Prioritizing Christ: Finding Order in Overwhelming Lives

Life often feels overwhelming, with responsibilities and commitments piling up until it seems impossible to fit everything in. Yet, there is a deep conviction that each of us has been given enough time, talents, and treasure to do all that God is calling us to do. The challenge is not in the quantity of our resources, but in how we prioritize them. The key is to keep the main thing the main thing—and that main thing is not a task or a goal, but a Person: Jesus Christ.

When Jesus visited Mary and Martha, Martha was distracted by many good things, but Mary chose the one thing that mattered most—sitting at Jesus’ feet. This story, along with the call to rebuild the temple in Haggai and Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6 to “seek first the kingdom of God,” all point to the same truth: when God is truly first, everything else finds its proper place. The struggle to balance life’s demands is not solved by better time management, but by a radical reordering of our priorities around Christ.

Acts 2 gives a practical blueprint for this kind of life. The early believers devoted themselves to four things: the apostles’ teaching (God’s Word), fellowship (deep relationships with other believers), the breaking of bread (worship and communion), and prayer. These are not optional add-ons, but the foundation of a life where Jesus is truly King. When these are prioritized, God promises to provide for our needs and to bring order to the rest of our lives.

This is not about adding more to an already full schedule, but about starting with Jesus and letting Him determine what else fits. It may require saying no to good things, or even reevaluating our entire approach to time, money, and relationships. But the promise is clear: if we seek first His kingdom, all these things will be added to us. The invitation is to make Jesus the audience of one, to let Him set the agenda, and to trust that He will provide everything needed for what He calls us to do.

Key Takeaways

• 1. True sufficiency comes from prioritizing God above all else. The sense of not having enough time, talent, or treasure is often a symptom of misplaced priorities, not actual lack. When God is first, He multiplies our resources and brings order to our lives in ways we could never achieve on our own. [41:54]
• 2. The “main thing” is not a task, but a Person—Jesus Christ. Our lives are filled with many good and necessary things, but only one is truly essential. Sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to Him, and submitting to His lordship is the foundation upon which everything else must be built. [44:26]
• 3. God sometimes allows frustration and lack to redirect our focus. Like the Israelites in Haggai’s day, we may find our efforts unfruitful when we neglect God’s priorities. This is not punishment, but a loving correction, inviting us to realign our lives so that His house—His presence and purposes—come first. [48:28]
• 4. The life God blesses is marked by devotion to His Word, fellowship, worship, and prayer. These four practices are not optional extras, but the core of a vibrant spiritual life. Neglecting any of them leads to spiritual dryness, while prioritizing them brings renewal, strength, and clarity for all of life’s demands. [54:04]
• 5. Making Jesus first requires intentional, sometimes difficult choices. It may mean reevaluating our schedules, finances, and relationships, and being willing to say no to good things for the sake of the best. But as we do, we discover the freedom and peace that comes from living for an audience of One, trusting Him to order the rest. [60:10]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [32:49] - Upcoming Wednesday Events and Special Teaching
• [34:30] - Prayer for Missions and College Campuses
• [37:05] - Testimonies from Campus Outreach
• [39:14] - The Challenge of Overwhelmed Lives
• [40:49] - The Rice Illustration: Fitting God In
• [41:54] - The Main Thing: Who Is First?
• [43:21] - Mary and Martha: Choosing What Matters
• [45:54] - Haggai: Prioritizing God’s House
• [48:28] - When Life Feels Fruitless
• [49:43] - Matthew 6: Seek First the Kingdom
• [51:03] - The Juggling Act of Life
• [52:20] - Acts 2: Devotion and Priorities
• [54:04] - Four Pillars: Word, Fellowship, Worship, Prayer
• [58:22] - Practical Steps to Prioritizing Jesus
• [62:00] - Honest Reflection and Invitation
• [64:08] - Preparing for Communion
• [65:45] - The Lord’s Supper Explained
• [68:03] - Prayer and Ministry Time
• [70:16] - Community, Languages, and Next Week’s Guest
• [83:12] - Final Blessing and Sending

Bible Reading

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.”

Haggai 1:2-9 (ESV) — > Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord. Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.

Matthew 6:31-33 (ESV) — > Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Acts 2:42 (ESV) — > And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Observation Questions

1. In the story of Mary and Martha, what was Martha distracted by, and what did Jesus say was the “one thing” that was truly needed? (Luke 10:38-42; [43:21])
2. According to Haggai 1, what were the people of Israel prioritizing over rebuilding God’s house, and what was the result of their misplaced priorities? (Haggai 1:2-9; [45:54])
3. In Matthew 6, what does Jesus say will happen if we “seek first the kingdom of God”? (Matthew 6:33; [49:43])
4. What four things did the early church devote themselves to, according to Acts 2:42? ([54:04])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus said that only “one thing is necessary” when Martha was busy with many good tasks? What does this reveal about how we should set our priorities? ([44:26])
2. In Haggai, God allowed the people to experience frustration and lack. What does this suggest about how God sometimes uses our circumstances to get our attention? ([48:28])
3. The sermon claims that the problem is not a lack of time, talent, or treasure, but misplaced priorities. How does this challenge the way most people think about being “too busy” or “not having enough”? ([41:54])
4. The early church’s devotion to teaching, fellowship, worship, and prayer is described as foundational, not optional. What might happen to a believer or a church that neglects one or more of these practices? ([54:04])

Application Questions

1. The sermon suggests that many of us feel overwhelmed because we try to “fit God in” rather than starting with Him. Is there an area of your life where you tend to squeeze God in around other priorities? What would it look like to put Jesus first in that area this week? ([40:49])
2. Think about your current schedule, finances, or relationships. Is there a “good thing” you might need to say no to in order to say yes to the “best thing”—time with Jesus? What is one practical step you could take? ([01:00:10])
3. The Israelites in Haggai’s day experienced frustration because they neglected God’s priorities. Have you ever felt like your efforts were unfruitful or your resources were “leaking away”? Could this be a sign to reevaluate your priorities? ([48:28])
4. The early church devoted themselves to God’s Word, fellowship, worship, and prayer. Which of these four areas do you find most challenging to prioritize? What is one small change you could make this week to grow in that area? ([54:04])
5. The sermon talks about living for an “audience of One.” What does that phrase mean to you personally? How might your daily decisions change if you truly lived for Jesus above all else? ([01:00:10])
6. The promise in Matthew 6 is that if we seek God’s kingdom first, “all these things will be added to you.” Is there a specific need or worry you are holding onto? How can you trust God with it as you put Him first? ([49:43])
7. The sermon mentions that sometimes we need to “start the foundation again” and let Jesus set the agenda for our lives. Is there an area where you sense God inviting you to start fresh? What would it look like to respond to that invitation this week? ([01:00:10])