Only One Thing | Robert Madu | Social Dallas

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Only One Thing" | Robert Madu | Social Dallas

Date: March 22, 2026
Host: Social Dallas Church
Speaker: Pastor Robert Madu

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Episode Overview

This episode brings Social Dallas’ series on "Still" to a close, with Pastor Robert Madu urging listeners to prioritize intimacy with Jesus above the noise, distraction, and busyness that define our current era. Digging into the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42, Pastor Madu makes a case for the necessity of carving out intentional, undistracted time with God—framing it as “the one thing” vital for spiritual wholeness, sustainable service, and a peaceful soul.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Age of Distraction

• Opening Reflection: Pastor Madu highlights 2026 as "one of the most distracted eras in human history," noting the pervasiveness of multitasking and how even content creators cater to our short attention spans.

  • Quote ([04:10]): “Storytellers are changing the way they tell stories because they know we have a distracted generation.”

• Distraction vs. Focus: He challenges the congregation to remember when they last gave something their "full, undivided attention."

• The Dangers of Multitasking:

  • The term “multitasking” was originally for computers in the 1960s. Applying this standard to humans leads to disconnection from purpose and presence.
  • Quote ([07:46]): “Distraction is the destruction of your purpose in slow motion.”

• Busyness as a Badge:

  • Modern culture glamorizes being busy, often confusing busyness with significance or productivity.
  • Busyness can crowd out the margin needed for "necessary interruptions"—unexpected opportunities God brings for ministry and encounter.

Jesus’ Model for Margin & Boundaries

• Solitude as Rebellion:

  • Revisiting the series theme, Pastor Madu reiterates: “Silence and solitude is rebellion against a noisy world.” ([02:23])

• Margin for Interruptions:

  • Jesus consistently withdrew for solitude, creating space for divine interruptions that became miracles.
  • Illustrations:
    • Friends lowering a paralytic through a roof (12:41)
    • Jairus and the hemorrhaging woman—"Only Jesus would have his interruptions interrupted." ([13:10])
    • Zacchaeus called down from a tree as another “interruption-turned-invitation” (15:11)

• Intentional Relationships: As Jesus moved closer to his mission (the Cross), he became increasingly deliberate with whom he gave time and access.

  • “The closer Jesus gets to purpose, the more intentional he gets with the intimate time he spends with certain people.” ([16:54])
  • Jesus displayed boundaries—even loved people didn’t always get unlimited access.

The Mary & Martha Narrative (Luke 10:38-42)

• Setting:

  • Jesus chooses to visit Martha’s home—not just any place, but the home of three siblings deeply loved by Jesus.
  • Emphasis on ownership and the weight of responsibility Martha likely felt as the homeowner and probable firstborn.
    • “Ownership changes how you feel about stuff.” ([23:38])

• Martha’s Motivation:

  • Her busyness stemmed from a desire to serve Jesus well, not from selfish motives.
  • Hospitality in her culture wasn’t optional, especially with a notable guest like Jesus.

• Serving vs. Sitting:

  • Martha is "distracted by much serving" ([36:18])—not by sin, but by doing something good.
  • Pastor Madu defends Martha, noting churches would collapse without “Marthas” who do the unglamorous but essential work.
    • Quote ([30:01]): “Where would the church be if we didn’t have Marthas?”

The Crisis: When Service Replaces Relationship

• Loss of Margin and Intimacy:

  • Martha’s frustration grows as Mary sits at Jesus’ feet rather than helping in the kitchen.
  • Her outburst: “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.” ([36:16])

• Key Insight:

  • You can be distracted from Jesus by serving Jesus.
  • Quote ([36:18]): “You mean to tell me that I can be distracted from Jesus not by doing something evil, but by doing something good?”

• Warning Signs:

  • Over-busyness, feeling alone in serving, making demands of God and others, emotional agitation, and lack of joy in serving.

Mary’s Choice: The “One Thing”

• Countercultural Posture:

  • Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, taking a position of discipleship traditionally reserved for men.
  • This reflects Jesus breaking down gender and cultural barriers.
    • Quote ([44:13]): “Do you see the power of the grace of God, how it tears down walls of race and gender, that Jesus says, I’m a different type of rabbi, that everyone is welcome to sit at my feet?”

• Jesus’ Correction:

  • He doesn’t rebuke Martha for serving, but clarifies that “one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” ([42:03])
  • Quote ([46:01]): “If you can only do one thing, sit at his feet. I know you got so many things going on, but there is only one thing that is necessary.”

The True Priority: Sitting Before Serving

• Not Personality, but Priority:

  • Both service and adoration are necessary; Martha’s work is valuable, but it must spring from time spent at Jesus’ feet.
  • “You need Martha hands but a Mary heart.” ([46:48])
  • “This is not about personality. This is about priority.” ([46:48])

• Echoes in Scripture:

  • David’s “one thing” in Psalm 27:4, Paul’s “one thing I do” in Philippians 3:13, the healed blind man’s “one thing I know.” ([46:48])

• Implications for Listeners:

  • Pastor Madu calls on listeners to honestly evaluate their priorities, asking “Have you forgotten your one thing?” ([47:32])
  • Burnout and frustration often stem from prioritizing everything but intimacy with Jesus.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Distraction & Multitasking:

  • "Distraction is the destruction of your purpose in slow motion.” — Robert Madu ([07:46])

• On Margin:

  • “When you live busy and distracted, you don’t have enough margin for necessary interruptions.” ([10:44])

• On Serving:

  • “Where would the church be if not for Martha’s?…Some people have to sit at his feet, but some people better make sure this light bill has been paid.” ([30:01])

• On the Posture of Mary:

