Encounters WITH Jesus AT His Feet Derive Love Balance Equation: Delight + Discipline + Discern =...

Encounters WITH Jesus AT His Feet

Derive Love Balance Equation:

Delight + Discipline + Discern = Listen + Kneel + Trust

by

Joyce A. Dispulo

Submitted to

Prof. Noli P. Mendoza

in Partial Fulfillment of

the Requirements for

Introduction to the Bible

Asian Theological Seminary

54 Scout Madriñan Street,

South Triangle, Quezon City

October 30, 2012

Introduction

“All I wanted is to please my God”. Nothing more. Nothing less. That is my heart’s one desire.

He loved me first for who I am. I want my God to feel how much I love Him for who He is in

my life. I’ve always enjoyed making Him at home in my heart and letting Him be the Master

over my life. I am hospitable this way. In terms of hospitality, the two sisters from Bethany,

named Mary and Martha is one of the best teams in the Bible1. Jesus having close relationship

with them is their frequent guest. Three times He visited them but the focus here is His first two

visits, as mentioned in Luke 10:38-42, and John 11: 17-44.

The Gospel of Luke is the longest and most literary of the four Gospels. Presenting Jesus’

ancestry, birth, and early life before moving carefully through His ministry, death, and

resurrection, Luke is also the most comprehensive of the Gospels2. The emphases of this Gospel

are God’s Messiah has come to His people, Israel, with the promised inclusion of Gentiles3 and

Jesus’ humanity, though Luke affirms Jesus’ divinity; Jesus, the Son of Man, is also the Son of

God. As a doctor, Luke is a man of science, and as a Greek, he is a man of detail. He is a Gentile

Christian who beautifully written and presents accurately the account of the life of Jesus4.

On the other hand, the Gospel of John is significantly different from the Synoptic Gospels which

are Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Its relative simplicity of construction builds around seven

miracles and seven “I am” statements of Christ. The profundity of its message focuses on the

mystery of the Person of Christ, His relationship to the Father, and the importance of belief in

Christ5. John’s Gospel is not a life of Christ; it is a powerful argument for the incarnation, a

conclusive demonstration that Jesus was, and is, the very heaven-sent Son of God and the only

source of eternal life6. For John the apostle, the devoted follower of Christ, the activity of Christ

is not understandable apart from the fact; He is the Messiah, the Son of God, and God Himself7.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1 Life Application Study Bible (Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2007), 1599.

2 Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts (Thomas Nelson), 43.

3 Gordon D. Fee, and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible Book by Book (Manila: OMF

Literature Inc., 2002), 286.





The given passages plus the overview of both the Gospel of Luke and John will greatly help us to

relate on all the encounters Mary and Martha have with Jesus. Which also proved and tested how

genuine is their faith in Him. Believing the unseen equals being certain of what we do not see

(Heb. 11:1). Focusing on Jesus and His trustworthiness also equals taking God at His Words.

This is Faith. Faith thinks big, boundless, and limitless on God.

When GOD said….

“Do you love Me more than these?” - John 21:15

Jesus asked Peter this question three times, Peter has been firm with His answer three times also

— “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” (John 21:17). In the first passage,

Mary and Martha definitely expressed that they love Jesus more than anything. They think of the

best way to make Jesus feel that love, so they preferred doing their expertise. But Jesus preferred

something that pleases Him most.

“Is anything too hard for Me?” - Jeremiah 32:27

The Lord revealed to prophet Jeremiah that He is planning to hand over Jerusalem to the

Babylonians, He really emphasized His power through this question. In the second passage,

Jesus is like saying this question to Mary and Martha as a challenge in their faith. When He

shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” then their brother, Lazarus, the dead man came out (John 11:43).

Jesus strengthened Mary and Martha’s faith and replaced their grief with joy.

