“That Good Part”

[NetChaplain]

All Christians traverse through the same conformation progressions, because it is the same Spirit working in them the same life of the Lord Jesus (Col 3:4). The desire to please the Lord is a two-fold progression which usually begins with our service to Him, and then we learn the superior significance of the other, which is our place in Him. When we finally learn that the latter is always of first importance, it is then we grow in the conformity, which in turn provides a greater effect in our service to Him.

The best depiction of this is disclosed by the Lord Jesus in Luke 10:38-42 where He told Martha she was, “worried and troubled about many things” (v 41), which were probably due to wondering if her service would be sufficient enough to please Him, in which case she is more concerned with how she thinks the Lord will consider her, instead of how He thinks He considers her. In Christianity growth is not how one considers self in Christ by service (which definitely has its place). It is not how one considerers self at all but rather how one considers Christ and our place with Him (Col 3:3), and when this is predominant to service, then will service increase, because there is the increase in our “being conformed” (Rom 8:29) when we come from Christ and then to service (not the invert).

When we are beholding the Lord Jesus by thinking on how He considers us (always goodness) more than how we consider ourselves, we can apply His command of “let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1) towards all things. Fruitful service is always finalized by the peace it brings in knowing the believer will always be right with God in Christ, regardless the tempest outside, and the tempting and testings of the “old man” inside.

-NC


GROWTH FOR SERVICE -MJS
http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/

 

[B-A-C]

I really like the verse you listed above. ( Rom 8:29; ) which is contrasted by Rom 12:2; and 1 Pet 1:14;
God does want us to be conformed to the image of Christ. He wants us to be imitators of Christ ( 1 Cor 11:1; Eph 5:1; )
A common theme through the Bible is that we should be a new creature, a new creation, a new man in Christ.
God's desire is that our character would be like God's character. What is the character of God?

 

[DHC]

I really like the verse you listed above. ( Rom 8:29; ) which is contrasted by Rom 12:2; and 1 Pet 1:14;
God does want us to be conformed to the image of Christ. He wants us to be imitators of Christ ( 1 Cor 11:1; Eph 5:1; )
A common theme through the Bible is that we should be a new creature, a new creation, a new man in Christ.
God's desire is that our character would be like God's character. What is the character of God?

Hello B-A-C.

A very well written post rather surprising.

A common theme through the Bible is that we should be a new creature, a new creation, a new man in Christ.

Yes B-A-C and very well written, that is an important part of the revelation of Christ's creative work and the very language of the
New Testament. A new creature fashioned by the Spirit in Christ. A new creation and a new spiritual creation in Christ, a New Covenant
person.

God's desire is that our character would be like God's character. What is the character of God?

Love B-A-C, God is Love. The law points to Christ and love. We emulate Christ only by
the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Christ's sole mission was the reconciliation of
mankind to His Father. Christ fulfilled the law for our benefit so that we could become
the new creation. It is not so much our moral character that God is after. God has
created a fresh and new spiritual creature by the dwelling of God Himself within us.

Flesh and the Spirit is real dividing line within this creation that we inhabit.

It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that is the character that God desires. Love above all
is the ultimate manifestation of the work of the Holy Spirit. We are both renewed and
gifted daily as God manifests a purity of love in and through our mind and hearts.

Ephesians 3
16...to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ
may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height
and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be
filled up to all the fullness of God.

 

[james1523]

Jesus was not concerned that Martha was serving, he never told her to stop serving, he was addressing her heart attitude.
God wants us to obey Him and work for Him out of a position of quietful trust, peace and rest.

 

[SpiritLedEd]

Jesus was not concerned that Martha was serving, he never told her to stop serving, he was addressing her heart attitude.
God wants us to obey Him and work for Him out of a position of quietful trust, peace and rest.

"But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made" (Lk 10:40). She lost track of the fact that her guest, Jesus, had miraculously fed thousands; I'm sure that story had gotten around all over Judea by the time of His visit to her home.

SLE

 

[Giggles4God]

As a woman, our nature is to serve our families and guests. To nurture. To make sure everyone is eating, etc. If you tell a woman to stop being a Proverbs 31 woman, that is wrong. I think the main thing about "that good part" and what Jesus wanted Martha to realize is that she could do that later. Or that she shouldn't criticize her sister for picking the "better thing." We need to have a balance of both Martha and Mary in our lives. If we don't, we end up with a cluttered house (which is MY issue) or a heart that is too busy and distracted.

Jesus admonished Martha saying how she was worrying about many things. He lovingly told her that, yes, what she did was important, but what Mary chose was more important (this is how *I* see the story). He was only there for a short time. He knew He was going to die soon. He wanted Martha to spend time with Him, but there are some women who would bustle about serving her guests rather than sit at the Master's feet.

Like I said before, there has to be a balance. Martha was not a stranger to Jesus. If we look to the scriptures, we realize that Mary and Martha are Lazarus' sisters. They were friends of Jesus. Was she receptive to His words or did she feel envy or something else?

Think about it. Jesus comes to your house all the time when He is nearby. Martha had so many worries. Jesus told her to let her sister be for she had picked the "good part." I wonder what Martha thought after He said that to her.


Just some ideas to think about looking at it from a woman's perspective.

 

[SpiritLedEd]

Good point GfG; the Lord never told Martha that what she was doing had little or no value.

SLE

 

[NetChaplain]

I really like the verse you listed above. ( Rom 8:29; ) which is contrasted by Rom 12:2; and 1 Pet 1:14;
God does want us to be conformed to the image of Christ. He wants us to be imitators of Christ ( 1 Cor 11:1; Eph 5:1; )
A common theme through the Bible is that we should be a new creature, a new creation, a new man in Christ.
God's desire is that our character would be like God's character. What is the character of God?

Yes, and the overall Christian theme is "Not I but Christ" (Gal 2:20), that is, the attention in all we do should reveal us displaying, not ourselves, but Christ! Just as He brought attention to the Father in revealing who He was, we are to remember not to bring attention to ourselves but ensure Christ is the primary focus.

 

[NetChaplain]

Jesus was not concerned that Martha was serving, he never told her to stop serving, he was addressing her heart attitude.
God wants us to obey Him and work for Him out of a position of quietful trust, peace and rest.

Good comment. Jesus allows us to do what we think is good, and it is good because our intent is good, but He eventually shows us what's best!

 

[james1523]

Mary, Martha and Lazarus are symbolic for the 3 different kinds of people in church. Mary symbolizes the ones that don't do much but like to sit, listen and pray, Martha symbolizes the ones that like to be busy with activity, and Lazarus symbolizes the ones who are dead.

 

[NetChaplain]

Mary, Martha and Lazarus are symbolic for the 3 different kinds of people in church. Mary symbolizes the ones that don't do much but like to sit, listen and pray, Martha symbolizes the ones that like to be busy with activity, and Lazarus symbolizes the ones who are dead.

Hi James - Yes, I've heard that before and I believe it's close in its analogy, but what Jesus said concerning Mary is the best way to be, because as we increase our learning of His mind and heart, we increase in our effectiveness in service!