Prioritizing Intimacy with Christ Amidst Busyness

Devotional

Day 1: Christ is the One Necessary Portion

To know and learn from Christ is not just the right decision, but the good portion—the one thing truly necessary in life. Mary’s choice to sit at Jesus’ feet, despite cultural expectations and the risk of losing approval, reveals that intimacy with Christ is more satisfying than any accomplishment or reputation. The full life we seek in our busy schedules is found in Him, not in the endless pursuit of productivity or approval. Let your heart be captivated by Christ, so that everything else finds its place around Him, not the other way around. [53:41]

Luke 10:38-42

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to prioritize time at Jesus’ feet, even if it means letting go of something “important” on your to-do list?

Day 2: Busyness Can Distract Us from Intimacy with Jesus

Christians are often distracted from knowing and learning from Jesus not by bad things, but by good things—like serving, working, or even ministry itself. Martha’s well-intentioned service became a distraction that kept her from the ultimate priority: being with Jesus. The danger is not just in obvious sins, but in letting good activities crowd out the best thing. Don’t let your service for God become a substitute for your relationship with Him; make space to enjoy His presence above all else. [01:02:28]

Mark 4:18-19

Reflection: Is there a “good” activity in your life that is crowding out your time with Jesus? How can you intentionally create margin to be with Him this week?

Day 3: Delight, Not Duty, Fuels Our Pursuit of Christ

The motivation for knowing Christ must move beyond mere duty to delight. Jesus invites us to feast on Him as our portion, to find fulfillment and satisfaction in His presence and His Word. When we approach time with God as a box to check, it quickly becomes lifeless; but when we come to delight in Him, our hearts are nourished and our lives transformed. Open the Bible not just for another task, but to drink in His mercy, kindness, and promises, letting them cascade over your soul. [56:36]

Psalm 16:5-11

Reflection: How can you shift your mindset from seeing time with God as an obligation to seeing it as an opportunity for joy and delight today?

Day 4: Surrender Your Schedule—Don’t Fit Jesus into the Margins

We don’t fit Jesus into our lives; we surrender our lives to Him because He fit us into His. If your pursuit of Christ feels like an intrusion or inconvenience, it’s a sign that busyness has taken over. The call is to reorient your life so that knowing Christ is at the center, and everything else orbits around that. Make a plan, not just a hope, to prioritize intimacy with Jesus, and be willing to let go of lesser things to make room for what is truly essential. [01:08:50]

Matthew 6:33

Reflection: What specific change can you make in your daily or weekly routine to ensure that Jesus is at the center, not the periphery, of your life?

Day 5: Taste and See—Christ Alone Satisfies

In a world offering countless substitutes for satisfaction, Jesus alone is the nourishing and satisfying bread of life. The call is not to earn God’s love through spiritual disciplines, but to taste and see that He is good, to daily reacquaint yourself with the finished work of Christ and the abundant life He offers. Don’t let distraction or busyness rob you of the joy, rest, and strength found at His feet. As you behold His glory, He will change you and fill you with purpose and meaning that nothing else can provide. [01:14:42]

Psalm 34:8

Reflection: What is one “artificial substitute” you are tempted to turn to for satisfaction, and how can you intentionally turn to Christ instead today?

Sermon Summary

The Lord’s steadfast love endures forever, and He will fulfill His purpose in each of us. Gathering together as a church, we are reminded of the privilege and necessity of worshiping and praying as one body, united in Christ. Today, as we celebrated the Lord’s Supper, we remembered that communion is not just a ritual or a mere remembrance of a past event, but a present participation in Christ through the Spirit. This meal is a visible depiction of the gospel—of forgiveness through substitution, where Christ gave His body and blood for us. It is a family meal, meant for those who belong to Jesus, and it calls us to examine our hearts, pursue unity, and renew our covenant commitment to Him.

Turning to Luke 10, we considered the story of Mary and Martha, a passage nestled between the parable of the Good Samaritan and the Lord’s Prayer. With so little space in the gospels, every story is carefully chosen, and this brief account is a profound warning against the danger of toxic busyness and sinful distraction. Martha, overwhelmed by the demands of hospitality, is distracted by good things—serving Jesus Himself—while Mary chooses to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening to His teaching. Jesus gently corrects Martha, affirming that only one thing is necessary: to know Him, to learn from Him, and to delight in His presence.

