Pastor Jimenez: Amen, right we’re there in Luke chapter number 10, and we are going through the series encounters with Christ. We’ve been going through and looking at these different conversations that Jesus had with different individuals. We started with Nicodemus, we talked about the woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, Jesus in the house of Simon, the rich young ruler. Today we’re dealing with Mary and Martha. Next week we will deal with Zacchaeus and then we’ll be done. We’ll be done with this series and we’ll move on to something different. We’ve just kind of been a fly on the wall just listening. Purposely, we haven’t been studying the parables unless the parables are part of the conversation and we haven’t been studying the miracles. Those will be a series for another day. We’ve just been looking at these encounters, these conversations, these interactions that Jesus had with individuals. We’ve kind of just listened in and watched him deal with people, talk to people, preach the gospel to people.
Today we see him with Mary and Martha. The conversation is primarily between Jesus and Martha but Mary’s part of it. You’re there in Luke chapter 10, look at verse number 38. Luke chapter 10:38, the Bible says this, now it came to pass as they went, that he, that’s Jesus entered into a certain village and a certain woman named Martha, received him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, she also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word. Now this is the same Martha and Mary that later on we find out that they have another famous brother named Lazarus. Remember Lazarus dies and Jesus resurrects him from the dead and this is the same Mary. This is a family that’s very close to Jesus. He was good friends with them. Here, Jesus is invited over to basically have dinner with Mary and Martha.
When he is at this meeting, he has this conversation with Martha about Mary and about serving in general. And there were several negative lessons that we can learn from the story of Martha. I want to just point those out to you this morning quickly. We won’t be any longer than we need to be. If you’re taking notes and I would encourage you to take notes on the back of your chorus of the week. There’s a place for you to write down some sermon notes. I want you to notice just some negative things about Martha. Martha in this story is not really highlighted as a positive person. I do think she was saved and I do think that she loved the Lord, but she’s being used here. Sometimes when you study the Bible, I teach the guys that when I teach them on teaching and preaching, and I tell them, you got to look at a passage and ask yourself, why did God give us this a story? Why did God give us this text? Why didn’t God give us this chapter?
When you look at this passage and you ask yourself, why did God give us a story about Martha and about Mary? I believe that the primary reason is to show us how to serve properly or to show us someone who’s serving in an improper way. Now I want you to notice several things from this story. The first is this, and if you want to write some notes down, write this down. I’d encourage you to do that. Number one, I’d like you to notice that Martha was drained spiritually. Martha was drained spiritually. She was spiritually drained. I want you to notice that she was serving the Lord, but there was a certain way in which she was serving. Luke chapter 10:40, notice what the Bible says. But Martha was cumbered. You see that word cumbered there. The word cumbered means to be hindered. It means to be hampered. It means to be impeded. Notice what the Bible says, Martha was cumbered about much serving.
I want you to notice that Martha was actually serving. She was working for the Lord. Now here’s the wrong applications of this passage. Let me just go ahead and give this disclaimer. This passage or this story is in no way teaching us that it is wrong to serve. There is absolutely nothing wrong with serving. If you take that application from this passage is going to put you at odds with all sorts of other passages in the Bible where God actually tells us that we ought to serve him, that we ought to work for him, that we were created for work and that we were created to be his, that we were to be co-laborers with him. All throughout the Bible we’re told that we ought to work with God and work for God and be involved in the service of the Lord. So sometimes people will look at this passage and they’ll say, “The application here is that we shouldn’t work that hard for the Lord.”
No, that’s not the application. The application is this, that there is a wrong way to work for the Lord. There is a wrong way to serve the Lord. Here we are told that she was a serving much but she was cumbered about much serving. What does that mean? It means that her serving was actually hindering her or handicapping her. It was actually hampering her or impeding her from serving the Lord. See, she was working for the Lord, but her work for the Lord, her service for the Lord was actually hindering her spiritual growth. And notice the contrast. The contrast of Martha is Mary. Look at verse 39. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word. Now what is the application here with Mary? The application, look, Jesus of course is physically here having dinner with them, talking to them, teaching them and Mary chooses to take time out of her busy schedule and sit down at Jesus’ feet and she heard his word.
You say, “How do we apply that today to us?” Well, look, Jesus is the word and the idea is this, that we ought to take time to make sure that we are spending time with God and his word. We ought to make sure that we are spending time and we are taking time with the word of God, with the Bible and we’re spending time with Jesus and we’re hearing the word and letting it help us. Here’s what you need to understand, Martha was working for the Lord. Here’s the application. Say what was wrong with what Martha was doing? She was working for the Lord, but she was not walking with the Lord. You understand what I just said? Do you understand that you can serve God and yet not be spiritual? Do you understand that you can be doing things and having emotion for God and have actions that are serving and working. But here we are told that her working was actually hindering her. Her working was actually cumbering her. Her working was actually impeding her from growing spiritually.
Why? Because you can work for the Lord and yet not be walking with the Lord. And by the way, this is why people get drained spiritually while serving the Lord. You say, why? Because they serve the Lord in the flesh. Because they’re not getting their source or their nutrients, they’re not getting renewed through the word and through the Lord Jesus Christ. But they’re doing it just out of the flesh. They’re not doing it from the spirit. They’re not doing it from the proper source. The Bible talks a lot about this and I’ll just give you some passages just to kind of look at. Go open the book of Psalms, Psalm one, very first psalm. If you open your Bible just right in the center, you’ll more than likely fall in the book of Psalms, go to Psalm one. Let me just say this. I believe that the primary application, and I like this story about Mary and Martha.
One of the reasons that I don’t go to this story a lot is because I believe that the primary application for this story is meant for people who are in full time ministry or who are serving the Lord in full time ministry. Honestly, the primary application for this story in my opinion is that it should be applied to pastors and pastor’s wives. It should be applied to staff people, people who work for church full time and their wives. It should be applied to evangelists, the missionaries, the people who are serving the Lord. Because here’s the honest truth. It is very easy to begin to work for the Lord and to get so busy working for God that you forget to walk with God. You get so busy writing sermons, you don’t read the Bible. You get so busy doing things for God that you’re not spending time with God. I do think that that’s probably the primary application. Obviously I’m not preaching to 197 people here this morning. I’m not preaching to 197 preachers.
So I’m going to apply this to you, but the application to you church member, the application to you volunteer, the application to you non full-time ministry worker is this, that you can work for the Lord and not be walking with the Lord. And you say, “Well, what’s the problem if I don’t read my Bible, if I don’t pray, if I’m not spiritual, but I show up to all the services, I serve, I sing in the choir, I’m in the orchestra, I’m an usher. I show up for the workdays, I’m doing whatever. What’s the problem with me working and yet not walking, me serving and yet not being spiritual?” Here’s the problem. You will get drained. You will not make it. You will not last long. I remember a pastor told me this years ago that … he said statistics, that is I’m not sure where he got this from, but he said that in church life, you can basically count on the fact that most people will quit living the Christian life.
We’re not talking about losing your salvation, but they’ll quit walking with God and serving the Lord within the first three years or really after third year mark of just kind of giving their life to God and serving for God. And if they can make it pass those three years, they’ll usually quit at the seven year mark. I remember that always stuck with me and when I started pastoring and I started kind of watching people and I started kind of taking notes on people, I realized that a lot of times we have people that come in and out, people that will be in for a few weeks get offended and leave. I’m not talking about those people. But whenever we’ve had people that were part of this church meaning, they were Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night soul winners. They were working for God. They were in it and then they just kind of quit or they just kind of had some major problems or they just kind of left.
It seems and this is just anecdotal evidence, but I’ve found that that statistic is very much true. It usually happens around the three year Mark. Someone will just get connected for about three years and then they’ll quit or they’ll get connected for about seven years and then they’ll quit. And you say, why is that? Here’s why I believe that is because they are working for God but they are not walking with God. When you work for the Lord but you don’t walk with the Lord, you will get drained. You say, “Pastor, how can I be the type of Christian that works for God and works with God for years?” Because listen to me, the Christian life is not measured by years. Honestly people like to walk around and brag and boast about all these things. I’m not impressed with how many years you’ve been doing anything. You know the Christian life is measured by decades. Don’t talk to me about two or three years. Come talk to me about two or three decades.
You’ve been soul winning for two decades then we can talk, then I’ll be impressed. When you’ve been serving God for three decades, then we can talk. Then we’ll be impressed. And you say, “Well, why is that the center?” Because so few people make it to that mark. So few people actually walk with God for a lifetime. You say, why? Because the Christian life, if not done properly … please understand this. The Christian life if not done properly will drain you. It’ll burn you out. You cannot sustain walking with God in your flesh. Do you understand that? You cannot sustain living the Christian life, living by standards, living with integrity, doing right? You cannot sustain that in your flesh. You must do it in the spirit. And if you find yourself being a Martha who’s working for God but not walking with God. She’s serving the Lord, but she’s not spiritual, she’s not focused on the spiritual aspect, you will burn out. So let’s talk about this. How to not be drained spiritually when serving the Lord. Well, here’s the secret.
The secret isn’t do less. That’s called getting backslidden. You know the term backslidden means you’re doing less than you used to do. Look, if you’re doing less today for Christ than you did in the past, you are by definition backslidden. So the secret is not to do less. No, no, no, no. The secret is you got to get plugged in to the source that’ll renew you. Psalm one, look at verse two. Notice what the Bible says. But his delight and notice verse one says, blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor walk in the ways of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. And by the way, all of that, if you’re doing the flesh, it will wear on you. Living the separated life, living the life that takes the higher road, that takes the higher ground, that walks with integrity. All of that will drain you. You say, “Well, how do we do that? How do we do that and not get drain?” But his delight is in the law of the Lord.
Notice the focus is on the word of God. His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law that he meditate day and night. Notice what the Bible says when your delight is in the law of the Lord and when you delight yourself and you meditate upon the word day and night. Here’s the promise from God. Verse three and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. He’s going to be like a tree. He said, your Christianity can be like a tree that is planted near the source that provides nutrients. The source that strengthens it. He says he shall be like a tree planted by the waters and that spreads out of her roots by the river. Notice you say, what’s the result of getting connected to the … Doesn’t the bible talk about being washed by the water of the word? Here the rivers is being used in illustration. The water is being used in illustration of God’s word.