  • “Nowhere in your Bible will you ever see a moment where a woman is sitting at the feet of a rabbi.” ([44:05])

• Jesus’ Words to Martha:

  • “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.” ([41:26])

• On Prioritizing Presence with Jesus:

  • “You need Martha hands but a Mary heart.” ([46:48])
  • “This is not about personality. This is about priority.” ([46:48])
  • “Sit before you serve.” ([46:48])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00] - Verse of the year and introduction to focus & trust
• [04:10] - Ben Affleck/Matt Damon Netflix story: how storyteller strategies reflect distracted culture
• [07:46] - “Distraction is the destruction of your purpose in slow motion”
• [12:41] - Miracles as divine interruptions
• [16:54] - Jesus’ increasing intentionality with access as he approaches his purpose
• [21:58] - Start of the Mary/Martha/Lazarus household backstory
• [23:38] - “Ownership changes the weight of responsibility”
• [30:01] - Defense of Marthas—servants are necessary
• [36:18] - Martha’s complaint, and being “distracted by much serving”
• [41:26] - Jesus’ gentle correction: “You are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary...”
• [44:05] - Mary’s unprecedented placement at the rabbi’s feet
• [46:01] - The priority of sitting before serving; biblical “one things”
• [47:32] - Call to realign priorities and make space for the “one thing”
• [54:27] - Altar call and moment of surrender

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Final Takeaways

• Our world relentlessly pushes noise, busyness, and distraction—but Jesus lovingly calls us to prioritize time in his presence.
• Serving is essential, but it must overflow from intimacy. The true danger isn’t in doing bad things, but in being so busy doing good things for God that we neglect actually being with God.
• Both the Martha and Mary postures matter; the life of faith requires service, but that service must always start from sitting.
• Jesus, in his radical grace, welcomes everyone to sit at his feet—tearing down barriers and extending invitation to all.

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Action Steps for Listeners:

• Examine the ratio of “serving” vs. “sitting” in your life.
• Carve out intentional, undistracted time each day to be at Jesus’ feet.
• Refuse to let busyness, even in service to God, replace intimacy with Him.

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Memorable Moment:
“Sit before you serve. You need Martha hands but a Mary heart.” — Robert Madu ([46:48])

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Transcript

[A]

So glad that you're here today. Today's gonna be a good day. You look like you have confident trust in the Lord. Can you trust him? That's our word for 20, 26. We're growing in our trust. And so every single Sunday, we read our verse of the year found in Hebrews, chapter 10, verses 35 through 37. How many of you, come on. Tell the truth and shame the devil. How many of you got it memorized? How many got memorized? Okay. How many are still working on it? Oh, that's a lot. Yeah, that's cool. That's cool. You got the whole year. You got the whole year. So come on. We're gonna read it together as a family. Remember, you don't go till I say come on. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Patient endurance is what you need now. Then you will receive all that he is promised, for in just a little while, the coming one will come and not delay. Come on. Sound good. Sound real good. And then if you've been here for a while, at least within the last three weeks, you know that we've been in a series called Still. We have been learning what it is to practice the discipline of silence and solitude, what it is to get alone with ourselves and with God, that silence and solitude is rebellion against a noisy world. And I've been telling you this whole series, it is not enough for you to just get around God if you don't get alone with God. And so this is the last message in the series today. Last message in the series. I know. It's all right. How many know? But this isn't the last time for you to get along with the Lord. Amen. My prayer in this series was not that you would just get more information, but I literally prayed that this would spark and ignite something on the inside of you to be intentional about your quiet time with the Lord. And so this is the last message in the series, but not your last moment to get still. And I want to look at a familiar passage of scripture. Luke, chapter 10, verses 38 through 42. The gospel according to Dr. Luke, chapter 10. We'll start at verse 38, and we'll land at verse 42. While you're getting ready to look at it, how many of you. This is your first time at Social or your first time in a long time? Can I just see you? Come on. Amazing.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

