THE KIRK OF KILDAIRE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

CARY, NC

www.kirkofkildaire.org

A sermon preached by Joseph Welker, Jr.

Active Listening

Luke 10:38-42

August 19, 2007

Jesus and his disciples are on the road and they have been very busy people with the hard work of teaching, preaching, and healing. In addition to the 12, 70 others have been sent out on the mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God. And before our passage today, Jesus has told that powerful story of the Good Samaritan that has warned us for 2000 years of the danger of getting so caught up in ourselves and even our religious practices that we fail to do what God would have us do when we come across those in need. Loving your neighbor is more than a word, it is a deed. If you are going to talk the talk, you had better walk the walk.

Which is why the story of Mary and Martha reminds me of one of those speed bumps in my neighborhood. Here we are, cruising along in Luke's gospe-an action filled gospel teaching us to go and do… and then comes this story of Mary and Martha that seems to contradict most of what we had heard and assumed about following Jesus.

Jesus and his disciples have come to town. Martha invites Jesus to come to her home for a meal. He will be her honored guest. She is doing what I think Jesus would have most of us do-offer hospitality and food to those on the road. Showing love of God and neighbor by warming up the oven, baking fresh bread and preparing a meal for this rabbi who needs a meal to eat after a long journey and hard work.

But here, in this story- it can be sort of confusing. Martha's sister, Mary-instead of helping out in the kitchen is out in the living room-sitting and listening to Jesus. Can you see her? Just sitting and listening…sitting and listening… listening…actively listening.

Martha, though doing good and right things- has no time to listen. She has work to do to get a meal prepared. This is not an ordinary meal… this is a meal with Jesus. Normally, it would be a simple meal, but this one should be special. A little extra effort was called for when a special guest comes to supper.

Martha is, according to the text, busy and distracted as she gets ready for the meal. Mary is out in the living room with Jesus. It's not that Martha didn't want to be with Jesus, but you know, a special meal just doesn't happen all by itself. It takes work, preparation, time and effort. There were no microwaves or refrigerators… no catering service or carry outs!

Of course, John Ortberg in discussing this story raised a good question: "Who said she had to provide this high level of hospitality? It wasn't Jesus. Where did this voice come from that said, "you must do this"?" Maybe it was her culture. Maybe it was the stereotypical role of women. [Maybe it was her faith tradition] Maybe it was a little voice inside her head. Maybe it was her mom.
Maybe it was her reputation, what she was known for. (Her name in Aramaic meant-hostess-hostess of the house). Maybe her last name was Stewart. She is in the kitchen. She doesn't have to be, and Jesus doesn't want here there, but there she is. She has a desire to be in the presence of Jesus, but finds herself distracted, maybe out of fear, or pride or envy or anger. She is listening to some other voice beside his." [1]

When Jesus hears her echo those voices and her frustration-
"Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me" (tell her to listen to me and my voices-not you!-do you catch the irony of her request?)… Jesus answers her, in my mind, with a kind, calm and gentle voice: "Martha, Martha you are worried and disctracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken from her."

And in that, I hear Jesus not only trying to correct Martha but also inviting her to leave the pots and pans in the sink, let the food sit… let the meal be delayed… to stop for a few minutes to sit and listen… to join her sister and be fed by the words of our Lord…[ to the same Lord who also said to others, "Come to me all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest."] There will be plenty of time for doing. Right now, Martha-seeing how distracted you are-perhaps it is time for you to be still, sit and listen.

Today, in this service of contemplation…I want to invite you to a time of quiet rest. In the next few minutes, I want to guide you through a guided meditation that invites you to sit at the feet of our Lord and listen… to actively listen to what our Lord may want to say to you this day…

Centering Meditation

So, I want to invite you to move now within yourself to a quiet place as we listen together… to be still… and listen to the silence in the room…I invite you to get comfortable, close your eyes, relax your bodies …Breathe deeply, exhaling the tensions of the day. Peel off your work,school and home concerns as if they were a bulky coat you don't need indoors. Remove the distractions from your life that upset you or pull you in so many different directions. Imagine inviting Jesus to your home for a meal… For a moment, let the dishes remain at the sink and join Mary at the feet of Jesus…

Focus on Jesus… who embodies the unbelievable Grace of God. Consider why you are here sitting at his feet… perhaps because you are like the deer at the stream, tired, thirsty and in need of something to fill your thirsty soul… perhaps your life is filled with anxiety and stress leading to burnout… imagine yourself sitting there with Jesus, drinking deeply from God's bottomless cup of love.

Imagine yourself in conversation with Jesus…. Jesus is listening to you… your concerns… he listens to you as he listened to Martha share her concerns…Then he has a word for you as he did for Martha-what is he saying to you?….Imagine being led by Jesus into the presence of a loving God who wants to lead you to the green pastures and still waters as God seeks to restore your soul.

As you breathe in, imagine that the oxygen entering your lungs, your bloodstream is the love of God. Focus on the incredible acceptance you experience every time you turn to God and surrender the control you normally think you need to have over your life. But the unconditional positive love God has for us is more constant and reliable than the air we breathe, even before we give over the controls of our life.

Try to see yourself as Jesus sees you-- through the eyes of Grace. What messages does your mind send you that you don't deserve this unconditional grace and love? (pause) What barriers keep you from viewing yourself with the unconditional acceptance of God? Imagine those barriers falling down. Walk into a place where you accept yourself as God accepts you.

As you sit in the presence of Jesus and feel God's loving embrace, perhaps you are ready to share the broken places in your life that needs healing grace. What are they? Are they within yourself… with another person… or even with God… Share them with Jesus… know that Christ wants to make you whole so you can live life a full and joyful life, ready to face whatever life brings…Christ wants to fill you with grace and peace that overflows…. As you open yourself to God's unconditional acceptance and God's healing, be assured that God is faithful.

Don't despair if you can only take small steps toward accepting yourself or changing everything about your life at once. God isn't through with any of us yet. Even in the story of Mary and Martha-it was simply a first step that would lead them to a deeper and more fulfilling relationship with Jesus and a more fulfilling life. Know that God is with you on your journey of grace. Know that Christ is with you. Be still and know that God in Christ is with you… rest in the love of God.

When you are ready, focus again on your breath. When you feel totally relaxed once again, when you are breathing easy, long and deep, slowly open your eyes.

Amen.

[1] God is Closer than You Think p 51