Mary and Martha:

Finding Balance in
Work and Worship
How many of you had to do
a little work before you were
able to come worship with
us this weekend?
I’d like to introduce you to
Mary and Martha, two sisters
who learned a lesson from
Jesus about the balance of
work and worship.
“Now Jesus loved Martha
and her sister (Mary) and Lazarus.”
John 11:5

Obviously, Jesus had a special

relationship with this family.
• They lived in the small village
of Bethany, easily within
walking distance of Jerusalem.
• Jesus and His disciples visited
their home on at least three
occasions.
• It is spoken of as Martha’s house; the
three siblings lived there together.
• The siblings seem to be young.
• Martha appears to be the
oldest, although Scripture does
not specifically say.
Three major passages
about their interactions with
Jesus…
 John 11
• John 11 is the passage on
the death of Lazarus.
• In a discussion with Martha about
Lazarus’s death, Jesus says, “I am
the resurrection and the life. He who
believes in Me, though he may die, he
shall live.”
 John 12
• This passage begins the
preparation for Jesus’ death.
• "Mary therefore took a pound of
expensive ointment made from pure
nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus
and wiped His feet with her hair. The
house was filled with the fragrance of
the perfume." John 12:3
Our focus passage tonight
is Luke 10:38-42
How many of you hosted Easter
dinner earlier this week?
• It is estimated there were
at least fifteen people
at this meal.
• Martha wanted everything to be just
right. She was a thoughtful hostess.
Much in her behavior is commendable.
Martha’s problem was not
what she did, but how she did it.

As women, we know that work is

necessary. But Martha allowed her
work to distract from her worship.
• Martha probably huffed
and puffed in the kitchen,
and banged a few pots.

• Mary was so focused on Christ she

was oblivious to Martha.
• Martha publicly rebuked
Mary, “telling on her” to Jesus,
in front of the guests.

• Instead of agreeing with Martha,

Jesus gently rebuked her.
“Martha, Martha, you
are worried and troubled
about many things. But one thing
is needed, and Mary has chosen
that good part, which will not be
taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42
Martha had the
wrong priorities:
• Priority of self over others
• Priority of service over worship
• Priority of works over faith
Adapted from an outline by John MacArthur
 Because she valued self
over others…
• Martha either didn’t think
about how her words would
hurt Mary, or didn’t care.
• Martha showed how pride can corrupt
the best of our actions.
• This made her susceptible to other
sins.
Because she valued
service over worship…

• Martha missed out on the

opportunity to worship Jesus.
• We must be careful not to become so
focused on serving Christ, that we
neglect worshipping Him.
“Mary’s humble, obedient heart was a
far greater gift to Christ than Martha’s
well-set table.” John MacArthur
 Because she valued
works over faith….

• Martha was thinking too much

of what she could do for Christ.
• It’s like someone saying, “I want to
prove that I love Jesus more.”
• What we believe is more important
than what we do. What we believe
motivates what we do.
Conclusion

• Both women loved Jesus.

• We should not be harder on
Martha than Jesus was.
• God uses all kinds of people.
• If we blend the two together, we get a
wonderful example of the balance of
work and worship.
from Brother Lawrence

“Lord of the pots and pans

and things,
since I've no time to be
a saint by doing lovely things…
make me a saint by getting meals
and washing up the plates.
…accept this service that I do--
I do it unto thee.”