Establishing Priorities

Text: Luke 10:38-42

I. Mary and Martha
   A. Recognizing situation-- many people are over, Martha trying 
      to get ready
   B. Is Martha sinning?  
   C. Issue: Mary chose the best, Martha spent her time in 
      distractions

II. Establishing our Priorities
   A. Mary and Martha are contrasts in priority settings
   B. We all have to set priorities
      1. Too many different ways to spend money or time
      2. We make choices of what we determine to be important
      3. By the choices we make we demonstrate what is important 
         to us
   C. Where should our priorities be?
      1. Matthew 6:33
      2. Luke 9:59-62
      3. Romans 15:2-3

III. Examining Our Priority Decisions
   A. What decisions do we make in terms of priority?
   B. Translation of common terms
      1. "I can't afford it" means "I have other financial 
         priorities"
      2. "I'm busy" means "I have other priorities"
      3. "I would be there, but I have _______" means "_______ is 
         more important to me"
   C. How does this work in spiritual terms?
   D. What happens when "__________" always comes before services?
      1. What is in the blank?  Family events?  Sporting events?  
         Television?
      2. Not inherently a condemnation-- if one is ill, or is 
         compelled to work, or to take care of a family member, 
         these are legitimate priorities that need to be first 
         addressed
      3. On the other hand, do we let other things get in the way 
         of our service to God?
   E. Not only in terms of the assembly
      1. In your home life, are you more like Martha or Mary?  Do 
         you constantly have things to worry about and do that 
         occupy all your time, or do you take out some time to sit 
         at the feet of Jesus?
      2. Are spiritual things always a high priority or a low 
         priority?
   F. Consider hard the "thorny soil" (Matthew 13:7, 22)!

IV. In the end, recognize that I will not be your judge in these 
    matters, but Almighty God Himself (Acts 17:30-31).  Will you 
    tell Him that you were "too busy"?  What will you say when He 
    tells you that you were not too busy, but simply chose to have 
    other priorities?  What will you say?

V. Invitation