I'm glad you're here. Welcome, welcome. Hopefully somebody smiled at you today. If they didn't, we don't know who they are, we don't. We don't claim them. Luke, chapter 10. It says now, as they went on their way, that they. As Jesus and his disciples. Jesus entered the village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. Yeah, her house. Whose house was it? Yeah, we talk about that later. And she had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving when 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. Can you say amen? It's that verse 42 for me. But one thing is necessary. You are anxious and troubled about many things, but really there's just one thing that is necessary. Oh, wouldn't that be awesome if you just focused on one thing? Wonder what peace would hit you upside your forehead if you focused on the one thing that was necessary. That's what I want to talk about today. I want to tag this text with the title and preach to you from this thought. Only one thing. Only one thing. In fact, just say that. Say only one thing. Let's pray. It's going to be a long prayer. Bear with me, God, speak to us today. Amen. You may be seated in the presence of the Lord. Only one thing. Social fam. I think we are living in. My bad. What was I saying? Oh, yeah. I think we are living in one of the most distracted eras in human history. You see what I just did? Nothing is accidental. It's always intentional. I did a fake distraction just to get your attention. Welcome to communication in 2026. Some of y', all, you were looking at your phone like, ooh, did they text me? Is that my Uber Eats delivery coming? We are living in one of the most distracted eras in human history. So much so that I want to ask you a question. And please lean in and answer it honestly. When was the last time you gave something your full attention? When was the last time that you gave something your full attention? Not half of your attention. Not your attention while you're scrolling. Not your attention when you're checking on something else. I mean, your full, undivided attention. The truth is, for a lot of us, that is a hard question to answer. Because the distraction and the noise in our world today is not just something that we feel. It is something that is literally shaping Our culture, distraction and noise is shaping us. Recently, I was watching an interview with the actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and they were talking about a movie that they made for Netflix, and they were talking about the difference between making a movie for Netflix and making a movie in theaters. They said, when you're making a movie for theaters, you save a lot of your budget for the end, a big explosion at the end. And Netflix said, well, can you put the explosion at the beginning, because we're trying to get the attention of our audience. They then told Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, while you're making the movie, make sure that you reiterate the plot several times throughout the movie, like over and over. Because they understood that their audience is watching from a tablet or watching from a phone. They know that you don't have your undivided attention on the movie. They know that you're watching the movie and texting, that you're watching the movie and on TikTok. So watch this. Storytellers are changing the way they tell stories because they know we have a distracted generation. They're adjusting because they know the audience is distracted. I wish it was just limited to movies, but it's not. Have you been on these streets lately? Have you driven lately? It used to be the scariest thing in the world would be a drunk driver. That is not the scariest thing today. Now it's the distracted driver that you gotta watch out for. Yes, I want you to feel some condemnation. I'm talking about those you on the freeway putting on a full face while you drive it. I'm talking about those of you switching lanes while you on the zoom call, lying, talking about you in the office. That. That is the scariest thing today. Not the drunk driver. It's the distracting driver. The person that's texting and driving at the same time. We are a generation of the distracted. And here's what distraction does. It often doesn't feel dangerous until it's too late, until a life is lost. I'll never forget there was somebody I really admired in ministry, and I got the opportunity to be around him, and I was just asking him all kinds of questions about his longevity and his success in life and in ministry. And he kept saying this same phrase about being focused. Stay focused on what God has called you to do. He said, you'll only go as far as how focused you are. He kept talking about being focused, and then he dropped this bar on me. He said, distraction is the destruction of your purpose in slow motion. Distraction is the destruction of your purpose in slow motion, that over time, you don't even realize it, that distraction is eroding your purpose. The challenge of life is to have a focus on one thing. What's crazy is we don't just live distracted. Today, many of us take it to a whole nother level, and we celebrate our distraction. We call it multitasking. Where are my people that you know how to multitask? Where my multitaskers at? Are you proud of it? And you just walked right into it. Proud of multitasking? Put it on your resume. I can do multiple things at the same time. I'm a great multitasker. Have you done your due diligence and just searched out when we first hear that word multitasking? Do you know that word was not introduced until the 1960s, and it was about a computer that was able to do multiple tasks at one time? Here you are, a human bragging about what a computer can do. Can I tell you? You are not a machine. You are a human being. And many of us are missing out on our purpose because we don't even know how to be present anymore. One of the hardest challenges today is to actually be where your feet are. To not be somewhere else emotionally or mentally, digitally, but to actually be where you are is a daunting task. If you don't believe it, ask somebody today after service how they're doing and watch how quick they'll tell you not how they're doing, but what they're doing. They'll tell you, oh, man, I'm busy, man. Got a lot going on. You know, I got this happening this next week, and, you know, I got this business, you know, popping off, and, you know, I'm trying to get my multiple streams of income. And, you know, I'm a life coach, too. And, you know, my kids, they're in six different sports. Six different sports. Yeah, man, they're very talented. Everybody is bragging about how busy they are as if busyness is a badge of honor. We've forgotten how to be focused on one thing. And when you live distracted, here's what happens. You start missing out on the margin that is necessary in your life for what I call necessary interruptions. When you live busy and distracted, you don't have enough margin for necessary interruptions. If you remember, I started off this series talking about Jesus. And often in Jesus life, when you look at the gospels, he would always retreat away to a solitary place. Sometimes he would even tell his disciples he would just leave and just go to a quiet place to be Alone, to be in solitude. And I'm starting to realize that the reason that Jesus had margin for the necessary interruptions in his life is because he actually took time to get along with his father. Do you have that type of margin in your life? The type of margin that lets you have what I call necessary interruptions? See, Jesus, most of his ministry, a lot of the miracles were not on the agenda. They weren't on the schedule. They were just interruptions. What looked like interruptions. But how many know they were actually invitations for that person to encounter him? I love that, that Jesus would be just walking around and all of a sudden an interruption would come into his life and he had margin to flip that inter into an invitation for that person to encounter him.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