Here’s what he says, Christian, when you are a tree that get your roots down deep in the water in the river. Notice what it says. He shall be like a tree planted by the waters that bringeth forth, it’s fruit and it’s season, and by the way, that’s talking about soul winning. Maybe you need to spend a little more time in the Bible. Maybe need to spend a little more time in the word. I’m not saying that’s the only reason you want to see somebody saved. Obviously, we go to the difficult areas, we understand that. But here the Bible says he that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. Notice don’t miss this. This is what I want you to see. His leaf also show not wither and whatsoever he doeth so prosper. See if you are a tree, if your Christian life is a treat that has leaves that are withering, all that should just signal you. That should just tell you that you are not connected to the word.
That you don’t have your roots in the water, you’re doing it in the flesh and you won’t last very long. Go to Jeremiah chapter 17 let me show you same thing from another passage. Jeremiah chapter 17 you’re there in Psalm. Now, do me a favor, keep your place there in Psalm. We’re going to leave it. We’re going to come back to it. Keep your place in psalms, go Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah. Let me just say this, if you’ve ever said these words or thought these words, if you’ve ever said or thought to yourself, “Oh, churches just kind of burning me out. I’m just kind of getting a little tired of church. It’s a little too much work.” Just realize that when you’re feeling that way, what you should be realizing in your mind, whether you understand it or not is this. That the problem is not church, the problem is you.
And the fact that you are not connected into the word because look, a tree that’s planted by the rivers of water, it’s leaves shall not wither. It’ll be strong. It’ll be renewed, it’ll be strengthened. So why do Christians burnout? Here’s why they burn out. Pastor, is it because, Oh, too much work, too much church, too much serving? Maybe we need to scale back the church services. Maybe it’s too many church. You’ll really because the Bible says so much the more, the Bible says for seeking not the assembling of yourselves together as a matter of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. Oh, maybe we need to scale back. No, maybe you need to get connected to the word.
If church wears you out there’s something wrong with you spiritually. Do understand that? When you’re actually walking with God, you’re actually in the word. When Christ is your life, you know that church actually will renew you and strengthen you. You’ll spend all week at work, just spent all week with the world, you spend all week out there in the world, and then you’ll physically be tired on Wednesday night. You show up to church on a Wednesday night. You get around God’s people, you start singing God’s praises, you study God’s word, and then all of a sudden, man, you’re feeling renewed. You’ll say, why? Because the word of God will renew you. The word of God will strengthen you. Jeremiah 17:8, notice what the Bible says. Jeremiah 17:8, the Bible says this, for he shall be as a tree. This is a very similar to what we just read in psalm one, For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth out her roots by the river.
This was talking about the source. It’s talking about getting your roots connected to those source. Notice what happens to the Christian that gets the roots deep down in the water of God’s word. Notice and shall not see when he cometh. You understand that? He says, when a tree gets rooted down, gets it’s roots down in the water. It shall not see when he comes. When everything gets hot, when everything gets dry, here’s the picture he’s giving you. He’s saying, imagine a tree that’s over by a river and it’s got its roots connected to that river and it’s getting its source and its nutrients from that river. He says, when everything gets hot and all the other trees begin to die, begin to wither, begin to have their leaves die and it begins wither, this tree, the tree connected to the water, it shall not see when he cometh. The truth matter is this when the heat comes, when the hard times comes, when things get difficult and everybody else is complaining and everybody else is saying it’s too much, I can’t deal with it.
Other Christians are like, man, I’m fine. You’ll say, “Oh, whoa, what are they just different.” Maybe they just got their roots out in the word. They got the roots down in the water. Oh, really? Persecution came, I didn’t notice. Oh, really hard times came, I didn’t notice. Oh really? Things got difficult, I didn’t notice. He says he shall not see when he cometh, but her leaves shall be green and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. See, when everybody else is in a drought, a tree that has its roots planted in the river water, it shall not see when he cometh, the Bible says. Because it’s source, because it’s renewal comes from the word of God. Let me give you another example. Go to John chapter … I just want to show you. This is throughout all the Bible, John chapter 15 in the new Testament, you have Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Maybe you’re here this morning.
You’re saying, “Man, I’m getting a little burnt out. I’m getting a little tired. Church again? Soul winning again?” Look, if you’ve ever said these words, “I remember one church used to be exciting. I remember when soul winning used to be exciting.” Look here’s all you’re saying. Just please translation. I’m backslidden I need to get right with God, I need to get in the word. Because a Christian that’s connected in the word of God, they don’t get tired. I’m not talking about physically, obviously we all get tired of physical. You need to take a day to rest and have your body renewed, but spiritually they don’t get drained. They can burn for Christ and not burn out when they’re connected to the word. John 15:3, notice what Jesus said. John 15:3, now you are a clean through. Notice the emphasis, the word. Now you are clean through the word which I’ve spoken unto you. Now, who’s the word? Remember, Jesus. Notice what he says in verse four, abide in me and I in you as the branch.
Now we’re using a different analogy. Before it was a tree with it’s roots in the waters. Now the analogy is a branch. Notice as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abides in the vine. So we’re talking about a vine that’s the source and the branch is coming off the vine. Except to abide in the vine no more can you except ye abide in me. I am vine, you’re the branches. He that a bite of than me and I in him the same bringeth forth. Isn’t it funny how consistent the Bible is? Those same bringeth forth much fruit. We saw it in Psalms, we saw in Jeremiah, we see it in John. If you could connect it to the word, if you get connected to the vine, if you get connected to the source, God promises you will bring forth fruit. Maybe you got to quit complaining about how difficult it is to go soul winning in Sacramento. You got to spend more time in the word of God.
Maybe you ought to quit complaining about how hard it is to go soul winning. Oh, hey maybe your problem is you need to get connected in the vine. Because it’s funny how other people get people saved. It’s funny how other people can do soul winning for years and years and years and years and years and not get burnt out. It’s not that they’re ultra-spiritual or they’re better than you, is that maybe they’ve learned the secret that staying in the race and staying in the course and staying in it for decades, it’s connected to how much time you spent with God. Because you can work for the Lord and not walk with the Lord. I am the vine, you’re the branches. He that abide in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me, Christian, without me you can do nothing. Notice verse six. If a man abide not in me, this is Martha. You serve, but you’re not spiritual. You work, but you’re not walking.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch. People tried to take this verse to teach. You can lose your salvation. Look, this is a parable. This isn’t an analogy. You ought not get your doctrine from parables, you got to get your doctrine from clear statements in the Bible. You can still look at a story and twist it whatever way you can, but here’s what I believe the application to this story is because I know you can’t lose your salvation. I was clear about that. You say, what do you think this is talking about? Here’s what he’s saying. If a man abide not in me, he has cast fourth as a branch, notice these words and is withered. See, the tree is planted by the rivers of water, it bringeth forth it’s fruit in it’s season, it’s leaf also shall not wither. But a Christian who’s not abiding in Christ, the Bible says he will wither.
What do you think this is talking? I think it’s talking about not staying in the fight, not staying in the Christian life, not staying in the course. If a man abide not in me, he has cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned. What’s he saying? Here’s what he’s saying and please understand this. Your work, you say is this parable about us doing less. You will never find that concept in the Bible. The Bible says to be steadfast, always abounding in the work of the Lord. He never tells you to do less work for the Lord. He says, you ought to be abounding in the work for Lord, but here’s what he’s saying. Your work for Jesus should be an outgrow of your walk with Jesus. Your work for Jesus should not be at the expense of your walk with Jesus.
Because we learned from Martha that you can work for the Lord and not walk with the Lord. You can serve and not be spiritual. You say, “Well, what can we expect from that?” Here’s all we can expect from that is that you will not last. You will not last long. You will get drained. You will get burnt. You’ll begin to say things and think things. Like, maybe it’s too much. Maybe the church is keeping me too busy. Maybe you’d say it’s just not sustainable. You’re right, it’s not sustainable in the flesh. You can’t do it in the flesh. You can’t do it unless you’re connected to the vine. So I want you to notice, you go back to Luke chapter 10. We see that Martha was drained spiritually. Why? Because she was working for the Lord, but she was not walking with the Lord. Because she was serving, but she was not spiritual. Like you notice, secondly, this morning, not only was Martha drained spiritually, but Martha was disgruntled socially.
Martha was a disgruntled church member. We’ve got some Marthas at Verity Baptist Church right now. In fact, every church has a Martha in it. We’ve got several, I’m sure. Martha was a disgruntled church member. She was drained spiritually and she was disgruntled socially. And let me just say this and look, we ought to take some introspection this morning. You ought to ask yourself, am I Martha or am I Mary? Are you a disgruntled church member? You say, “How can I tell?” We’ll take those tests. I’ll help you out. Notice let’s look at the characteristics of Martha. Why was she disgruntled? Number one, she was complaining. Luke 10:40, but Martha was cumbered about much serving and came to him and said. Notice what she says, “Lord does thou not care?” You know what she’s doing? Complaining. It’s not fair. I’m not getting the recognition that … Listen, disgruntled church member. See, I don’t know if I’m disgruntled. Well, you know and by the way, we do too.
But let’s just quantify it. What makes you a disgruntled church member? Do you complain? And I realized that from time to time, all of us complain. But are you just a complainer? Constantly complaining. She was complaining. I mean, she’s got the Lord Jesus Christ having dinner at her house and she can ask for anything. She can pray about anything. She can ask him anything. And she was worried with just her, Lord does thou not care? Notice she was complaining. Notice secondly, she was comparing. Lord does thou not care? Verse 40, notice what she says that my sister has left me to serve alone. Now she’s comparing herself with her sister. I’m doing this while she’s doing … Doesn’t the Bible say that we dare not make ourselves with a number or compare ourselves with them, some that commend themselves? But they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise.
