Introduction
Good day to all, let us turn to Luke Chapter 10. In Luke Chapter 9, God poses a challenge: are people willing to pay the price for the sake of God's Kingdom and God's righteousness? In fact, Luke follows a clear thread in his writing. To understand what Chapter 10 is truly about, we must strive to discern Luke's intended message, which is of utmost importance. There is an old Chinese saying: Seeing the trees but not the forest. This is highly dangerous, as it reflects a lack of a holistic perspective. Without a global view, any random passage from Luke's Gospel might leave you bewildered, as you wouldn't grasp its meaning.
A sister once expressed confusion regarding a passage in this chapter:
Go your ways; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry neither money bag, nor knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, Peace to this house. (Luke 10:3-5)
If we fail to comprehend this passage, we might mechanically imitate it, venturing out without money and abruptly entering someone's home, declaring, Peace to your house! People would undoubtedly dismiss us as madmen. I once read a report about a group of Christians in the Philippines who, during a flood, stood by the riverbank contemplating whether to cross. Recalling Joshua leading the Israelites across the Jordan River, they prayed and proceeded to cross, only to drown in the flood, becoming a laughingstock of their generation.
Please do not misunderstand me; I am addressing the peril of seeing the trees but not the forest—a fragmented, out-of-context way of thinking. We must strive to understand what Luke intends to convey. In this chapter, Luke illustrates that people choose to pay the price for what they love! The question is, some choose to pay the price, while others do not. So, let us ask ourselves today: why do we choose to pay or not pay the price for something?
Recently, there was good news: a sister among us, after seven years of attempting the cost engineer exam, finally passed. She paid a heavy price for this. Why was she able to persist for seven years? Because she loves this field, believing the certification is essential for her life! Thus, she persisted for seven years. But have you persisted in ministering to someone for seven years? It's difficult!
In Luke Chapter 10, Luke emphasizes that you choose to pay the price for what you love. Is this truly the theme? I'll tell you how to find the theme: when you read the Bible, if you find a theme that cohesively connects the entire passage, resonating deeply, it is likely the framework Luke originally intended, and you have grasped the theme.
Do not take things out of context, imitating others by going without money or bags, or attempting to cross rivers during floods—avoid foolish actions! If you could tunnel underground, instantly emerging in Canada, that would be wonderful! But what if you can't? Generally, it's impossible. Perhaps in the future, when the Lord Jesus returns, we will suddenly be transformed, from corruptible to incorruptible, from mortal to immortal, from dishonorable and earthly to glorious and spiritual—then perhaps you could pass through walls. But today, avoid foolish actions, or you will be met with unpleasant consequences, and don't say I didn't warn you.
Choosing to Pay the Price for God Leads to Experiencing His Miraculous Provision
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:42)
After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry neither money bag, nor knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.
Do not go from house to house. Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.' But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city. (Luke 10:1-12)
In this chapter, Luke discusses how people choose to pay the price for what they love. Mary loved God and was willing to forsake earthly matters, dedicating her time to attentively listening to the Lord Jesus, choosing the good portion of God's Kingdom, which is a blessing that cannot be taken away by worldly affairs. Luke also speaks of two groups of people: the first group, the seventy, and the second group, the people in the city. The people in the city are further divided into two categories: those who welcomed the disciples and those who did not.
These seventy chose to be sent out by the Lord, going out in pairs to gather the Lord's harvest, like lambs among wolves. What would happen? Would they become food for the wolves? Would they risk their lives? Would they pay a heavy price? Of course! Moreover, the Lord Jesus instructed them: do not carry money bags, do not carry knapsacks, do not carry sandals, etc. Consider: when these seventy went out, what would happen to their land, children, wives, parents...? As they went out to gather the Lord's harvest, what about their own harvest? They certainly put it aside!
Why did they choose to do this? Because they sought the Kingdom of God, having witnessed Jesus' actions. The previous twelve disciples, after being trained, went out and even the demons submitted to them; seventy more disciples were also appointed, and the same occurred. Why did they go out? People must make choices. These seventy chose the good portion, which is the Kingdom of God. Remember, those willing to follow Jesus and pay the price did not receive a salary from Jesus. But even without a salary, they followed Jesus all day, without money bags or knapsacks. Is this possible? Believe it or not, it is!
Many people are overly concerned. When we are willing to pay the price for the Lord, choosing to love God, we wonder: who will provide for us? Will we earn a living ourselves, or will someone provide for us? In fact, our God is an exceedingly wealthy God, and living is a very simple matter. If you believe that when you are willing to go out and gather the Lord's harvest, you need not worry. I have never seen a person who loves God lacking anything. Our God is exceedingly wealthy, and our God provides for us in countless ways.
