Becoming Mary
"Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?" James 2:14-17 MSG
Faith in Action
Yesterday, we talked about "becoming Martha", today we will balance this out and say that becoming Martha is not all a bad thing. And in the same way that becoming Mary is not the 'be all end all'.
James the brother of Jesus taught the early church in the passage above that simply sitting at the feet of Jesus and merely absorbing everything He teaches is not how it's all suppose to be.
Becoming a Disciple
I mean, of course like a sponge we have to soak in as much as we can, initially and constantly. But the test is that can we walk the talk.
Faith in Action
Yesterday, we talked about "becoming Martha", today we will balance this out and say that becoming Martha is not all a bad thing. And in the same way that becoming Mary is not the 'be all end all'.
James the brother of Jesus taught the early church in the passage above that simply sitting at the feet of Jesus and merely absorbing everything He teaches is not how it's all suppose to be.
Becoming a Disciple
I mean, of course like a sponge we have to soak in as much as we can, initially and constantly. But the test is that can we walk the talk.
Becoming a Marytha
Becoming a disciple of Jesus is becoming like Him. And it is a "combination" of becoming first and foremost a Mary and then becoming a properly trained and Spirit-filled Martha.
Becoming a disciple of Jesus is becoming like Him. And it is a "combination" of becoming first and foremost a Mary and then becoming a properly trained and Spirit-filled Martha.
Plus becoming their brother Lazarus, who the bible records as the single person Jesus wept for and one of a few recorded people He brought back from the dead physically.
Big Question
I am not entirely sure why Jesus loved Lazarus so much, but we should just be aware that Jesus loved him dearly -- the unimportant, the unimpressive, the regular, the typical, the normal, the 'don't call attention to themselves' kind of guy.
But as surely as Mary would have placed Jesus first, at some time, she would have to get up and put the lessons Jesus taught her into practice, of course not to the point of being Martha, who in her "service" wasn't all that happy to do so and who in fact complained to the Lord about it.
Truth
Being a disciple means, we should be who we say we are, who we profess to be, and be that same person to everyone, as our God is no respecter of persons meaning He does not show any partiality.
Doing What We Are Supposed To Do
Now what are we to do?
So if we have the means to provide help to those in need, then out of our love for God, we should.
If we have the opportunity to encourage others, then let us do so, with compassion and out of honest intentions.
If we can teach, then let us share these pearls of wisdom with words that heal instead of wound.
If we are called to be a leader, let us lead as how Scriptures has taught leaders to conduct themselves.
Now some of us are called to be prophets, evangelists, missionaries, pastors. Then let us be true to our calling and use our gifts as the Holy Spirit has enabled us.
I am not entirely sure why Jesus loved Lazarus so much, but we should just be aware that Jesus loved him dearly -- the unimportant, the unimpressive, the regular, the typical, the normal, the 'don't call attention to themselves' kind of guy.
But as surely as Mary would have placed Jesus first, at some time, she would have to get up and put the lessons Jesus taught her into practice, of course not to the point of being Martha, who in her "service" wasn't all that happy to do so and who in fact complained to the Lord about it.
Truth
Being a disciple means, we should be who we say we are, who we profess to be, and be that same person to everyone, as our God is no respecter of persons meaning He does not show any partiality.
Doing What We Are Supposed To Do
Now what are we to do?
So if we have the means to provide help to those in need, then out of our love for God, we should.
If we have the opportunity to encourage others, then let us do so, with compassion and out of honest intentions.
If we can teach, then let us share these pearls of wisdom with words that heal instead of wound.
If we are called to be a leader, let us lead as how Scriptures has taught leaders to conduct themselves.
Now some of us are called to be prophets, evangelists, missionaries, pastors. Then let us be true to our calling and use our gifts as the Holy Spirit has enabled us.
Our Calling
For the rest of us, God is calling us where ever we are, and He will use us right there and then; be it as a stay at home parent, student, bank teller, receptionist, cashier, waiter, security guard, driver, public servant.
And this we do as the Lord works through us to prepare all of His people for their own "works" of service in God's perfect time, all working together to help built up the body of Christ which we are all called to be a part of. Not coerced, forced, pressured, not brainwashed, hypnotized, bewitched, not out of obligation. But by God's calling in His perfect time.
And this we do as the Lord works through us to prepare all of His people for their own "works" of service in God's perfect time, all working together to help built up the body of Christ which we are all called to be a part of. Not coerced, forced, pressured, not brainwashed, hypnotized, bewitched, not out of obligation. But by God's calling in His perfect time.
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