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[0:00] Let the Lord may graciously help and ask your thought now to the portion that we read from Luke's Gospel in chapter 10, reading at the verse 39.

[0:25] And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word.

[0:44] Luke chapter 10 at the verse 39. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word.

[0:57] And this little family that dwelled at Bethany was a very highly unfavored family, as they were permitted to entertain our Lord on several occasions, as are recorded here in the word of God.

[1:35] They all appreciated this great privilege. I'm sure of that. And what the word of God tells us in different places concerning them.

[1:48] But without being prejudiced, was it not Mary who made the wisest use of it?

[2:07] Martha, she was one who sought to serve the Lord with her very best. Even here, she was concerned because Mary was sitting at his feet, and she was calm about much serving, and came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?

[2:36] Bid her, therefore, that she help me. We know what the Lord did for brother Lazarus.

[2:50] And again, in John's Gospel, in chapter 12, you'll find there that he was one that sat at the table with the Lord, after he had been raised from the dead.

[3:02] And while I say, what a favored family this was, to have these visits from time to time from the Lord Jesus.

[3:22] And Mary was full of love to her Lord. See her posture. See her posture. In the text, she sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word.

[3:44] She didn't weary in listening, in attending to those words that Jesus would speak.

[3:55] Mary was full of love to the Lord Jesus. We read of her, on more than one occasion, anointing him.

[4:13] Sometimes, by condemnation from those who looked on. But she stood firm to show her love.

[4:29] And most certainly, she showed her love to him by her attending to his words. She was a wise woman.

[4:42] She was a saintly woman. And our Lord commended her for this choice, for this method of service.

[4:55] And so I want to look at this little portion tonight, which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word.

[5:10] And to see these postures of this dear handmaid Mary. I want to see her, I want to see her, I want to see in her, love at leisure.

[5:30] Love at leisure. I want to see her at love in lowliness. I want to see her, I want to see her, love at leisure.

[5:46] I want to see her, love at leisure. I want to observe something of love possessing.

[5:58] So those are just two or three thoughts that may grow as we begin to speak upon them with you here tonight.

[6:15] So verse 39. She had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word.

[6:26] As rational men and women, and in this time state, there are those things that should rightly occupy our time and our attention.

[6:48] The time of daylight, the hours of day, are the time when we should be found in work, in service, whatever occupation we may be in.

[7:09] What our hand finds to do, let us do it with diligence. We know that when the Lord God created man, he gave him a rest day.

[7:29] Six days shall thou labour and do all thy work. The seventh day shall be a day of rest. We recognise the different manner of work in our day, in our own situations.

[7:57] But principally, as spoken in the word of God, the hours of the day are for men to work. I know there are situations in our present day which certainly involves night work.

[8:19] And other days or other hours are given for our rest. But find here, when the Lord turned in, even with this little family, which he does on more than one occasion at Bethany, how welcomed he was.

[8:49] Here would we, in our day, if the Lord were to come amongst us, would we make him as welcome as what these did?

[9:07] They each showed their love and their welcome in a different way. But how would we respond? How would we react?

[9:18] Would we say, not just this present. There's something that needs to be done. There's a certain matter that I can't leave.

[9:32] We don't find any of those excuses from this little family of Bethany, whenever the Lord turned in with them. Would we feel to find ourselves quite at home with Jesus our Lord?

[9:56] We should not be unmindful, forgetful to entertain strangers.

[10:12] What welcome do you give to a stranger on your door? We should show that readiness, that willingness, whoever they may be.

[10:33] But here, with Mary, as he came into this home, she sat at his feet. And we would know something of what Mary knew.

[10:48] To be free from worldly cares, from the general things of the day.

[11:00] In those things, may we know what it is to leave all in his hand. If he, and I speak as he would have walked on this earth, if he made the effort to come to their home, ought we not to make the effort to entertain?

[11:27] To show our love to him. We want to be free. From all worldly care.

[11:40] All that would hinder true intercourse with him. One of our poets puts in line, I think it's in one of our books, I will be at thy feet, near thy wounded side.

[12:00] Feel how thy heart is beat. And view the purple tide. But trace the wonders of thy death.

[12:15] And sing thy love with every breath. There may be those times when we feel something of the burden of the souls of men.

[12:34] And if our Lord has called us for that work, let us be diligent in that work.

[12:45] May we know what it is to know this posture that Mary knew here, to be sitting at Jesus' feet.

