One Thing Is Needful

ONE THING IS NEEDFUL

TEXT: LUKE 10: 38-42 (“Now it came to pass, that as they went, He entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet, and heard His word. but Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord, does thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she he lp me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her”)

Beloved in the Lord, what is the most important thing that you so desire you could have, which when given to you, would make your life feel fulfilled? Sometime back, everybody’s desire was to possess and use Nokia 1616, with time however, the desire shifted to smart android phones, then to smarter and more expensive android phones. Yet still, we are not satisfied. We now desire to possess and use iPhones and iPads. So it is with other things that we desire. We often will tell ourselves, “if only I had this, I would be the happiest person in the world”. A few weeks after you have gotten what you so desired, you will come to realize how false your statement of being the happiest person is.

We all have so many desires, so many problems and troubles that keep us awake at night. We worry so much about so many things that they give us headache. Is it grades at school, the colleague at the work place, misunderstanding in the marriage home, the inability to bear children, your false accusers? Our worries are so many that we cannot come to mention them all. Yet beloved, among all these things, the Lord will have us know that, “but one thing is needful”

We cannot start to imagine how important this one thing is;

· We were but clots of blood conceived in our mother’s womb
· We were born babies and have grown into adolescents
· We then become adults
· Soon, we are full of age, waiting for death to come and take us. Unfortunately, not many live to a full age. Many barely make it to the adult life.

After we have died and passed out of this world, what then? Would all our worries, problems, troubles, desires, mention them, would they have mattered then? Would they matter in the afterlife? But there is something that would. This is the one thing which is needful. This one thing is the answer to both our spiritual and physical need – Jesus Christ.

This is not to say that Martha didn’t know Jesus, no, she did know Jesus. However, Jesus was teaching that: there are many things that weigh us down, things that we worry about, but there are more important things.

Yes, the things that we worry about, that we so desire, that trouble us, they all may be good and important. However, Christ will have us know that there are more important things. That is why Christ will admonish us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:31-33). That is why Christ will ask us, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Yes, having a job is good, having a wife is good, having good grades is good, building a house of your own is good, achieving great things is good, but how will all these things matter if we don’t have that one thing which is needful. How will all these matter if we don’t have Christ fully dwelling in us. What will become of them after we are dead? Will you deny yourself for the course of Christ, or would you seek out yourself, your desire first and make Christ second?

Tell me, how many of you know the grandfather of your great grandfather? Almost nobody? So it will be with us also, all our accomplishments, all the smart phones we used, all our problems, all the things we have possibly worried and thought about, they all will be forgotten some few years after we are dead and gone. It will seem like we never existed. Even the fifth generation to come, from your very own bowels may never know you and your great accomplishments. After our time is past, and we are long gone and forgotten, do you sincerely think all the things we worried so much about, the things we have allowed to keep us away from Christ, the love of money, our love for an unholy relationship, our love for material things, do you think they will have mattered after we are long dead? However, after we are long dead and gone, one thing will matter, Jesus Christ. Do you remember Jesus’ answer to Martha? Jesus answered and said unto her,

“Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her”

Of truth, one thing is needful. This is not to say that you should not seek to accomplish great things. No, rather accomplish great things, but let your accomplishments have an eternal fruition. Let whatever you do have an eternal purpose in the course of Christ. Let us look at some examples. If your desire to own 20 companies during your lifetime on earth, the purpose could be to support the evangelistic work of gospel preaching, while it yet caters for your family. Some profits could go into putting up meeting places for the church, supporting the orphans and widows. If your good deeds through the means generated by these companies was able to or provide the means and opportunity for the salvation of one soul, or keep one soul from falling away from Christ, then your accomplishment has had an eternal fruition. In other words, if we desire or worry about anything in this life, it should be towards the course of Christ. Not the other way round, it should not cause us to wander away from Christ. We should not neglect the gathering of the saints, the pure act of charity, the work of evangelism because we are gone seeking money.

When it comes to those who worry so much because of the sufferings in this wicked generation, because they were not able to accomplish something, or have some problem that is giving them sleepless nights. I will have you to know beloved brother/sister, that when you understand that one thing is needful, you can smile on your problem, knowing it is but for a little while, tell it to the Lord in prayer, knowing that He is faithful when He said He cares for His own. He will cater for you and your family. We don’t know how He does it, but He does it anyway, He has always looked after you and your family through all the difficult times. He has no plans of giving up on you. So brother, hold on firm to the faith.

The good news concerning this one thing, which is needful- Christ richly dwelling in us is that, He did not come empty handed;

· He brought along love, true love.
· He brought us peace
· He brought us joy
· He brought us salvation
· He gave us a family. A family that is not limited by time, it is a very huge family that lives on forever, even after earth’s time is past and gone.
· In Him we are blessed with every spiritual blessing

All these gifts, none is limited by time. We are enjoying a fraction of it in this time, but soon, very soon, when we get to that heavenly kingdom that is being prepared for you and I, we will enjoy these gifts in full.

You know what, that is not the end of it. He has also blessed us with the very things in this world to. All that He wants from us is to set right our priorities- that we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all other things, He will add unto it.

Do you know why David was such a great king, because he was a man after His(God) own heart. God blessed Solomon with all the material things any young man of his time could dream of because he sought first the guidance of God. When Solomon later turned against God, God was merciful to him because of his father –David.

Jesus has told us that if we pray to God the Father in His name with faith, our prayers will be answered. Psalm 37:4 will have us know, “Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart”.

Brethren, beloved, tell me what is more fulfilling than this, to have the creator of all the universe and everything that is in it cater for your short time here on earth and more importantly, cater for our eternity as well. If only the things we seek here on earth can do the same, but they can’t. So why should we go chasing after these worldly things to the neglect of the most important thing that could ever happen to us.

Even the things we so much worry about, we are not able to bring most to fulfilment. However, the Lord caters for these same things + peace + joy + salvation + love +all the spiritual blessings, name them, He caters for our forever.

The Spirit will have us know this,

“But it is written, eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2: 9)

What greater glory can a sinner like yourself and I seek above this. Let us be encouraged brethren, when we are faced with problems, worries, etc. let us compare whatever it is that is making our life so difficult to that glory, the glory that we cannot possibly imagine despite the great imaginative power of our minds. Let us be able to smile on our problems, knowing that it is for a little while.

Another good news is that, this one thing cannot be taking from us, no one can take Christ away from us. The only way we can lose Him, is when we let Him go. Sadly, some are letting Him go, so they can chase after the things of this world, the very things He(Christ) has catered for.

Let us therefore be encouraged brethren, be encouraged.

· Hold on firmly to the faith, the faith which was once delivered to the saints. “be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4: 14).

· Serve the Lord faithfully

· Love the brethren, for it is the household of God, the ground and pillar of truth (1 Timothy 3: 15).

· Pray for the brethren, in your congregation and everywhere.
· Do good, be kind to everyone around you, whether they are kind to you, or not. For so is your Father, which is in heaven.
· Pray for them that falsely accuse you.
· Humble yourself before all.

· Share your little with the needy, storing up treasure for yourself in heaven. For where your treasure is, there will be your soul (Matthew 19:21, Matthew 6: 19-21)

· Show love to the orphans. They need your care and love.
· Endure to the end

· Share the good news of Christ, the true ONE THING WHICH IS NEEDFUL.

Beloved, earnestly contend for the faith, which was once delivered to the saints and now, delivered to you. Hold firm and fast to Christ, hold firm brother/sister, hold firm.

By: Br Valentine K. Dzah

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