Prioritizing Jesus: The One Necessary Thing

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Persistent Prayer and God's Faithfulness

Persistent prayer is a powerful tool that can bring about significant changes in our lives and the lives of those around us. When we pray consistently and fervently, we are not only communicating with God but also aligning our hearts with His will. This alignment allows us to see His faithfulness in action, as He answers our prayers in ways that often exceed our expectations. The journey of the speaker's son to seminary is a testament to the impact of persistent prayer and God's unwavering faithfulness.

In our own lives, we may face seasons of challenges and uncertainties. During these times, it is crucial to remain steadfast in prayer, trusting that God hears us and will respond according to His perfect plan. By maintaining a persistent prayer life, we can experience the peace and assurance that comes from knowing God is in control and working all things for our good. [33:12]

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV): "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Reflection: Think of a specific situation or person you have been praying for. How can you commit to praying persistently for this situation or person, trusting in God's faithfulness to answer?

Day 2: Travel Lightly

In a world filled with distractions and material excess, it is essential to learn the art of traveling lightly. This means decluttering our lives, both physically and emotionally, to focus on what truly matters. When we accumulate too much stuff, whether it be possessions or emotional baggage, it can weigh us down and hinder our ability to follow Jesus closely. By simplifying our lives, we create space for God to work and move more freely within us.

Traveling lightly also involves letting go of the things that distract us from our relationship with Jesus. This could be anything from excessive screen time to unhealthy relationships. By identifying and removing these distractions, we can better prioritize our time with Jesus and respond to His call with greater clarity and purpose. [44:41]

Hebrews 12:1 (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."

Reflection: What is one area of your life that feels cluttered or weighed down? How can you begin to declutter this area to focus more on your relationship with Jesus?

Day 3: Open Your Home and Heart

Our homes should be places of ministry where we welcome others and share the love of Jesus. The early church in Acts 2:42-47 provides a beautiful example of fellowship and hospitality, as they gathered together, broke bread, and shared their lives with one another. By opening our homes and hearts to others, we create opportunities for people to encounter Jesus in a personal and meaningful way.

Hospitality is not just about inviting people into our physical spaces but also about being open and vulnerable with our hearts. It means creating an environment where others feel safe, loved, and valued. When we practice hospitality, we reflect the heart of Jesus, who welcomed all and showed love to everyone He encountered. [48:52]

Romans 12:13 (ESV): "Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."

Reflection: Think of someone in your community who may need a place of refuge or a listening ear. How can you open your home and heart to them this week?

Day 4: Sit at Jesus' Feet

Like Mary in Luke 10:38-42, we must prioritize sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to His words, and learning from Him. This requires intentionality and discipline, as we carve out time in our busy schedules to be with Him. When we make Jesus our primary focus, everything else in our lives falls into its rightful place.

Sitting at Jesus' feet means setting aside distractions and worries, trusting that God is in control. It is in these moments of stillness and surrender that we find true peace and direction. By making a conscious effort to spend time with Jesus daily, we grow in our relationship with Him and become more attuned to His voice and guidance. [53:19]

Psalm 27:4 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: What specific time each day can you set aside to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to Him? How can you protect this time from distractions and interruptions?

Day 5: Avoid Distractions and Worry

Distractions and worry can pull us away from our focus on Jesus. When we worry, we act as if God is not in control, allowing fear and anxiety to take over. By eliminating distractions and focusing on Jesus, we can trust Him to handle our concerns and lead us in the right direction.

In our modern world, distractions are everywhere, from social media to our busy schedules. It is essential to be intentional about minimizing these distractions and prioritizing our time with Jesus. By doing so, we can experience the peace that comes from trusting in God's sovereignty and provision. [59:41]

Matthew 6:33-34 (ESV): "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Reflection: Identify one major distraction in your life that pulls you away from focusing on Jesus. What steps can you take to minimize or eliminate this distraction to trust God more fully?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, Underwood. Today, I want to share a personal testimony about how God has been working in my family, particularly with my son, who has recently felt a strong calling to ministry. This experience has reminded me of the importance of persistent prayer and the power of God's word. As we gather here today, I want to encourage you to let the Holy Spirit have full reign in your lives and in this church, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zones.

We delved into Luke 10:38-42, where Jesus visits the home of Martha and Mary. Martha is busy with many tasks, while Mary chooses to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to Him. Jesus commends Mary for choosing the "one thing" that is necessary. This passage teaches us about the importance of prioritizing our relationship with Jesus over the distractions of life.

In our busy lives, we often accumulate too much stuff, both physically and mentally, which can distract us from what truly matters. We need to travel lightly, both in terms of material possessions and emotional baggage. Additionally, we should open our homes and hearts to others, creating spaces where people can encounter Jesus.

