One Thing" 31-May-2026 10AM

May 31, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Choosing the Good Portion at Jesus’ Feet

Martha’s frustration with Mary exposes our tendency to prioritize productivity over presence. Jesus redirects Martha’s anxiety, declaring that sitting at His feet—listening, learning, lingering—is the “one thing” that sustains all else. This story confronts our addiction to busyness, our pride in religious hustle, and our avoidance of vulnerability. True nourishment comes not from what we do for God, but from receiving what He offers in stillness. Mary’s choice to feast on Christ’s words echoes Psalm 27’s cry to dwell in God’s beauty. The “good portion” remains available to those who stop striving long enough to receive. [58:56]

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 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 10:38-42, ESV)

Reflection: What “dishes” are you angrily scrubbing today—tasks, worries, or roles—that Jesus might be inviting you to set down? How might choosing stillness unsettle yet ultimately sustain you?

Day 2: When Work Distracts from the Word

Martha’s complaint—“Don’t you care?”—reveals how service can morph into resentment when disconnected from devotion. Her hands full of plates mirrored a heart crowded with comparisons. Jesus’ gentle rebuke reframes priorities: work flows from worship, not the reverse. Like Martha, we often mistake motion for meaning, measuring spiritual worth by visible output. Yet the aroma of Christ forms not in frantic kitchens but at quiet feet. The test isn’t how much we accomplish, but whether our labor springs from abiding love. [01:02:14]

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! (Psalm 46:10, ESV)

Reflection: Where has your work for God become a source of pride or frustration? What would it look like to let today’s tasks emerge from yesterday’s stillness?

Day 3: The Necessity of One Thing in a Noisy World

“One thing” cuts through life’s chaos like a plumb line. Jesus names our fragmentation—anxieties about money, status, others’ opinions—and offers singular focus. Psalm 27’s “one thing” (to dwell with God) becomes Mary’s lifeline. This isn’t minimalism but magnification: fixing our gaze on Christ until other concerns shrink to proper size. Like Moses lifting hands in battle, our victory comes through surrendered focus. The enemy fears saints who choose the main thing over many things. [01:16:36]

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4, ESV)

Reflection: What “many things” fragment your attention today? How might fixing your gaze on Christ recalibrate your perspective?

Day 4: Prayer as Listening: The Overlooked Posture

We often treat prayer as a divine suggestion box, listing requests while rushing out the door. Mary models prayer as receptive silence—letting Christ’s words wash over her like healing balm. True prayer involves mutuality: speaking less, hearing more. When we quiet our agendas, God illuminates hidden motives, heals old wounds, and whispers strategic wisdom. The “good part” grows when we trade monologues for dialogues, letting Light expose what clutter needs clearing. [01:17:44]

And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant hears." (1 Samuel 3:10, ESV)

Reflection: When did you last create space to listen in prayer? What might Christ want to say if you paused your petitions today?

Day 5: Victory in the Posture of Surrender

Moses’ raised hands prefigure Mary’s seated posture—both are acts of surrender that secure triumph. Exhausted arms required support; distracted hearts need stillness. Victory comes not through our grip but through open hands, not by our plans but through yielded spirits. When we stop trying to control outcomes and instead fix our eyes on Christ, He fights for us. The battle belongs to the Lord, but the position belongs to us: hands high, knees low, ears open. [01:23:29]

Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. (Exodus 17:11-12, ESV)

Reflection: What battle are you trying to win through sheer effort? How might raising open hands—instead of clenched fists—shift this struggle?

Sermon Summary

Luke 10:38-42 sets Jesus down in a house where two postures break open. Martha welcomes him in and gets cumbered with much serving, weighed down and agitated, while Mary drops to the floor at his feet and listens. Jesus answers Martha with a double call of her name and a diagnosis. “You are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.” Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken from her. Psalm 27:4 echoes that center: one thing asked, one thing sought, to dwell, to gaze, to inquire. The one thing stands as the through-line.

Jesus exposes the contrast between the worker and the worshiper. The house receives him, but the heart must revere him. Welcoming Christ into the room without yielding lordship in the inner room only decorates religion. Adonai does not force his way. The text presses the church to give him position as Lord inwardly, not just polish the religious aesthetics outwardly. That is an inside job. Humbling under God’s hand positions a life for the lift in due time.

Mary’s posture names the path. Sitting at Jesus’ feet disarms pride, slows hurry, and opens the ear. Jesus becomes guest and host at once, feeding the soul that has stopped long enough to be fed. The Spirit’s wisdom trims wasted motion and breaks cycles of fruitless busyness. The word must breathe in before the work can breathe out. The house of devotion comes first, then the hallway of service.