This story is not a condemnation of service or busyness in itself, but a caution that even good things can crowd out the best thing—intimacy with Christ. We are often tempted to measure our worth by our productivity, to fit Jesus into the margins of our lives, and to give Him only our leftovers. Yet, the call is to reorder our lives around Him, to make knowing Christ our central pursuit, and to find our satisfaction, rest, and purpose at His feet. The challenge is clear: will we make changes to prioritize intimacy with Christ, or will we continue to make excuses, letting busyness—however well-intentioned—rob us of the one thing necessary?

Key Takeaways

1. Communion is a present participation in Christ, not just a remembrance of the past. As we come to the Lord’s Table, we are nourished spiritually, united as a family, and reminded that our hope is anchored in Christ’s finished work, not in our own efforts or circumstances. This meal calls us to examine our hearts, pursue reconciliation, and renew our commitment to Jesus as our only hope. [23:01]
2. The story of Mary and Martha reveals that the greatest threat to intimacy with Christ is not always sin or obvious distractions, but often good things—like service, responsibility, and even ministry. Martha’s busyness was culturally expected and well-intentioned, yet it became a barrier to the “one thing necessary.” We must be vigilant that our service for Jesus does not replace our relationship with Him. [48:00]
3. Knowing Christ is not merely a duty, but a delight and a portion that truly satisfies. Mary risked her reputation and defied social norms to sit at Jesus’ feet because she saw Him as her greatest treasure. The motivation for pursuing Christ must move from obligation to delight, from box-checking to genuine longing for His presence and His word. [56:36]
4. Sinful busyness often masquerades as faithfulness, but it can choke out spiritual fruitfulness and intimacy with God. Jesus Himself withdrew to desolate places to pray, modeling the necessity of intentional time with the Father. If we find ourselves too busy to commune with Christ, we must recognize this as a spiritual danger and make concrete plans to re-center our lives around Him. [61:25]
5. The call is not to fit Jesus into our schedules, but to surrender our lives to Him and let everything else orbit around that central relationship. Excuses rooted in busyness will not suffice before the Lord; only intentional change and repentance will lead us to the abundant life found at His feet. In a world full of artificial substitutes, Jesus alone is our portion, our satisfaction, and our hope. [72:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:30] - Opening Prayer and Worship
[06:01] - The Lord’s Supper: Meaning and Invitation
[23:01] - Participation in Christ at the Table
[32:52] - Forgiveness Through Substitution
[34:50] - Communion: Tasting the Future
[37:54] - Personal Reflections on Busyness
[38:30] - Series Introduction: Hard Things
[41:01] - The Story of Mary and Martha
[45:20] - The Weight of Hospitality
[48:00] - Martha’s Distraction and Mary’s Choice
[51:24] - Jesus’ Surprising Response
[56:36] - The Good Portion: Knowing Christ
[61:25] - The Danger of Good Things Distracting Us
[68:50] - Surrendering Our Lives to Christ
[72:58] - Making Changes, Not Excuses
[75:37] - Closing Prayer and Benediction
[78:06] - Albania Mission Team and Final Prayer

Bible Study Guide

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.”

Observation Questions

What was Martha doing when Jesus visited her home, and how did she respond to Mary’s actions? ([48:00])
How did Jesus describe Martha’s state of mind, and what did he say was “the one thing necessary”? ([51:24])
What risk did Mary take by sitting at Jesus’ feet, and what does the text say about her choice? ([57:05])
According to the passage, what is the difference between what Martha and Mary were focused on? ([53:41])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus gently corrected Martha instead of affirming her service? What does this reveal about Jesus’ priorities for his followers? ([51:24])
The sermon mentioned that Martha was distracted by “good things” rather than obvious sins. Why is it significant that even good things can become distractions from intimacy with Christ? ([01:02:28])
Mary’s choice to sit at Jesus’ feet was countercultural and risky. What does this teach us about the value of knowing Christ compared to social expectations or reputation? ([57:05])
The sermon described knowing Christ as a “portion” that truly satisfies. How does this language help us understand the difference between duty and delight in our relationship with Jesus? ([56:36])