[12:57] Hearing, listening to what he is saying.

[13:09] How he teaches us. How he instructs us. And here, when we know what that is to be in his presence, what an opportunity to bring before him those souls that have been committed to our charge.

[13:42] It's a solemn responsibility to have a care of souls. And we cannot cope that in our own strength, in our own ways.

[14:05] In natural things, natural things of time, men will confer one with another the best way to handle the matter. You know, we can't do that with the souls of men.

[14:22] We have to know what that is to have communion with our Lord. The Lord would show us what to do and how to do.

[14:37] And we would prize, we would truly value those seasons when we can sit at the feet of Jesus to enjoy this happy leisure time which he provides for us as we may muse upon those things, those themes which he reveals unto us.

[15:05] sure we may be in that sense first partakers of the fruits but we're not to keep those things to ourselves.

[15:17] We are to set these things before those those things that he reveals to us. We are to speak those things before whom we stand before whom we serve even as servants of the Lord.

[15:42] We never read of Mary wearying of sitting at the feet of Jesus. Martha may complain Lazarus may be absent on occasions but Mary's there.

[16:04] There's such a warmth there's a love in her heart to her Lord. And why? Because of that great work that he has done for his own dear people.

[16:25] A work over which he said it is finished. A work which has to be accepted.

[16:41] A work that we shall prove abidingly effectual. And here this will warm our hearts it will draw our affections still to be at his dear feet.

[17:06] You look what he has given us. Look at the gifts that he has given us. And here what is yet promised for us.

[17:25] Do we know what it is to sit at his dear feet? he has said that all things work together for good to them that love God who are the called according to his purpose.

[17:49] The apostle also tells us he that spared not his own son Romans 8 verse 32 he that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things further down who shall separate us from the love of Christ through tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long where I accounted as sheep for the slaughter nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

[18:43] Paul could address these things to those at Rome because Paul himself had proved these things Paul had known where it had been to be at the feet of Jesus where this dear handmaid was at his feet let us without fear without anxiety enjoy this true leisure with Jesus we are not encouraged to laziness we are not encouraged to idleness but we are in leisure to love to serve to worship to commune and follow my thought to imitate we shall never imitate perfectly the Lord

[19:49] Jesus but he is our example and he has said follow me we have in this volume before us the word of God and that great word is an unalterable word it is an unchangeable word and all things in our life in our circumstances must measure up to this word of God this world will never change the Lord has said it won't change men may seek to change it but it still stands and here is the word that we've got to walk to and the word that we've got to walk by and how sweet that is when the Lord himself draws near sometimes and speaks to us and encourages us even to continue not only to listen to this word but to love that word and let it be first and foremost with us each we come to the close of the chapter

[21:22] Jesus answered and said unto her Martha Martha Martha them are careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her look then at Mary's love in lowliness where is her posture she's at his feet then may we know what it is to imitate Mary in this posture in lowliness at his feet can you say unto yourself this is the place that you would choose to be at the feet of

[22:23] Jesus Mary wasn't concerned so much as being a busy housewife she wasn't so much concerned for management if Martha would die to do these home duties there to do them but she must be where her Lord is you find this time and time again as you read Mary these Bethany trio she is at his feet she is at his feet friend what would bring us to his feet what would bring us to his feet if we were conscious of our own unworthiness our own unfitness this should bring us to the feet of our

[23:42] Lord we should acknowledge what we are and seek to commit our way unto him for there's no better place there's no better spot that we can do that than to come to his feet is evident that here Mary was a true disciple I'm not speaking of her as being one of the apostles one of the twelve disciples but she was a follower of her Lord are we following our Lord remember how he says in everything with prayer thanksgiving we prayed over matters today that have been in our life the

[25:04] Lord has seen all the Lord knows all has he seen us on our knees has he seen us idling away our time friend that day is approaching when we each and all shall have to give an account of all things done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil we receive blessings as the Lord grants them unto us but how do we receive them do we receive them in this posture of lowliness at Jesus feet do we truly think of what we are who we are what we are doing if we had that word more constantly before us thou

[26:26] God seest me wouldn't that have a greater effect upon us it is not only what we are in the sight of God but it is what is the Lord to me what is the Lord Jesus to me we desire that he would bless us with his condescending love we desire that he would draw near and reveal himself to us are there those times that I say when he does permit you to be found at his feet when you can shut off from all other things hence rain and truly will depart no more allure or vex my heart let every vanity be gone