The one thing also guards against resentments that rise when others will not move at one’s pace. Jesus refuses to conscript Mary back into motion, because devotion is not a demotion. “Do what you do, boo” can live in charity, but comparison cannot kneel. Listening prayer takes its rightful place here. The quiet chair may do more than the crowded checklist. God already knows the list; he still asks for the ear. Light in his presence flips the switch on a messy room and invites honest clean up with mercy near at hand.

Surrender becomes strategy. Exodus imagery steps in as a picture. Hands lifted remain the battle position where help comes to hold them up. Victory lands where worship stands. If a people will humble themselves, pray, seek, and turn, God will hear, forgive, and heal. One thing is necessary. Mary chosen the good part, and Jesus will not let it be taken.

Key Takeaways

1. Choose the one necessary thing Mary’s seat at Jesus’ feet is not laziness but wisdom. The good portion anchors a life that will not be yanked around by many anxieties. Devotion clarifies priorities and protects what matters most from being traded for what only looks urgent. Jesus promises that this portion will not be taken. [59:17]
2. Welcome Christ; worship from the heart Inviting Jesus into spaces and gatherings means little if the inner room stays locked. Lordship on Monday through Saturday looks like yielded reactions, slowed anger, and love that survives the parking lot. Adonai chooses consent over coercion, so worship becomes a chosen posture. The inside job always outruns the outside polish. [65:07]
3. Let work stop so word speaks Religious hustle can hide pride and starve hearing. God sometimes sits a servant down so the promise of his word can rebuild the person behind the platform. Motion without fruit signals the moment to be still and receive. Productive labor grows from breathed-in presence, not from performance. [70:36]
4. Pray by listening, not just talking Listening prayer lays down the laundry list and opens a notebook. God delights to speak guidance, and his light kindly exposes the room that needs cleaning. Silence becomes a school where wisdom arrives on time. The ear given to God saves energy, money, and years. [76:58]
5. Win from a surrendered posture Lifted hands are not a retreat; they are a strategy. Aaron and Hur still stand as a picture of grace that steadies tired arms. Surrender draws strength and turns battles. Victory keeps breaking out where worship holds its ground. [84:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[56:39] - Show some sign of His goodness
[57:53] - Opening prayer for clean hearts
[58:23] - Text announced: Luke 10:38-42
[58:56] - Martha’s protest to Jesus
[59:17] - One thing necessary, good portion
[65:07] - Point 1: Welcomed or worshiped
[67:37] - The inside job of humility
[68:57] - Sit down and be fed
[70:36] - Point 2: Pride of work vs promise
[70:57] - Testimony: sat down to hear God
[76:17] - Point 3: Distractions vs devotion
[76:58] - Prayer by listening
[83:12] - Battle position and victory
[85:52] - If my people: humble and pray

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 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.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Observation Questions

What specific actions did Martha and Mary take when Jesus entered their home, and how did Jesus respond to Martha’s frustration?
How does Jesus describe Martha’s state of mind in verse 41, and what does he contrast it with in verse 42?
In the sermon, Psalm 27:4 was referenced as echoing the “one thing” theme. What does this psalm highlight as the ultimate desire of the heart?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus have emphasized Martha’s name twice (“Martha, Martha”) in his response to her? What does this repetition reveal about his posture toward her?
The sermon described Mary’s choice as “the good portion” that “anchors a life.” What does it mean for devotion to act as an anchor, and how does this contrast with Martha’s distractions?
How does the imagery of Moses lifting his hands in Exodus 17:8-13 (referenced in the sermon) connect to the idea of surrender as a strategy for victory?

Application Questions

What practical step could you take this week to prioritize the “one thing” (time with Jesus) over tasks that feel urgent but may not align with eternal priorities?
The sermon mentioned that “listening prayer lays down the laundry list and opens a notebook” [01:16:58]. How might incorporating intentional silence or journaling deepen your prayer life?
Reflect on a recent moment when you felt “anxious and troubled about many things” like Martha. What would it look like to pause, sit at Jesus’ feet, and receive his peace in that situation?
The sermon warned against resentment toward others who “will not move at your pace” [01:14:37]. How can you cultivate grace for others’ unique journeys with God instead of comparing their choices to yours?
Surrendered hands lifted in worship were called a “battle position” [01:23:12]. What area of your life feels like a losing battle right now, and how could surrendering it to God in prayer shift your perspective?

Sermon Clips

55s

#WorshipFromTheHeart

“Though Christ is welcome into our home, is he worshiped from our hearts? We have welcomed him to be in this we have welcomed him to be the reason for our religious ceremonies, religious gatherings, but is he our object of worship in our daily lives? We welcome him as savior to escape a burning hell, but is he ruler and lord of our lives Monday through Saturday? we allowing the character of Christ to be reflected out of our person, our persona? How do we respond negatively? How do we how do we respond to negativity from a supervisor, a coworker, a neighbor, friend, or family member who is trying your patience when they are coming for you without cause?”

