Luke 10:38-42 (New Living Translation)

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I. Listening prayer welcomes God’s presence (38)
• Faith is a spiritual journey of presence in

aspects.
• Talking with God is called

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.
• Discomfort with silence in a relationship signifies a lack of

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.
II. Listening prayer practices God’s presence (39)
• Listening prayer keeps our focus on

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God’s presence.
• Prayer is

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than Bible study because it is easier to read about someone than to talk with them.
• “Practicing the presence” is valuing the

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in the moment.
III. Listening prayer protects us from selfish prayer (40)
• Neglect of the

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leads to ministry distraction.
• Prayer is the one place we can righteously

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.
• Lack of peace after prayer reveals we

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in God’s presence instead of

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.
IV. Listening prayer protects us from selfish presence (41)
• We cannot simultaneously focus on

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and the

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of people.
• The

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is in the details.
• Frustration over how our plans and reputation look means that we aren’t

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at Jesus.
V. Listening prayer keeps us focused on the other Presence (42)
• No circumstance can take the presence of God’s

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from you.
• No failure can take the presence of God’s

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from you.
• God cares more about

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we are with him than

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we do for him.

1. Read Luke 10:38-40. Discuss the notable differences between Martha and Mary in these verses. Which person do you relate to the most and why?
2. How does Mary’s response in verse 39 relate to Luke 8:21? Why is it important to listen to people that we communicate with? What does it look like to listen to God when we pray?
3. Read Luke 10:41-42. Why did Jesus correct Martha and how do you feel about his approach? What are examples of “details” that distract us from experiencing the presence of people and Jesus in moments?
4. Feeling worried and upset, like Martha, indicates that we have put our faith in something other than God. How does focusing on details instead of people unnecessarily lead to stress? How does spending time in God’s presence, and listening prayer in particular, keep us focused on the main thing?
5. What else stood out to you in the sermon that you have questions about in this passage of Scripture?