The Place Near Jesus,
to Listen to the Word
Luke 10:38-42
First, I would like to share my testimony. After completing ministries in Masan and Jinhae, I started my own ministry in Seoul with nothing but a single Bible. There were thirteen saints at the time. I prayed every day, so much to the point that I would sweat not just from my face, but also from my hair follicles. I spent over ten months of the year up at Namsan to pray at night. The principal of Soongeui College in Namsan would open up the campus doors for me to go up the mountains. He gave me food to eat and a place to sleep, and from Monday to Saturday taught me the Word. We established a church of 200 pyeong (approx. 7116 sq. ft) in Sillim-dong with the help of Dongyang Industries, madam of Sungchang Plywood and Dr. Yoo Sang Geun (Former Minister for National Unification, president of Myongji University), who provided 240 workmen and plaster boards. I was so grateful. There were four women who served the church and who did not shy away from taking part in the suffering and difficulties with me, an unworthy servant. They spent three to four days a week staying up at night to pray, yet never failing to be present at dawn service. In the midst of their busy lives, taking care of their homes, sending their children to school and serving their husbands, they came to the church to pray during the day in their spare time. They evangelized and knocked on doors during their free time, saying, “I am deaconess of a church, would you like to come to church?” Many would refuse them at the entrance, but there were also those who invited them in. They evangelized to about 40 people. The church started to be filled with life. I still remember those saints, and it still brings tears to my eyes.
Beloved saints. This world is not our home. We live on this earth only temporarily. We will have to leave after a few decades. However, if we can obtain the testimony that we pleased God by having a great faith like Enoch and walking with God, we will not die but be transfigured and go up to heaven (Gen 5:22-24; Heb 11:5; 1 Cor 15:51). In today’s scripture, Jesus finished evangelizing in Galilee and stopped by Bethany on His way up to Jerusalem. The three siblings who lived there, Martha, Mary and Lazarus, were all people who loved Jesus. Jesus also loved those three siblings (John 11:5). Even when there was not a single person who welcomed Jesus, they welcomed Him and showed Him hospitality. The older sister, Martha, welcomed Jesus and His company with gladness. She was busy working frantically, thinking to herself, “What can I do for Jesus?” But when she looked for her sister Mary, she saw that Mary was inside the room and seated at Jesus’ feet, listening to His Word. She felt that Mary’s actions were unacceptable and it seemed unsightly in her eyes. So Martha went to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me,” but Jesus’ answer was unexpected. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
(Pictured by Il-soon Kwon)
Jesus called Martha’s name twice (“Martha, Martha”) but this was certainly not as a reproach. Those words were spoken softly and quietly, with a voice full of love. Jesus, who is God, knew very well that Martha loved Him, yet He instructed her saying, “Only one thing is necessary.” In other words, He is telling her, “You only need one thing.” Jesus is teaching her that her busy, unsettled heart during the time of receiving the Word, is unnecessary. He is saying, “Life and death depends on this proclamation of the Word. Are you busy preparing to serve Me during this time of listening to the Word? I don’t need that.” Listening to the Word is the top priority. Problems are solved only when you listen to the Word. Things are brought back to life when you listen to the Word. All problems are solved by the Word.