[27:42] I would be peaceful and alone and that at the feet of Jesus look look at Mary's love here as she listens which also sat at Jesus feet she could not have heard had she not been willing to sit at leisure before him she was content for the lowly place to sit at his feet here is that not a desire in your life I would be at thy feet I know the poet goes on to say or at thy wounded side there are those things that the gracious soul will truly long for but let us be found at his feet this is where

[28:58] Mary was and here she could listen there was nothing to distract nothing to rob she would be with him see how the Lord again says to her 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 hear is that your choice to sit at his feet to hear all that he would say all that he would speak what favoured times they were when our

[30:04] Lord came into that home I must just make a reference here to John chapter 12 there he was six days before the Passover he came to Bethany where Lazarus was which had been dead whom he raised from the dead there they made him a supper Martha served Nazareth was one of them that sat at the table with him Mary she took a pound of ointment of spikenard very costly and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment this was Mary's love to be with her

[31:07] Lord and to be at his feet and this very costly ointment she anointed his feet with it and wiped those feet with the hair of her head what a spot she loved to be in at his feet she could listen to what Jesus says in his word do we listen to what he says in his word in creation in providence do we listen to what he speaks by his spirit into our soul let us be found at his feet so near you can listen well when you are near to the speaker can't you you catch the tones the accents even motions that impress your soul with those things spoken to you she was only listening to himself she was near enough to be

[32:48] I was going to say reading his heart she would know by movement by motions she would hear and be encouraged to obey she was listening she wasn't letting other thoughts intrude she wasn't letting other unbeliefs rise up those things can be laid aside at the feet of our Lord I hear this is the place where we want to be if we want to know what it is to fall down before him in the glory and to crown him Lord of all what do we know of being at his feet now in this day of grace listening and hearing him bidding us what to do but do we do it do we say that's not necessary we can never say that or anything that our

[34:09] Lord speaks sure whatever he bids us we are to do if ye love me keep my commandments well that doesn't seem particular that doesn't seem so necessary to do I agree with it but I don't see that it's necessary for me to do it you dance me like that before you know do you hear how many there are today who act like that before their Lord they will not bow they will not yield to what God has told us in his word but how sweet how instructive how true is this good part Mary which also sat at Jesus feet and heard his word lastly love in possession love in possession she had obtained her

[35:25] Lord his love his presence his word his fellowship and here she can sit at his feet in full enjoyment to the delight of her soul I have reason to think that some of you here tonight have known something of this posture over your pilgrimage sure you may want to know it again and to know more of have you had that sweet foretaste have you enjoyed that love in possession this is what Mary had she had her Lord's promise and she would not be robbed of it she has chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her she had in this one thing her soul's necessity give me

[36:48] Christ or else I die and here she could sit and sit in perfect satisfaction friend have you known this are there those spots those places in your wilderness journey that you don't forget have you raised here an Ebenezer stone have you raised here a Bethel surely the Lord is in this place Jacob had to say and I knew it not but he knew it was to return to his Bethel on other occasions have you got a Bethel in your life when the Lord speaks he fulfills that which he speaks so if the

[37:53] Lord has spoken a promise to you that promise will be fulfilled you may think it ought to be fulfilled that the Lord sees that the promise will be fulfilled we have need of patience the Lord's promise to this dear handmaid was that she should never lose that better part shall not be taken away even even her sister in her complaint of her attitude that never robbed Mary of this portion that she had here sitting at his feet oh to be more with Jesus this is true life as I say his true life oh to hear him more we should prove that to be true service she sat at his feet and heard his word oh to love

[39:12] Jesus more this is true treasure this shall not be taken away once in him in him forever thus the eternal covenant stands oh to abide with Jesus don't dream to go on beyond him your time may always be ready but his time is not yet don't go beyond him but get near to him get near to his feet as you read through the gospels many a time you read how Jesus sat to preach he took the book he read from the book he closed the book he sat down and then he spake i know we have the habit i can use that word rightly of standing to preach but often the lord jesus sat to preach whether he's in the temple whether he's on the mountain whether he's among the highways and hedges he sat to preach the opportunity to come to his feet mary which also sat at jesus feet and heard his word may we know in each one of us in personal experience what that is to be at the feet of jesus if we are choosing this better part which was mary's choice we should know what that is to be at his feet to hear his voice to love him to give him our all love because he has graciously said and it applies to each of his dear people

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