45s

#InsideJobFaith

“We have mastered our religious aesthetics and outward appearance. We got that down. We got to look. We know how to dress it up. We sound good. We look good. We come smelling good. We come feeling good. We wanna feel good when we come to church. But how does god feel when he receives our worship? does he feel? So I hear the lord reminding us today that this is a inside job. That's an inside work. It's easy to render religious works outwardly, which may impress people, but what is going on in the inward part that only you and God can see? Sometimes we may not see because we don't want to see ourselves.”

55s

#RespectEachOthersWalk

“Do not get mad at the folks who's not moving like you. I couldn't just brush by that. You doing what you're doing, that's between you and god. But don't get mad at the person because they're not doing what you're doing. Praise god you wanna do all that work. Do what you do, boo. You know what I'm saying? But don't get mad at the other person because they're not doing what you do the way you do it. They got their own relationship with god. Y'all made me get lost again. See? Good god almighty. See, and the thing is the people you get mad at, they may get mad at. They have received they may have received the secret from the master to just sit down and hear the words of Christ.”

50s

#NotMyTimeYet

“It wasn't time for me to go yet. Yeah. God's hand it when god has a work for you to do, you're not going nowhere. It ain't over. He has said, well done, my good and faithful servant. So, you know, I wish I had the picture to show y'all, London was one. In recovery, the lord began speaking some things to me, speaking some things that I was running from, speak speaking to me about some things that I would have would not correct. Not that I was perfect after I came out of that, but I was more conscious and aware. Knew what I had to work on. So sometimes god got to sit us down just to just so we could hear.”

49s

#ChooseTheOneThing

“Choose the one thing. you don't get nothing else, choose that one thing. What's the message of today? One thing. One thing. Choose the one thing. The one thing is necessary and show and Mary chose the good portion. That part would not be taken from her. Mary chose the one thing as she sat at Jesus' feet. One of the greatest elements to prayer yet often overlooked and underemphasized is prayer by listening. We like to lay out our laundry list of all of our cares, our needs. Lord, I need this. I want this. Help me. I wanna get this house. I want this car. Lord, bless bless all my kids. I need this and that. Just take time to hear because he already knows what you need before you ask. So the best thing sometimes in our prayer is just listen. What is he saying?”

49s

#FruitOverMotion

“Sometimes we can be busy all over the place looking and acting important and getting nothing accomplished. But when we allow the spirit of God in Christ to breathe into us, pour into us, reign and have dominion over us, our works will prove to be productive and fruitful. In this, the fathers glorify when we produce or bear much fruit. But when we find ourselves having a whole lot of motion but still stagnant, finding ourselves in the same place from where we started, therein lies the problem and the call to just sit down and just hear god. Do not get mad at folks without your motion as Martha did toward Mary. They may have received they may have received the secret from the master just to sit down. Let me say that again.”

58s

#BattlePositionForVictory

“Aaron and Er had to help him because it became too he became it became too much. Sometimes it can get too much for us, and sometimes we need a little help. We can't do it by ourself. Yeah. I can't do it alone. My god. All I'm saying is getting your battle formation and position with those hands lifted, and you will begin to experience victory where there was defeat, victory where there was lack, victory where there was confusion, chaos, and calamity, victory where there was a dreadful diagnosis by a doctor, victory when your kids are going crazy, victory when the enemy attacks your marriage. He'll give you victory Even when you have more month than you have money, he will stay true to his word. One thing is all that's necessary. Mary chose the one thing and sat us at at his feet. Jesus said, you chose the good portion, and it would not be taken from her.”

53s

#HumbleUnderGod

“Sometimes it's our own pride that keeps us from facing ourselves and live in the delusion that we have it all together. Just maybe that was Martha's problem. Sitting at the feet of a holy god makes us vulnerable and can make us uncomfortable when we resist what needs to be the correct re resist the corrective process to spiritual accountability. Scripture teaches us to humble yourselves ourselves under the mighty head of god, and he will exalt us in due time. But what do we tend to do as busy believers? We work. We got kids to raise. We got bills to pay. We gotta get the church to take care of this. We got the usher. We got the same. We gotta take care of the music. We gotta take care of the sound. We gotta take care we got so much to do. What are we doing as what do we do as to tend to do as busy believers?”

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One Thing" 31-May-2026 10AM

Devotional

Day 1: Choosing the Good Portion at Jesus’ Feet

Day 2: When Work Distracts from the Word

Day 3: The Necessity of One Thing in a Noisy World

Day 4: Prayer as Listening: The Overlooked Posture

Day 5: Victory in the Posture of Surrender

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

One Thing" 31-May-2026 10AM

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