He was just teaching one day, and all of a sudden they start cutting a hole in a roof. And the disciples are like, oh, Lord, this is a interruption. And Jesus is like, no, this is an invitation. This is an invitation for somebody who can't walk to not only get their legs back, but to get their life back. And he tells them, your sins are forgiven. And he walked out of their whole and complete. This is Jesus turning interruptions into evil invitations. You remember one day he's walking and Jairus comes up to him, a priest, and said, hey, my daughter is about to die. He interrupted Jesus. And Jesus said, oh, this is an invitation for your daughter to encounter me. Show me where she is. And on the way, after being interrupted, he gets another interruption. Only Jesus would have his interruptions interrupted. And on the way to Jairus daughter's house, a woman with an issue of blood pressed her way through the crowd and touched the hem of his garment and got healed. And Jesus said, no, that's not an interruption. That was an invitation. I wanna show you how good I am as God, that I can heal a woman that had an issue for 12 years. And Jairus, you think it's too late? No. I'm gonna go to your house. And the girl that you wanted me to heal, guess what? I'm gonna raise her from the dead. Cause I got the power to turn interruptions into invitations. Look at your Savior. Enough margin to not be bothered by people. Cause he knows people are the purpose. People are deport so much. So he's walking one day and just stops by a tree. And the disciples are like, is he okay? Why is he stopping? He's like, just wait. They're like, what is he looking for? He's like, wait for it. Zacchaeus, come on down. I'm coming to your house today. This is not an interruption. This is an invitation for somebody who thinks they're too far gone to have an encounter with me. I know nobody will go to you, Zacchaeus, so I'm gonna go to you. And this interruption is an invitation for you to encounter a real savior. Do you have that type of margin in your life, or is your life so busy that you got some Martha on the inside of you? Ooh, I'm getting ahead of myself. I love our text today because Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. If you read Luke chapter 10, you know that something interesting has happened in Luke chapter 10 that actually starts in Luke chapter 9, verse 51. It says that Jesus set his face towards Jerusalem. This is a shift in the ministry of Jesus because he knows that the cross is imminent. He knows he's about to go to the cross. So he's not just making random stops at places. He is moving with intentionality because he knows that the cross is coming. He set his face towards Jerusalem. In other words, he's getting close to the cross. He's getting close to his purpose. He came to die for the sins of the world. He did not come just to heal people. He did not come just to turn fish into bread and multiply it so everybody could eat. He came to die for the sins of the world and get up from the grave and defeat sin and death. That was his purpose. And notice the closer he moves to purpose, the more strategic he is with the people that get intimate time with him. I'm gonna say that again for those of y' all who about to fall asleep right now. Have I already lost you? The closer that Jesus gets to purpose, the more intentional he gets with the time, the intimate time he spends with certain people. One of these days, I'm gonna do a whole series just on the relationship dynamics of Jesus. Cause here's what we know about Jesus. He loved everybody. He didn't just do love. He is love personified. And yet, although he loved everybody, not everybody while he was on Earth got equal access to his life. I love you with an everlasting love. But while I am here in this earthly body, I am actually limited, and everybody cannot get equal access to my life. Are some of y' all trying to do something that Jesus.

[B]

Jesus couldn't even do?

[A]

Some of you are about to lose your mind because you don't know what boundaries you should have. You don't know. Those aren't your friends. They just your co workers. That's your problem. You think because we show up at the same spot every day. We friends. No, we work together. And you can have boundaries and say, just because I work with you don't mean I roll with you. Some of y' all need to learn that not every person should get equal

[B]

access to to your life. I can prove it with scripture.

[A]

Look at Jesus.

[B]

Remember that one dude?

[A]

Oh, I believe in Mark, chapter five. He was demon possessed. I mean, had a bunch of demons. This dude had multiple demons. Asked him his name. My name is Legion. We are many pronouns all messed up. This dude is possessed. And what does Jesus do? He sets him free, Takes the demons that were in him and sends them in the pigs. And the pigs jump off a cliff. This man gets healed. This man gets delivered. He's clothed. He's in his right mind. And what does that man say? Jesus, can I follow you? And Jesus goes, no, fam. Go home. I'm in the Bible. Go home and tell everybody what I did for you. But you delivered me.

[B]

I can't hang with you now.

[A]

Go home and tell everybody what I did for you. There was a rich young ruler who Jesus encountered one day. And he says, I've done everything. I've kept the law. I've done everything I'm supposed to do. And Jesus like, yeah, but one thing you lack. Sell everything you have and give it to the poor and then come follow me. This dude who was a baller and a shot caller, he got an opportunity to be one of the disciples. He got the invitation. And the Bible says he walked away bitterly. Cause he had many possessions. In other words, he thought he had stuff. But his stuff had him. And he didn't know it had him until Jesus said, give it away. And it showed the stronghold that was on his life and the idolatry that was in his heart. And this dude missed an opportunity to walk with Jesus. He could have had the greatest stories ever. But instead of stories, he stuck to his stuff. Jesus relational dynamics in intrigued me. How many know In Luke chapter 10, there's 72 disciples that he sent out, said, heal the sick. Cast out demons in my name. 72. But those 72 weren't the 12. And the 12 got to hang with him. Boundaries in his relationship. I don't know who this is for, but you need to realize when some relationships have just expired. I don't have hate in my heart, but the relationship has expired. Just like milk. See, some of y' all treat the relationships like you do the milk. You see the date has passed. You already know, but here you are still. It ain't that bad.

[B]

No, it is bad. It's expired.

[A]

Look at Jesus dynamics. The 12 got close proximity, and even within the 12, he had the 3 Peter, James, and John. But, but. But I'm. I'm taking too long of a rabbit trail. That's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about these other three. These siblings. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus had the closest relationship to Jesus outside of the disciples. I don't know what it was about these three siblings. Siblings that Jesus just loved hanging out with them. Matter of fact, when I get to heaven, here's who I want to meet. I want to meet their parents. I want to meet the parents of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Here's why I want to meet them. I got three kids myself. Amen. Two girls and one boy. And I want to figure out, what did you do in your household? How did you raise these kids? So much so that not only did they desire to be in the presence of Jesus, but Jesus desired to be in the presence of them. I want some parenting tips In Calvary, in eternity from these parents. What in the world were y' all doing? Can you imagine? Of all the people that Jesus could have hung out with at that time, he wanted to be around Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. He chose to go to their house. In John, chapter 11, he says, I loved them. Even when Lazarus was getting sick. Remember the message they sent to Jesus? They didn't say Lazarus was sick. They said, the one you. Oh, y' all read the Bible. The one you love is sick. Can you imagine having that type of relationship with Jesus, that of everybody's house he could have hung out with? He wanted to hang out at your house. I don't know what it was. I don't know if he liked playing pickleball with Lazarus. I don't know if he liked Mary's jokes. I don't know if it was Martha's fried chicken. But something made Jesus go, I want to hang out at your house. I want to hang out at their house. Their house. I want to hang out at their house. Right, their house. Their house.

[B]

Oh, no, hold up.

