"SPECIAL BLESSING" AT THE FEET OF JESUS - THERE IS A PLACE OF STILLNESS

WE WILL BE GIVING YOU A SPECIAL BLESSING today and hopefully for many more days to come. We will continue with our articles and other postings. We are just adding "SPECIAL BLESSINGS."

These "SPECIAL BLESSING" are by the Senior Pastor, JOHN SWEAT, SR, of CROSSROADS BAPTIST CHURCH, located on Baxley Road in Middleburg, Florida.


Luke 10:38-42
May 8, 2011 AM

Happy Mother’s Day! I am wondering if there is anyone here who would like to say a word about their mother…We should thank God for mothers!

I am not going to speak to you about mothers today, but I do want to speak to you about a remarkable woman named Mary. Now this is not Mary the mother of Jesus, but a different Mary.

And the reason that I want to focus on this particular Mary is because every time we encounter her in Scripture she is doing the same thing. And what we find her doing is something that each of us needs to learn to do on a regular basis.

So, what is it that she is doing that deserves our attention today?

Every time we encounter her she is at the feet of Jesus. And what is more significant is that she is at the feet of Jesus at a time or in a way others often thought was inappropriate…
But honestly friends, Is there ever an inappropriate time to be at Jesus’ feet?

Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, To every thing there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. But I would say further that that in everything, and in every time, no matter the purpose we would do well to learn to be at the feet of Jesus.

Really the essence of this message; the essence of what we learn from Mary is that worshipping at the feet of Jesus is proper and important in every season and circumstance of life.

We sure experienced to some worship this past week! We had some great revival services! It all started last Sunday morning and ended Friday night…and I hope and pray that it is still overflowing here this morning!

Let’s begin by standing and reading Luke 10:38-42…

The first thing I want you to see is that...

At the Feet of Jesus – There is a Place of Stillness (Luke 10:38-42)

This occasion in Mary’s life comes when Jesus is passing through her village…and her sister Martha invites Jesus into their home. It is likely, though not mentioned, that the disciples were also with Jesus in their home.

Nevertheless, Martha was busy as a bee preparing and serving her guests…she was trying hard to be a good hostess. However, the scripture tells us that Mary was just sitting there at the feet of Jesus listening to Him.

While Martha opened her home to Jesus, Mary opened her heart to Jesus. In fact, Martha was so busy serving the Lord that she failed to see that listening to Him was far more important.
And so while Martha labored, Mary listened. And as Mary listened she found a place of stillness in the midst of business.

Today, most of us are busy…we are too busy! We are so busy doing good things that sometimes we fail to do the best things. And we are so busy doing so many things that most of the time we can’t do anything well.

And honestly, when we need to sacrifice time somewhere it is usually time that we would normally give to the Lord.

I think we would do well to learn to be still…we are so used to being busy that sometimes it is hard to be still…

Friends, at the feet of Jesus there is a place of stillness…

Where We Can Forget About Our Cares

While Martha cumbered about, Mary calmly sat and worshipped. The word cumbered means to be driven about mentally, or to be distracted.

Notice what Jesus said in verse 41, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.” Martha was stressing over everything she had to do.

We ought to remember that there will always be much to do…always. There are worries and troubles enough for every day! But at the feet of Jesus, we can find a place where we can forget about all our cares. That is what Mary found!

Jesus said, “Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Paul said, “Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.”

Friends if we will learn to just sit down at His feet now and again…and be still before Him, all our worries and burdens will begin to fade away. Not that we won’t have them anymore, but we will be better equipped to handle them.

Let me ask you…do you think Jesus is more honored by our being busy for Him, if we are not taking time to be still before Him?

Think about it…Mary welcomed Jesus in, but was to busy to spend time with Him…
We can get so busy serving the Lord, serving our families; busy at work or at play…or whatever! And we forget that Jesus is right there in our presence, waiting for us to just be still before Him.

We cannot hear Him if we don’t listen. And how can we listen to Him if we fail to sit still and worship Him?

Psalm 46:10 – Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Every day’s quiet time is an opportunity to worship…every Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night is an opportunity to worship! But I fear some are too busy…too much to do to commit to faithfulness at His feet?

At His feet we find a place of stillness – Where we can forget about our cares…and…

Where We Can Feed Our Souls

As we can see Martha was worried about physical food…while Mary was more concerned with feeding her soul. Maybe she remembered…

Job 23:12 - Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

Or Matthew 4:4 - Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Church, it is no wonder that many Christians are weak and many are still babes in Christ…because they are either too busy serving Him to sit at His feet, or they are just too busy with too many other things to take time for Him at all!

Some people see Martha as a worker and Mary as a worshipper…and that they have to be one or the other…but I don’t think that is an accurate view at all. I think we can and should be both!
Charles Welsey said it perfectly in one of his hymns:
Faithful to my Lord's commands, I still would choose the better part;
Serve with careful Martha's hands, And loving Mary's heart.
It seems evident that the Lord wants each of us to imitate Mary in our worship and Martha in our work. Balance!
Work without worship will eventually lead to burn-out and frustration!
Worship without work will eventually lead to laziness and lack of purpose!

I have often said in leaders meetings that I do not want anyone here at CBC missing every service because they are always in service. You need to be in at least one worship service every week…and that doesn’t mean that you only need to be at one service!! Regular attendance whether serving or worshipping is crucial to your spiritual health!

Listen, believe it or not I do pay attention…and I have even noticed that there are sometimes people get in the habit of only coming to church when they are on the schedule to work!

Remember this Church: If you are not properly worshipping Him, then your work in vain. We must have balance…we all need balance in our work and in our worship!

So, at His feet there is a place of stillness where we can forget about our cares, where we can feed our souls, and…

Where We Can Focus Our Priorities

Was what Martha was doing a bad thing? No. Was it important to eat physical food? Yes. Was it a good thing for Martha to be a good hostess and serve Jesus? Sure it was!

So, why did Jesus tell her that she was troubled and worried about many things…yet Mary had chosen the good thing?

Consider Martha's situation. She received Jesus into her home and then neglected Him as she prepared an elaborate meal that He did not need! Certainly a meal was in order, but what we do with Christ is far more important than what we do for Christ.

Life is full of priorities, but not all of them have the same weight or value. Friends, there is nothing more important than learning to sit at the feet of Jesus!

Closing…For there we find a place of stillness, where we can forget our cares, feed our souls, and focus our priority on Christ!

Will you please bow your heads...What about you? Are you spending time with Jesus? Be honest! He knows!

And usually when a Christian is not spending time with Jesus, you can tell it! They are irritable; they complain; they are just not pleasant to be around! But when they have been worshipping at the feet of Jesus…you can tell it!
You see the key is to have the right priorities: Jesus must be first, then others, and ourselves last. It is vitally important that we spend time "at the feet of Jesus" every single day, letting Him share His Word with us.
The most important part of the Christian life is the part that only God sees.
Unless we meet Christ personally and privately each day, we will soon end up like Martha: busy but not blessed.
Who needs to find a place of stillness today? Who needs to forget their cares? Who needs to feed their souls? Who needs to refocus their priorities on Jesus? Who needs to be saved? Come to the feet Jesus right now!

(Any errors are on my part or my computers fault. Forgive us our errors.)