“Are you busy preparing to serve Me during the time of listening to the Word? I don’t need that”
The only son of the widow in Nain died at a young age and the entire city mourned. When Jesus saw the sight, He said, “Do not weep.” He told her not to weep because He will take all responsibility. He came up and said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” and the dead man sat up. Even the dead will come back to life by listening to the Word of Jesus! So shouldn’t you stop what you are doing in the kitchen and go listen to the Words of Jesus when He is speaking inside your house? It may seem like we are here at the Yeoju Conference Center by the favor of others or by receiving permission from others, but we must believe that we are here because we were called by God so that He can give us blessings like that of Mary’s. We must believe that listening to the Word here is a great blessing that surpasses all things. Jesus loved the three siblings so dearly that His love dripped down like honey. It was to the point that when people saw how Jesus wept after hearing the news of Lazarus’ death, they said, “See how He loved him!” Martha was hospitable to Jesus according to her own thoughts and methods, which is why Jesus stated that her methods were ultimately inhospitable. You do not have to be a scholar to know that she loved Jesus and wanted to serve Him, but Jesus found the greatest joy in those who listened to His Word in faith. Furthermore, Martha’s excess sincerity led her to impose herself on Jesus. She repeatedly stated “me” and “my sister” and commanded Jesus to “tell her to help me.” How can the created command God the Creator? When Jesus saw Martha, He knew this could cause trouble. Martha had to be humble before Jesus. She did not understand that if she, Mary, and the twelve disciples, dropped everything they were doing to listen to the Word, at that very moment the dominion of Satan and evil spirits would be shattered, that darkness would flee and the will of God would be fulfilled.
Dear saints, the reason our health, families and businesses are failing is because we do not listen to the Word. Listening to the Word of God in faith is loving Him fervently. Who would listen when they do not love? God looks at our hearts. Martha thought she was doing a great deed for Jesus, but it was only a small deed to Him. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will not lose the place of listening to the Word, the place of understanding and place of witnessing like Mary, until the day you enter heaven.
Martha’s excess sincerity led her to impose herself on Jesus. She repeatedly stated things like “me” and “my sister” and even commanded Jesus
Jesus chose the twelve disciples so that “they would be with Him” (Mark 3:13-15). If you are not with Jesus, the Word will not be given to you. How close must Martha have been since they were inside the same house? But at that instant, Martha became a gentile and Mary became the chosen people of Israel. Jesus and Mary’s heart were in fellowship of faith. God is overjoyed when people listen to His Word. Those who listen to the Word become alive. When you go to handle your business during the time of worship, you may think that it will be successful, but you will lose that money through other things. God does not listen to the prayers of people who disregard and despise the Word (Prov 15:29). What has been the greatest moment in your life of faith, up to today? Everyone will have different answers. But now we must believe that listening to the Word of God is our greatest moment. When you are at that place where your heart sits with the Lord, and when you listen to His Word there and understand it, you will gain faith.
In the wilderness, the twelve tribes were filled with dissatisfaction in their heart. God had each tribe place the staff of their representative in front of the ark. Over the night, only Aaron’s staff revived with water and vitality, having sprouted and put forth buds, producing blossoms and bearing ripe almonds. What advanced scientific technology can make a dry rod produce blossoms? God saw that Mary’s heart was like the budded staff of Aaron, with the fruit of the Word, in which He finds great joy, in full bearing. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Rom 10:17). It does not matter if you are a pastor, elder or how many generations your ancestors believed. It all amounts to nothing if you do not study the Bible. You can see the fruit of faith cluster when you study the Bible. God does not stay put. Would He not satisfy the desires of those who listen to His Word and bear the fruit that fulfills His good will? The sprouting, blossoming and bearing of fruit over a single night is not a story from the past. We must believe that it will take place in our families today. Vitality will be filled in our households, in our businesses and vitality full of fervent love will surround our brothers.
We forget the essentials and hurry about to do things for God. God is pleased when we are with Him and listen to the Word. Only then will time spoken of in the Old and New Testaments be brought forward and fulfilled. Jesus went into the synagogue and opened the Scriptures to read the prophecy of Isaiah to many people, then closed it. He then said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:16-21). The Word had been fulfilled. We must humbly put aside our thoughts to do something for God, and be like the boy Samuel who said, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” The Lord has already accomplished all things; all we need to do is accept the Word. Martha wanted to boast of her skills and her cooking, wanting to give all her sincere efforts to Jesus without any deceit. However, the order in which she did so was wrong. Listening to the Word must come first.