Here we’ve got Martha, the disgruntled church member and her real problem is that she’s drained spiritually, her real problem is that she’s a canal Christian, her real problem is that she’s not walking with God. She may be working for God, but she’s not walking with the Lord. She may be serving, but she’s not spiritual. And that shows up in her life as complaining, as comparing. Lord does thou not care that my sister had left me to serve alone? Notice thirdly, she was criticizing. Notice what she says in verse 40. Bid her there for that she help me. What is she doing? Criticizing. She’s not doing the right thing. Make her do the right thing. Make her do what I’m doing. Because she’s complaining and she’s comparing and she’s critical. And here’s the truth. She’s disgruntled because she’s upset because she’s serving God, but she’s not walking with God. And here’s the honest truth.
If you don’t get connected to the vine, you’ll be disgruntled too, I would. You think living the Christian life is worth it if we’re not doing it for God? I mean, if I’m going live for myself, I mean, why don’t I just go make a lot of money somewhere and go live a real comfortable life somewhere and forget all the persecutors and forget all the backstabbing, forget all the people talking crap about you, forget all that. I’m going to do it for me. Now if I’m doing it for the Lord, I’m not being sustained with the Lord, and if I’m walking with the Lord and if I’m connected to the Lord, that’s different. But she was drained spiritually. She was disgruntled socially. She was complaining. She was comparing, she was criticizing. And let me just tell you something. Marthas make serving God miserable. I mean, imagine Mary’s sitting there. She’s like, “We get to have dinner with Jesus. I’m going to go sit at the feet of Jesus. I’m going to go spend time with Jesus.”
And she’s sitting there, you don’t think she can overhear. I mean, unless she lives in some mansion Martha. Martha was probably you ever … when people talk loud enough for you to hear. Lord does thou not care? Make her do. I’m upset. I’m disgruntled. I’m burnt out. I’m upset. Let me tell you something. Serving God with people like Martha is miserable. Look, and here’s the thing. Go to Acts chapter 20 let me show you this. I’ve showed you this before, but I want to show it to you again. Acts chapter 20 you’re there in Luke, you’ve got John, Acts chapter 20. Here’s the thing, I would rather do less with people that are happy to serve God than to accomplish much with people that are just negative and critical and cynical and ugly and mean.
Few months ago, I was guest speaking somewhere and I preached a sermon called the best of the worst church members. Martha would fall in that category. She was the best of the worst. She was getting things done, but she was ruining relationships in the process. She was getting things done, but she couldn’t get things done without comparing and complaining and criticizing and ruining the joy. Do you know the Bible says that we as a church ought to be like a family? Bible says that we as a church are to be like an army. The Bible says that we as a church are to be like a body. The Bible says that we as a church are to be like a building. One of these days I’m going to preach a series on a Sunday nights, everything that the Bible compares the church to. You know that all those things only work if they’re working together?
You can’t win battles when you’re fighting each other. Your body won’t be healthy when it’s fighting itself. And look, when you’ve got, you say, Oh man, I’m Martha, Marthas are great, they’re doing so much. No, you know what? Sometimes I’d rather do less and not have Martha. Because the truth is this. Notice what Paul says, Acts chapter 20:24. But none of these things move me, neither account I my life dear unto myself. Acts 20:24, notice these words so that I might finish my course. Now usually when we talk about Paul, we talking about finishing the course. We look at first Timothy and we look at that when he says, I’m going to finish my course and I’m going to get things done and I’m going to get things accomplished. And all that’s good and all that’s great, but I want you to notice in Acts chapter 20, he says that I might finish my course. Look, you’ve got to finish your course. You should strive for finishing your course. You should strive for finishing what God has called you to do. But notice he says, finish my course. Don’t miss this with joy.
Congregation: Amen.
Pastor Jimenez: Do you understand what I just said? See, Martha might finish her course, ugly, upset, irritable and irritated, ruining relationships. I don’t want to be Martha and I don’t want to be around Martha. So you say, pastor, “Do you want to be in it for the long run?” Yeah, I want to be able for the long run, but I want to be in it for the long run with joy. You say, “Well, how do you do that?” Well, you go back to point number one, get connected to the vine, get connected to the word. Get your roots down into the water and you can finish this thing out with joy. Look, it’s not just about finishing your course and look at some of you need to just decide you’re going to finish the course because you’re about to quit and you need to just realize that I’m backslidden and I just need to make a decision to get right with God.
But understand this, once you get right with God, get connected to the word. Then get some joy back in your life. You’ll get joy in her life when you quit comparing, when you quit complaining, when you quit criticizing. Decide, look, I don’t want … Look, pastor do you believe in divorce? I don’t believe in divorce. I don’t believe any divorce covers, any couples should ever get divorced. I think you made a vow to your spouse. You got to stick with it till death do us part. But listen to me. It’d be better if you finish that course of marriage with joy. Not just we going to stay married to the better end. Good night, who wants to live with you? I want to finish my marriage with joy. I want to finish my ministry with joy. I want to finish what God has given my wife and I to raise our children. Let’s do that with joy.
Not critical, not cynical, not comparing, not complaining. See, we see that Martha was drained spiritually. She was disgruntled socially. Let me give you one last thing on this point. Go to Proverbs 22. If you got your place in Psalms, right after Psalms, you have the book of Proverbs, Proverbs 22. When people are disgruntled, let me just help you out. I’m trying to help you as a pastor. When people are disgruntled, if they’re not going to get right with God, it’s better for them to leave. You understand that it’s okay for some people to leave. Sometimes people get really discouraged, “Oh, so and so left.” Sometimes I think of myself, praise the Lord. Sometimes people leave and I think to myself, that’s an answered prayer. Hey, pastor, I can’t believe you would say that. You know that there are people right now. I’m won’t to tell you their names and I won’t show you my prayer list, but there are people right now. And my wife and are praying, Lord, help them get right with God, help them get right or help them get out.
Because they’re angry, bitter, critical, complaining, comparing, spirit is hurting the cause of Christ. You say, I can’t believe you’re saying that. Proverbs 22:10, cast out the scorner and contentions shall go out, strife and reproach shall cease. You know what I believe? I believe that there some people, if they left the gossiping would all of a sudden let’s just stop. If they left the strife, the pinning against each other, the cliques and the, I don’t like you and all of that would just … You say why? Because you cast out the scorner contentions cease, strifes go out. You cast out the scorner and reproach and strife and contentions, go out. So look maybe you’re here this morning, you say, “Hey, I think he’s talking about me.” Look, let me help you out with something.
You’ve ever have to ask yourself while I’m preaching, is he talking about me. Yeah, it’s you. I can’t believe, it’s called the Holy spirit of God. I mean, you think I just get up here to preach to fake people that don’t have problems. It’s 197 people here this morning with a lot of issues. I wonder if you start. Yes, it’s you, you’re the problem. You’re disgruntled in your … I’m a complainer. I’m a criticizer. I’m a cynical, I’m angry. I’m causing all sorts of problems. I wonder if it to me. Yeah, it’s you. Look, if you’re here this morning, you say, that’s me and I’m not getting ready to get right with God then do us all a favor and just go. For the little rest of you, be okay with that. It’s okay sometimes people to go. Now look, I realize, and here’s the problem. Here’s the problem with what I just said, is that in nine years of ministry, I’ve never seen this. I’m not saying it hasn’t happened, I’ve just never seen it in nine years of ministry, and I’ve never known a pastor who’s said this.
I’ve known lots of pastors who are going to attest to what I’m going to tell you right now. Most people when they leave the church, they can’t just be honest and say, “Listen brother, here’s the truth.” Because you know, a friend will call and say, “Hey, I haven’t seen you in church in a while. And most people can’t say this. They can’t say, here’s the truth, I’m not right with God. I’m backslidden, remember that Martha sermon, that was me. Most people don’t have the courage to say that. You know what most people do? They have to figure out something that they’re against so they can leave and say, “Well, here’s why we left. Look most of the time, and just know this. Just understand this. Most of the time when people leave, the reason they left for is not the real reason. That’s the reason they want to tell you. That’s not the real reason. And we have to be okay with that.
My wife and I, we got to market. We stay up on the same night and we just got to kind of talk, how’s church today? How are people doing? There’s certain people we’re praying for and it’s not a negative thing. We’re just kind of praying for them. How are they doing? They seem okay. Are they going through something or whatever? There’s some people that problem people and we just kind of house so-and-so. How’s Martha? Doing well. And we’ll just kind of talk through some of these things. We’ll stay up on Sunday night, we’ll just kind of rehearse the day and how are things going and how’s the spirit of the church and these things. Sometimes we’ll say man, I’ve noticed so and so has been kind of complaining a little bit. I’ve noticed so and so they’ve been a little critical, their spirits been different. My wife will say, well, step two, they’re going to start picking something apart.
Sure enough, a couple of weeks it started bringing up, I don’t like … things we’ve been doing for years. It’s funny, I didn’t bother you for three years, but now all of a sudden I don’t really like how we do this and here’s all it is and here’s all it is. They’re looking for their reason to be able to leave and look and you say, pastor, why are you bringing this up? I’m just bringing this up to help you. Those of you, the Mary’s, I’m just trying to help you. It’s okay when people leave. Sometimes it’s better when they leave. Go back to Luke chapter 10. What we learn from the encounter with Martha? We learned that Martha was drained spiritually because you can work for the Lord and not walk with the Lord. And when you work for the Lord and you don’t walk with the Lord, when you serve the Lord and you’re not spiritual, you will burn out. And it’s not just you, it’s all of us.
Well, I’m not preaching to preachers here, but I do have several staff people here this morning and listened to all of you staff guys and staff wives, you better make sure you’re in the word because this job will knock you out. We deal with a lot of things and a lot of burdens and a lot of problems. You’ve got to make sure you’re connected to that viner, you’re not going to make it. Better Christians than you and better pastors than me have quit because they forgot that you can’t work for God without walking with God. We see that Martha was disgruntled socially. How can I do introspection and inspect myself? Well, ask yourself honestly, truthfully, how’s your complaining? How’s your comparing? How’s your criticism? If you can put a check by all of those, Hey, you’re not doing well spiritually, I’m just trying to help you out. You’re not doing well spiritually. Like notice thirdly, Martha was disappointed by the savior.