Same BUT Different

Jesus both loved Mary and Martha (John 11:5). They both loved Jesus too. They served Him out

of love. They have own choices in their special way of service, shown when Jesus visited them in

Martha’s home (Luke 10:38). Where Mary and Martha have their roles, Mary was in participation

and Martha was in preparation8. Their roles displayed the different temperaments they have. Mary

chose to be busy listening to Jesus. ‘Her choice was the good part, the most necessary one which

will not be taken away from her’ according to Jesus (Luke 10:42). She prioritized spiritual over

temporal which Jesus praised9. While Martha chose to be busy for Jesus. She failed to notice that

_________________________________________________________________________________________


9 Oswald J. Sanders, People Just Like Us (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1978), 135.

in her desire to serve, she missed out the one thing worth being concerned about according to Jesus

too (Luke 10:42). Her choice was to be practical rather devotional which Jesus did not chide10

.

During Lazarus’s death, they both reacted the same way before Jesus (John 11:21, 32). After

how many days of waiting, finally Jesus came and both of them were excited to meet Him.

Though they were both disappointed at first, yet they never doubted that Jesus is able to keep

Lazarus from dying. If only He arrived earlier. Jesus stretched and supported the faith of the two

sisters by seeing that Jesus rules over everything, everyone, anything and anyone.

A Closer Look AT Mary

Rooted IN Love [Luke 10:38-42]

Jesus models the quality of love so that we can love as He does. A love that we can’t earn, we

don’t deserve and we can’t add to or lose it. A love that is unconditional, unlimited, unending

and unfailing. The power of this kind of love is lived out in our relationships. One of which is

our love relationship with Jesus as believers. He wants to see evidence that we love Him too11

.

The situation in this passage has shown how we are to love Jesus. Here is He spending time with

Mary and her siblings. Jesus knows the value of having close friends just like His close

relationship with His Father. So He always recognizes what His Father considered to be

important. Since Jesus understands what was critical, he knows how and where to invest His

time12

. Mary recognizes what is important to Jesus — listening attentively, closely to Jesus’

teachings. An act of worship that truly welcomes Him and well pleases Him. It is her investment.

Everything she does for Jesus is rooted in love for Him completely; then love for others

compassionately.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________


11 Ken Blanchard, and Phil Hodges, Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time

(Nashville: W. Publishing Group, 2005), 177-179.

12 Henry Blackaby, and Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership: Moving God’s People on to God’s Agenda (Makati

City: Church Strengthening Ministry, 2001), 203-204.

Mary Sitting AT Jesus’ Feet — Delight in His Word and His Wisdom

It is Mary’s choice. Quietly soaking in His presence and enjoying every single word He utters

(Luke 10:39). She wants to make the most of this privilege of togetherness with the Master at His

feet. Though her older sister, preoccupied with household responsibilities, gets mad at her for not

helping because she wants everything be in order, so that she may finally sit down beside her and

listen too. Mary’s heart leaps as she hears and takes delight in His Word from His lips

commending her act. Jesus finds her too busy focusing on Him. It is her uniqueness.

At first, Mary is pleased with Jesus visiting them and sits with them. Her longing to know more

about God is not as much as His longing for Him to be known. It takes time seriously to know

Jesus personally. In Mary’s experience here with Jesus, she discovers what pleases Him. It is

already treasured in her heart and it will remind her of the learning: the proper time when to

listen to Him and when to work for Him. Take delight in His Wisdom as He leaves Mary a

legacy and learning. For He wants His people to balance devotion and duty; be like Mary in

worship, and like Martha in work13

.

God Exposed: Being BEFORE Doing (Wordless Character, Stop and Listen)

Mary uses her heart which makes her emotional at times, while her older sister uses her brain

before her heart which makes her logical often times. There’s nothing wrong with what the two

sisters are doing, but the attitude while doing it matters14

. Mary has a need to worship Jesus,

same as her older sister, but she chooses to prioritize serving Jesus before serving others. In

service to the Father, we are workers together with Him. Remember, in anything we have to do

for Jesus, we can do it and should do it in close communion with Him15

.