Sitting at Jesus' feet, like Mary, is crucial. It means carving out time to be with Him, to listen, and to learn. This requires discipline and intentionality. Distractions are everywhere, from our smartphones to our busy schedules, but we must make a conscious effort to focus on Jesus. When we worry, we momentarily act as if God is not in control, but by sitting at His feet, we can find peace and direction.

Finally, Jesus emphasizes that only one thing is necessary: to sit at His feet and listen. This is the "one thing" that will not be taken away from us. Let us strive to make Jesus our one thing, our primary focus, so that everything else in our lives falls into its rightful place.

###

Key Takeaways

1. 47 shows us the early church's example of fellowship and hospitality. By opening our homes, we create opportunities for others to encounter Jesus in a personal and meaningful way. [48:52]
4. Sit at Jesus' Feet: Like Mary, we must prioritize sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to His words, and learning from Him. This requires intentionality and discipline, carving out time in our busy schedules to be with Him. When we do this, we grow in our relationship with Jesus and find true peace and direction.

5. Avoid Distractions and Worry: Distractions and worry can pull us away from our focus on Jesus. When we worry, we act as if God is not in control. By eliminating distractions and focusing on Jesus, we can trust Him to handle our concerns and lead us in the right direction.

### [48:52]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:23] - Personal Testimony
[32:13] - Son's Calling to Ministry
[33:12] - Power of Persistent Prayer
[34:38] - Season of Challenges
[35:28] - Introduction to Luke 10:38-42
[36:03] - Distractions in Life
[36:48] - Storage Units and Material Excess
[37:25] - Jesus Goes Straight to the Heart
[38:09] - Martha and Mary
[39:02] - Context of Luke 10
[39:48] - Power of Words
[40:23] - Rejection and Acceptance
[41:02] - Handling Leadership Changes
[41:33] - Rejection of Jesus' Truth
[42:10] - Importance of Names in the Book of Life
[43:09] - Good Samaritan Story
[43:52] - Travel Lightly
[44:41] - Personal Experience with Decluttering
[46:07] - Downsizing and Simplifying
[47:34] - Welcoming Others into Your Home
[48:52] - Acts 2:42-47 and Fellowship
[49:56] - Ministry in Your Home
[51:03] - Being a Missionary in Your Community
[52:39] - First Line of Defense: Your Home
[53:19] - Sitting at Jesus' Feet
[54:06] - Importance of Morning Devotion
[54:53] - Busyness and Scheduling Time with Jesus
[55:30] - Discipline Yourself
[56:49] - Journaling and Recording God's Words
[57:47] - Avoiding Distractions
[59:11] - Impact of Social Media
[59:41] - Worry and Trusting God
[62:00] - Practicing the One Thing
[63:15] - Rich Mullins' "My One Thing"
[64:26] - Making Jesus Your One Thing
[65:50] - Time of Response

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

In Luke 10:38-42, what are the different actions taken by Martha and Mary when Jesus visits their home?
According to the sermon, what was the significance of Mary sitting at Jesus' feet? ([38:09])
How does Acts 2:42-47 describe the early church's approach to fellowship and hospitality?
What personal testimony did the pastor share about his son's calling to ministry and how it relates to persistent prayer? ([33:12])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus commend Mary for choosing to sit at His feet rather than helping Martha with the tasks? What does this teach us about priorities in our spiritual lives? ([38:09])
How can the concept of "traveling lightly" both physically and emotionally help us in our walk with Jesus? ([44:41])
What does it mean to open our homes and hearts to others, and how can this create opportunities for ministry? ([48:52])
How do distractions and worries impact our ability to focus on Jesus, according to the sermon? ([59:41])