She was drained spiritually. She was disgruntled socially. She was disappointed by the savior. Notice Luke chapter 10 and verse 41 and Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou are careful and troubled about many things and [inaudible 00:40:27] specifically your sister Mary. Please get this while Martha was this approving of others. It’s funny how the Marthas always want to tell you how bad everybody else is doing, how they would do it different, how they would do it better. How if it was my decision, if I could choose, if I could do that, I would never wear, I would never go. Does thou not care? While Martha was disapproving of others, Jesus says thou are careful and troubled about many things. Verse 42 but one thing is needful and Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
I want you to notice while Martha was disapproving of others, Jesus was disapproving of her. I think because we don’t get to go to dinner with Jesus and have Jesus kind of tell us what he thinks about us right then and there. I think there’s going to be a whole lot of Martha’s who are we going to get to the judgment seat of Christ? And when I say Martha, I’m not just talking about ladies, there’s a male Martha’s here, there’s some Martin’s. There’s going to be, some people they’re going to get to the judgment seat of Christ and they’re to be surprise how disappointed Jesus was. They’re going to be disappointed at the judgment seat of Christ because while they were the experts and they were the ultra spiritual and they were just disapproving of everybody and they can tell you how everybody’s doing it wrong and how they would do it better and that person is this and that person that. While they were judging everyone, Jesus was judging them. While they were disapproving of others, Jesus was disapproving of them.
You’re going to get to the judgment seat of Christ. Go to Matthew chapter six. I was really hesitant to go to this passage because I feel like I’ve gone to this passage recently and I’m planning to go to this passage again for one of our sermons in the drop dead series. But I thought, you know what? Maybe God just wants us in this passage. Maybe we just need it. Maybe the reason that this keeps coming up over and over is because this is what we do right now. But I think a lot of Christians because here’s what the best of the worst church member thinks. They think, well, I’m doing more than everyone else, so I’m awesome. They don’t realize that actions matter but so does attitude. Motion matters but motives matter also. If you want it to be approved of God and rewarded by God, you better make sure your motion is right and your motives are right.
You better make sure your actions are good and your attitude is good because there’s two ways to lose your rewards. One is by not working. The other one is by having the wrong attitude while you’re working, doing it for the wrong reason. Matthew 6:1, take heed that you do not your alms before men. Well, we shouldn’t do alms then. No, no, no, no, backslidden one. That’s not what he’s saying. Take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them. Here’s what he’s saying. Don’t do it for the wrong motives. Martha, why are you so busy? Why are you doing so much? Is it just to be seen of men? And here’s the point. Otherwise you have no reward of your father, which is in heaven. Here’s what he’s saying. Well, when you don’t serve no rewards, 1st Corinthians three very clear. If you do nothing for God, God says you’ll be saved as by fire. You can go to heaven, but there’s no reward for no work. But in Matthew six we’re taught, but if you work for God for the wrong reason, if you work for God with the wrong motive, if you work for God with the wrong spirit, if you do for God with the wrong attitude, God says you’ll lose your awards too.
He says, take heed that you do not your alms and for men to be seen of them. Otherwise you have no reward of your father, which is in heaven. Look at verse two, therefore, when thou doest thine alms, he’s not saying don’t do your alms. He says when thou doest thy alms do not sound the trumpet before the … Here’s how we would bring this up in 2019. When thou doest thine alms, don’t put a picture on Facebook about it. Don’t put a picture on Twitter about it. Don’t put a picture on Instagram about it. Therefore, when thou doest thine alm .. you know that you’re allowed to be a good parent and you don’t have to post all your good parenting on social media. In fact, God says if you are just trying to be a good parent so that everyone else sees how great you are and in the process how much they stink.
God says, that’s fine, but you have no reward from me. He says, therefore when thou doest thy alms, do not sound the trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogue and in the streets that they may have glory of men. You know what I think? I think that guys like me, that the Lord has given some small measure of platform and influence. Guys like me are going to be really surprised when we get to heaven and we receive whatever awards the Lord gives us and I hope the Lord gives us some reward. I think people are going to be surprised. They’re going to be like, Whoa, I would think positive so and so was going to get a lot of reward and there’s going to be just something lowly, meek and quiet church lady who just serve God just quietly in a corner somewhere. Never talked about it, never bragged about it, never posted it anywhere, never said anything, never made an announcement about it. Because just God says, look, it matters to me what you do, but it also matters to me why you do it.
He says, look, if you’re doing it to have glory of men, verily I say unto you, they have their reward. And look, if you’re living the Christian life, to have glory of men to have people say, “Wow, you are so amazing.” That eventually will burn out because eventually it’s just not worth it. Look, I’m speaking to you as a guy who, here at Verity Baptist Church I’m your pastor and I praise the Lord for it. I always think it’s funny to me how true the Bible is. The Bible says that a prophet is not without honor except in his own country. And I get that and I appreciate that and you guys are all loving and caring, but here I’m just pastor Jimenez and I’m your pastor. I’ve traveled places, I go places when people act like, “Oh well can you sign my Bible? Can you do this? Can you do that?”
I appreciate it. I’m not saying that in a disrespectful, I appreciate that. But let me tell you something that will not get you through the Christian life. And if you are living the Christian life for the one week of red hot preaching conference, when people act like you’re some great star, you will not make it. So appreciate the appreciation, but make sure you’re connected in the word. Realize that God has put people around you to bless you, but realize that that won’t get you through. It feels like, “Oh, I’m not getting the attention that I deserve and the recognition that I deserve. I do so much.” Look then you’re doing it for the wrong reason and you’re disgruntled and you’re critical and you’re cynical. It’s funny to me, people get mad like, “Oh, pastor doesn’t give us the recognition we deserve.” And I’m like, “You’re so critical and cynical and complaining and causing so many problems. Why would I recognize you?”
It’s like this circle, this vicious circle. Why would I uplift someone that’s in the middle of all the drama all the time? Well now praise. Look at verse five, thou shall not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. Please understand this and I don’t know, you said, pastor, you just brought this up a while ago. I know, and I’m going to bring it up again. Look, I’ll tell about three weeks from now on Sunday night, I’m going to bring this up again. So why are you bringing? I don’t know. It seems like it’s just going with everything that we we’re putting together for sermons. Maybe God just needs us to hear this, but please understand this motion matters, but motives matter. Actions matter but attitude matters.
You can work for the Lord and not be walking with the Lord. You say, how do we know if that’s us? Are you disgruntled? Are you complaining? Are you critical? Are you comparing? Are you burnt out? Well, you should be burnt out. You’re doing it in the flesh. Go to Luke chapter 10:42. We have Martha, the disgruntled church member, but then we have Mary. I want you to notice this real quickly, look at Mary. Luke chapter 10, let’s talk about this. How to make sure that what you do for God lasts because I don’t know about you. But if I’m going to give my life to something, I want to make sure it lasts. I want to make sure I get, I don’t want … Look, don’t give me recognition on earth, I want the credit in heaven. I want that crown that I can cast at Jesus’ feet. That’s what I want. Notice what Jesus says, but one thing is needful and Mary has chosen the good part. Notice what he says, which shall not be taken away from her.
You know what Jesus is saying to Martha? Here is what he’s saying, Martha, Martha, you’re troubled and careful about many things and none of it is going to last. Because you’re doing much for the wrong reason and you have your reward. But he says, you see Mary, what she’s doing, that shall not be taken away from her. You say, “Well, how do we make sure that that’s us? How do we make sure that what we do is actually something that will last?” Verse 42 but one thing is needful. See, here’s what I know. If you spend time at the feet of Jesus, you will not help but to serve Jesus. But if you serve Jesus without spending time with Jesus, you will burn out. So Jesus says to Martha, he says, “Martha, Mary’s doing exactly what she needs to be doing. One thing is needful and Mary has chosen that good part.” Go to 2nd Corinthians chapter four we’re done. Well, this is the last place we’ll look at. 2nd Corinthians chapter four, you’ve got Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1st Corinthians, 2nd Corinthians.
You say, “Pastor, I don’t want a burn out. I want to stay with it and stay at it and I don’t want to do it for the wrong reasons. I want to get rewards and I want God to be approve of what I’m doing. I don’t want to be wasting my time.” Well, look in your flesh and understand this, in your flesh, your flesh will get burnt out. Your flesh will get tired. Your flesh will get discouraged. I’m not going to stand up here and tell you, I’m just always so sure [inaudible 00:52:13] trying. Let’s do something [inaudible 00:52:14]. There’s times when I get discouraged. Sometimes my wife gets discouraged. It’s human nature. 2nd Corinthians 4:16 says this, but Paul says, here’s the secret to not quit. He says, for which cause we faint not. Now if you read the context of this chapter, you’ll find that he’s talking about all the persecution, all the trials, all the heartaches, all the hard things. That’s what he’s referring to and he says, ” For which cause we faint not. He says, those things don’t drain us. Those things don’t cause us to faint. We don’t get drained. We don’t get knocked down. We don’t get out of the fight for which cause we faint not.”
You say, “How do you do it, Paul? How do you go through the persecution, through the imprisonment, through the beatings, through the people backstabbing you and lying about you? How do you do it? How do you get through it?” He says, “But though the outward man perish.” He said, “Look, in my flesh, the outward man, it perishes, the outward man gets tired. The outward man gets sad, the outward man gets discouraged. The outward man wants to quit. People think, they look at pastors and they go, “You guys must be spiritual.” Every pastor I know quit some ministry about three times a day. But though the outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. So how do you stay with it? How do you faint not? You make sure the inward man everyday is renewed through the word of God. Just spending time with Jesus to getting your roots down deep into the river and getting your branch attached to the vine. Otherwise you’ll be drained and disgruntled. And at the judgment seat of Christ disappointed.