Truly, Jesus needs to quiet our hearts and minds, for us to enter deeper into the character He has

given us and pay more attention to the kind of people we’re becoming16

. Wordless character of

_____________________________________________________________________________ 13 Dean Courtier, “What can We Learn from Mary and Martha”, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/what-can-

we-learn-from-mary--martha-part-1-dean-courtier-sermon-on-people-in-the-gospel-146691.asp

14 Ibid.

15 C. H. Spurgeon. Revised and Updated by Alistair Begg, “With Jesus at Our Side”,

http://www.truthforlife.org/resources/daily-devotionals/5/9/

16 Richard Nelson Bolles, “Being before Doing”,

http://www.buildingchurchleaders.com/devotions/90daysintheword/day50.html

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/what-can-we-learn-from-mary--martha-part-1-dean-courtier-sermon-on-people-in-the-gospel-146691.asp




Mary comes in. Stop and listen. Character is that which can do without success according to

Ralph Waldo Emerson. God looks into the heart. He values greatly what is inside. Anything that

manifests on the outer being is grounded from the inner being. There is nothing I have to do to

please Him, except to be. Accepting His love, His pleasure as a child does, this is what pleases

Him; A child just is17

.

I can identify myself with Mary and her older sister. My strong sense of individuality manifests

in each of them. Devoted? Yes. Responsibly carrying out duties? Yes. Combining the two will

result to imbalance. Why? Sometimes God prefers to give us what we need instead of what we

want. Every time He whispers to me, “I am at work”. I always believe that. My sense of balance

is still under His construction. I do keep in mind to never stop worshipping Him personally to

serve Him properly, all at my best. For worship without service is powerless, service without

worship is directionless and service after worship produces power and balance18

. He prepares our

being by worshipping in His presence before our doing by serving on behalf of His presence.

Hopeless YET Hopeful [John 11: 17-44]

Both for the faithful and the faithless, Jesus models the quality of power He has so that we know

everything is possible to Him. A power that is undeniable, unpredictable, unimaginable and

immeasurable. No human can fathom. No human can hinder. He only wants all human to believe

that He is the Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah and be glorified all day, always. Jesus cares.

He totally cares for us. Jesus never fails. He absolutely never fails His people.

In this situation of the given passage, Jesus keeps Mary and her older sister waiting. And He

waits too. Until the fourth day comes, Jesus arrives. Mary still stays in the same place while her

older sister seeks the company of the Teacher. The roles of the two are reversed19

. At this point,

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

17 Irene Alexander, Practicing the Presence of Jesus: Contemporary Meditation (Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2011), 52

18 Dean Courtier, “What can We Learn from Mary and Martha”, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/what-can-





the emotional Mary begins to be logical; the logical older sister begins to be emotional.

However, their faith in the unchanging God remains unchanged. Hopeful that the Great

Physician, who is able to heal diseases of any kind, is the same who will revive their brother‘s

life. People expect and end up disappointed at times. Perhaps, Mary and her older sister feel that

way. But they know in their hearts, they do have Jesus on their side. This fact is comforting and

keeping them hopeful in times of hopelessness.

Mary Falling AT Jesus’ Feet — Discipline Shines in His Work and His Way

The Teacher wants to see Mary. Rushing towards Jesus, falling at His feet, Mary crying out to

Him — ‘why He fails to come earlier?’ (John 11:32) Same reaction as her older sister has a

while ago. Out of overwhelming experience of unexpected sorrow and agony of losing their

brother, their hearts exclaim such grief-laden words20

. Jesus is not less understanding of people’s

particular temperament. It’s not like He cannot arrive earlier nor heal their brother. He

deliberately delays coming. He even refuses to defend Himself for His actions or explain His

absence21

. Amazing are His plans, awesome are His purposes, wonderful are the motives of His

heart, though hard to understand often times especially when it is hurting, He is just simply

whispering again, “trust Me on this, I’m in-charge!”