Therefore, I have a perspective that it is not right for preachers to live in poverty. I do not quite understand this phenomenon of preachers living in poverty. Is it right for preachers to live in poverty? I do not think it is. Because our God is exceedingly wealthy, those who trust in Him lack no good thing.
If we know this today, do we still need to worry about the livelihood of these seventy? They lack nothing. They will personally experience God's miraculous provision. Today, none of my colleagues are impoverished. God's methods of supplying us exceed human imagination. Precisely for this reason, I know that choosing to serve God and love God is the good portion.
Paying the Price for God Enables Him to Solve All Our Problems
These seventy went out to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Do not cheapen the Gospel of God. Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is not about bringing wolves into the Kingdom of God, but about bringing the harvest of God, the sheep of God, back. So, lambs enter among wolves to find the sheep that have been captured by the wolves. The Bible says: Heal the sick in the city and tell them that the Kingdom of God is near.
We often talk about the Kingdom of God coming. Casting out demons and healing the sick are closely related. Wherever we cast out demons by the Spirit of God, the Kingdom of God comes there. How do we bring the sheep back? By healing the sick in the city. When we heal the sick in the city, we are thoroughly striking the enemy, the devil, striking Satan's dark forces, and we declare that the Kingdom of God has come near.
It does not matter if the people in the city do not accept it; the Kingdom of God follows those who preach the Gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons. Regardless of who they are, we must give them the right to choose. God healed ten lepers, but only one chose to return and follow Jesus. Why did God never call the other nine lepers back? Because it was their own choice.
The choice we make today is advantageous in every way because it is the Kingdom of God! When the Kingdom of God comes, God's goodness comes to us. But many people do not make such a choice. These seventy made this choice. Did they lose anything? They lost nothing. Did those who welcomed them lose anything? They lost nothing. Did those who did not welcome them gain anything? They gained nothing.
We choose to pay the price for what we love. If we love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength, we will gladly pay the price for our choice. We will always have time; it is just a matter of choosing where to spend it. If you invite someone to dinner and they say they have no time, it is not that they have no time, but that they feel there is something more important to do, and that eating is a waste of time.
There is a Mala Tang (spicy hot pot) shop owner who found us through a website. On slow days, she only had 20 orders per day. It was truly hard work! Not only did she have to pay rent, but she also owed a lot of money for ingredients. She had been working for many years and had not made much money. After she came among us, she began to learn to love God and serve God. Of course, her way of serving left much to be desired, but her Mala Tang business began to improve. In fact, if people value the Mala Tang business, they will worry about it. But if we choose to love God, God will help us solve financial problems.
My understanding of the Kingdom of God is this: there are many benefits in the Kingdom of God, and these benefits include physical health. If we heal the sick and cast out demons, we will have fewer problems with our health because being sick is truly costly. One illness can cost 100,000, 200,000, or even 1,000,000. You might say, It's okay, I have medical insurance. The problem is that even if you have the money, it is difficult to bear the cost of being sick. If people can reduce the number of illnesses they experience, they can avoid much suffering. The Kingdom of God can certainly bring physical health and financial health! Those who are not healthy in body and finances should think carefully.
Those Who Love the World Will Pay the Price for the World
Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented a great while ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be thrust down to Hades. He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me. (Luke 10:13-16)
Those who choose to welcome these seventy are called sons of peace in the Gospel of Luke. What will happen to those who do not choose to welcome the seventy? Jesus said: these people choose to live their own lives. The people of Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida saw the miracles performed by Jesus and the signs and wonders performed by Jesus' disciples, but they pretended not to see them, thinking that there was nothing remarkable about it, and that they should just live their lives. These people did not readily accept Jesus' teachings. They did not know that what Jesus was talking about was the way of the Kingdom of God, the way of eternal life.
If a person's goal is the logical system of this life, it is difficult to accept the way of eternal life that Jesus speaks of. The people of Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida all had their own choices, but that path led to Hades. You might feel that they are living well, but people choose to pay the price for what they love. If you love the world, you will pay the price for the world.
A friend once asked me this question: in developed countries such as the United States and Canada, there are many children with problems such as autism, intellectual development disabilities, and depression. His pastor ministers to many of these patients between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five. His pastor loves them very much, but he feels that he does not have a gift in this area. What should he do? He is very confused about what the root cause of these problems is.
In fact, the problems are love of the world, indulgence of the flesh, and the knowledge of good and evil. When these problems reach their extreme, they can evolve into cancer. If people learn from the people of Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida, and see the power of Jesus and His disciples preaching the Gospel and healing the sick and casting out demons, but turn their heads and go about their lives, what will happen? You might ask: is there a problem with living a small life? There is no problem, but in Jesus' eyes, living a small life is a road to destruction, to Hades. If people love God, they will pay the price for loving God; if they love the world, they will pay the price for the world. This is what Luke Chapter 10 is about.