Let’s bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Heavenly father, thank you Lord for your word. Thank you for the Bible. Thank you for these stories you’ve given us. Lord, I pray that if there are people here who are disgruntled, complaining, comparing, and criticizing, that you would help them to get their hearts right. Lord I pray they genuinely get their hearts right. They would apologize to some people, that they make things right. Lord, if they refuse to, I pray you’d make them leave because I want to serve you in joy, and sometimes Martha is just not worth keeping around. Lord I pray, you’d bless our church. I pray you strengthen our church. I pray you’d help us to be filled with Christians that are working for you, but not at the expense of walking with you in the matchless name of Christ we pray. Amen.
Today we see him with Mary and Martha. The conversation is primarily between Jesus and Martha but Mary’s part of it. You’re there in Luke chapter 10, look at verse number 38. Luke chapter 10:38, the Bible says this, now it came to pass as they went, that he, that’s Jesus entered into a certain village and a certain woman named Martha, received him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, she also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word. Now this is the same Martha and Mary that later on we find out that they have another famous brother named Lazarus. Remember Lazarus dies and Jesus resurrects him from the dead and this is the same Mary. This is a family that’s very close to Jesus. He was good friends with them. Here, Jesus is invited over to basically have dinner with Mary and Martha.
When he is at this meeting, he has this conversation with Martha about Mary and about serving in general. And there were several negative lessons that we can learn from the story of Martha. I want to just point those out to you this morning quickly. We won’t be any longer than we need to be. If you’re taking notes and I would encourage you to take notes on the back of your chorus of the week. There’s a place for you to write down some sermon notes. I want you to notice just some negative things about Martha. Martha in this story is not really highlighted as a positive person. I do think she was saved and I do think that she loved the Lord, but she’s being used here. Sometimes when you study the Bible, I teach the guys that when I teach them on teaching and preaching, and I tell them, you got to look at a passage and ask yourself, why did God give us this a story? Why did God give us this text? Why didn’t God give us this chapter?
When you look at this passage and you ask yourself, why did God give us a story about Martha and about Mary? I believe that the primary reason is to show us how to serve properly or to show us someone who’s serving in an improper way. Now I want you to notice several things from this story. The first is this, and if you want to write some notes down, write this down. I’d encourage you to do that. Number one, I’d like you to notice that Martha was drained spiritually. Martha was drained spiritually. She was spiritually drained. I want you to notice that she was serving the Lord, but there was a certain way in which she was serving. Luke chapter 10:40, notice what the Bible says. But Martha was cumbered. You see that word cumbered there. The word cumbered means to be hindered. It means to be hampered. It means to be impeded. Notice what the Bible says, Martha was cumbered about much serving.
I want you to notice that Martha was actually serving. She was working for the Lord. Now here’s the wrong applications of this passage. Let me just go ahead and give this disclaimer. This passage or this story is in no way teaching us that it is wrong to serve. There is absolutely nothing wrong with serving. If you take that application from this passage is going to put you at odds with all sorts of other passages in the Bible where God actually tells us that we ought to serve him, that we ought to work for him, that we were created for work and that we were created to be his, that we were to be co-laborers with him. All throughout the Bible we’re told that we ought to work with God and work for God and be involved in the service of the Lord. So sometimes people will look at this passage and they’ll say, “The application here is that we shouldn’t work that hard for the Lord.”
No, that’s not the application. The application is this, that there is a wrong way to work for the Lord. There is a wrong way to serve the Lord. Here we are told that she was a serving much but she was cumbered about much serving. What does that mean? It means that her serving was actually hindering her or handicapping her. It was actually hampering her or impeding her from serving the Lord. See, she was working for the Lord, but her work for the Lord, her service for the Lord was actually hindering her spiritual growth. And notice the contrast. The contrast of Martha is Mary. Look at verse 39. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word. Now what is the application here with Mary? The application, look, Jesus of course is physically here having dinner with them, talking to them, teaching them and Mary chooses to take time out of her busy schedule and sit down at Jesus’ feet and she heard his word.
You say, “How do we apply that today to us?” Well, look, Jesus is the word and the idea is this, that we ought to take time to make sure that we are spending time with God and his word. We ought to make sure that we are spending time and we are taking time with the word of God, with the Bible and we’re spending time with Jesus and we’re hearing the word and letting it help us. Here’s what you need to understand, Martha was working for the Lord. Here’s the application. Say what was wrong with what Martha was doing? She was working for the Lord, but she was not walking with the Lord. You understand what I just said? Do you understand that you can serve God and yet not be spiritual? Do you understand that you can be doing things and having emotion for God and have actions that are serving and working. But here we are told that her working was actually hindering her. Her working was actually cumbering her. Her working was actually impeding her from growing spiritually.
Why? Because you can work for the Lord and yet not be walking with the Lord. And by the way, this is why people get drained spiritually while serving the Lord. You say, why? Because they serve the Lord in the flesh. Because they’re not getting their source or their nutrients, they’re not getting renewed through the word and through the Lord Jesus Christ. But they’re doing it just out of the flesh. They’re not doing it from the spirit. They’re not doing it from the proper source. The Bible talks a lot about this and I’ll just give you some passages just to kind of look at. Go open the book of Psalms, Psalm one, very first psalm. If you open your Bible just right in the center, you’ll more than likely fall in the book of Psalms, go to Psalm one. Let me just say this. I believe that the primary application, and I like this story about Mary and Martha.
One of the reasons that I don’t go to this story a lot is because I believe that the primary application for this story is meant for people who are in full time ministry or who are serving the Lord in full time ministry. Honestly, the primary application for this story in my opinion is that it should be applied to pastors and pastor’s wives. It should be applied to staff people, people who work for church full time and their wives. It should be applied to evangelists, the missionaries, the people who are serving the Lord. Because here’s the honest truth. It is very easy to begin to work for the Lord and to get so busy working for God that you forget to walk with God. You get so busy writing sermons, you don’t read the Bible. You get so busy doing things for God that you’re not spending time with God. I do think that that’s probably the primary application. Obviously I’m not preaching to 197 people here this morning. I’m not preaching to 197 preachers.
So I’m going to apply this to you, but the application to you church member, the application to you volunteer, the application to you non full-time ministry worker is this, that you can work for the Lord and not be walking with the Lord. And you say, “Well, what’s the problem if I don’t read my Bible, if I don’t pray, if I’m not spiritual, but I show up to all the services, I serve, I sing in the choir, I’m in the orchestra, I’m an usher. I show up for the workdays, I’m doing whatever. What’s the problem with me working and yet not walking, me serving and yet not being spiritual?” Here’s the problem. You will get drained. You will not make it. You will not last long. I remember a pastor told me this years ago that … he said statistics, that is I’m not sure where he got this from, but he said that in church life, you can basically count on the fact that most people will quit living the Christian life.
We’re not talking about losing your salvation, but they’ll quit walking with God and serving the Lord within the first three years or really after third year mark of just kind of giving their life to God and serving for God. And if they can make it pass those three years, they’ll usually quit at the seven year mark. I remember that always stuck with me and when I started pastoring and I started kind of watching people and I started kind of taking notes on people, I realized that a lot of times we have people that come in and out, people that will be in for a few weeks get offended and leave. I’m not talking about those people. But whenever we’ve had people that were part of this church meaning, they were Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night soul winners. They were working for God. They were in it and then they just kind of quit or they just kind of had some major problems or they just kind of left.
It seems and this is just anecdotal evidence, but I’ve found that that statistic is very much true. It usually happens around the three year Mark. Someone will just get connected for about three years and then they’ll quit or they’ll get connected for about seven years and then they’ll quit. And you say, why is that? Here’s why I believe that is because they are working for God but they are not walking with God. When you work for the Lord but you don’t walk with the Lord, you will get drained. You say, “Pastor, how can I be the type of Christian that works for God and works with God for years?” Because listen to me, the Christian life is not measured by years. Honestly people like to walk around and brag and boast about all these things. I’m not impressed with how many years you’ve been doing anything. You know the Christian life is measured by decades. Don’t talk to me about two or three years. Come talk to me about two or three decades.
You’ve been soul winning for two decades then we can talk, then I’ll be impressed. When you’ve been serving God for three decades, then we can talk. Then we’ll be impressed. And you say, “Well, why is that the center?” Because so few people make it to that mark. So few people actually walk with God for a lifetime. You say, why? Because the Christian life, if not done properly … please understand this. The Christian life if not done properly will drain you. It’ll burn you out. You cannot sustain walking with God in your flesh. Do you understand that? You cannot sustain living the Christian life, living by standards, living with integrity, doing right? You cannot sustain that in your flesh. You must do it in the spirit. And if you find yourself being a Martha who’s working for God but not walking with God. She’s serving the Lord, but she’s not spiritual, she’s not focused on the spiritual aspect, you will burn out. So let’s talk about this. How to not be drained spiritually when serving the Lord. Well, here’s the secret.
The secret isn’t do less. That’s called getting backslidden. You know the term backslidden means you’re doing less than you used to do. Look, if you’re doing less today for Christ than you did in the past, you are by definition backslidden. So the secret is not to do less. No, no, no, no. The secret is you got to get plugged in to the source that’ll renew you. Psalm one, look at verse two. Notice what the Bible says. But his delight and notice verse one says, blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor walk in the ways of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. And by the way, all of that, if you’re doing the flesh, it will wear on you. Living the separated life, living the life that takes the higher road, that takes the higher ground, that walks with integrity. All of that will drain you. You say, “Well, how do we do that? How do we do that and not get drain?” But his delight is in the law of the Lord.
Notice the focus is on the word of God. His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law that he meditate day and night. Notice what the Bible says when your delight is in the law of the Lord and when you delight yourself and you meditate upon the word day and night. Here’s the promise from God. Verse three and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. He’s going to be like a tree. He said, your Christianity can be like a tree that is planted near the source that provides nutrients. The source that strengthens it. He says he shall be like a tree planted by the waters and that spreads out of her roots by the river. Notice you say, what’s the result of getting connected to the … Doesn’t the bible talk about being washed by the water of the word? Here the rivers is being used in illustration. The water is being used in illustration of God’s word.
