Prioritizing Presence: Overcoming Time Barriers to Love
Summary
### Summary
In today's sermon, we explored the significant barrier of time in our ability to love our literal neighbors, drawing from the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. Martha, who was busy with preparations, became frustrated with her sister Mary, who chose to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to Him. Jesus gently corrected Martha, emphasizing that Mary had chosen the better part, which would not be taken away from her. This story highlights the importance of prioritizing the presence of Jesus over the busyness of life.
We are in a series called "Love Thy Literal Neighbor," where we are challenged to take Jesus' command to love our neighbors literally. Last week, we introduced the block map to help us get to know our neighbors better. This week, we focused on the barrier of time. Many of us struggle to find time to connect with our neighbors due to our busy schedules. We discussed the importance of both the quantity and quality of time in building relationships.
Using the analogy of Lego connectors, we learned that each of us has a limited capacity for relationships, and we need to free up some of our connectors to make room for our neighbors. We were encouraged to do an inventory of our time, especially between 5 and 8 p.m., to see if we have the margin to be present and available for our neighbors.
The sermon also emphasized the ministry of presence, which Mary exemplified by sitting at Jesus' feet. Being present with others, truly listening, and engaging deeply can create lasting connections. We were reminded that loving our neighbors requires intentionality and prioritizing what is most important.
In conclusion, we were challenged to eliminate distractions and create more margin in our lives to practice the ministry of presence, both with God and our neighbors. By doing so, we can better fulfill the greatest commandment to love God and love our neighbors.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Ministry of Presence: Mary exemplified the ministry of presence by choosing to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to Him, despite the cultural expectations of her time. This teaches us the importance of prioritizing being with Jesus over the busyness of life. We must learn to set aside our distractions and be fully present with God and others. [08:35]
2. Quantity vs. Quality of Time: While the quantity of time we spend with our neighbors is important, the quality of that time is even more crucial. Deep, meaningful interactions can create lasting connections, even if the time spent is short. We must be intentional in our conversations and genuinely listen to understand and love our neighbors. [17:14]
3. Prioritizing What Matters: Jesus' response to Martha highlights the need to prioritize what is most important. Martha's busyness with preparations distracted her from the one thing that truly mattered—being with Jesus. We must discern and prioritize the eternal over the temporal in our daily lives. [18:37]
4. Creating Margin: To love our neighbors well, we need to create margin in our lives. This involves eliminating unnecessary activities and being intentional with our time. By doing an inventory of our schedules, especially during key times like 5 to 8 p.m., we can ensure we have the space to connect with our neighbors. [11:35]
5. Love and Hurry Are Incompatible: John Ortberg's quote, "Love and hurry are fundamentally incompatible," reminds us that love requires time, and hurried people often lack the time to love well. We must slow down, eliminate distractions, and be present to truly love our neighbors as Jesus commanded. [25:55]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:31] - Introduction to Block Map
[02:49] - The Barrier of Time
[04:19] - Mary and Martha's Story
[05:47] - Martha's Frustration
[07:05] - Jesus' Response to Martha
[08:35] - The Ministry of Presence
[10:04] - Quantity of Time
[11:35] - Creating Margin
[12:55] - Prioritizing What Matters
[14:25] - Lies About Time
[15:54] - Quantity vs. Quality of Time
[17:14] - Deep, Meaningful Interactions
[18:37] - Prioritizing the Eternal
[20:08] - Being Present with Jesus
[21:42] - Physical vs. Emotional Presence
[23:01] - Engaging in Neighboring
[24:32] - Worship and Justice
[25:55] - Eliminating Distractions
[26:55] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Luke 10:38-42: "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'"
#### Observation Questions
1. What were the different actions of Mary and Martha when Jesus visited their home? ([04:19])
2. How did Jesus respond to Martha's complaint about Mary? ([07:05])
3. What cultural norms did Mary defy by sitting at Jesus' feet? ([04:19])
4. What analogy did the pastor use to describe our capacity for relationships, and how does it relate to our time? ([10:04])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus said that Mary had chosen the "better part"? What does this imply about our priorities? ([07:05])
2. How does the concept of the "ministry of presence" challenge our modern-day busyness? ([08:35])
3. What does the story of Mary and Martha teach us about the balance between service and worship? ([18:37])
4. How can the analogy of Lego connectors help us understand our limitations in forming relationships? ([10:04])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your daily schedule. Are there specific times, like between 5 and 8 p.m., where you can create more margin to connect with your neighbors? ([11:35])
2. What are some distractions in your life that prevent you from being fully present with God and others? How can you eliminate or reduce these distractions this week? ([25:55])
3. Think about a recent interaction with a neighbor. Was it more about quantity or quality of time? How can you improve the quality of your interactions? ([17:14])
4. How can you practice the "ministry of presence" in your daily life? Identify one person you can be more present with this week and plan a specific action to show your presence. ([08:35])
5. What are some "many things" that keep you from focusing on the "one thing" that Jesus mentioned? How can you prioritize the eternal over the temporal in your daily life? ([18:37])
6. John Ortberg said, "Love and hurry are fundamentally incompatible." What is one optional activity you can skip this week to create more time for loving your neighbors? ([25:55])
7. How can you make your home more accessible and inviting for neighbors to drop by and have meaningful conversations? ([20:08])
Devotional
Day 1: The Ministry of Presence
Mary exemplified the ministry of presence by choosing to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to Him, despite the cultural expectations of her time. This teaches us the importance of prioritizing being with Jesus over the busyness of life. We must learn to set aside our distractions and be fully present with God and others. In our fast-paced world, it is easy to get caught up in the demands of daily life and miss out on the deeper connections that come from being fully present. By intentionally setting aside time to be with Jesus and our neighbors, we can cultivate meaningful relationships that reflect God's love.
