Luke 10: 38-41

Although I would find it difficult to say that the most important lesson taught anywhere in the bible, in my opinion it is certainly important for believers to "sit at Jesus' feet and hear His word." However, don't let us get the wrong idea about Martha. She was not an unbeliever who had no time for Jesus, as we see from part of the account of the raising of Lazarus, in John 11.23-27:

23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
26 "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."​

But yes, it is important to get our priorities right, especially in the hectic times we live in. How easy it would be for us as members of this Baptist Board to spend so much time reading and writting messages, and writing replies, that we end up being "distracted with much serving" (or "many e-mails" :laugh: ) rather than reading/hearing the Word of the Lord.

 

Serve the Lord with gladness. Then the necessities of life fall into place. Put God first is a time-honored expression.

 

So the most important lesson taught anywhere in the Bible is this?

"Do what Mary was doing?"
humm

I some how think this maybe a over statement. Where as this is a very good lesson, I place "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" at a much higher level.

I would also say "In the beginning God" is kind of a simple statement at 1st, but when you think about it is very deep. This lesson is very importain as well.

Please tell me what is greater than this statement...

I saved maybe the best for last. Nothing speaks of Christ as God BETTER then Heb 1. More OT passages are quoted in this chapter then any other chapter in the NT. I can think of no passage that lifts the Name of Christ higher then this Chapter. It is truly a gem.

But then again you have Roman 1,2,3.....

Ok...i give up. I just can't name the best passage in the Bible, nor the most important.

In Christ....James

 

You seem to have read more into my reply than I meant. I'll try saying the same thing in a different way:

1. I don't think it is the most important lesson in the bible.

2. It is nonetheless important.

3. Sometimes Martha is portrayed as if she cared more about housework than she did about Jesus, or that her faith was somehow less than her sister's. To get the whole picture, we need to refer to what is said of her in John 11.

4. It is important for us, like Mary, to spend time with Jesus hearing His word.

I didn't mean that either Martha or we should spend our whole lives listening to the Word. I didn't mean that Martha was wrong to be hospitable, just that on that occaision she had her priorities wrong.

Sorry for not putting my thoughts more clearly. I hope I've made it a bit clearer this time.

 

moscott --- first, welcome to the board.

There is an interesting symbolism going on in that passage -- Martha represents the OT saints and Mary the trib saints. OT Israel was so involved with their ceremonies and laws that they missed an opportunity to worship Jesus. Mary/trib saints, on the other hand, will worship Him is spirit and in truth when the "look upon Him whom they have pierced," Zech 12:10.

The comparisons go farther in other verses. Mary said, "Had you come, my brother would not have died." That could certainly be true for the trib saints! But to Martha, Jesus explained what the OT revealed "resurrection of the just" would be -- belief in Him.

Lazarus is a type of the OT saints who will be resurrected into Christ's MK and dine with Him, John 11.

skypair

 

Yes ...tis a statement. But you are not comparing apples to apples. Your verse is a story. One gains lessons from stories and statements alike. Just as you gained a lesson from the verses you posted, you should gain a lesson from the statement.

See some lessons from that statement below....

1) Men are sinners.
2) all men are sinners.
3) God shines far above man in His glory.
4) God has a standard set for man.
5) man fall short of this standard.
6) sin is the reason why man falls short.
7) God hates sin.

Therefore...

8) we should stop sinning.
9) find the only way to meet Gods holy standard.
10) Give God all the glory