Application Questions

Reflect on your own prayer life. How can you incorporate more persistent and intentional prayer into your daily routine? ([33:12])
Identify one area in your life where you can "travel lightly" by decluttering either physically or emotionally. What steps will you take this week to address this? ([44:41])
Think about your home environment. How can you make it a more welcoming place for others to encounter Jesus? What specific actions can you take to open your home for ministry? ([48:52])
What are some practical ways you can carve out time to sit at Jesus' feet daily, despite a busy schedule? ([54:06])
Identify a major distraction in your life that pulls you away from focusing on Jesus. What steps can you take to minimize or eliminate this distraction? ([59:41])
How can you practice the "one thing" that Jesus says is necessary, and make Him your primary focus? What changes will you make in your daily routine to ensure this? ([01:02:00])
Reflect on a recent worry or concern. How can you trust God more fully with this issue and avoid acting as if He is not in control? ([01:01:25])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Jesus answers your prayers. Don't stop. And man, we need to understand that when you come in here, and it's so great to be in this church, you remind me so much of the spirit of the church that I pastored for 11 years. And you can just feel the Holy Spirit in this place. And I want to encourage you to give him reign and authority here, because it's all about the Lord anyway. And so just let him do what he wants to do with your church." [33:12](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Are, is anybody distracted in the world today? Are there any distractions? Do we get off course occasionally? I saw this new building. I love progress. Like I love progress and I love living in Huntsville because they're the thing I love most really in, in less than a year of living in Huntsville, working in Huntsville is when, when they have a dilapidated old building, they tear it down and build something new. And I love that. I love the progress of that. I love all that kind of stuff, but I was driving down. And I've noticed something incredible happening. A lot of the new buildings that I've seen, you might've heard of these things. They're called storage units. Have you seen these things?" [36:03](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We are ambassadors for Christ. This is not our home. Okay. So don't lose your mind. Don't lose your faith. Don't lose anything else based on things of this world. Amen. Because we got to constantly remind ourselves that we are travelers. Sojourners. We are on a journey. So here's the first point of this lesson today. Travel lightly, travel lightly." [43:52](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We're supposed to have these places called homes so that we can entertain other people and lead them to Jesus. The Bible literally says this about your home it says that sometimes you will be entertaining angels and you don't even know it what a great opportunity we have one of the things that we started doing and then the lord moved us and we got to start doing whatever he tells us to do again but we were we we had on uh we had a big pot of chili on Halloween night and we just told everybody chili's at the house come on so now we've started Friday night pizza night pizza anybody y'all come on over I got plenty of room I'm just kidding I don't have plenty of room for all y'all but I know you like pizza but I know you like pizza I want to give you pizza and Jesus." [49:56](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "When Jesus calls us to go out and we're walking in the spirit, there will be people that reject that. It is okay. You have, you're like me. You want everybody to like you. Sometimes everybody's not going to like you. It's not necessarily you. They're not like, and some people don't like the truth of Jesus. Some people don't like the truth of God, but we give it to them anyway." [41:33](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "What we need to do is take kind of a step back, kind of examine what's going on in the life of Jesus and the disciples and everything. This is chapter 11, I mean, chapter 10 of Luke is really amazing, really, because that's when he sends out the 72 on their mission. They begin to like cast out demons, heal sick, all those sorts of things. Did you do that this week? Anybody? Watch this. You can. Just saying. He sends them out just like he sends us out. We go out in the power of the Holy Spirit and of the Lord Jesus, just like speaking the name of Jesus. We walk out in that." [39:02](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "So the thing about Jesus is we can constantly learn from him. We can sit with him just like Mary did, which is the point of the story. So then we get down, uh, as Jesus tells the disciples, see the story of the good Samaritan, he says, go and do the same, right? That's what we're supposed to do as well. Then he gets to the, to the point where he's at. Mary and Martha's house. And it says this while they were traveling, he entered a village, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. You and I are traveling in this life. You and I are travelers here." [43:09](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We need to travel lightly. We talked about the storage units. You know, we've even got TV shows called storage wars where we're going to go in, we're going to bid sight unseen. We get to kind of look at the stuff from the outside. We don't get to dig through boxes and we're going to, we're going to put our money on wanting that stuff in there. Now that's pretty amazing. Somebody else doesn't care enough to come back and change their thing, but we're going to pay money for that. Pretty wild. I'm always the guy, you know, in a garage sale and stuff. Yeah. We're going to give you a pack of paintings and stuff. Maybe there's a thousand dollars stuck in there somewhere, storage wards and storage units. We've got more stuff because you know why we need them because we've got more stuff that we can't do anything with. So it's the truth." [45:25](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We normally just get up and go and do this thing called life. We ignore Jesus. So actually what we do is turn ourself into a lot like Martha. And we just do the busy stuff and we do the things and we don't carve out that time. One of the passages in that John in that Psalm 63 says, I seek you in the morning. And I've encouraged people to do this for years and years and years. This morning I could have set my clock just in time to get over here. And be with you and preach today. But I didn't do that. I got up really early this morning so I could sit down with my favorite, yes, cup of coffee. And my Bible. And my thoughts for the day. My devotional. My journal. And I just wanted to sit at Jesus' feet because what I've learned in my life is everything else is meaningless." [54:06](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "When we worry, we become a momentary atheist. Wow. Wow. It's hard and heavy. When we worry, we're saying that God's not big enough. He's not there. He can't handle it. And we're saying that we can do it ourself. And so we just worry about it and do it ourselves. But the reality is that's not true, and you know that. But when people around you see you worry like you can actually handle something, then we're causing them to look away from God as well. So I want to encourage you, keep that worry and distractions away." [01:01:25](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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