July 20, 2025 

Today's Reading: Luke 10:38-42

Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 3:1-21; Acts 16:1-22

“. . . Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:40-42)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

You have been anxious and troubled about many things, distracted with much serving (and so have I). But Jesus’ concern isn’t serving, it’s distraction; distraction from the one thing that is needfull (necessary). Serving your neighbors (family, friends, classmates, coworkers, etc.) is a good and necessary aspect of your vocation as Christians. The Table of Duties in the Small Catechism gives examples of what this means. In this fallen world, there is always work to do for the good of others. There is nothing wrong (and everything right) with service to family, friends, community, and church. Martha’s desire to serve, in and of itself, was not wrong – in fact, it was completely right.

Martha was not wrong in her desire to serve, but in her troubled heart, trusting in her service to Jesus more than Him as her one thing needful. Her anxiety over loving and serving her neighbors (Jesus and others gathered) distracted her from the true purpose of Jesus’ presence. She had not grasped that Jesus came for her. Jesus “…came not to be served, but to serve…” (Matthew 28:20). While the one thing needful was right there at hand, Martha felt that serving Him was more important than being served by Him. Mary chose what is better when one is in the presence of Christ: she sat at His feet and received what He came to give.

Martha’s complaint to Jesus was rebuked not because He didn’t appreciate Martha’s service, but because Martha erred in thinking that Mary was wrong in her desire to be served by Him before serving. Both Martha and Mary represent critical aspects of living out your Baptism, loving God and loving neighbor (see Luke 10:27). But take care that your much serving doesn’t become more important than your being much served by Christ Himself. The former emanates from the law, which cannot save, but only curbs, accuses, and guides (necessary as that is). The latter is the Gospel itself, emanating from Christ our Savior, being necessary for salvation (John 6:27, Romans 5:21, Jude 1:21). It is the much-suffering of Christ (His crucifixion!) that saves you, and it will not be taken away! (See Small Catechism, Explanation to the 2nd Article, 2nd Paragraph)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

O Lord, grant us the Spirit to hear Your Word and know the one thing needful that by Your Word and Spirit we may live according to Your will; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, LSB)

Rev. Jeffrey Ries is the pastor of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tacoma, WA.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Step back in time to the late Reformation and learn about a divisive yet inspirational figure: Matthias Flacius Illyricus. His contributions to Lutheranism still echo in our teachings today, from the Magdeburg Confession to parts of the Lutheran Confessions. Learning about Flacius’s life will help you understand more intricacies of the Reformation than ever before.