Reflections on the Life of an Innkeeper
December 14, 2014
Pastor Miles
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6-7 NIV)
1. We have no room to care for others because we have no margins in our lives.
Do we have room in our lives for Him?
If not, why not?
Are we too busy, like the innkeeper, overcommitted due to our busy schedules?
2. The story of the Good Samaritan
In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:30-37 NIV)
Why did the Good Samaritan stop and help, and not the others?
He could easily have used the same excuses as the others, but he didn't.
He felt compassion for the man because he thought "that could have been me".
Do we feel others' pain and difficult circumstances?
3. The story of Mary and Martha.
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42 NIV)
Mary stopped and listened to what Jesus was saying.
This is a choice that all of us have to make.
We need to learn from the "inside out" rather than the "outside in".
We need to look at Jesus' example.
He met with and spent time with the "rejects" of his society, and accomplished all that His Father gave Him to do in 3 years.
In today's hectic, hurry-up climate, it's easy to get ensnared by to-do lists, family demands, and even Kingdom service. But in all our busyness, we often lose track of the one thing that is needed, or as Jesus put it to Martha, the "better part." Learning to cultivate intimacy with the Lord and keep Him in the center of our lives can be a challenge. But once we develop this relationship with Him, we'll discover a greater satisfaction, fullness, and balance to our lives than we've ever known.
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It's imperative to arrive at a balance between the two sides of our Christian life~work and worship. We must learn to walk the tightrope between having a quiet Mary heart and using our busy Martha hands. Looking to Scripture, we can find help in achieving this balance.
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When we combine our passion for God with our compassion for people, our lives will fall into balance. We were created both to worship and to do good works. To do both effectively requires a deep love for God and for others.
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God also commands us to practice hospitality (see Luke 14:12-14; 1 Timothy 3:2; Romans 12:13)~ opening up our homes and lives to others~and, doing so "without grumbling" (1 Peter 4:9). Hospitality is not always easy. It's challenging amidst a busy schedule to make space for others. But God never wants us to get so busy that we don't have time for other people.
From Having a Mary's Heart in a Martha World in Christian Book Summaries.
Next Steps:
Be prepared to respond to those in need.
Plan to give something to someone who can't give back.
Choose to stop and listen to Jesus.
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