Here’s what he says, Christian, when you are a tree that get your roots down deep in the water in the river. Notice what it says. He shall be like a tree planted by the waters that bringeth forth, it’s fruit and it’s season, and by the way, that’s talking about soul winning. Maybe you need to spend a little more time in the Bible. Maybe need to spend a little more time in the word. I’m not saying that’s the only reason you want to see somebody saved. Obviously, we go to the difficult areas, we understand that. But here the Bible says he that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. Notice don’t miss this. This is what I want you to see. His leaf also show not wither and whatsoever he doeth so prosper. See if you are a tree, if your Christian life is a treat that has leaves that are withering, all that should just signal you. That should just tell you that you are not connected to the word.
That you don’t have your roots in the water, you’re doing it in the flesh and you won’t last very long. Go to Jeremiah chapter 17 let me show you same thing from another passage. Jeremiah chapter 17 you’re there in Psalm. Now, do me a favor, keep your place there in Psalm. We’re going to leave it. We’re going to come back to it. Keep your place in psalms, go Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah. Let me just say this, if you’ve ever said these words or thought these words, if you’ve ever said or thought to yourself, “Oh, churches just kind of burning me out. I’m just kind of getting a little tired of church. It’s a little too much work.” Just realize that when you’re feeling that way, what you should be realizing in your mind, whether you understand it or not is this. That the problem is not church, the problem is you.
And the fact that you are not connected into the word because look, a tree that’s planted by the rivers of water, it’s leaves shall not wither. It’ll be strong. It’ll be renewed, it’ll be strengthened. So why do Christians burnout? Here’s why they burn out. Pastor, is it because, Oh, too much work, too much church, too much serving? Maybe we need to scale back the church services. Maybe it’s too many church. You’ll really because the Bible says so much the more, the Bible says for seeking not the assembling of yourselves together as a matter of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. Oh, maybe we need to scale back. No, maybe you need to get connected to the word.
If church wears you out there’s something wrong with you spiritually. Do understand that? When you’re actually walking with God, you’re actually in the word. When Christ is your life, you know that church actually will renew you and strengthen you. You’ll spend all week at work, just spent all week with the world, you spend all week out there in the world, and then you’ll physically be tired on Wednesday night. You show up to church on a Wednesday night. You get around God’s people, you start singing God’s praises, you study God’s word, and then all of a sudden, man, you’re feeling renewed. You’ll say, why? Because the word of God will renew you. The word of God will strengthen you. Jeremiah 17:8, notice what the Bible says. Jeremiah 17:8, the Bible says this, for he shall be as a tree. This is a very similar to what we just read in psalm one, For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth out her roots by the river.
This was talking about the source. It’s talking about getting your roots connected to those source. Notice what happens to the Christian that gets the roots deep down in the water of God’s word. Notice and shall not see when he cometh. You understand that? He says, when a tree gets rooted down, gets it’s roots down in the water. It shall not see when he comes. When everything gets hot, when everything gets dry, here’s the picture he’s giving you. He’s saying, imagine a tree that’s over by a river and it’s got its roots connected to that river and it’s getting its source and its nutrients from that river. He says, when everything gets hot and all the other trees begin to die, begin to wither, begin to have their leaves die and it begins wither, this tree, the tree connected to the water, it shall not see when he cometh. The truth matter is this when the heat comes, when the hard times comes, when things get difficult and everybody else is complaining and everybody else is saying it’s too much, I can’t deal with it.
Other Christians are like, man, I’m fine. You’ll say, “Oh, whoa, what are they just different.” Maybe they just got their roots out in the word. They got the roots down in the water. Oh, really? Persecution came, I didn’t notice. Oh, really hard times came, I didn’t notice. Oh really? Things got difficult, I didn’t notice. He says he shall not see when he cometh, but her leaves shall be green and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. See, when everybody else is in a drought, a tree that has its roots planted in the river water, it shall not see when he cometh, the Bible says. Because it’s source, because it’s renewal comes from the word of God. Let me give you another example. Go to John chapter … I just want to show you. This is throughout all the Bible, John chapter 15 in the new Testament, you have Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Maybe you’re here this morning.
You’re saying, “Man, I’m getting a little burnt out. I’m getting a little tired. Church again? Soul winning again?” Look, if you’ve ever said these words, “I remember one church used to be exciting. I remember when soul winning used to be exciting.” Look here’s all you’re saying. Just please translation. I’m backslidden I need to get right with God, I need to get in the word. Because a Christian that’s connected in the word of God, they don’t get tired. I’m not talking about physically, obviously we all get tired of physical. You need to take a day to rest and have your body renewed, but spiritually they don’t get drained. They can burn for Christ and not burn out when they’re connected to the word. John 15:3, notice what Jesus said. John 15:3, now you are a clean through. Notice the emphasis, the word. Now you are clean through the word which I’ve spoken unto you. Now, who’s the word? Remember, Jesus. Notice what he says in verse four, abide in me and I in you as the branch.
Now we’re using a different analogy. Before it was a tree with it’s roots in the waters. Now the analogy is a branch. Notice as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abides in the vine. So we’re talking about a vine that’s the source and the branch is coming off the vine. Except to abide in the vine no more can you except ye abide in me. I am vine, you’re the branches. He that a bite of than me and I in him the same bringeth forth. Isn’t it funny how consistent the Bible is? Those same bringeth forth much fruit. We saw it in Psalms, we saw in Jeremiah, we see it in John. If you could connect it to the word, if you get connected to the vine, if you get connected to the source, God promises you will bring forth fruit. Maybe you got to quit complaining about how difficult it is to go soul winning in Sacramento. You got to spend more time in the word of God.
Maybe you ought to quit complaining about how hard it is to go soul winning. Oh, hey maybe your problem is you need to get connected in the vine. Because it’s funny how other people get people saved. It’s funny how other people can do soul winning for years and years and years and years and years and not get burnt out. It’s not that they’re ultra-spiritual or they’re better than you, is that maybe they’ve learned the secret that staying in the race and staying in the course and staying in it for decades, it’s connected to how much time you spent with God. Because you can work for the Lord and not walk with the Lord. I am the vine, you’re the branches. He that abide in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me, Christian, without me you can do nothing. Notice verse six. If a man abide not in me, this is Martha. You serve, but you’re not spiritual. You work, but you’re not walking.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch. People tried to take this verse to teach. You can lose your salvation. Look, this is a parable. This isn’t an analogy. You ought not get your doctrine from parables, you got to get your doctrine from clear statements in the Bible. You can still look at a story and twist it whatever way you can, but here’s what I believe the application to this story is because I know you can’t lose your salvation. I was clear about that. You say, what do you think this is talking about? Here’s what he’s saying. If a man abide not in me, he has cast fourth as a branch, notice these words and is withered. See, the tree is planted by the rivers of water, it bringeth forth it’s fruit in it’s season, it’s leaf also shall not wither. But a Christian who’s not abiding in Christ, the Bible says he will wither.
What do you think this is talking? I think it’s talking about not staying in the fight, not staying in the Christian life, not staying in the course. If a man abide not in me, he has cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned. What’s he saying? Here’s what he’s saying and please understand this. Your work, you say is this parable about us doing less. You will never find that concept in the Bible. The Bible says to be steadfast, always abounding in the work of the Lord. He never tells you to do less work for the Lord. He says, you ought to be abounding in the work for Lord, but here’s what he’s saying. Your work for Jesus should be an outgrow of your walk with Jesus. Your work for Jesus should not be at the expense of your walk with Jesus.
Because we learned from Martha that you can work for the Lord and not walk with the Lord. You can serve and not be spiritual. You say, “Well, what can we expect from that?” Here’s all we can expect from that is that you will not last. You will not last long. You will get drained. You will get burnt. You’ll begin to say things and think things. Like, maybe it’s too much. Maybe the church is keeping me too busy. Maybe you’d say it’s just not sustainable. You’re right, it’s not sustainable in the flesh. You can’t do it in the flesh. You can’t do it unless you’re connected to the vine. So I want you to notice, you go back to Luke chapter 10. We see that Martha was drained spiritually. Why? Because she was working for the Lord, but she was not walking with the Lord. Because she was serving, but she was not spiritual. Like you notice, secondly, this morning, not only was Martha drained spiritually, but Martha was disgruntled socially.
Martha was a disgruntled church member. We’ve got some Marthas at Verity Baptist Church right now. In fact, every church has a Martha in it. We’ve got several, I’m sure. Martha was a disgruntled church member. She was drained spiritually and she was disgruntled socially. And let me just say this and look, we ought to take some introspection this morning. You ought to ask yourself, am I Martha or am I Mary? Are you a disgruntled church member? You say, “How can I tell?” We’ll take those tests. I’ll help you out. Notice let’s look at the characteristics of Martha. Why was she disgruntled? Number one, she was complaining. Luke 10:40, but Martha was cumbered about much serving and came to him and said. Notice what she says, “Lord does thou not care?” You know what she’s doing? Complaining. It’s not fair. I’m not getting the recognition that … Listen, disgruntled church member. See, I don’t know if I’m disgruntled. Well, you know and by the way, we do too.
But let’s just quantify it. What makes you a disgruntled church member? Do you complain? And I realized that from time to time, all of us complain. But are you just a complainer? Constantly complaining. She was complaining. I mean, she’s got the Lord Jesus Christ having dinner at her house and she can ask for anything. She can pray about anything. She can ask him anything. And she was worried with just her, Lord does thou not care? Notice she was complaining. Notice secondly, she was comparing. Lord does thou not care? Verse 40, notice what she says that my sister has left me to serve alone. Now she’s comparing herself with her sister. I’m doing this while she’s doing … Doesn’t the Bible say that we dare not make ourselves with a number or compare ourselves with them, some that commend themselves? But they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise.
Here we’ve got Martha, the disgruntled church member and her real problem is that she’s drained spiritually, her real problem is that she’s a canal Christian, her real problem is that she’s not walking with God. She may be working for God, but she’s not walking with the Lord. She may be serving, but she’s not spiritual. And that shows up in her life as complaining, as comparing. Lord does thou not care that my sister had left me to serve alone? Notice thirdly, she was criticizing. Notice what she says in verse 40. Bid her there for that she help me. What is she doing? Criticizing. She’s not doing the right thing. Make her do the right thing. Make her do what I’m doing. Because she’s complaining and she’s comparing and she’s critical. And here’s the truth. She’s disgruntled because she’s upset because she’s serving God, but she’s not walking with God. And here’s the honest truth.
