Distractions from God: The Danger of Good Intentions
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. Today, we continue our series on temptation, but with a different focus. Last week, we discussed the obvious temptations like lust, anger, and greed, using the story of David and Bathsheba. This week, we shift our attention to the subtler temptations that arise from good intentions but end up pulling us away from God. Our scripture today is from Luke 10:38-42, the story of Jesus visiting Martha and Mary.
Martha welcomed Jesus into her home and busied herself with preparations, while Mary sat at Jesus' feet, listening to Him. Martha, feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus responded by gently pointing out that Martha was worried and upset over many details, but only one thing was necessary—focusing on Him.
Martha's story illustrates how even good intentions can lead us astray. She started with the right motives—hospitality and service—but got distracted by the busyness and stress of her tasks. This shift in focus pulled her away from Jesus. The Greek word "perispao," meaning to draw away or distract, captures this idea perfectly.
We often face similar temptations. Good things like social media, busyness, church activities, and even kids' sports can start with pure intentions but end up distracting us from God. The challenge is to recognize these areas in our lives where our focus has shifted from God to our own desires and distractions.
Jesus warns against doing the right things for the wrong reasons in Matthew 6 and 23. He calls out hypocrites who give, pray, and fast for public recognition rather than genuine devotion. Our goal should be to draw near to God, as James 4:8 says, "Come close to God, and God will come close to you."
This week, I challenge you to identify your "perispao"—the areas where you are being pulled away from God despite good intentions. Pray for God to reveal these areas to you and help you refocus on Him. Remember, Satan is always at work, trying to pull us away from God, but we must strive to keep our intentions pure and our focus on Jesus.
### Key Takeaways
1. Good Intentions Can Lead Us Astray: Martha's story shows how even good intentions, like hospitality, can distract us from focusing on Jesus. We must be vigilant about our motives and ensure they remain aligned with God's will. [04:58]
2. The Danger of Distractions: The Greek word "perispao" means to draw away or distract. This is a dangerous state for believers because it subtly shifts our focus from God to our own desires and busyness. [10:37]
3. Doing the Right Things for the Wrong Reasons: Jesus warns against hypocritical behavior in Matthew 6 and 23. Actions like giving, praying, and fasting should be done out of genuine devotion, not for public recognition. [22:25]
4. Self-Evaluation is Crucial: We must regularly evaluate our lives to identify areas where our good intentions have shifted to distractions. This self-awareness helps us realign our focus on God. [23:11]
5. Satan's Subtle Tactics: Satan often uses subtle temptations to pull us away from God. Recognizing these tactics and staying vigilant helps us maintain our focus on Jesus and resist being drawn away. [26:19]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:01] - Clarifying Last Week's Story
[02:03] - Introduction to Today's Topic
[03:07] - The Story of Martha and Mary
[04:22] - Common Takeaways from the Story
[04:58] - Martha's Good Intentions
[06:19] - Martha's Distraction and Frustration
[07:23] - Jesus' Response to Martha
[09:12] - The Importance of Focus
[10:14] - The Meaning of "Perispao"
[11:25] - The Danger of Subtle Temptations
[13:05] - Examples of Modern-Day Distractions
[15:56] - The Shift in Focus Over Time
[17:22] - The Temptation of Pride in Ministry
[18:36] - The Role of Kids' Sports
[20:04] - Identifying Your "Perispao"
[21:14] - Jesus' Teachings on Hypocrisy
[23:11] - The Challenge of Self-Evaluation
[24:37] - God's Focus on the Heart
[26:19] - Satan's Subtle Tactics
[27:15] - Preview of Next Week's Topic
[28:02] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Luke 10:38-42
- James 4:8
- Matthew 6:2, 5, 16
#### Observation Questions
1. What were Martha and Mary doing when Jesus visited their home? How did their actions differ? ([03:38])
2. What was Jesus' response to Martha's complaint about Mary? ([07:23])
3. What does the Greek word "perispao" mean, and how does it relate to Martha's situation? ([10:14])
4. According to James 4:8, what happens when we draw near to God?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus emphasized that only one thing was necessary when He responded to Martha? ([07:23])
2. How can good intentions, like Martha's hospitality, become distractions that pull us away from God? ([10:14])
3. In what ways does Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6 about doing things for the right reasons apply to Martha's situation? ([21:14])
4. How does the concept of "perispao" challenge our understanding of what it means to be focused on God?
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your daily activities. Are there any "good intentions" that have become distractions, pulling you away from focusing on Jesus? How can you realign your focus? ([10:14])
2. Think about your use of social media. Has it shifted from its original good intentions to something that distracts you from God? What steps can you take to minimize this distraction? ([13:53])
3. Evaluate your schedule. Are you so busy that it affects your relationship with God? What changes can you make to ensure your busyness doesn't pull you away from Him? ([14:57])
4. Consider your church attendance and involvement. Has it become a checkbox activity rather than a meaningful time of worship and community? How can you restore its original purpose in your life? ([16:25])
5. Reflect on your motives for participating in activities like kids' sports or other commitments. Are they still aligned with your intention to glorify God, or have they become distractions? How can you refocus these activities? ([18:36])
6. Identify one area in your life where you feel pulled away from God despite starting with good intentions. What practical steps can you take this week to draw near to God in that area? ([20:04])
7. Pray for God to reveal any areas in your life where your focus has shifted from Him to your own desires and distractions. How will you respond to what He shows you? ([24:05])
Devotional
Day 1: The Subtle Danger of Good Intentions
Good intentions can sometimes lead us astray, as illustrated by Martha's story in Luke 10:38-42. Martha welcomed Jesus into her home with the intention of serving Him, but she became overwhelmed by the busyness and stress of her tasks. Her focus shifted from Jesus to the details of her service, causing her to miss the opportunity to sit at His feet and listen. This shift in focus is captured by the Greek word "perispao," which means to draw away or distract. We must be vigilant about our motives and ensure they remain aligned with God's will, recognizing that even good intentions can become distractions if they pull us away from God. [04:58]
Luke 10:38-42 (ESV): "Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 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. 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.'"