Mary and her older sister sound like demanding Jesus to heal their brother the way they want it

to be done. From the inside out they confess that ‘He will give whatever they ask’ (John 11:22).

As much as Jesus wants to respond immediately, He is never out of track in the timing His

Father designs. His discipline shines glamorously in working at the desperate situation of Mary

and her siblings, the way He wants it to be done. It seems hard on His part, knowing that they are

named as loved by Jesus in the Bible. But He gives a distinct promise for them to hold on to —

“your brother will rise again” from His Words in verse 23, then He directs to Himself in verse

25, ‘He is the resurrection and the life.’ Jesus really mean it. Remember, He does what He says.

______________________________________________________________________________ 20 Oswald J. Sanders, People Just Like Us (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1978), 136.

21 Jill Briscoe, Women in the Life of Jesus (U. S. A.: Victor Books, 1986), 68.

God Did: Worry NO More (Wordless Tears, Ready to Kneel)

Impossible faith is not faith at all. Half faith is also faithless. For Mary’s, feeding on Jesus’

words find the life and light of faith in His beloved presence. For Mary’s older sister, faith rely

on seeing is believing. As John 20:29b says, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing

Me.”22

I’m blessed indeed. Blessed more, knowing Jesus is not limited by human imagination or

physical circumstances and the Bible clearly demonstrates what He can do for these who do

believe, who place their confidence in Him, who trust Him23

. The only key is faith.

God sees not the way human sees. He is able to see a greater miracle in a great battle. He has

solutions to all problems. In fact, the more hopeless problems appear, the more uncrossable

obstacles seem, the more unwinnable situations are by human standards, the greater God is

glorified when His mighty hand brings victory against any overwhelming odds24

.

In this very crucial moment of Mary and her older sister encountering Jesus, it is needed to bring

with us the truth mentioned above. Helpful in uplifting drowned spirits. Look nearer on Jesus’

every word in the story. He feels the same way as they feel. Seeing Mary melts into wordless

tears and others around them weeping. He is deeply moved. He becomes troubled. Then, He

wept with tears of genuine love and sympathy flowing down His cheeks25

. The fullness of the

incarnation, Christ’s coming among us – to be with us, to be one with us – is gathered up and

pressed into a single subject and verb, Jesus wept26

. His tears tells us His heart (John 11:35).

After He prays, the Lord answers. Mary’s brother resurrects and many people are witness in the

event. They finally believes in Jesus (John 11:45) on the account of him. The lives of Mary and

her siblings have been objects of God’s power so that people will believe that the Father sends

Him (John 11:42). Here comes Jesus whispering the third time, “See how much I love you all!”

_____________________________________________________________________________ 22 F. B. Meyer. Edited by Bruce Wilkinson. Closer Walk: 365 Daily Devotions that Nurture A Heart for God (Grand

Rapids, Michigan: Walk Thru the Bible, 1992), 134

23 “Is Anything Too Hard for God?”, www.gci.org/spiritual/faith/toohard

24 Ibid.

25 Mark Buchanan, “Jesus Wept: God’s Love, Mercy, Passion, Compassion, Grief, and Anger are Chiseled Down to

Two Words”, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/march5/4.60.html

26 Ibid.

http://www.gci.org/spiritual/faith/toohard

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/march5/4.60.html

Definitely God did what He told them. See the usage of Jesus response to Mary’s older sister —

“Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” in John 11:40 before is still

applicable today, for the people who keeps on worrying. He already did before and now He is

extremely capable of doing anything. So worry no more. God can do the impressive, not just in

the lives of Abraham, the father of faith or David, the man after God’s own heart. He still

performs miracle today. God will do the improbable, not just in the lives of Daniel in the lion’s

den or Noah in building the ark. There are things that just aren’t likely to happen in our lives, in

our family, in our church but still can happen even now. God does the impossible, not just in the

life of Mary’s brother, four days in the grave yet brought back to life. That is impressive,

improbable and impossible. Luke 18:27 says, “What is impossible with men is possible with

God.”27

There’s nothing my God cannot do, yesterday, today and for eternity.

