How to Sit at the Feet of Jesus | Pastor Wes Owens

Luke 10:38–42 frames a posture-versus-productivity contrast: Martha busies herself with service while Mary sits at the Lord’s feet, and Jesus declares that “only one thing is necessary.” The narrative becomes a grid for reading seasons and times—how anxious distraction often signals moving ahead of God rather than walking with him. John 11 deepens the point through the Lazarus story: Jesus delays, Lazarus dies, and the different postures of Martha and Mary yield different encounters. Martha rushes out in frustrated logic; Mary waits, goes when Jesus calls, falls at his feet, and moves the heart of the Lord. That heart response—“Jesus wept”—reveals that posture and belief shape divine action more than urgency or activity.

A practical rhythm emerges from those Scriptures: find the secret place, sit in a “certain place” to pray, and learn to wait in silence. Luke 11 and Matthew 6:6 point to disciplined solitude; Psalm 27:4 frames longing for dwelling in God’s presence as the highest request. The discipline looks ordinary—earplugs, a short timed silence, returning day after day—but yields surprising endurance. Minutes become hours; a routine of waiting trains the soul to trust God’s timing and reframes seasons of confusion into seasons of formation.

The teaching connects these practices to real-life anxiety: anxiousness and distraction often follow when trust thins and the timeline slips from God’s hands. The remedy does not arrive as a clever plan or faster activity; it arrives as a recalibration of proximity—sit at his feet, let prayer and Scripture be pathways to stillness, and allow the Lord’s presence to become the primary reward. The secret place does not promise ease; it promises access to the One who reshapes outcomes. A call closes the thread: trade hurried control for patient presence, cultivate a private place of waiting, and let that posture guide action through every season and time.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Only one thing is necessary Sitting at the Lord’s feet outranks frantic productivity because proximity to God clarifies next steps. When the soul chooses presence over performance, decisions lose their panic and find divine direction. That single posture simplifies competing priorities and steadies the heart in every season. [49:11]
• 2. Heart posture moves Jesus Identical words can mean very different things when offered from distinct hearts; Mary’s waiting and trust elicited Jesus’ deepest compassion and action. The posture of surrendered expectation invites a relational response beyond theological correctness. Faith that waits changes the landscape of grief, possibility, and resurrection. [73:44]
• 3. Secret place reshapes seasons Regular, intentional solitude—prayer in a “certain place,” secrecy, silence—builds a spiritual ecosystem that endures upheaval. Small, repeated practices form a reserve of trust that outlasts panic and cultural comparison. The reward of the secret place is not techniques but renewed access to God’s guiding presence. [76:18]
• 4. Waiting defeats anxious action Anxiety often signals having moved ahead of God; frantic solutions rarely align with his timing. Patient waiting recalibrates impulse into obedience and transforms urgency into listening. Waiting trains discernment so action follows clarity rather than fear. [60:41]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [48:28] - Testimony and Luke 10 introduction
• [49:11] - Mary and Martha: One thing necessary
• [50:11] - Opening prayer and plea
• [51:04] - Seasons, times, and moments
• [52:23] - Distractedness vs. trust
• [62:07] - Lazarus falls ill
• [65:02] - Jesus arrives; Lazarus dead
• [72:36] - Mary’s posture and Jesus’ response
• [76:18] - The secret place and Lord’s Prayer
• [78:30] - Practical silence practice (earplugs)
• [85:51] - Building a secret place (garage tent)
• [93:12] - Invitation: sit at his feet

Based on the provided sermon summary and transcript, here is a Bible study discussion 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.”

John 11:20-35 (ESV)
So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.

Observation questions

1. In the Luke 10 story, what two different actions are Mary and Martha doing when Jesus enters their home?
2. What specific reason does Jesus give for saying Mary has chosen the "good portion"?
3. In John 11, what is the difference in how Martha and Mary each go out to meet Jesus after Lazarus has died? [01:06:13]
4. What was the practical suggestion given for starting a habit of sitting in silence with the Lord? [01:18:30]

Interpretation questions

1. Jesus tells Martha she is "anxious and troubled about many things." Why do you think serving and preparing for Jesus led to anxiety instead of peace in that moment?
2. Both sisters say the exact same words to Jesus: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." What does the different heart posture behind the same words teach us about what God is looking for? [01:12:36]
3. The sermon suggested that feeling anxious or distracted can be a "red flag" or "Mayday" signal in our spiritual life. What is the connection between those feelings and our proximity to God? [01:00:41]
4. Why is it so difficult for many people to simply sit in silence, and what does that difficulty reveal about our hearts and our culture?

Application questions

1. What does the "one thing" that is necessary look like in your current season of life? What are the "many things" that most often distract you from it?
2. When was the last time you felt that "red flag" of anxiety or distractedness? In that moment, what would it have looked like to stop and intentionally sit at the Lord's feet instead of rushing ahead? [01:00:41]
3. The idea of a "secret place" is about intentional, regular time alone with God. Where is a physical place you could create to be your "certain place" to pray? What is one small, practical step you could take this week to begin building that routine? [01:16:18]
4. Martha saw Jesus as a "Teacher," but Mary saw him as the "Messiah." In your current challenges, are you more likely to ask Jesus for information and answers, or are you seeking his presence and power? What would it look like to shift your focus from what he can do to who he is? [01:09:57]
5. The practice described started with just two minutes of silent sitting. What is a realistic time goal you could set for yourself to begin practicing waiting on the Lord? What obstacles might you need to overcome to be consistent? [01:19:38]
6. How can the truth that "only one thing is necessary" simplify your decision-making and calm your fears when you feel overwhelmed by responsibilities and uncertainties?