Don't Miss What Really Matters This Christmas

December 13, 2023

I want to look at a short Bible story, only four verses long. It’s about "capturing the moment."

There two different people who approach an encounter with Jesus very differently. One misses the moment. The other doesn't.

Luke 10:38-42 As

Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came

to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her

home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he

taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing.

She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my

sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and

help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and

upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being

concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away

from her.

We see in these four verses a battle for a moment. We

see someone winning the moment and we see someone losing the moment. As

we look at this passage, I want

to unpack four keys to capturing the moment. 

During this Christmas Season...

1. We have to replace the urgent with the significant.

Luke 10:39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.

Why was Mary able to do that when Jesus came to visit? She was able

to separate the urgent from the significant. I imagine when news came to

this home that Jesus was going to stay there Martha was like, “We’ve

got to get ready for Jesus!” Mary’s like, “Great! I’ll help you get

ready.” But when Jesus came knocking on the door that was when

the preparation had to stop, the urgent tasks had to stop and Mary was

able

to sit with Jesus, connect with Jesus, interact with Jesus, listen to Jesus and engage Him and not miss that moment. 

I love this verse from the paraphrase the Message. It talks about being in the moment.  

Matthew 6:34 Msg “Give your entire attention to

what God is doing right now. Don’t get worked up about what may or may

not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things

come up when the time comes.”  

2. Replace the physical preparation of Christmas with spiritual preparation.

We see in the story how Martha was so distracted.

I acknowledge there’s always a time to prepare. We have real

responsibilities. But, there are also times to stop.  

The time to stop is when a moment arrives. How do I define

“a moment?" A moment is when something happens that

could enhance your relationship with God and people.

That’s the essence of the story here with Mary and Martha.

Preparation needed to stop. Mary chose what is better.

Martha kept going. Martha missed out on

an opportunity to enhance her relationship with God and her sister.

3. We need to replace self-absorption with personal reflection.

Vs 40 But Martha was distracted by the big

dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it

seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the

work? Tell her to come and help me.” Then I imagine a real heavy sigh!  Vs 41-42 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.

Martha focused on the external side of things. Jesus focused on

the internal side of things. Martha focused on what

is pressing. Jesus focused on what is needed. We are often like Martha

when it comes to this. 

He says, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about.

4. We’ve got to replace the superficial this Christmas with the supernatural.

In the coming weeks some moments will come that

will enhance your relationship with God and with people. Those moments

are going to boil down to choices. You choose one thing or the other. 

The Bible says Jesus describing Mary to her sister Martha says this “Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Mary

was not going to leave that encounter without regret. I don’t want you

to leave this Christmas with regret, wishing you

had done it differently or engaged God or people differently, heading

into your new year. God is concerned about

your relationship with Him and the expression of

that relationship in relationship with others.  

Jeremiah 9:23-24 This

is what the Lord says: Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the

powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches.  But

those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know

me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love

and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I

delight in these things.  I, the Lord, have spoken!

This Christmas I encourage you to slow down and focus on what truly

matters when the moment comes. Don’t miss “interruptions” that could

lead to strengthening your relationship with God and with other people.

Your kids. Your family. The people in need around you. 

Look up from your phone, your shopping list, your to-do list and make a choice to live in the moment.