to help me and Jesus answered and said to her Martha Martha. You’re worried and troubled about many things but one thing is needed in Mary has chosen that good part which will not be taken from her May God had His blessings to the hearing and reading of His Holy Word I’m sure that many of heard or read that scripture before in her conifer milieu without Scripture and so it’s not easy it’s not difficult I should say it’s not difficult to envision in your mind Martha Curry and scurrying about making sure everybody had a drink making sure that they had maybe some snacks making sure that they were comfortable maybe she had to get some more channels I don’t know and all this while trying to prepare the main meal to feed her guest she was you know a very very conscientious hostess Now keep in mind in those days you know these gas come in her home she couldn’t just go pop a pizza in the oven prepared a meal back then required a lot of work a lot of planning a lot of effort I was thinking back to the day the time when we went to Jamaica on a mission trip we speak on a mission trip to supporting a Sabbath school and it was a short termism trip was a weak one for a lifetime but there was a large group of us about $2425.00 people that went to work at the Caribbeans Christian school for the deaf where there was a woman back at the place where we stayed because we had to travel about a half hour or so to get there every day she prepared the meals Gloria had her name here glory was a name she would spend all day long preparing the meals for us when we come back and live blessing I mean she was a fabulous cook she made the best jerk chicken I think we’ve ever had a lot of work a lot of effort she was a great hostess so it took a lot of time it took a lot of time for Martha because she to want to make sure everything was just so. So she’s hurrying a scurrying about and there’s Mary just sitting there at Jesus’ feet listening to every word he say and the Message Bible says that she hung on every word that Jesus spoke she did not want to miss one thing she gave him her up most attention she was so engulfed in what Jesus was teaching I don’t think she even knew that Mary was Martha was scurrying around trying to get things ready having physical food was the last thing on her mind she was not concerned about it in the least but Martha had all she could take she was overwhelmed to Burma’s is too much for if you’ve read the scriptures you know that Jesus attracted large crowds there were probably more than just he and the 12 disciples in that home oftentimes they would gather at the windows in the doors to hear him teaching inside they to want to hear every word that he had to speak so there could have been a large crowd there and more of the interrupts imagine that Jesus teaching Lord Mary said in error not help me at all tell her to help me interrupt his teaching to ask for help Martha Martha you know those that are committed homemakers can appreciate Martha’s irritation at her sister you know if you have a vested motivated spouse or child you know you’d like them to be motivated along a little bit wouldn’t you yeah so you can understand why she might have been a little irritated sheep surely thought the master would take her side. Wouldn’t want her to do all that herself but he says Martha Martha you know we was blessed to watch the chosen the series the 1st 8 episodes of it and they did a fabulous job picking the character to play Jesus and you can just you know this the smile on his face in the just is added to this character is just so wonderful so wed picture Jesus he’d say more to Martha you are worried you’re upset about many things but only one thing is needed and Mary has chosen the better and it will not be taken from Mary had done the one thing I said to Jesus feed but that was enough to draw the praise of Jesus and I believe that is compassionate as Jesus is I do not think he was scolding Martha I believe he probably had a little bit of a smile on his face when he saying that to Martha Martha you’re worried you don’t need to worry and stress you know there are times friends on know that we’ve all been there where we can become so distracted so distracted our minds are gone so many different directions so many things to think about sometimes a traveling down a road and we miss our turn right it happened to me just last week I had a doctor’s appointment to go up for skin and I’m going up to Interstate 68 and you need to get off on seeing Dr My mom was thinking to summon through I went right by us and Rob Out of all the way to Vail what brought it to go to see Rob Because like that happens the May all time your mind’s thinking about things distracted so many distractions my friend Satan is not only the great deceiver but he likes to distract us. Anything that he can do to get us to turn from the Lord to distract us from him like all those trained gets along the way right a pastor named John Gable told this story about a couple of his congregation Al and Betty Johnson they lived on a farm about 200 miles northeast of Rapid City South Dakota not many folks lived in Rapid City they say it isn’t the end of the earth but you can see it from there. Needless to say there’s not a Wal-Mart or a grocery store very near so they made a run and list so that when they went to town they made sure they got everything that they needed make the trip count so they told them Well what happened that Betty’s mom was flying in for a visit so our Made a list of all the things they needed to do in his way to the airport that day to pick up his mother in law when he finally got home late that evening he was so pleased to tell Betty about all that he had company he got new tires put on the truck he went to the store and got everything that she had a list is a matter of fact he was such a kind gentleman that he even bought his wife a new dress and she didn’t even ask for it finally she interrupted Al worst moment. Poor our space turn ashen and then read it seems in his determination to complete his list he forgot the real purpose for what he went for poor old mother in law was still the airport probably intentional right guys of the mother and all. Martha her in about doing as little things that are so important to someone that has guessed in their homes we know that Jesus would appreciate her efforts Mary and Martha became 2 of Jesus close as friends. But only one thing is needed and that is what Jesus said to Martha only one thing we know how great the Father’s Love is towards us but how is our love towards him Christ is the one thing that is needed Mary understood that in the depths of her heart my friends Christianity is not about our doing good it’s not by works right but doing good is a major witnesses our witness of our faith if we love Him we will do good right Christianity is not about keeping the commandments but he says if you love mate you will keep My commandments and especially the one about