Text: Luke 10:38–42
Topic: Why we must be served by Christ before we serve others

Introduction
• Luke 10:38–42
• Martha made a bad choice, and Mary made a good choice.
• (Transition: The problem is, our hearts and our heads may not agree after we reach that conclusion.)

Martha was not faulted for her service.
• We may feel a secret sympathy for Martha.
     - Illustration: Rudyard Kipling garners sympathy for Martha in his poem, "The Sons of
     Mary."
• If it weren't for the Marthas of the world, nothing much would get done.
• Martha is being a "neighbor" to Jesus and his disciples, consistent with Jesus' teaching about the Good Samaritan.
• Jesus does not fault Martha for her service.

Good service with a bad spirit is bad service.
• Jesus identifies a problem with the spirit of Martha's service.
• Martha seems to have lived by the motto, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well."
• We should change our mindset to: "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing simply."
• Good service, done with a bad spirit, doesn't do anybody any good.

Allow Christ to serve you before you serve others.
• A ministry to our spirit must precede a ministry to others; we must allow God to do something in us before we do anything for him.
• Only neighbor-love flowing out of Christ's love for us has staying power.

Conclusion
• Illustration: Robinson tells the story of a mother who told her estranged son that she didn't want his gifts as much as she wanted him.
• With all of our busyness, we better simplify our lives, because God doesn't want our lives as much as he wants us.

For the full text of this sermon, go to "Don't Just Do Something, Sit There."