[08:35]
Luke 10:39-40 (ESV): "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.'"
Reflection: Think of a time when you were physically present but not emotionally or mentally engaged. How can you practice the ministry of presence with someone in your life today?
Day 2: Quantity vs. Quality of Time
While the quantity of time we spend with our neighbors is important, the quality of that time is even more crucial. Deep, meaningful interactions can create lasting connections, even if the time spent is short. We must be intentional in our conversations and genuinely listen to understand and love our neighbors. This means putting away distractions, asking thoughtful questions, and truly engaging with the person in front of us. By focusing on the quality of our interactions, we can build stronger, more authentic relationships that reflect the love of Christ.
[17:14]
Proverbs 27:9 (ESV): "Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel."
Reflection: Think of a recent interaction with a neighbor or friend. How can you improve the quality of your time together in your next interaction?
Day 3: Prioritizing What Matters
Jesus' response to Martha highlights the need to prioritize what is most important. Martha's busyness with preparations distracted her from the one thing that truly mattered—being with Jesus. We must discern and prioritize the eternal over the temporal in our daily lives. This means evaluating our activities and commitments to ensure they align with our values and God's purposes. By focusing on what truly matters, we can live more intentionally and make a greater impact for God's kingdom.
[18:37]
Colossians 3:2 (ESV): "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."
Reflection: What is one activity or commitment in your life that may be distracting you from what truly matters? How can you adjust your priorities to focus more on the eternal?
Day 4: Creating Margin
To love our neighbors well, we need to create margin in our lives. This involves eliminating unnecessary activities and being intentional with our time. By doing an inventory of our schedules, especially during key times like 5 to 8 p.m., we can ensure we have the space to connect with our neighbors. Creating margin allows us to be more available and responsive to the needs of those around us, fostering deeper relationships and opportunities to share God's love.
[11:35]
Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV): "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."
Reflection: Take a look at your schedule for the next week. What is one unnecessary activity you can eliminate to create more margin for connecting with your neighbors?
Day 5: Love and Hurry Are Incompatible
John Ortberg's quote, "Love and hurry are fundamentally incompatible," reminds us that love requires time, and hurried people often lack the time to love well. We must slow down, eliminate distractions, and be present to truly love our neighbors as Jesus commanded. This means being intentional about our pace of life and making space for meaningful interactions. By slowing down and prioritizing love, we can better fulfill the greatest commandment to love God and love our neighbors.
[25:55]
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (ESV): "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful."
Reflection: Reflect on your current pace of life. What is one practical step you can take to slow down and be more present in your relationships?
Quotes
1. "The reality is, it's hard to be a good neighbor when you don't have time and you're not at home. That's what we want to unpack. And our scripture today from Luke 10 comes right after the parable of the Good Samaritan, which is all about neighboring. We'll talk about that in a couple of weeks. But this story today is the story of Mary and her sister, Martha, two dear friends of Jesus." [02:49] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Here's the point that I don't want you to miss today. Most of us can relate to Martha, but we need to learn from Mary. Mary understands the ministry of presence. She knows how to be in the presence of Jesus. She knows how to set aside everything else when Jesus is in the house. She knows the priority level of being with Jesus." [08:35] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "You make time for what you value most in life. He said this, if you value prayer, you will pray. So simple, yet so profound. And it seems that this principle applies, to us living out the great commandment as well, that if you value loving your neighbor, you will make time to get to know them." [12:55] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "One of the greatest challenges in finding time is learning to prioritize the most important things in your life among the competing things. Part of the purpose of this series is to give you a vision for loving your neighbors so that it can better compete with your other priorities, so that it can take more priority." [14:25] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The point of this story is not that Martha's activity is bad. That's not the takeaway. The point is about the choice between something that is good and something that is better. And what we learned from Mary is that she understood how to prioritize what was most important in the moment." [18:37] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "For some of you, the challenge today is that you practically just need to be at home more. And I'm not saying that you need to be at home more. And as I said before, it's really hard to offer hospitality when nobody is home. And you need to not just be home, but you need to be accessible. You need to look like you want to be interrupted and have a conversation." [21:42] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "If your heart is not engaged in this process of neighboring, then it can easily turn into another form of religion, another checklist. Let me fill out my block chart check and then move on to the next thing. But maybe the essence of loving my neighbor is really about the ministry of presence. When you're present, you're able to see people that others do not. You were able to get to know people and know their hearts." [23:01] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "John Ortberg says it this way. I love this. He says, love and hurry are fundamentally incompatible. Love always takes time and time is the one thing that hurried people don't have. So what's something optional, maybe an optional meeting that you can get out of this week to create? Margin to go deeper with God in prayer and deeper in your awareness of the needs of your literal next door neighbors." [25:55] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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