love your neighbor Christy any Christianity at its heart is a recognition that Jesus Christ is the Lord of life he is our master he is our savior so what do we do need to do to be saved believe believe in the Lord Jesus Christ I do believe that Jen did Jesus general rebuke of Martha had an impact on her attitude she was still Martha she was she was still Martha but I do not believe that she was so concerned about what others did or did not do in John Chapter 12 versus one through 3 than 6 days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany were Lazarus who was who had or rather who had been dead whom he had raised from the dead there they made him my supper and Martha what she do I served Martha served but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him that Mary took a pound of very costly oil spiking our annoying to the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the fragrance oil so there is Mary still at the feet of Jesus. There is Martha still serving right but what do we not see we do not see that jealousy in Martha concern about what others are doing or not doing she’s not insisted that her sister get up and help she still cares and serves that’s her heart that is her heart friends that is her love language if you will right I mean sometimes the wives would like of her lug love language was that we would do the dishes sometimes the our love language should be put our clothes away the only things that’s a mass right that’s Martha’s love language is to serve God needs administrators he needs preachers he needs teachers he needs you know we all have room gifts be faithful show your love and your service but don’t judge others because they’re not getting up helping you serve a man I believe the change in Martha came from that gentle and loving discipline of the Lord What parent if they love their children do not discipline them amen if you don’t discipline them I question your love they may not like the correction but we know it can be the best thing for them 2nd Corinthian 78 through 10 says for even if I made you sorry with my letter I do not regret it though I did regret it for I perceive that the same the pistol made you sorry the only for a while now right I rejoice not that you were made Sorry but that your sorrow led to repentance for you were made sorry in a Godly manner that you might suffer loss from us and nothing for godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation not to be regretted but the sorrow of the world produces death. We must keep our eyes on the progress in our prize as Jesus Christ he is the very source of our lives he is the promise of new life in the speared someone has described Jesus like this to artist he is the one altogether lovely to the architect he is the chief cornerstone to the doctor he is the great position to the preacher he is the Word of God to the philosopher he is the wisdom of God to the dying he is the resurrection and the life to the geologist he is the Rock of Ages to the farmer he is the Lord of the harvest to the professor he is the master teacher to the Prodigal he is the forgiving parent I love that one to the Prodigal he’s the one with the wide open arms watching waiting for you to return so you can wrap those arms around you that’s who our God is to the lost sheep he is the good shepherd who will leave the 90 and 9 to go and look for that one to the thirsty so he is the water of life as he told the woman at the well who drinks of the water I give shall never thirst again to the hungry he is the bread of life to the philanthropist he is God’s unshakable gift you know the parable of the server we even spoke of that in Sabbath school gives us an example of not allowing the things of the world to cause us to take our eyes off of the prize you won’t have this one on a screen a mark for chapter Chapter 4 verses 13 through 20 and he said to them. Do you not understand this parable How then will you understand all the parables the so or so to see so as the word and these are the ones by the wayside where the word assume when they hear Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was soon in their hearts these likewise are the ones soon on stony ground who when they hear the word immediately receive it with gladness and they have no root in themselves so they endure only for a time afterward when tribulation or persecution arises for the word sake immediately they stumble these are the ones soon among the thorns they’re the ones who hear the word and the cares of those world the deceitful illness of riches and it desires for other things enter in and choke the word and it becomes unfruitful but these are the one soon on good ground those who hear the word accept it and it bear fruit sometimes 34 some 60 and some 100 my friends cares as it used here means to be drawn in a different direction that’s what the cares the world are drawn in a different direction to be distracted to be distracted Luke 962 says but Jesus said to them no one having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God Don’t look back. In 1st John 215 through 17 do not love the world or the things in the world if anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the Proud of life is not of the Father but it is of the world and the world is passing away and the last of it and he who does the will of God abides forever how lujah we are not to be like the men in the race for the princess we are not to be like them we are not to weigh ourselves down with the things of the world the trinkets of the world if you will they were promised at the end of this race if you’re the 1st one you get the hand of the Princess you see the similarity there where in this race of life Christ is our prize at the end but we get the structed we grow up to these go trinkets over here this is that over there we take our eyes off of Jesus Christ my friends just like the guys in the race for the for the princess those it went off to get the trinkets we’re thinking that if they get the hand of the princess they have the wealth of the kingdom right man the sinking the put all these prizes there is going to live under the same roof you get that with with a spiritual Kingdom we keep our eyes when Jesus Christ we get to live with them his kingdom why don’t we be distracting wherever this gold over here when up there they make the streets of gold keep our eyes on the prize which is Jesus Christ do not be distracted by the things of this world because they’re passing away they’re passing away right before us let them not the Stratus. But keep your eyes when Jesus Christ when you put your hand of the plow don’t look back but always look at tentatively to him look to him the one who died in the Cross that we can have life that’s the most important thing a new Pastor Gary what message he preached that the main thing the main thing let’s keep the main thing the main thing the main thing is Jesus Christ keeping our focus on him a member.