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It Is Written Canada

Chris Holland

The One Thing

God's book, the Bible, still relevant in today's complex world.

It is written sharing messages of hope around the world.

Dick and Judy Hoyt were looking forward to the arrival of their new baby boy.

However, during the birthing process, something happened.

The child, who they were to name Rick, was deprived of oxygen for a prolonged period of time.

And as a result, the young child was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy.

The doctors told Dick and Judy that Rick was destined for a life that was anything but normal, and the best thing they could do was to institutionalize him because he had no chance of recovery.

Dick and Judy made a choice to not institutionalize young Rick and attempt to give him every opportunity at a quote-unquote normal life.

Even though Rick could not walk or speak, it was clear that his mind was functioning quite well.

As he would look at his parents, his eyes would follow them around the room as they would move around.

Dick and Judy pushed for Rick to be involved in a public school and took him swimming and sledding and many of the other normal activities of young boys.

And there was no doubt that while he faced huge physical handicaps, his mind, his intellect and ability were excellent.

So the engineers at Tufts University designed a computer for Rick to be able to communicate in 1972.

And in 1977, Rick told his father that he wanted to participate in a five-mile run to benefit a paralyzed lacrosse player.

And so he came up with a plan that he would run while pushing Rick's wheelchair.

They completed that first race in next to last place.

But Rick told his father, Dad, when I'm running, it feels like I'm not handicapped.

Dick then committed that this would be his gift to his son.

And now almost 40 years after that first race, Dick and Rick have participated in over 1, 000 races.

This includes 6 Ironman triathlons where Dick swims with a harness pulling an inflatable raft that Rick is placed in and rides a bike with a specially equipped seat in the front.

The highlight of their racing though came in 2014 when they ran the Boston Marathon in the 1 year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings.

During all of this, Rick would graduate from public high school and graduated in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in special education from Boston University.

For Dick and Judy, they committed to their son and made making something of his life a priority.

Friends, we too must have priorities in order to have success in this life.

During the ministry of Jesus, there was an event that teaches us what our number 1 priority ought to be.

Come back with me to Israel, just outside the small village of Bethany.

Jesus and his disciples are traveling together.

He had just sent out the 70 to do their work 2 by 2, and now they had returned.

They all had been involved in an intense amount of ministry, and now Jesus felt the need for rest and fellowship.

He had no home, no place to rest his weary body.

So he, along with those who were following him, stopped there in Bethany.

It was here that his close friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived.

This is the same Lazarus whom Jesus would later raise from the dead.

These people had a special place in the heart of Jesus, and he would often come to find rest and solitude at their home.

It is on this day that Jesus and his followers stop, and although the text does not make it clear, it seems that Jesus has surprised his friends, most particularly Martha.

He has either surprised her because she did not know he was coming or he has surprised her because she did not expect him that early.

We find the story in Luke the 10th chapter and we will pick it up in verse 38.

Now it happened as they went that he entered a certain village and a certain woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.

And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word.

But Martha was distracted with much serving.

Jesus and his followers had entered the village of Bethany, and they came to the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

I'm sure with a little surprise on her face, she invited the Lord in along with some of his followers.

Here Martha shows her compassion and love for the Lord.

Seeing him in this wearied condition, she invites him in as a guest of her home.

And as Jesus enters, as he enters that home, instead of laying his head down to rest, he sees the need and desire of others to hear his word.

And the text specifically says that Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and heard His word.

The Greek word that is used here for hearing is the Greek word akouo.

It carries with it the connotation of not only hearing and listening, but also of understanding and obedience.

Mary's listening is not just some casual background noise, but rather she was listening intently, desiring to understand.

And while she sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to the words of our Savior and the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Martha was distracted with much serving.

Now the King James says that she was cumbered about with much serving.

The word cumbered or distracted in the Greek literally means to be drawn away, to be over occupied, to be over burdened.

She was over occupied and distracted by what?

Friends, the word to serve here literally means to minister.

You have a very important guest coming and he or she has arrived a little early or you're running a little late And so now as your guests wait, you hurry yourself about serving and trying to get everything ready.

And that's what was going on there in Bethany.

And while Mary scurried around, it happened.

Maybe it was just out of the corner of her eye.

And the emotions of jealousy and anger and frustration all began to boil and mix together.

Martha has seen Mary sitting there listening to Jesus while she works so very hard.

Not only is this someone not helping her, but this is her sibling, her sister, which is just additional salt on the wound.

Those of you who have brothers and sisters, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

The absolute injustice of you having to do work while your brother or sister doesn't.

And Martha in her absolute frustration turns to Jesus and says according to verse 40, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?

In the New Living Translation It reads, Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work?

And in 1 of the great moments of biblical history, Martha tells the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, she tells him what to do.

In fact, she not only tells him, but according to the Greek, the verb she uses is an imperative, which means it's a command statement.

Now before we get too riled up about Martha's treatment of Jesus, we need to be very careful of our condemnation of Martha.

Because many of us do the same thing today, don't we?

Like Frank Sinatra singing, I did it my way.

We want to do things our way and then have God bless it.

You know, Jesus would rather have us come to him, ask for guidance so he can lead us.

But here in Luke 10, Jesus displays 1 of the greatest acts of compassion and mercy.

And Jesus replies to Martha in a loving way and outlines for Martha, as well as for us today, that which is most important in life.

It's recorded in Luke 10 verses 41 and 42.

And Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but 1 thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

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The One Thing

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