Rejoice Because Our Names Are Recorded in Heaven
Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name. (Luke 10:17)
And He said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:19-20)
Is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God good or not? Originally, it was lambs entering among wolves, and the wolves' lair is the place of the devil. As a result, the wolves were defeated by the lambs. Why? Because the way of the Kingdom of God is inherently so. If people have such authority, they can trample on the spirits of Hades and death, trample on serpents and scorpions, and have the ability to overcome the enemy. Is this not a treasure? Among the seventy who returned, some would think, Lord, I can actually obtain such authority, choosing this good portion. Originally, we were weak, but now we can subdue fierce demons like wolves!
But some think it is a treasure, while others do not. This good Gospel is a choice for people. Would you choose it? Although they have experienced God's grace, there are still many people who make the wrong choice. There is a person who is pastored by my colleague. There are three children in the family. One of the children has eczema, with rotten skin. Through our ministry, the child was completely healed. Before her child's skin was healed, she would take notes, attend meetings, and submit homework. After her child's skin was healed, although she still attended meetings, she no longer submitted homework. We do not know what she is busy with. We estimate that she went back to living a small life.
Recently, she contacted us again because her child's skin problem has returned! A skin problem is just a small eczema, and you still cannot overcome it. What capital do you have to not choose the authority of the Kingdom of God? In fact, she is also very hardworking. According to her own understanding, she is also persecuted at home, and she seems to be following us very hard among us, feeling that she cannot keep up a bit. In fact, from a human perspective, it is indeed very hard, but the question is whether we have chosen this good portion in our bones.
Should we pick up our authority and rise up to fight? If we choose to compromise, there are many places where we have to compromise. These seventy people should all be men, and there may be women. Many of them should be married, and they should not have a habit of being afraid of their wives. If they are afraid of their wives, they will definitely be driven home by their wives, grab their ears, and say, You go home and fix the printer for me, fix the computer at home! In the end, they will be dragged back by their wives. In fact, I have seen many such things.
Today, we have obtained the authority of God, we can trample on serpents and scorpions, and overcome all the power of the enemy. What will you do about making a wise choice? Chinese Mingding Destiny speaks of the twelve disciples and seventy disciples being sent out by Jesus to heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the price we must pay. But this choice will never be better than loving our God. Remember, preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, and casting out demons are the price we must pay, but know what Jesus said:
Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:20)
How can a person's name be recorded in heaven? You want to know, and I want to know. Today I tell you, it is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and to love your neighbor as yourself. If we love God, we will be willing to pay the price for our God. Think about it, if you marry a husband and the husband says he loves you very much, but is unwilling to pay the price for you, is that called love? That is not called love.
Today, God gives us authority and power, so that we can go out to preach the Gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons, so that we can release those who are oppressed and let those who are oppressed be free. This is what must be done to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. But this cannot replace our names being recorded in heaven. If we want our names to be recorded in heaven, we must love God!
The way of God is hidden from the wise and understanding, but revealed to infants.
At that time Jesus said, Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you. At that time Jesus said, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Matthew 11:20-27)
Who are those who can obtain it? In fact, God already knows the choices within us. Our choices seem clever, but they are not clever in God's eyes. God allows us to make very clever choices. Do not try to outsmart God by discerning good and evil. This is God’s will.
We originally looked foolish and clumsy, but we chose to trust God. Many people think they are clever and understanding, but because of their own cleverness and understanding, God hides His way from them. Like Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Chorazin, they saw what Jesus did, which was unprecedented. It was a shocking thing in that generation. But after they saw it, they felt indifferent, as if it had nothing to do with them, because they were still living for the sake of living. People with this mentality of just getting by are enemies of God.
Jesus said, No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62)
Whether in Matthew or Luke, it says that those who put a hand to the plow and look back are not fit for service in the kingdom of God. Some say, I just bought ten oxen, I will go back and take a look. Others say, I just bought a house, I will go back and renovate my house first. What does God say to these people? God says, They appear clever and understanding on the surface, but their understanding and cleverness are all about worldly things. His way will be revealed to infants, those who trust God. Infants feel they can do nothing and will completely trust God!
Trusting God is actually a choice within a person. What God is willing to reveal is to those who, like infants, completely trust God. People's thoughts are simple to the extent that when they see what God has done, they say, Wow! This is the best blessing, the most important thing in my life, the most needed! Isn't this reasonable?
Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. (Luke 10:23-24)
Some time ago, a sister in a church often listened to my sermons on the website, and then she saw that many people in her church were confused. Because the sermons preached by her local church pastor, in her own words, were called not nutritious. She gave me an evaluation saying, I won't say whether this person preaches well or not, but after listening to his sermons, there is nutrition, and my spirit gains and is satisfied.
