Mensa Otabil - Martha's Ministry (10/22/2025)
John chapter 12, verse 2. There they made him a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.
So we are introduced to Martha, Lazarus’s sister, and Lazarus’s other sister is Mary. We’ll talk about her tomorrow, but the family is close to the Lord Jesus Christ, and he goes to the family sometimes to rest because they were very close disciples. They were also close because Lazarus had been raised from the dead by the Lord Jesus Christ. So as is happening in those days, when Jesus comes by or any special guest comes home, they would lay a table or prepare a meal before the guest, very similar to what we do in our own culture here. As supper was made, we see the first sister and what she’s doing; she is devoted to the Lord, and the passage says that she served. Martha was a devoted worshiper of the Lord Jesus Christ who did works and served to show her devotion to the Lord.
There are people who know the Lord and are close to the Lord but don’t do any service for God. They may be in a church, just visiting, and doing nothing. But here we find people who are close to the Lord and involved in service. There are two things I want you to note about the service. First, serving the Lord- that’s what Martha was doing. She was serving the Lord, of course, by going to the kitchen, preparing food, bringing the food out, and clearing plates. It may not seem like a very big deal if you compare it with maybe Peter, an apostle, or John, and the big things they were doing, but Martha’s service was as crucial as everybody’s service. There are many ways in which we can also serve the Lord, and if you believe you’re close to God, then find a way to serve Him, to do something that benefits God.
The second thing you would notice is that Martha was not just serving the Lord; she was also serving the Lord’s people. Jesus didn’t travel alone; he traveled with at least 12 strong men, most of whom were young and required a lot of food. Apart from that, there were people from the village who had come because Jesus was nearby, and people would always show up when Jesus was around.
So this would be quite a number of people at home eating this meal. Martha served the Lord and served the Lord’s people, and that is what our service is about. We can’t just serve God and abandon His people. You cannot just go to God and say, «Oh, I just want to worship God.» There are people like that -"Oh, I just want to be in church; it’s between me and God.» Yes, it is between you and God, and it’s good to serve Him, but Martha shows us we must also serve God’s people. God loves people; God cares about them, and whomever God cares for, we must also care for. You can’t hate somebody that God loves; you cannot abandon someone that God is drawing near to.
So Martha shows us that when we are close to the Lord, we must not just enjoy the closeness; we must also be involved in serving the Lord and serving the Lord’s people. So is that what you’re doing? This is the period, as we contemplate the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don’t you think about your service to the Lord and your service to God’s people? Are you active in your church? Are you active in the church community? Are you leading any group in the church? Get involved in your church; serve the Lord and serve God’s people. That’s the example of Martha in John chapter 12, verse 2.
Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, help me to diligently serve You with my abilities and care for those You care for. In Jesus' name, amen.»