We must humbly put aside our thoughts to do something for God, and be like the boy Samuel who said, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”
Dear saints. Jesus wants for us to serve Him. When we have the heart to serve Him, we listen to the Word. We study the Bible. We come to church. We volunteer. We tend to the difficulties within church. Jesus comes to those who need Him. Those who serve Jesus are those who need Him. None of us can live without Jesus. If we have received a duty in church but were busy seeking our own interests like Martha (Phil 2:21), lift up this prayer: “Please allow me to obey and listen to the Word at your feet from now on.” Theologians refer to Mary as “the woman at the feet of Jesus.” How envious is this? Mary called upon Jesus and bowed at His feet for her dead brother (John 11:32). She also sat at His feet and anointed His feet with perfume (John 12:3). This is not a coincidence. To be at the feet of Jesus means to have a low and humble heart. We must not think, “Let’s see what he has to say,” as we listen to the Word. We must instead think, “I will listen to whatever the Lord has to say.” We must follow after the steps of Jesus, like Mary (1 Pet 2:21). Even as we do business, get married, and raise children, we must see Jesus within our husbands and within our wives, and look towards Jesus within our children (Rom 10:17). I pray that all the churches of Pyungkang, both domestic and abroad, will have a spirit like that of Mary’s. The church must have Mary’s who lead, not Martha’s who run around. When we have Martha’s, there is only a cloud of dust. Martha shouts out, “See if there is anyone who works as hard as me in this church.” Saints must only cling to the Word and prayer. We will fall into deep trouble if we are swayed by possessions. The conclusion I came to after 50 years of ministry is that there may be those who work hard, give large offerings, and put all their effort for the work of God for a time, but those who live according to the will of the Lord until the end are those who bow at the altar and pray, who listen to the Word, who do not miss service, who lead the way within the matters of the church. These are the saints that I as a minister admire and am proud of. When you listen to the Word, you will be able to choose the good part (Luke 10:42), see good things, and receive good news, and I hope that you will believe that the blessing of prosperity will come upon your families, businesses, workplaces and church.
I will now conclude. Until the day she left this earth, Mary only served the one and only Lord. God does not like things that are divided. He wants a whole heart, not a divided one. Faith is being one. A person cannot serve two masters (Matt 6:24) and faith is loving God will all our heart, all our soul, and all our might (Deut 6:5). When you do not love the Lord, not only will you not come to church, but you will also receive a curse (1 Cor 16:22). Saints who sit with united hearts listen to the Word, but saints who stand with divided hearts flee when asked to pray together, running off during benediction. Benediction is the peak of all worship. If you do not receive benediction, the entire service is invalid. Saints who concentrate on the Word and prayer with an erect posture like soldiers are spiritual saints; those who do not listen to the Word and come and go casually are unclean saints, or saints of the flesh. A true wife sincerely loves Jesus, who is our husband, and seeks to soothe His weariness. But a concubine seeks to satisfy the husband only while he has power and money (Jas 1:8; 4:8; Jer 4:14; Ps 51:2-7). Such people are truly pitiful. Judas Iscariot was a person like this. The Lord commands, “choose one or the other!” to people who love both the world and Jesus. Do you love the church? The church is Jesus. When we love only Jesus, we love the entire church. Until the day we enter heaven, may the work of prosperity be present in all aspects of your lives when you know, understand, and love God alone. I pray this upon the name of the Lord. I believe that all diseases will flee as you listen to this Word today.
Mary knew that the words of Jesus and living according to His will were her entire life. For Mary, Jesus was the treasure, pearl and diamond that could not be traded with anything of this world. She sought to solve all her problems within Jesus. Beloved saints, no matter how much power, fame or possessions you have, please pray to be at the feet of Jesus, the place of listening to the Word; pray for this until the day we enter heaven. Believe that God will work and give us the wisdom, understanding, insight, power, authority, wealth and cities (Luke 19:11-27). I pray in the name of the Lord that in all things, you will serve Jesus in your hearts—whether you are asleep or awake, when you work, handle your business affairs, serve your parents, love your spouse, and raise your children.
Sermon by Huisun Rev. Abraham Park, on Friday, October 26, 2007 (During the eve of the Thanksgiving Service for the publication of the first book of the History of Redemption Series, The Genesis Genealogies.)