[A]

It was Martha's house. It was not their house. It was Martha's house. Who's paying the bills? Who's paying the mortgage? This is important and integral to this text to know whose house it is. This is Martha's house. This ain't Lazarus house. This is not Mary's house. This is Martha's house. In fact, it's funny. Scholars and theologians have debated this throughout the centuries, trying to figure Out. Well, how'd she get a house? You know, how come her husband is not mentioned? Was she a widow? Did her parents give her the house? How in the world did they get a house? And you're wasting time to me talking about how she got the house. The Bible just says she has some real estate. Shout out to the sisters from Bible days and say, I'm.

[B]

I'm not waiting for a man to get a house. I got my own house. Shout out Martha. She is the original. I N D E P E N D E N T. Do you know what that she got a. I'm judging all of y'.

[A]

All. You ain't safe. Look at you talking about who else is worthy. Walk. You telling on yourself. Walk right into it.

[B]

This is Martha's house. This is Martha's house. That is important to know that this is Martha's house.

[A]

Because since it is Martha's house, she has the responsibility.

[B]

The weight is on her. She has a weight that she's carrying that Mary doesn't know about.

[A]

She has a weight that she's carrying

[B]

that Lazarus doesn't know about. This is her house. And how many know?

[A]

Ownership changes how you feel about stuff. When you have ownership, it changes the weight of responsibility.

[B]

When you own something, when it's in

[A]

your name, you treat it differently.

[B]

When it's not yours.

[A]

It's not that you don't care, but you definitely care less. I'll never forget my first car. My first car. I didn't tell the first service, this my first car. When I turned 16, I got a Mazda, a 1993 Mazda van. MPV. A Mazda van. It was the family van. That was my first car. Started from the bottom. Now I'm here. That was my first car. I got the family car as my first car. It was a Mazda van. How many know? The moment my dad said in his Nigerian voice, this is your car, all of a sudden, everything shifted. The family car is now my car. That Mazda ain't ever been so clean. I am vacuuming that thing.

[B]

I used to throw Taco Bell in the back seat. Not anymore.

[A]

Telling my friends, you better get your stuff. This is my car. But it's a van.

[B]

Ain't you glad there's space in the back? This is my car.

[A]

Went straight to AutoZone. Got the little hubcaps with the spinners on it that you have to snap on there. My car ownership changed the weight of the responsibility that I had.

[B]

This.

[A]

This is what Martha is feeling. She is feeling the weight. Most scholars think because she's Mentioned first. She is probably the firstborn. Any firstborns in here today? Come on, you know what it's like. You were the test tube baby for your parents. All the weight was on you. You're the one when everybody got in trouble. The other siblings, they blamed you. You supposed to know better because you're older. This is what Martha feels. She feels the weight of responsibility. So imagine, since it's her house, imagine the shock when she had already heard that Jesus was maybe gonna stop by. And all of a sudden, as she's chilling in the house, she hears a knock at the door. And she was like, hold up. That better not be him. He's early. No, wait. No, that's not him. Mary, go check. Why I gotta check? Cause I pay the bills. Go check. No, check. And Mary goes and checks and says, girl is him. Are you serious? Yes. And they with him. What you mean, they? All 12 of them are with him. Can you see Martha having a panic attack? Oh, my goodness. Why would he not tell me ahead of time?

[B]

Oh, my goodness. Where am I gonna get enough PETA and hummus for 13 people? Oh, my God.

[A]

Marriage. Just don't open it. And Mary's like, don't open it. Yeah, don't open it. Maybe he won't know we're here. Girl,

[B]

he's gonna know.

[A]

And Jesus outside talking about, behold, I stand at the door and knock.

[B]

Open up. Can you see Martha sweating, going, okay,

[A]

okay, let me figure. Let me think, let me think, let me think, let me think. Okay, okay, okay. Here's what I. All right, here's what we'll do. All right. Okay, Mary, you let them in. You entertain them in the living room, and I'm gonna start getting stuff together. Okay, girl? All right. You got that? After you finish getting them settled, come help me. Help me in the kitchen. Martha's in the back, just panicking, trying to find the charcuterie, trying to get the best crackers. Can you see her getting the extra leaf for that long table and the linen cloth? You know, they all got to sit on one side. You've seen the painting. Trying to get everything. Trying to get everything set. She's got the classical jazz music playing. Everything is set. And she's panicking. She's panicking. Now you. You laughing without knowing the context of the culture. In that culture, hospitality was not optional. You had a moral obligation that anytime any person came in your house that you were to take care of them, that you were to feed them. It was a shame. Honor, culture. You were supposed to take Care of any person that was a guest in your house. And especially somebody that was a dignitary, somebody that was a rabbi. But can you imagine what she's feeling? Because this ain't just any person, and this ain't just any rabbi. This is Jesus.

[B]

This is the son of the living

[A]

God in your house with plus 12. Let somebody pull up on your house today. 13 people talking about, we just want to chill. Look at the weight. Look at the weight Martha is feeling. It's one thing to host another person. It's another thing to try to host God. God in flesh. Martha did not have evil intentions. This was a big deal. Understand the purity of her heart. She wanted everything set right because she felt like he deserved it. This is why I get mad at preachers and pontificators of the gospel who castigate Martha and say I can't believe her and try to deem her evil. Do you understand the weight that was on her? She just wanted everything to be perfect. Please hear me today. This is not one of those messages that's trying to talk about Martha. Matter of fact, I could flip the script and really call this message, leave Martha alone. Leave Martha alone. She had the right heart. She wanted everything right for him.

[B]

How many.

