From Calvary Chapel of Roswell

Pastor Jim Suttle

Msg #522         Wed, September 03, 2008

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"…Mary…sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. 

But Martha was distracted with much serving…

(Luke 10:39-40) 

Distractions can be….distracting! 

Webster’s dictionary defines distractions as things that “draw away or divert the mind, or our attention…something that prevents concentration.”  Please read that definition again…slowly and ponder it for a moment.   Distractions divert our mind or attention from what we are supposed to be paying attention to. 

In our day – we are a distracted people.  I think there are two reasons for this.

One – we have more distractions than ever before.  Which technological advances, constant news sources, unceasing avenues of information – we can so easily have our attention turned aside.  Has it happened to you?  Perhaps you were going to spend time in prayer, or working, or doing homework – but then some news article or thought grabbed your mind…and ten minutes later you have “googled away” precious time down some rabbit trail on the internet.   Truly this is but one example – but it is clear, we have many distractions.

Two – we are a more distractible people than ever before.  Because of our modern conveniences and comforts – we can actually be more distracted by minor inconveniences than others before us.   Consider church – we have wonderful buildings, temperature controlled rooms, cushioned seats, sound systems, kids rooms, nurseries, cry rooms, etc, etc.   Yet because of this – instead of being free from distraction…we can actually be more distracted.  If the room is a degree to hot or too cold…we can’t concentrate.   If the seat is a little too hard, if the lighting isn’t just right…we are turned aside from our concentration.   If the sound is a little too loud or a little too soft – our concentration is lost.  Noise from kids, babies or someone moving around completely grab our attention from where we are supposed to be.

Imagine with me how it was when Jesus taught, perhaps the 5,000 on the hillside in Galilee.  The temperature was not perfectly controlled, there were no cushioned seats, sound systems, cry rooms or nurseries.  Surely people moved around, kids made noise.  Birds perhaps chirped and flew over head…yet the people listened.  I think of the description in Luke 19:47 – “for all the people were very attentive to ??hear Him”.

I experienced a small measure of this a few years back when I taught in India.  Teaching in one of their buildings that had a roof, but no walls – I was amazed.   It was very hot and very humid.  It was noisy, trees rustling, birds chirping.  Those who sat before more sat on concrete floors with a small grass matt that added very little padding.   Some people milled about or had to get up.  Some kids came in and out of the teaching.  Yet, the amazing thing to me was – for the majority of those who sat and listened to me – I had their solid attention.  None of the things around moved them, distracted them or turned them from listening.  We went like that for hours – literally!   I was amazed and convicted of how easily distractible I had become. 

Surely it is not bad to seek to keep distractions to a minimal in our lives….yet I have a greater call – I want to challenge you today to be un-distractible .  

Why do we need this so much?  Distractions can keep us from the best things!  Consider the scene in our verse above. Jesus is there, in person!  Yet He will not be there for much longer.  The opportunity they have to spend time with Jesus is limited – for the Cross is coming soon.  Yet it tells us that Martha was distracted, so busy in doing things, even good things – that she was missing spending time with Jesus.  Let that sink in for a minute…missing spending time with Jesus…  

But not all were distracted…Mary was not distracted.  Notice how Jesus describes this…

Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (v.42)

Notice the wording in verse 42 – Mary “chose” to spend that time with Jesus.  Could it be that simple?  Maybe not….but then again…maybe it is.   Could we become un-distractible by choosing not to let things distract us?   On our own…maybe not, but thankfully we are not left to our own source. 

For the weapons of our warfare are … mighty in God for …bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, (2 Co 10:4-5)

If today or this week you have found yourself distracted from the most important things – hearing, spending time with Jesus.  If your prayer times have been so easily diverted, if your time in the Word found your mind wandering, if church was so distracting that you missed hearing and focusing on God….maybe the problem is not on the outside with the distractions…but on the inside.

I simply ask you to join me, in seeking to be like Mary – and to choose the best parts – and be un-distracted from it.

"…Mary…sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. 

But Martha was distracted with much …

Mary has chosen that good part…

Jim

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