Jesus finds me ready to kneel, ready to humble down before His presence outwardly and

inwardly. A posture which Mary and I like the most, when listening and talking with Jesus. Even

in times of sickness, suffering, persecution, tragedy, hardship or death, we can always bring Him

glory. These are Christ-exalting opportunities for us to be one of the most powerful witnesses of

His power and love. I am reminded of the direct proportionality on 2 Corinthians 12:9, the

weaker I am, ‘the greater is the manifestation of the power of God in me and through me.’

In Honor OF Jesus

Excellent Choice — Trust AT All Cost

When God calls the name of Moses, Gideon, Daniel, and others, they are all imperfect yet He

qualifies them. He calls them to trust Him, even in challenging circumstances and to let go of

having to control the outcome of every situation. Since then, their lives changed from glory to

glory and they have a story to tell. Just like Mary’s brother28

. Just like me too. Here’s the story of

my God who is my life:

____________________________________________________________________________________ 27 Dean Courtier, “What can We Learn from Mary and Martha”, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/what-can-


28 Jeff Strite, “Free Refill of His Goodness”, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/free-refills-of-his-goodness-

jeff-strite-sermon-on-friendship-general-149316.asp



http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/free-refills-of-his-goodness-jeff-strite-sermon-on-friendship-general-149316.asp


YOU trusted and tested me continuously as I reach another stage of my life – my death

YOU permitted my confinement from E.R. to O.R. up to the ward….all for the first time

YOU allowed everyone who loves me to worry, cry out and say ‘why Lord?’

YOU reserved every specialist to treat me even they think I’m hopeless and will die soon

YOU provided the blood that I need to survive

YOU bring back my lungs and gave every air so that I can breathe

YOU protected my heart to normally beat

YOU removed my left adrenal gland for me to rely my strength fully to you

YOU took care of me and stored confidence in You to fight for me to exist

YOU have faithfully cleared out my tests to prove my doctors wrong for I am cancer-free

YOU showered your divine favor continually as you grant all our prayers

I have mine while at the E.R.: “Lord please not now. I wanted to see my Ate and Kuya.”

It is Your mighty hands that held me tightly, Your arms extended that embraced me

closely, and Your great power that healed me completely – My God. My Life.

YOU prepared me for this battle beforehand as You gave Your Word in Samuel 12:16,

“Now then, Stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes.”

YOU reminded me to be strong and courageous for You are with me, no reason to fear

YOU let me see only one set of footprints as I walked with You along the way,

at the weakest part of me You made me realized that You already carried me

YOU made my life highly-favored for You created me purposefully

to be a great encouragement to all and be a witness of Your power over death

YOU told me then, “Preach the Word”, then I cried and said “Yes Lord”

YOU are the reason why I have my second life now for it is originally Yours

YOU gave it all for me, I gave my all to You,

‘I will trust and obey You because I love you’ – My God. My Life. Be glorified.

The God who has given me second life is the same God who demonstrates His love from the

very beginning of all life. He also gives us eternal life after we become Christians: “While we

were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This is the greatest story ever told. The

grandest theme of all is found in a four-letter word: LOVE, then all else flows from His love29

.

Just like His love for Mary and her siblings which is marked deeply in the two episodes

mentioned. They embody relationships of love in Jesus and to each other; their confessions about

Jesus, the kind of devotion to Jesus that is ultimately to be shown to each other, and the

reassurance regarding life even in the face of death30

. Their loving obedience declared to all that,

He is their Lord and His value is so much more costly than any perfume. In Mary’s story, she

expresses her grand display of adoration to Jesus by pouring upon His feet her costliest sacrifice

and wiping it with her hair (John12:3). She puts her future in His hands. So do I. My story is like

I wrestle with God. I will not let go of Him unless He bless me. No doubt, He blessed me so

much of testing to prove that I am powerless apart from Him. My heart is filled of joy upon

hearing His whisper, “You’ve passed the tests!” This time, I am walking more closely with Him.

