“Faith & Works”

Lent Midweek

March 26, 2025

Faith & Work as puzzle pieces

Luke 10:38-42

As they traveled, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her home. She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at Jesus’ feet and listened to his words. Martha, who was busy with all the details of hospitality, came to Jesus and said, “Rabbi, don’t you care that my sister has left me all alone to do the household tasks? Tell her to help me!”

Jesus replied, “Martha, Martha! You’re anxious and upset about so many things, but only a few things are necessary—really only one. Mary has chosen the better part, and she won’t be deprived of it.”

L:           The light shines in the darkness.

All:        And the darkness has not overcome it.

Message:

Are you a Mary or a Martha? Are you a learner or a doer? Given this dichotomy, I’m a Martha. I’m a doer. I don’t sit still well—at least until I’m just exhausted. Then I’m done doing. And I’m done learning. And I just want to veg for a while. But given the choice, I’d rather be getting things done and seeing results.

But unfocused doing without understanding is often harmful—as we’ve seen recently. Activity for the sake of activity is dangerous. And learning without application is a waste. Life—and faith—need both.

Both are good. When Jesus tells Martha that Mary has chosen the better part, he’s not trying to pit Mary’s faith against Martha’s action. She has chosen a ‘a good portion.’ It is her desire to know God more intimately. Jesus knows that his time with them is much shorter than they expect. There will be time to ‘do’ when he’s gone. Martha’s ministry—her desire to transform the world—will come into play upon his resurrection. But now is the time to listen. Learn. Pay attention. Jesus and the disciples can go hungry. Her generous hospitality must wait.

There’s an urgency to Jesus’ teachings that is specific to the context. That’s important because it means that it’s more than a balance between faith and works. It’s about prioritizing the right thing at the right time.

Sadly, Christians have used this passage to disparage us Marthas and the work we want to do. Yes, Paul reminds us that our works don’t get us to heaven. And James reminds us that faith without works is dead. And the reality is that it isn’t even OUR faith that saves us. It’s Jesus’ faithfulness when we are faithless that grants us abundant life.

When we read this passage alongside the one that comes right before, we see the interplay of faith and works. The story just before this is the parable of the Good Samaritan, which we heard last Wednesday if you tuned in. First, Jesus lifts up the actions of the Samaritan who showed compassion, essentially saying, “Don’t just sit there; do something.” And then he tells Martha, “Don’t just do something; sit there.”

So then, we are called to listen and learn. We are called to faithful prayer and paying attention to God’s Word. And we are also called to put what we learn into action. We are called to proclaim God’s love, practice God’s grace, live our hope in God’s promises. Neither faith nor works can happen alone. They inform and work together to transform the world. And our job is to acknowledge when and where we are and which of these takes priority and trust that God blesses both in their proper time and place.

Pastor Tobi White

Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church

Lincoln, NE