[A]

How many of you know we need Martha's in the world today? Thank God for Martha's. Where would the church be if not for Martha's? See, don't take this too far. Later on, Jesus will look at Mary, who's at his feet and say, martha, she's chosen the good part or the good portion. But he didn't say she chose the only part or the only portion. In other words, some people have to sit at his feet. But some people also understand that if you are going to sit at his feet, somebody better make sure this light bill has been paid. Somebody better pay the air conditioner. Somebody better make sure all of these disciples have something to eat. Oh, I'm about to lose all my claps. See, this is why I like Martha's. Martha's understand that for the ministry of Jesus to go forward, there is some necessary work that has to be done. Somebody got to show up and make sure the atmosphere is right. Can I just pause and thank you? Thank God for the Marthas of Social Dallas.

[B]

Please believe we would not be able

[A]

to have church if we didn't have some Marthas.

[B]

I wish y' all would not clap

[A]

at that right there.

[B]

Some of y' all are just Marys. You just came in to worship. But I want to shout out the Marthas. That were up at 4 o' clock in the morning unloading an in and out truck. I want to shout out the Marthas of social Dallas. Preparing the atmosphere, putting envelopes and rubber bands on every single seat. Some of y' all only know how to praise by lifting up your hands. Martha knows how to praise while putting up pipe and drape so that the kids in the 4, 5, 6 can worship. Shout out Martha. Where would the church be without Martha's? Must be nice to just come and just worship.

[A]

I just want to receive.

[B]

Must be nice.

[A]

This is not a text to throw away serving. Where would the church be without Martha's? Where would the group project in school be without Martha's? Mary's like, when's the due date? Martha's like, I got it right here. We need Martha's who understand that for the ministry of Jesus to go forth, somebody has got to set the table, somebody's got to serve. This is not a text that is anti serving. It's interesting, I've noticed because I've been in church a long time. Mary's who love to sit at his feet and worship generally don't have problems with Martha's. They don't they too much in the spirit, they carefree. But Martha's have issues with Mary's. Oh, I'm telling you, if you are not doing your part, if you're not carrying any of the load, watch up Martha snap on you. Martha has a mantra. Don't just stand there, oh, it's Martha's in here. It's Martha. Do something. And if you're wondering if you're in here today or watching Social Global and you're wondering whether you're a Mary or a Martha, let me help you. If you're wondering, you're Mary.

[B]

You know why?

[A]

Because Martha knows. Martha's not confused. She knows it's gonna fall apart without her. If you are wondering which one you are marrying, Martha knows. Martha knows and she's gonna tell you what she thinks should be done and she's gonna give you her opinion. Oh, I'm just laughing. I'm having fun up here today and thinking about all the Martha's that has come through social Dallas. I tell you what y' all really need is discipleship. I tell you what y' all really need. Oh, Martha has an opinion and Mary just wants to worship at his feet. It's interesting because Martha knows what should be done and she told, in my exegetical imagination, she told Mary what to do. Entertained them in the living room, then come Help me in the kitchen. And I really believe that's what Mary intended to do. She knows her sister. I can't be in here too long. I know Martha. I don't think she was doing it on purpose. I think she just got caught up in his presence. I think that Mary was trying to get to the kitchen and serve, but somewhere between the small talk, all of a sudden it started talking into turning into God talk. And she was captivated by the words that were coming out of the mouth of Jesus. And she's trying to get in the kitchen, but there's something that her soul needed right there that she couldn't leave, she couldn't get away. There's something. Does anybody know what it's like to be a worshiper, to be a Mary, to be so caught up in his presence when you know you got stuff that you gotta do, but your soul is saying, I need something right now.

[B]

How many know it don't have to happen in church? Oh, I hope you don't just wait for church. There's something about saying, I know there's other things I can be doing. I know I got stuff on my checklist. I know I got my 10 year plan. But right now my soul just needs to sit at its feet and worship him.

[A]

You gotta watch Mary's, because Mary's don't have a watch. They will lose track of time worshiping. And I think that's what Mary did. She wanted to get in the kitchen, but Jesus kept talking. She wanted to help with the food, but her soul was getting some other food. Her soul was being fed. And I think she was kind of awkwardly standing up and trying to get to the kitchen, but Jesus kept on talking. Finally, only one space opened up on the floor at his feet. Jesus says, why don't you have a seat? She sits down. Don't start playing yet. Because in the kitchen, Martha is. Have you ever known what it's like to start setting stuff up, thinking, oh, they gonna come and help? Surely she knows that it's 13 people out there and we don't even got that many crackers. So she knows that we're gonna have to. She's checking in there. I'm still sitting down. Okay, I'm just gonna keep putting the flowers up. And she's still setting the table and Mary is still sitting. And all while she's setting each place mat for 13 people. I think at placemat number 11, she snapped. She said, that's it. Sick of this.

[B]

See me in here.

[A]

You don't want to come I'm going to go in there. And she walks in. Can you see her wooden spoon in her hand? Jesus is in the middle of teaching Jesus.

[B]

Don't you care?

[A]