If you don’t get connected to the vine, you’ll be disgruntled too, I would. You think living the Christian life is worth it if we’re not doing it for God? I mean, if I’m going live for myself, I mean, why don’t I just go make a lot of money somewhere and go live a real comfortable life somewhere and forget all the persecutors and forget all the backstabbing, forget all the people talking crap about you, forget all that. I’m going to do it for me. Now if I’m doing it for the Lord, I’m not being sustained with the Lord, and if I’m walking with the Lord and if I’m connected to the Lord, that’s different. But she was drained spiritually. She was disgruntled socially. She was complaining. She was comparing, she was criticizing. And let me just tell you something. Marthas make serving God miserable. I mean, imagine Mary’s sitting there. She’s like, “We get to have dinner with Jesus. I’m going to go sit at the feet of Jesus. I’m going to go spend time with Jesus.”
And she’s sitting there, you don’t think she can overhear. I mean, unless she lives in some mansion Martha. Martha was probably you ever … when people talk loud enough for you to hear. Lord does thou not care? Make her do. I’m upset. I’m disgruntled. I’m burnt out. I’m upset. Let me tell you something. Serving God with people like Martha is miserable. Look, and here’s the thing. Go to Acts chapter 20 let me show you this. I’ve showed you this before, but I want to show it to you again. Acts chapter 20 you’re there in Luke, you’ve got John, Acts chapter 20. Here’s the thing, I would rather do less with people that are happy to serve God than to accomplish much with people that are just negative and critical and cynical and ugly and mean.
Few months ago, I was guest speaking somewhere and I preached a sermon called the best of the worst church members. Martha would fall in that category. She was the best of the worst. She was getting things done, but she was ruining relationships in the process. She was getting things done, but she couldn’t get things done without comparing and complaining and criticizing and ruining the joy. Do you know the Bible says that we as a church ought to be like a family? Bible says that we as a church are to be like an army. The Bible says that we as a church are to be like a body. The Bible says that we as a church are to be like a building. One of these days I’m going to preach a series on a Sunday nights, everything that the Bible compares the church to. You know that all those things only work if they’re working together?
You can’t win battles when you’re fighting each other. Your body won’t be healthy when it’s fighting itself. And look, when you’ve got, you say, Oh man, I’m Martha, Marthas are great, they’re doing so much. No, you know what? Sometimes I’d rather do less and not have Martha. Because the truth is this. Notice what Paul says, Acts chapter 20:24. But none of these things move me, neither account I my life dear unto myself. Acts 20:24, notice these words so that I might finish my course. Now usually when we talk about Paul, we talking about finishing the course. We look at first Timothy and we look at that when he says, I’m going to finish my course and I’m going to get things done and I’m going to get things accomplished. And all that’s good and all that’s great, but I want you to notice in Acts chapter 20, he says that I might finish my course. Look, you’ve got to finish your course. You should strive for finishing your course. You should strive for finishing what God has called you to do. But notice he says, finish my course. Don’t miss this with joy.
Congregation: Amen.
Pastor Jimenez: Do you understand what I just said? See, Martha might finish her course, ugly, upset, irritable and irritated, ruining relationships. I don’t want to be Martha and I don’t want to be around Martha. So you say, pastor, “Do you want to be in it for the long run?” Yeah, I want to be able for the long run, but I want to be in it for the long run with joy. You say, “Well, how do you do that?” Well, you go back to point number one, get connected to the vine, get connected to the word. Get your roots down into the water and you can finish this thing out with joy. Look, it’s not just about finishing your course and look at some of you need to just decide you’re going to finish the course because you’re about to quit and you need to just realize that I’m backslidden and I just need to make a decision to get right with God.
But understand this, once you get right with God, get connected to the word. Then get some joy back in your life. You’ll get joy in her life when you quit comparing, when you quit complaining, when you quit criticizing. Decide, look, I don’t want … Look, pastor do you believe in divorce? I don’t believe in divorce. I don’t believe any divorce covers, any couples should ever get divorced. I think you made a vow to your spouse. You got to stick with it till death do us part. But listen to me. It’d be better if you finish that course of marriage with joy. Not just we going to stay married to the better end. Good night, who wants to live with you? I want to finish my marriage with joy. I want to finish my ministry with joy. I want to finish what God has given my wife and I to raise our children. Let’s do that with joy.
Not critical, not cynical, not comparing, not complaining. See, we see that Martha was drained spiritually. She was disgruntled socially. Let me give you one last thing on this point. Go to Proverbs 22. If you got your place in Psalms, right after Psalms, you have the book of Proverbs, Proverbs 22. When people are disgruntled, let me just help you out. I’m trying to help you as a pastor. When people are disgruntled, if they’re not going to get right with God, it’s better for them to leave. You understand that it’s okay for some people to leave. Sometimes people get really discouraged, “Oh, so and so left.” Sometimes I think of myself, praise the Lord. Sometimes people leave and I think to myself, that’s an answered prayer. Hey, pastor, I can’t believe you would say that. You know that there are people right now. I’m won’t to tell you their names and I won’t show you my prayer list, but there are people right now. And my wife and are praying, Lord, help them get right with God, help them get right or help them get out.
Because they’re angry, bitter, critical, complaining, comparing, spirit is hurting the cause of Christ. You say, I can’t believe you’re saying that. Proverbs 22:10, cast out the scorner and contentions shall go out, strife and reproach shall cease. You know what I believe? I believe that there some people, if they left the gossiping would all of a sudden let’s just stop. If they left the strife, the pinning against each other, the cliques and the, I don’t like you and all of that would just … You say why? Because you cast out the scorner contentions cease, strifes go out. You cast out the scorner and reproach and strife and contentions, go out. So look maybe you’re here this morning, you say, “Hey, I think he’s talking about me.” Look, let me help you out with something.
You’ve ever have to ask yourself while I’m preaching, is he talking about me. Yeah, it’s you. I can’t believe, it’s called the Holy spirit of God. I mean, you think I just get up here to preach to fake people that don’t have problems. It’s 197 people here this morning with a lot of issues. I wonder if you start. Yes, it’s you, you’re the problem. You’re disgruntled in your … I’m a complainer. I’m a criticizer. I’m a cynical, I’m angry. I’m causing all sorts of problems. I wonder if it to me. Yeah, it’s you. Look, if you’re here this morning, you say, that’s me and I’m not getting ready to get right with God then do us all a favor and just go. For the little rest of you, be okay with that. It’s okay sometimes people to go. Now look, I realize, and here’s the problem. Here’s the problem with what I just said, is that in nine years of ministry, I’ve never seen this. I’m not saying it hasn’t happened, I’ve just never seen it in nine years of ministry, and I’ve never known a pastor who’s said this.
I’ve known lots of pastors who are going to attest to what I’m going to tell you right now. Most people when they leave the church, they can’t just be honest and say, “Listen brother, here’s the truth.” Because you know, a friend will call and say, “Hey, I haven’t seen you in church in a while. And most people can’t say this. They can’t say, here’s the truth, I’m not right with God. I’m backslidden, remember that Martha sermon, that was me. Most people don’t have the courage to say that. You know what most people do? They have to figure out something that they’re against so they can leave and say, “Well, here’s why we left. Look most of the time, and just know this. Just understand this. Most of the time when people leave, the reason they left for is not the real reason. That’s the reason they want to tell you. That’s not the real reason. And we have to be okay with that.
My wife and I, we got to market. We stay up on the same night and we just got to kind of talk, how’s church today? How are people doing? There’s certain people we’re praying for and it’s not a negative thing. We’re just kind of praying for them. How are they doing? They seem okay. Are they going through something or whatever? There’s some people that problem people and we just kind of house so-and-so. How’s Martha? Doing well. And we’ll just kind of talk through some of these things. We’ll stay up on Sunday night, we’ll just kind of rehearse the day and how are things going and how’s the spirit of the church and these things. Sometimes we’ll say man, I’ve noticed so and so has been kind of complaining a little bit. I’ve noticed so and so they’ve been a little critical, their spirits been different. My wife will say, well, step two, they’re going to start picking something apart.
Sure enough, a couple of weeks it started bringing up, I don’t like … things we’ve been doing for years. It’s funny, I didn’t bother you for three years, but now all of a sudden I don’t really like how we do this and here’s all it is and here’s all it is. They’re looking for their reason to be able to leave and look and you say, pastor, why are you bringing this up? I’m just bringing this up to help you. Those of you, the Mary’s, I’m just trying to help you. It’s okay when people leave. Sometimes it’s better when they leave. Go back to Luke chapter 10. What we learn from the encounter with Martha? We learned that Martha was drained spiritually because you can work for the Lord and not walk with the Lord. And when you work for the Lord and you don’t walk with the Lord, when you serve the Lord and you’re not spiritual, you will burn out. And it’s not just you, it’s all of us.
Well, I’m not preaching to preachers here, but I do have several staff people here this morning and listened to all of you staff guys and staff wives, you better make sure you’re in the word because this job will knock you out. We deal with a lot of things and a lot of burdens and a lot of problems. You’ve got to make sure you’re connected to that viner, you’re not going to make it. Better Christians than you and better pastors than me have quit because they forgot that you can’t work for God without walking with God. We see that Martha was disgruntled socially. How can I do introspection and inspect myself? Well, ask yourself honestly, truthfully, how’s your complaining? How’s your comparing? How’s your criticism? If you can put a check by all of those, Hey, you’re not doing well spiritually, I’m just trying to help you out. You’re not doing well spiritually. Like notice thirdly, Martha was disappointed by the savior.
