Christ adjusts Martha and Mary’s attitudes

The best thing about Bible study is the questions that bubble up. The questions are attitude adjusters.

In Bible study this evening a fellow student pointed out a verse, John 15:15:

  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

And the question she asked was one she has enjoyed answering. It is one worth pondering!

What had Jesus made known to His disciples that He had heard from God?

So we started listing what Christ passed on from the Father to His disciples:

He is the Messiah.
He is powerful over everything in their lives.
He gave them food and safety; calmed storms, healed illnesses, blindness, lameness,    dumbness, deafness; and defeated death.
He dumbfounded the religious bigots, and impressed Romans and other gentiles with His abilities.
He cared for the disciples.

At this point, in John 15, though, the disciples can’t grasp His power over their sin natures. (It’s not quite yet Friday; but SUNDAY IS COMING!)

But, we know.

Now, I’ll make it personal.

When I read John’s Gospel, what has He made known to thee and me that the Father told Him? Just hanging out in John 15, so many nuggets — ways to adjust my attitude!

You and I are connected to God, as a vine is connected branch – we need the pruning He plans.
We are loved, as the Father loves the Son.
His goal for us is JOY.

And His command of thee and me, as it was for those disciples, is that we love one another.

Loving one another . . . not lecturing, lambasting, or lording it over each other – but loving each other as He loved them, and us.

You know that is not easy.

 What is keeping me from loving as Christ did?

Probably because I am in Martha Mode. (Luke 10:41-41) Fretting, worrying, overdoing – leaving my side of the street to help you clean up yours . . . skipping Scripture.

Oh just STOP, Martha, and sit at the Lord’s feet, as Mary did.

That’s why it is good to study and fellowship around God’s word.

Here’s where Mary got it. Make the time to listen to the questions God lays on other’s hearts, and it just might improve my hearing!

Wow . . . that raises another question

How throughout the Gospels how did Christ demonstrate His love for His disciples?

Care to count the ways?

³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”   John 13:34-35