Jesus trusted me first. Trust is a choice. We are simply turning over our lives, one moment at a

time, to His excellent and dependable provision. Trust is a spiritual practice that transforms us,

that helps us obey the command against worrying. To choose to trust does not mean we don't

care, but that we place our cares in the hands of one who cares for us31

. Jesus taught Mary and

her older sister to trust Him. Same as He did to me. It takes a discerning spirit to sense what

matters most to God. I have chosen to trust God at all cost. It is an excellent choice in honor of

Jesus and it will never be taken away from me.

Encountering Jesus at His feet while listening, kneeling and trusting takes a lot of delight,

discipline and discernment to balance the love He gives, and make the most out of every

encounter we have in His presence. It is enjoyable to bring back to Him a selfless, extravagant

and fully yielded worship. Then, share the balanced love to others and influence the community.

______________________________________________________________________________ 29 A. B. Bruce. Edited by Bruce Wilkinson. Closer Walk: 365 Daily Devotions that Nurture A Heart for God

(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Walk Thru the Bible, 1992), 135

30 Philip F. Esler, and Ronald A. Piper, Lazarus, Mary and Martha: Social-Scientific Approaches to the Gospel of

John (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2006), 89

31Keri Wyatt Kent, “The Spiritual Practice of Trust”,

http://www.buildingchurchleaders.com/articles/2011/spiritualpracticetrust.html


Bibliography

Books:

Alexander,Irene. Practicing the Presence of Jesus: Contemporary Meditation.. Oregon: Wipf

and Stock, 2011.

Blackaby, Henry and Richard Blackaby. Spiritual Leadership: Moving God’s People on to God’s

Agenda. Makati City: Church Strengthening Ministry, 2001.

Blanchard, Ken and Phil Hodges. Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role

Model of All Time. Nashville: W. Publishing Group, 2005.

Briscoe, Jill. Women in the Life of Jesus. U. S. A.: Victor Books, 1986.

Bruce, A. B. Edited by Bruce Wilkinson. Closer Walk: 365 Daily Devotions that Nurture A

Heart for God. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Walk Thru the Bible, 1992.

Esler, Philip F. and Ronald A. Piper. Lazarus, Mary and Martha: Social-Scientific Approaches to

the Gospel of John. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2006.

Fee, Gordon D. and Douglas Stuart. How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour.

Manila: OMF Literature Inc., 2002.

Meyer, F. B. Edited by Bruce Wilkinson. Closer Walk: 365 Daily Devotions that Nurture A

Heart for God. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Walk Thru the Bible, 1992.

Sanders, J. Oswald. People Just Like Us. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1978.

Online Resources:

Bolles, Richard Nelson “Being before Doing”,


Buchanan, Mark “Jesus Wept: God’s Love, Mercy, Passion, Compassion, Grief, and Anger

are Chiseled Down to Two Words”, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/march5/4.60.html

Courtier, Dean “What can We Learn from Mary and Martha”,

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/what-can-we-learn-from-mary--martha-part-1-dean-

courtier-sermon-on-people-in-the-gospel-146691.asp

“Is Anything Too Hard for God?”, http://www.gci.org/spiritual/faith/toohard


http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/march5/4.60.html



http://www.gci.org/spiritual/faith/toohard

Kent, Keri Wyatt “The Spiritual Practice of Trust”,


Spurgeon, C. H. Revised and Updated by Alistair Begg “With Jesus at Our Side”,


Strite, Jeff “Free Refill of His Goodness”, http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/free-refills-of-

his-goodness-jeff-strite-sermon-on-friendship-general-149316.asp

Other Resources:

Life Application Study Bible (NLT Personal Size Second Ed.). Illinois: Tyndale House

Publishers, Inc., 2007.

Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts Third Ed.





Encounters WITH Jesus AT His Feet Derive Love Balance Equation: Delight + Discipline + Discern =...

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