Watts' Words

The story of Jesus and the house of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus is found in two passages of scripture, Luke 10 and John 12.   Interestingly, Martha is seen doing the same thing in John 12 as she does in Luke 10, she is serving.   However, as previously noted, after the encounter of Luke 10 where she had a “Fresh Encounter” in the words of Jesus she served the crowd in John 12 with no complaining.   This is an important note for us today because we live in a “culture of complaining.”   Last week a Sunday School class was giving a report about their ministry outside of the ‘four-walls-of-the church’ and we heard that people complained.   Certainly, the world teaches us how to complain and we can be good learners!   However, a “Fresh Encounter” could well change you from being a chronic complainer to being focused on serving Jesus with a whole heart. Also interesting is knowing that Mary is found in the same place doing the same thing as she did during th...

Walk into the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (we literally did last Sunday).   Each of these three experienced a “Fresh Encounter” with Jesus that ‘changed their lives!’   This is true of EVERYONE who has an “Encounter with Jesus.”   Today, on this Tuesday before we gather for the weekend where we seek God for a “Fresh Encounter”, consider “Martha.”   She is known as a person of service.   She does much.   Every time the family needs something ‘done’, Martha is the girl.   She puts muscle and action to whatever is needed.   She is like many today; to see a need or a task that needs doing is to respond, do, work, and act.   Such was the life of Martha in Luke 10.   However again like so many, there is a dark side of Martha; she demands everyone do ‘like she does’ and if they don’t, she complains!   Martha might fit well in the 21 st century culture because it would seem that we live in a “Culture of Complaining.” ...