Focus
Theological Proposition/Focus: There is no higher, greater, more significant, or better choice than God.
Homiletical Proposition/Application: As we go through life and do lots of good things we must never lose sight of the greatest thing, spending time with Jesus.
Introduction:
Text: Luke 10:38-42, 2 Timothy 4:10
Image: Demas
Have you ever heard of a man named Demas? Demas only shows up three times in the Bible (that is three times more than you or I!)
In Colossians 4:14 we read the name of Demas along with spiritual giants like Luke. His name again shows up with another list of believers in Philemon 24.
Based on these passages it seems reasonable to conclude that Demas was one who stood with Paul in one of his imprisonments.
So, what happened to this man who was counted worthy to be named in both Colossians and Philemon?
In my opinion, 2 Timothy 4:10 is one of the saddest verses in the Bible.
for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Demas was distracted by the world and forsook Paul.
Now, I cannot tell you exactly how Demas became distracted but I can tell you that plenty of Christian potential has been lost to distraction.
The reality of the world we live in is distraction. None of us here want to be a Demas so what steps can we take in our disciplined life to ensure that we don't become Demas? I venture that nobody sets out to be a Demas. I even venture that practically nobody who is genuine sets out hoping to pursue the world under the guise of Christ. I think that for most people who turn out to be a Demas it is a slow fade.
Need: We need to make sure that we keep our focus on Christ.
Setting the Stage:
I could stand up here and tell you story after story of spiritual leaders who have fallen but instead I want to compare two people who were doing good things, it just turns out one was doing a better thing.
Shortly after Peter made his significant declaration that Jesus was the Messiah Jesus went right back to ministry
He predicted his coming death
He was transfigured before Peter, John, and James.
He sent out seventy-two followers to preach the Kingdom of God.
He performed miracles and taught parables.
In the work of day-to-day ministry Jesus came to the house of Mary and Martha.
Read Luke 10:38-42 with me.
Body
There are many good things that you can do.
The good things we can do could fill a lifetime.
Working a job to provide for your family is a good thing.
Teaching a Sunday School class or small group is a good thing.
Serving in ministry here at the church is a good thing.
Mary did some important good things for Jesus (38)
Context matters, and in Luke 10:5-7 Jesus had told his disciples to go to hospitable houses.
In fact, one theme in Luke 7:36-50 is contrast between the Pharisees who failed in hospitality and the sinful woman who showed great hospitality in anointing Jesus's feet.
Hospitality is important
It is commanded in Romans Romans 12:13 and 1 Peter 4:9
It is a requirement for someone seeking the office of elder in 1 Tim. 3:1-2.
I want you to realize that what Mary was doing was important. We need people to be hospitable! We need people to open their homes!
The problem was that Mary became distracted (40).
I think it is easy to become distracted while doing something good. And I think this is especially true in the work of hospitality.
Image: Our struggles with image in hospitality.
I will tell you, this is a struggle for Emily and I. When we have people over, we want the house to be very clean, we want the food to be perfect, we want there to be extra food, and we want dessert to blow people away. But are those things about Jesus or are they about us. When we are honest with ourselves we realize that we twist hospitality and take this good thing and turn it into our own pride and sin. But isn't that just like sin, it corrupts something good.
Sin can make a good thing into a distraction and when that happens the good thing becomes a problem.
Ultimately what we see is that our focus should not be on good things we need to focus on something more!
Jesus is the one and only one best thing.
I want to take just a short break from the passage that we are in today and instead take you on a short tour of passages that lead up to our main passage.
Jesus is the anointed one as Peter proclaimed in Luke 9:18-20.
Jesus is the chosen son of God as declared in Luke 9:35.
Jesus is the Lord of the harvest as indicated in Luke 10:2.
Jesus is the fulfillment of God's plan as referenced in Luke 10:24.
Jesus is the perfect teacher as demonstrated in Luke 10:25-37.
How can I make the best thing my thing?
Image: Translating Luke 23:43
I have told many of you that I am slowly working through translating the New Testament for myself. I am nearly done but one of the last three books I have to translate is Luke. A few weeks ago I was translating Luke 23:43 which you might recognize "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise."[1] What struck me was the word order. You see, in English we use word order to determine subject, direct object etc. But Greek has a different structure. In Greek, the ending of a word determines how it functions in a sentence and the order determines emphasis. A literal translation of Luke 23:43 actually sounds more like Yoda Speak. "Truly, to you, I say, today with me you will be in paradise." As wonderful as Heaven will be, it won't be wonderful because of what it is, it will be wonderful because of who is there.
Don't be a Demas.
- ↑ The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 23:43.