My sister left me in there to do it all by myself. Don't act like you ain't never been there. You ever had a walk into the room with a wooden spoon moment and embarrass yourself? Once you came to your senses and everybody in the office knew it's not about what they're talking about, something else was going on. She was, oh, here it is. Distracted. Martha, what are you distracted by? By much. Serving. She's not distracted by sin. She's not distracted by smoking. She's not distracted by shots. She's distracted from Jesus, by serving Jesus. You mean to tell me that I can be distracted from Jesus not by doing something evil, but by doing something good? You mean to tell me I can be busy serving God, that I don't spend time with the God that I'm serving? No wonder you're snapping at people, Martha. You got a lot of activity in the kingdom. No activity or intimacy with the King. So her cry, don't you care? Anytime somebody is carrying more than they should, they generally want to know, does anybody else care? Famous last words from somebody that's about to have a complete breakdown. When you are carrying too much, you will start to wonder, does anybody care? Does anybody care that I'm a single mom trying to be mom and dad and trying to be everything that my kids need and I don't even have much resource? Does anybody care? Does anybody care that I'm trying to finish this degree and I'm drowning in school loan debt and I'm just trying to make ends meet. Does anybody care? Look at what she says. Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Because when you're carrying too much, you'll start to wonder, does the Lord even care? Where have I seen that before? Oh, Mark, chapter four. Remember when the disciples are on the boat and the winds and the waves are raging and Jesus is asleep on the boat and they pull a Martha, don't you care? When you say, don't you care, not only is it a sign you're carrying too much, but it's also a sign that you feel like things are out of your control. You ever done it when things got out of your control? You're wondering, God, do you even care? But can I help you and let you know that your God cares? He has always cared. Matter of fact, he says, cast your Cares on me for I care for you. When we're carrying too much and when things are out of our control, we wonder if he even cares. Now you can play to make this sound real Spark Lord, don't you care? Here's how I know she's mad that things aren't in her control. Look at what she says next. Tell her then to help me. You know she's used to control. She tells Jesus, the king of kings, the lurk of lurking. She tells, this is not a suggestion. She is demanding, hey, Jesus, tell her to help me. Does that sound like your prayer life demands to Jesus? You see, I've been given an offering. Where is my raise? You see I'm serving. When are they gonna give me the mic? Is that your prayer life? What is your posture? Sitting at his feet like Mary listening or Martha demanding, tell her to help me. The nerve, the audacity, the unmitigated gall. Not only is it crazy, let's look at it. She's worried. She's anxious about many things. She needs help. And she goes to Jesus and says, tell her to help me. Martha is worried. She's anxious about so many things, she needs help. So she goes to Jesus and says, jesus, tell her to help me. Okay, you missed it. She's worried, she's anxious, she's overwhelmed, she needs help.

[B]

So she goes to Jesus and says, jesus, tell her to help me. Hold on, Martha. Don't you know who you're talking to? You're talking to Jesus. You're talking to the all sufficient ones. If you need some help, why don't you just go to him and say, jesus, I need some help. You ain't got to tell him to tell her. You ought to just go to the source. Is there anybody in here that's feeling overwhelmed, that's feeling anxious? Why don't you just go straight to the source and say, jesus, I need help. I can't do this by myself.

[A]

Why are you going to him demanding that he tell her she shouldn't have just said, hey, Jesus, I'm tired. I'm so tired, Jesus, I've been carrying this weight my entire life. Could you help? I wonder what this story would have been if she did that. Wonder if he would have pulled what he did that day with the multitude and said, don't worry. How many fish and bread you got in there, Martha? Bring it. You know I can multiply stuff. Wonder how this story would have changed if she would have gone to him for help. Oh, wonder how the story would have changed if she would have noticed what was happening. Mary is sitting at his feet. This is bigger than posture. Nowhere else in your Bible will you ever see a moment where a woman is sitting at the feet of a rabbi. This is huge. In that culture, sitting at the feet of a rabbi was something that was only reserved for the men in that culture. Nowhere in scripture except for this moment, do we ever see a woman afforded the opportunity to sit at the feet of a rabbi. By sitting at the feet of a rabbi, the rabbi was saying, I am going to disciple you. You have access to me. Do you see what you Jesus is doing? Do you see the power of the grace of God, how it tears down, it tears down walls of race and gender, that Jesus says, I'm a different type of rabbi, that everyone is welcome to sit at my feet?

[B]

Do you know what Martha should have realized? She should have realized this is a moment and this is a different Savior that allows anybody to sit at his feet. She should have said, can you scoot over a little bit, Mary, I need to worship. Can you move just a little bit? My soul is tired. So let me sit at his feet too.

[A]

There's something about being at his feet that changes everything. Often we preach this text like this is two different personalities. The Martha's that work, the Mary's that worship, the Marthas that serve, the Marys that sit. This is not about personality because both are necessary. Don't get it twisted. Jesus never calls one bad or the other, but he does say one thing is necessary and this is the necessary thing that is to be at his feet. In other words, I want you to serve. But before you serve, make sure that you sit at my feet. Make sure that you have something to pour out.

[B]

If you can only do one thing, sit at his feet. I know you got so many things going on, but there is only one thing that is necessary. What have I been trying to say this entire series? Don't forget the one thing that is necessary, which is sitting at the feet of Jesus, which is loving on Jesus, which is listening to Jesus. That is your one job before you do everything else, before you get up to serve. Sit at his feet. That's the one thing. Is there anybody in here that has a one thing that says only one thing is necessary for me? That's what David said. He said one thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Do you have a one thing?

[A]

