The One Necessary Thing: Prayer and Intimacy

Acts begins with a church birthed out of a prayer meeting, and Acts 6 shows the apostles refusing to let even a real church problem move them off prayer and the ministry of the word. Luke 10 then brings that same issue down into a living room, where Jesus, Mary, and Martha show what the “one thing” really is.

Jesus enters Martha’s home, and Martha genuinely wants to serve him well. Her hospitality is not evil. Her preparations are not wicked. But Martha’s preparations become the kind of thing that can draw the soul away, and Jesus says, “Martha, Martha,” because secondary things have become primary things.

Mary at the Lord’s feet becomes the picture of prayer. She sits. She listens. She receives his word continually. Jesus says Mary has chosen the good part, and that part cannot be taken away from her. Food can be taken away. Activity can be interrupted. Church busyness can wear a person out. But nearness to Jesus, intimacy with him, and listening to his word feed the soul in a way serving alone cannot.

The lion tamer’s stool shows how distraction works. Too many legs in front of the lion’s face can almost paralyze him, and too many concerns before the believer can do the same thing. Satan does not care how busy religious activity becomes if prayer is neglected. Painted sticks promise satisfaction, but they do not go anywhere. Real satisfaction cannot be found apart from intimacy with Jesus, and intimacy with Jesus cannot be separated from prayer.

Jesus teaches that prayer is not mainly a list, and it is not a box to check. Prayer is intimacy with God that leads to the fulfillment of his purposes. Prayer is scripture fed, Spirit led, and worship based. “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name” puts worship before request, reverence before wants, and God’s glory before human agendas.

Jesus also becomes the example of the very thing he commends. Luke 11 shows Jesus praying right after he tells Martha that one thing is necessary. The Son sits, as it were, at the Father’s feet. The believer learns to pray not by running harder in religious ruts, but by opening the Word, listening first, and then answering God with what God has spoken.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Prayer begins with listening. Prayer is not merely talking to God until the list runs out. Prayer begins when the believer sits before the Word and lets God start the conversation. Whoever starts the conversation tends to dominate it, so reverent listening makes prayer less like a rut and more like fellowship. [40:07]
• 2. Secondary things can become primary. Martha’s serving was not condemned because service is bad, but because service had taken the place that belonged to nearness. Good things become dangerous when they crowd out the one necessary thing. The believer’s plate often gets full because things were picked up that God never assigned. [34:07]
• 3. Seek his face, not his hand. Seeking God’s hand can turn prayer into a hunt for outcomes, but seeking his face makes prayer an act of love and surrender. The hand of God is not despised, but it is not the center. The face of God is the gift that teaches the soul what to ask for and what to release. [47:08]
• 4. Intimacy outgrows religious activity. Prayer is not just how meetings open and close, and it is not just spiritual muscle memory. Activity can keep a believer moving while the heart stays distant. Intimacy with God is the deeper thing, because worship reshapes wants instead of merely baptizing them. [55:36]
• 5. Christ knows his true children. The final question is not whether a person has a religious memory, but whether Jesus can truthfully say, “That one belongs to me.” Human claims can be thin, but the Lord knows those who are his and gives his Spirit to his people. Real assurance rests in Christ’s truth, not in a person’s version of the story. [59:51]
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [25:08] - Acts, Prayer, and the Word
• [26:25] - Mary and Martha Introduced
• [27:08] - The One Thing
• [28:29] - The Encouragement of Jesus
• [29:21] - Distracted by Too Many Things
• [31:24] - Jesus Often Slipped Away to Pray
• [34:07] - Secondary Things Made Primary
• [38:09] - The Enlightenment of Jesus
• [40:07] - Prayer as Listening
• [41:20] - Worship Based Praying
• [46:30] - Seeking God’s Face
• [53:34] - Jesus as the Example
• [56:35] - Prayer Is Intimacy, Not Activity
• [60:10] - A Call to Belong to Christ

Bible Reading

Luke 10:38-42
“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.’” [28:44]

Acts 6:4
“But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” [26:01]

Luke 11:1
“Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’” [53:46]

Luke 5:16
“But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” [31:35]

Observation questions

1. In Luke 10:38-42, what is Martha doing, what is Mary doing, and what words does Jesus use to describe Martha’s condition? [29:11]
2. In Acts 6:4, what two things do the apostles say they will devote themselves to, even while a real church problem is happening?
3. In Luke 10, what does Jesus say is the “one thing” that is necessary, and what does he say cannot be taken away from Mary? [38:24]
4. What repeated pattern is seen in the life of Jesus in Luke 5:16 and Luke 11:1 when it comes to prayer? [53:46]

Interpretation questions

1. Martha’s serving was not wrong in itself, yet Jesus still corrected her. How can a good thing become a distracting thing when it takes the place of nearness to Christ? [34:07]
2. Mary sat at the Lord’s feet and kept listening to his word. What does that show about prayer being more than speaking, and why might listening be such a vital part of real fellowship with God? [40:07]
3. Jesus says Mary chose the good portion that cannot be taken away. Why is intimacy with Christ described as more lasting and more soul-feeding than activity, productivity, or even necessary daily tasks? [38:38]
4. Luke places Jesus praying right after the account of Mary and Martha. What does that add to the meaning of the “one thing is necessary,” especially since Jesus himself practices it? [54:21]

Application questions

1. What tends to crowd the “one thing” out in this season of life? Is it work, family pressure, church busyness, worry, or something else? Where have secondary things started to feel primary? [35:44]
2. When prayer becomes rushed or mechanical, what usually lies underneath that? Is there a pattern of talking first instead of listening first, or trying to carry too many things at once? [56:19]
3. Jesus’ people are called to seek his face, not only his hand. When approaching God lately, has the focus mostly been on getting help, answers, and outcomes, or on being near him and knowing him? [47:08]
4. What would it look like this week to sit at the Lord’s feet in a simple, practical way? When could a real block of time be set aside to open Scripture, be quiet, and answer God from his word? [45:05]
5. Are there any “painted sticks” in life right now—things that promise satisfaction but do not really lead anywhere? How have those distractions affected closeness with Jesus? [36:22]
6. If spiritual health in every other area is tied closely to this vertical relationship, where is that showing up most clearly right now—in marriage, parenting, decision-making, peace of mind, or something else? [52:20]
7. Jesus knows those who are his. When looking honestly at life, is there confidence of belonging to Christ in truth, and if not, what needs to be faced openly before him? [01:00:10]