Application Questions

The sermon challenged us to examine whether we are letting busyness—even good, well-intentioned busyness—crowd out our relationship with Jesus. What are some specific “good things” in your life that might be distracting you from time with Christ? ([01:02:28])
When was the last time you felt like Martha—overwhelmed, anxious, or frustrated because of all you had to do? How did you respond, and what might it look like to choose the “good portion” in those moments? ([51:24])
The story of Mary and Martha shows that sitting at Jesus’ feet may require us to go against cultural expectations or even disappoint others. Is there a relationship or responsibility where you feel pressure to perform or please others at the expense of your time with God? How can you address this? ([57:05])
The sermon said, “We don’t fit Jesus into our lives. We surrender our lives because he fit us into his life.” What would it look like for you to reorder your schedule or priorities so that knowing Christ is at the center? ([01:08:50])
Jesus modeled withdrawing to quiet places to pray, even in the midst of a busy ministry. What practical steps can you take this week to create intentional time for prayer and listening to God? ([01:01:25])
The Lord’s Supper is described as a present participation in Christ, not just a remembrance. How does this understanding of communion challenge or encourage you in your walk with Jesus? ([23:01])
The sermon ended with a call to make changes, not excuses. What is one concrete change you feel led to make in order to pursue deeper intimacy with Christ? How can this group support you in that? ([01:12:58])

Sermon Clips

But in this other ordinance called the Lord's Supper or Eucharist, communion, we're saying that the same Jesus I proclaimed in my baptism, I'm coming once again to claim. The same blood that I trusted in when I was baked symbolically, buried and raised in Christ in baptism, I'm coming once again to say that He's still my only hope. I'm coming to this table to renew that covenant commitment. [00:23:01] (26 seconds) Edit Clip

And not only that, what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10 is that the Lord's table here is participation in Christ. Now, when I say participation, I don't mean that the elements here actually turn into the literal body and blood of Christ. But what we have in the Lord's Supper is not a reflection on something that happened 2 ,000 years ago, but a true participation in Christ whereby our union with Him through the Spirit really is nurtured. Our inner man, if you will, is nurtured here at this table. [00:23:30] (30 seconds) Edit Clip

You see, what unites us in a room with people who have a differing politics, differing preferences, are at different life stages and have different hopes and dreams, what unites us is not any of those things, but the fact that we're all united to the same God, that we all call the same God Father, which then means we are spiritual siblings, brothers and sisters, objectively. [00:24:29] (26 seconds) Edit Clip

What we have in the Lord's Supper is a visible depiction of the gospel. Namely, a visible depiction of forgiveness by means of substitution. Forgiveness through substitution. Jesus took the bread when he broke it. He said, this is my body given for you. [00:32:55] (22 seconds) Edit Clip

Busyness in the scriptures is not just a threat to your wellness. It's a threat to your soul. There's a spiritual danger here, and the stakes are very high. And I believe that's why this five -verse account made it into the scriptures, to warn you about it. [00:42:56] (20 seconds) Edit Clip

Totally serves as this critique, loving critique, of our heart and our lifestyle. Verse 41 and 42, the Lord answered her, Martha, Martha. That's a term of endearment, that doubled name. He's not angry. Martha, Martha. You're anxious and worried about many things. One thing is necessary. Mary's chosen the good portion, which will not be taken from her. [00:50:56] (28 seconds) Edit Clip

And so, this story is simultaneously a caution and a reminder. It's a caution of the danger of busyness and distraction, being worried and anxious about many things, and it's a reminder that the nourishing knowledge of Christ and his word is something we cannot afford to push to the margins of our lives after we get done with all the service. [00:53:41] (25 seconds) Edit Clip

The point is the exact opposite. Don't make the mistake of thinking that serving Jesus could ever serve as a substitute for knowing him. Don't try to do for Jesus in a way that keeps you from learning from and being with him. We don't want to be Christians who are a mile wide in service and an inch deep in intimacy with the Lord. You're serving a God you barely know. [01:05:31] (29 seconds) Edit Clip

Look, this is one of Satan's most potent strategies to keep you from missing out on your portion in Christ. Your satisfaction in him is drowning you in busyness, even busyness in Jesus' name and for him. To keep you from receiving your portion in Christ. Satan doesn't have to keep you sinning, he just has to keep you going. [01:06:56] (29 seconds) Edit Clip

And that there's no amount of good things, not even serving Jesus, that can substitute for knowing him and having intimacy with him, communion with him. So then all of this leads us to a direct final question. If you're sinfully busy, if your lifestyle presses your building intimacy with Christ to the margins, will you make changes or excuses? [01:11:27] (26 seconds) Edit Clip

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