She was drained spiritually. She was disgruntled socially. She was disappointed by the savior. Notice Luke chapter 10 and verse 41 and Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou are careful and troubled about many things and [inaudible 00:40:27] specifically your sister Mary. Please get this while Martha was this approving of others. It’s funny how the Marthas always want to tell you how bad everybody else is doing, how they would do it different, how they would do it better. How if it was my decision, if I could choose, if I could do that, I would never wear, I would never go. Does thou not care? While Martha was disapproving of others, Jesus says thou are careful and troubled about many things. Verse 42 but one thing is needful and Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
I want you to notice while Martha was disapproving of others, Jesus was disapproving of her. I think because we don’t get to go to dinner with Jesus and have Jesus kind of tell us what he thinks about us right then and there. I think there’s going to be a whole lot of Martha’s who are we going to get to the judgment seat of Christ? And when I say Martha, I’m not just talking about ladies, there’s a male Martha’s here, there’s some Martin’s. There’s going to be, some people they’re going to get to the judgment seat of Christ and they’re to be surprise how disappointed Jesus was. They’re going to be disappointed at the judgment seat of Christ because while they were the experts and they were the ultra spiritual and they were just disapproving of everybody and they can tell you how everybody’s doing it wrong and how they would do it better and that person is this and that person that. While they were judging everyone, Jesus was judging them. While they were disapproving of others, Jesus was disapproving of them.
You’re going to get to the judgment seat of Christ. Go to Matthew chapter six. I was really hesitant to go to this passage because I feel like I’ve gone to this passage recently and I’m planning to go to this passage again for one of our sermons in the drop dead series. But I thought, you know what? Maybe God just wants us in this passage. Maybe we just need it. Maybe the reason that this keeps coming up over and over is because this is what we do right now. But I think a lot of Christians because here’s what the best of the worst church member thinks. They think, well, I’m doing more than everyone else, so I’m awesome. They don’t realize that actions matter but so does attitude. Motion matters but motives matter also. If you want it to be approved of God and rewarded by God, you better make sure your motion is right and your motives are right.
You better make sure your actions are good and your attitude is good because there’s two ways to lose your rewards. One is by not working. The other one is by having the wrong attitude while you’re working, doing it for the wrong reason. Matthew 6:1, take heed that you do not your alms before men. Well, we shouldn’t do alms then. No, no, no, no, backslidden one. That’s not what he’s saying. Take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them. Here’s what he’s saying. Don’t do it for the wrong motives. Martha, why are you so busy? Why are you doing so much? Is it just to be seen of men? And here’s the point. Otherwise you have no reward of your father, which is in heaven. Here’s what he’s saying. Well, when you don’t serve no rewards, 1st Corinthians three very clear. If you do nothing for God, God says you’ll be saved as by fire. You can go to heaven, but there’s no reward for no work. But in Matthew six we’re taught, but if you work for God for the wrong reason, if you work for God with the wrong motive, if you work for God with the wrong spirit, if you do for God with the wrong attitude, God says you’ll lose your awards too.
He says, take heed that you do not your alms and for men to be seen of them. Otherwise you have no reward of your father, which is in heaven. Look at verse two, therefore, when thou doest thine alms, he’s not saying don’t do your alms. He says when thou doest thy alms do not sound the trumpet before the … Here’s how we would bring this up in 2019. When thou doest thine alms, don’t put a picture on Facebook about it. Don’t put a picture on Twitter about it. Don’t put a picture on Instagram about it. Therefore, when thou doest thine alm .. you know that you’re allowed to be a good parent and you don’t have to post all your good parenting on social media. In fact, God says if you are just trying to be a good parent so that everyone else sees how great you are and in the process how much they stink.
God says, that’s fine, but you have no reward from me. He says, therefore when thou doest thy alms, do not sound the trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogue and in the streets that they may have glory of men. You know what I think? I think that guys like me, that the Lord has given some small measure of platform and influence. Guys like me are going to be really surprised when we get to heaven and we receive whatever awards the Lord gives us and I hope the Lord gives us some reward. I think people are going to be surprised. They’re going to be like, Whoa, I would think positive so and so was going to get a lot of reward and there’s going to be just something lowly, meek and quiet church lady who just serve God just quietly in a corner somewhere. Never talked about it, never bragged about it, never posted it anywhere, never said anything, never made an announcement about it. Because just God says, look, it matters to me what you do, but it also matters to me why you do it.
He says, look, if you’re doing it to have glory of men, verily I say unto you, they have their reward. And look, if you’re living the Christian life, to have glory of men to have people say, “Wow, you are so amazing.” That eventually will burn out because eventually it’s just not worth it. Look, I’m speaking to you as a guy who, here at Verity Baptist Church I’m your pastor and I praise the Lord for it. I always think it’s funny to me how true the Bible is. The Bible says that a prophet is not without honor except in his own country. And I get that and I appreciate that and you guys are all loving and caring, but here I’m just pastor Jimenez and I’m your pastor. I’ve traveled places, I go places when people act like, “Oh well can you sign my Bible? Can you do this? Can you do that?”
I appreciate it. I’m not saying that in a disrespectful, I appreciate that. But let me tell you something that will not get you through the Christian life. And if you are living the Christian life for the one week of red hot preaching conference, when people act like you’re some great star, you will not make it. So appreciate the appreciation, but make sure you’re connected in the word. Realize that God has put people around you to bless you, but realize that that won’t get you through. It feels like, “Oh, I’m not getting the attention that I deserve and the recognition that I deserve. I do so much.” Look then you’re doing it for the wrong reason and you’re disgruntled and you’re critical and you’re cynical. It’s funny to me, people get mad like, “Oh, pastor doesn’t give us the recognition we deserve.” And I’m like, “You’re so critical and cynical and complaining and causing so many problems. Why would I recognize you?”
It’s like this circle, this vicious circle. Why would I uplift someone that’s in the middle of all the drama all the time? Well now praise. Look at verse five, thou shall not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. Please understand this and I don’t know, you said, pastor, you just brought this up a while ago. I know, and I’m going to bring it up again. Look, I’ll tell about three weeks from now on Sunday night, I’m going to bring this up again. So why are you bringing? I don’t know. It seems like it’s just going with everything that we we’re putting together for sermons. Maybe God just needs us to hear this, but please understand this motion matters, but motives matter. Actions matter but attitude matters.
You can work for the Lord and not be walking with the Lord. You say, how do we know if that’s us? Are you disgruntled? Are you complaining? Are you critical? Are you comparing? Are you burnt out? Well, you should be burnt out. You’re doing it in the flesh. Go to Luke chapter 10:42. We have Martha, the disgruntled church member, but then we have Mary. I want you to notice this real quickly, look at Mary. Luke chapter 10, let’s talk about this. How to make sure that what you do for God lasts because I don’t know about you. But if I’m going to give my life to something, I want to make sure it lasts. I want to make sure I get, I don’t want … Look, don’t give me recognition on earth, I want the credit in heaven. I want that crown that I can cast at Jesus’ feet. That’s what I want. Notice what Jesus says, but one thing is needful and Mary has chosen the good part. Notice what he says, which shall not be taken away from her.
You know what Jesus is saying to Martha? Here is what he’s saying, Martha, Martha, you’re troubled and careful about many things and none of it is going to last. Because you’re doing much for the wrong reason and you have your reward. But he says, you see Mary, what she’s doing, that shall not be taken away from her. You say, “Well, how do we make sure that that’s us? How do we make sure that what we do is actually something that will last?” Verse 42 but one thing is needful. See, here’s what I know. If you spend time at the feet of Jesus, you will not help but to serve Jesus. But if you serve Jesus without spending time with Jesus, you will burn out. So Jesus says to Martha, he says, “Martha, Mary’s doing exactly what she needs to be doing. One thing is needful and Mary has chosen that good part.” Go to 2nd Corinthians chapter four we’re done. Well, this is the last place we’ll look at. 2nd Corinthians chapter four, you’ve got Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1st Corinthians, 2nd Corinthians.
You say, “Pastor, I don’t want a burn out. I want to stay with it and stay at it and I don’t want to do it for the wrong reasons. I want to get rewards and I want God to be approve of what I’m doing. I don’t want to be wasting my time.” Well, look in your flesh and understand this, in your flesh, your flesh will get burnt out. Your flesh will get tired. Your flesh will get discouraged. I’m not going to stand up here and tell you, I’m just always so sure [inaudible 00:52:13] trying. Let’s do something [inaudible 00:52:14]. There’s times when I get discouraged. Sometimes my wife gets discouraged. It’s human nature. 2nd Corinthians 4:16 says this, but Paul says, here’s the secret to not quit. He says, for which cause we faint not. Now if you read the context of this chapter, you’ll find that he’s talking about all the persecution, all the trials, all the heartaches, all the hard things. That’s what he’s referring to and he says, ” For which cause we faint not. He says, those things don’t drain us. Those things don’t cause us to faint. We don’t get drained. We don’t get knocked down. We don’t get out of the fight for which cause we faint not.”
You say, “How do you do it, Paul? How do you go through the persecution, through the imprisonment, through the beatings, through the people backstabbing you and lying about you? How do you do it? How do you get through it?” He says, “But though the outward man perish.” He said, “Look, in my flesh, the outward man, it perishes, the outward man gets tired. The outward man gets sad, the outward man gets discouraged. The outward man wants to quit. People think, they look at pastors and they go, “You guys must be spiritual.” Every pastor I know quit some ministry about three times a day. But though the outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. So how do you stay with it? How do you faint not? You make sure the inward man everyday is renewed through the word of God. Just spending time with Jesus to getting your roots down deep into the river and getting your branch attached to the vine. Otherwise you’ll be drained and disgruntled. And at the judgment seat of Christ disappointed.
Let’s bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Heavenly father, thank you Lord for your word. Thank you for the Bible. Thank you for these stories you’ve given us. Lord, I pray that if there are people here who are disgruntled, complaining, comparing, and criticizing, that you would help them to get their hearts right. Lord I pray they genuinely get their hearts right. They would apologize to some people, that they make things right. Lord, if they refuse to, I pray you’d make them leave because I want to serve you in joy, and sometimes Martha is just not worth keeping around. Lord I pray, you’d bless our church. I pray you strengthen our church. I pray you’d help us to be filled with Christians that are working for you, but not at the expense of walking with you in the matchless name of Christ we pray. Amen.