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where your good intentions have become a distraction. How can you refocus your attention on Jesus in this area today?
Day 2: The Danger of Distractions
Distractions can subtly shift our focus from God to our own desires and busyness. The Greek word "perispao" means to draw away or distract, highlighting the danger of being pulled away from God by seemingly good activities. Modern-day distractions like social media, busyness, church activities, and even kids' sports can start with pure intentions but end up consuming our attention and energy. Recognizing these distractions and staying vigilant helps us maintain our focus on Jesus and resist being drawn away. [10:37]
Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
Reflection: What is one specific distraction in your life that often pulls you away from focusing on God? What practical steps can you take to minimize this distraction?
Day 3: Genuine Devotion Over Public Recognition
Jesus warns against hypocritical behavior in Matthew 6 and 23, emphasizing that actions like giving, praying, and fasting should be done out of genuine devotion rather than for public recognition. The goal is to draw near to God with a sincere heart, not to seek approval or admiration from others. This teaching challenges us to examine our motives and ensure that our spiritual practices are rooted in a genuine desire to connect with God. [22:25]
Matthew 6:1-4 (ESV): "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent act of service or devotion. Were your motives entirely pure, or were you seeking recognition from others? How can you shift your focus to genuine devotion?
Day 4: The Importance of Self-Evaluation
Regular self-evaluation is crucial for identifying areas where our good intentions have shifted to distractions. This self-awareness helps us realign our focus on God and ensures that our actions are motivated by a genuine desire to draw near to Him. By taking the time to reflect on our lives and motives, we can make necessary adjustments to stay on the right path and maintain a close relationship with God. [23:11]
Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV): "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
Reflection: Take a moment to pray and ask God to reveal any areas in your life where your focus has shifted away from Him. What steps can you take to realign your focus on God?
Day 5: Recognizing Satan's Subtle Tactics
Satan often uses subtle temptations to pull us away from God. These temptations can come in the form of good intentions that become distractions, leading us to focus on our own desires rather than on God. By staying vigilant and recognizing these tactics, we can maintain our focus on Jesus and resist being drawn away. It is important to be aware of the ways in which Satan tries to deceive us and to remain steadfast in our commitment to God. [26:19]
1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV): "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."
Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you felt subtly tempted to shift your focus away from God. How can you stay vigilant and resist these temptations in the future?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Mary discovered the importance of making Jesus the focus and the priority. If Martha's heart would have been focused on serving and listening and just taking in what was going on with Jesus, there wouldn't have been a problem. Jesus doesn't call her out for cooking. He calls her out for her cooking, pulling her away from him because it distracts her from focusing on him." [09:12] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The intentions are pure and the initial goal is probably to draw near to God. It's certainly not to distance ourselves from him. But then, as the world does what the world does, the good things we do with good and pure intentions slowly start to distract us from Jesus. And we lose focus. We let our desires and our distractions start to be the why for the things we're doing. And we begin to draw away from God in the process." [12:05] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The problem is that usually when we stop drawing near to God, you know what we do? We start drawing away from him. We might keep doing good things, but our new motives take over and that's a really, really dangerous place to land." [20:38] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Remember this, right? We talked about this last week. Satan is always at work. Does not sleep. Does not rest. And he might not get you with this blatant obvious temptations like the stuff we talked about last week. But he will do his best to find the cracks, right? And to do whatever it takes to pull you away from God. That is his only mission is to pull you away from God, right? To seek, kill, and destroy. To pull you away from God." [26:19] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The goal for believers is this. To know this. You draw near to God, he'll do what? He'll draw near to us. So, we want to do everything in our power to keep drawing near and to not perispile and get pulled away." [28:02] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "So the temptation we all face as believers is to let our desires and distractions, our perispao, take priority over our initial good intentions to draw near to God. Even if the task stays the same." [12:05] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The challenging part is for you just to take some time this week to look at your life and be honest with yourself. To go to God and have him help you recognize and identify, where are you perispao? Where are you being pulled from him? Maybe there are areas where you're doing the right thing, but maybe the reasons have shifted and they're no longer the right reasons." [23:11] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We can fool the world by doing good things. We can even fool ourselves. But God isn't interested in us doing things for the wrong reasons. God's interested in our heart. So this week, your challenge is to evaluate what's going on in your life. What's going on in your heart? I want you to pray this week for God to reveal to you areas where you're starting to look a little bit too much like Martha in this video. In this story." [25:16] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "What area of your life are you doing something that started for the right reasons with good intentions? Reasons that were good and pleasing to the Lord. And that were meant to allow you to draw near to God. But because of stress or busyness or desires, you've distanced yourself from God in the process." [20:04] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "How about this one? Some of you aren't going to like this one at all. Kids sports. Uh-oh. And let me say this. I love kids sports. So much. I think there's almost nothing that can prepare your kids for their walk as a Christian. As much as the lessons learned and attributes attained from playing youth sports. Community. Hard work. Perseverance. Dealing with failure. Opposition. Overcoming adversity. Camaraderie. Fun. Learning to give it all to bring glory to God." [18:36] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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