Paul had a one thing. He said one thing I do. Forgetting what's Behind, I press towards what's ahead. A blind man had a one thing. Jesus restored his sight. And the Pharisees and the religious people wanted to know. Well, can you give us an explanation as to how all of this happened? We need some theological things to substantiate the evidence of the miracle. That blonde dude goes, I just know one thing. I once was blind, but now I see. In a culture where the noise is loud and there's so many things, there's really only one thing. Not saying you can't serve, but sit before you serve. You need Martha hands but a merry heart. This is not about personality. This is about priority. That before I do anything, I will do the one thing that is necessary, which is to worship him, to listen to him. Would you stand to your feet all over this place today, I'm going to ask that nobody leave. We're going to dismiss. Have you forgotten your one thing? I wonder if you've gotten the priorities out of order. You've been seeking first the other things and then seeking last the kingdom and the king and wondering why you're frustrated. Has your only thing been your job or your career? And you're wondering why you're making more money than you've ever made, but you're more stressed and burnt out than you've ever been because your priorities are wrong. He said there is only one thing that is necessary and that won't be taken away from her. In other words, there's things that can be taken away from my life but you can't take away. When I sit at his feet, I have access to this Savior. The one thing I wonder if you made sitting at his feet the one thing, how it would affect everything else in your life. I'm going to ask heads be bowed and eyes be closed today. If you're here today and you'd be so honest to say, hey, pray, my priorities have gotten out of alignment. I'm gonna keep it 100 with you. I wish I could tell you that all you gotta do is set Jesus as the one thing. And it's a one time. Set it and forget it. No. As somebody who preaches the gospel, I cannot allow my serving him make me miss him. I cannot be so busy pouring out that I don't sit and just behold Him. It is the fight of your life. This will not happen by accident. You have to choose. In the midst of the chaos, even though you could go to the kitchen, you gotta choose to sit first. That's where we always saw Mary, at his feet. When Lazarus died, she fell at his feet even in her grief and said, if my brother. If you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died. And Jesus said, show me where you laid him down. She had a posture. She broke expensive alabaster box and poured perfume at his feet. She was always at his feet. Is that your life? Or if you bought into the lie of this Martha culture? And I gotta hustle and I gotta grind and I gotta do this, this and that. That you have. You haven't stopped to sit. If you're here today, and you'd be so honest to say, hey, PR Things have gotten out of alignment, and today I need to make sitting be the priority. Would you just lift up your hand high enough and long enough to where I could see it today? Thank you, God. Yeah, thank you, God. I'm talking to some of you who've been walking with the Lord, and you're actually facing in your serving. Martha's on the serve team. But maybe if you see yourself getting agitated with other people and maybe even wondering, God, do you care? And making demands, maybe that's a sign you prioritize serving over sitting. It is from the place of sitting that I serve out of overflow and intimacy with him. Anybody else? Thank you, God. Lift it up and put it right back down. Heads are still bowed, eyes are still closed. Today. If you're here today and maybe watching online, you say, hey, P.R. i. I've never even taken that first step, which is to say, jesus, my life is yours. I'd love to give you that opportunity today. We say it all the time. It's social. You can always come home. What a beautiful thing that we have a savior who says, there's space for you at my feet. It's an open invitation to respond to what he did. Stop trying to say, I'm going to get myself together, and then I'll come to God. You can't get yourself together. You need a savior. So if you're here today and say, hey, P.R. i need to give you. Give Jesus my life today. I don't care if it's one person, you're worth it. That's you. Would you lift up your hand high enough and long enough to where I could see it today saying, today's the day. I'm giving him my life. Thank you. I see that hand. I see that hand. Anybody else? I see that hand. Thank you, God. I want to do something that's not to embarrass you. I just think it's something powerful about leaving where you are and Coming to a new place. If you lifted up your hand that second time saying, hey, I need to give my life to Jesus. I'm going to count to three, and I just want you to leave your seat and come right up here to the front. Doesn't make the front more spiritual, but I do think that it is symbolic of you saying, the old me is staying in my seat, but the new me is stepping into what my Savior died for relationship with me. Died for your sin. You don't have to carry it. He does care. He cares. That's you today. You lifted up your hand that second time or you should have. When I count to three, I just want you to come. I don't care how far you gotta walk. If you're all the way at the top, I promise every step is worth it.

[B]

1.

[A]

Come on. 2. Don't worry about what anybody else is gonna think. 3. Come on. Would you come? Thank you, God. Thank you, Lord.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

Today's your day. Thank you, God. Thank you, God. Yeah. Thank you, God. Thank you, Jesus.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

Come on, church. Can we give God praise and thank him for those who are responding?

[B]

Come on. Come on, Martha. Come on, Mary. Come on, Lazarus. You've been worried, you've been anxious. You've been trying to carry something that you weren't meant to carry.

[A]

Thank you, God.

[B]

Come on, come on, come on.

[A]

They're still coming. Don't stop clapping till people stop coming.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, God. Lord, it's hard. And the world is so loud. And there's so many things that are pulling for our attention. Things that we think we need. Father, today, help us see that you are the priority, that one thing is necessary, and God, thank you that it cannot be taken away from us. You died. You were forsaken. So that we don't have to be. God, you hung in shame on a cross so we don't have to carry that shame. Father, I declare over your children today. Shame off of them in Jesus name. And it doesn't matter what we've done. There's space at your feet. Help us to not only come there, help us to stay there. Praying for the person who's watching this online right now, thank you. That your presence knows no limits and you're there with them today. Jesus, those of you at this altar, if you could just lift up your hands. In fact, we're all going to do it. I just think this is a posture of surrender. There's things that we do with our physical body that open us up to receive what God has for us, just like Mary did. Her posture was different. She was at his feet. And so by lifting up your hands, you're saying, God, I'm open. I'm available to what you want to do in my life. You're lifting up your hands to say, God, I'm surrendering, tired of fighting. I know I need you. So I'm going to lead you in this prayer. There's pastors and leaders that are behind you if you want personal prayer after this, but I just want to lead you in this prayer. I'm going to give you the words, but you say it from your heart. In fact, we're all going to say it as one family today. Would you declare this say, jesus, I need you. I don't need anything else. You're my one thing. Lord, thank you for loving me enough to pay the price for my sins. Lord, today my hands are lifted because I'm surrendered to you. Come into my life. Forgive me of my sin. Make me brand new. From this moment forward, I'm walking with you. I want to be found at your feet. I let go of the worry and the anxiety, the things I'm carrying. Thank you that you do care. So I cast my cares onto you. You can handle it. In Jesus name, amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

If you meant what you prayed, would you give Jesus some praise today? Come on, you can do better than that.