It was also the first time I learned this word, nutritious. I liked hearing people give me this evaluation. As a result, this sister sent this nutritious teaching to another sister. After listening to it, the other sister felt that it was different from what their pastor preached, so she sent my preaching to their pastor, and their pastor said it was heresy.
Our sister's courage grew, and she went to ask her pastor. Of course, you can also ask me. If I talk nonsense, you can challenge me. I am not such a big shot. Chinese Mingding Destiny never admits that what we have is the entirety of the truth, but we strive to pursue it. Even if my preaching is nutritious, it is only a drop in the bucket. We are constantly adjusting and constantly reading God's word.
As a result, this sister asked her pastor how many sermons he had listened to. The pastor said, Not many. If you haven't listened to many, how do you know it's heresy? In fact, there are many people who talk nonsense! He said, Speaking in tongues without interpretation is heresy. What if I said I have interpreted it? How does he know I haven't interpreted it? He doesn't know and just talks nonsense.
Today, we must think about it. People in Jesus' generation saw what they saw and heard what they heard. Jesus said their eyes were blessed. They saw the power of God. A gospel without the power of God is not the gospel. In that generation, many people questioned Jesus: Are you the Messiah we are waiting for? Even John the Baptist had to send his disciples to ask, Are you the Messiah we are waiting for? Jesus said, Whether I am the Messiah or not, what standard should be used to judge? Go and tell John what you have seen: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the dead are raised from the dead! This is the power of God.
Can we see the power of God today? I dare not say that we are particularly powerful today, but I lead prayers every Monday and Tuesday, and many people are healed and delivered. Many people type and say this is better, that is better, and I am very grateful. Everyone must remember that the gospel with power is the gospel. If the gospel has no power, is it a matter of gifts? No. Is what you are preaching the gospel that Jesus preached? I am also very surprised that a person cannot see the power of God in his life, yet he feels that he is orthodox. I can live more and more like Jesus, yet I still dare not think that I am orthodox, but these people think they are orthodox, which is really strange.
To pay the price for God is to imitate Jesus' service.
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. Teacher, he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life? What is written in the Law? he replied. How do you read it? He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ You have answered correctly, Jesus replied. Do this and you will live. But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, And who is my neighbor?
In reply Jesus said: A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, The one who had mercy on him. Jesus told him, Go and do likewise. (Luke 10:25-37)
We must know one thing, what kind of Jesus is Jesus? What Jesus did today, we must also do. How can we do what Jesus did? Jesus is a model of loving the Lord with all his heart, soul, and strength. Our Jesus is also a model of loving our neighbors as ourselves. Therefore, Jesus has opened up a path of loving God for us. In these choices, what exactly is our choice? What we love is what we pay the price for.
I am also very surprised that some people think they have paid a lot of price for God. Then they feel that they love God very much, but when it comes to making choices at the critical moment, they are exposed. Why? Because these people are fake lovers of God! Loving God, don't play fake with God!
An expert in the law came to test Jesus: What must I do to inherit eternal life? People want to gain eternal life. Jesus' twelve disciples drove out many demons and released many souls. So I ask everyone, how many have you released? Lambs entered the pack of wolves and defeated the pack of wolves. Were you defeated by the pack of wolves, or did you defeat the pack of wolves? Did you subdue the demons, or were you subdued by the demons? It all depends on whether we love the Lord your God with all our heart, soul, and strength.
I tell you, those who love God with all their heart, soul, and strength will not fail. But this word love is too difficult to translate. What does it mean to love the Lord your God? You say, I also attend meetings, I also pray, is that loving God? Loving God means willingly paying the price for Jesus. The essence of the gospel of Christ Jesus is love.
Some people come and ask: Do you charge for healing and deliverance? This question is because some people say, I charge for healing and deliverance. Because this person charges money for healing and deliverance, he thinks I also charge money for healing and deliverance. I tell him: I never charge money for healing and deliverance, never. So, what motivates me to do healing and deliverance? It is for the love of God. I serve and pay the price so much, not because of anything else, but because of love for God. How do I know I love God? Because I am willing to serve, I just like to serve!
I love Jesus above all else. I love the Lord my God with all my heart and all my strength, and then I take those who are oppressed and bound by the devil back from the hands of the devil, and take the sheep back from the hands of the pack of wolves. Just like David shepherding his father's sheep, when a wolf came, he drove the wolf away; when a lion came, he drove the lion away. Sometimes the lion took away a sheep, and he chased after it, killed the lion, and snatched the sheep back. I ask you, which thing does not risk life? Of course, I thank God. Thank God for giving His authority to me, so that I can rely on God's authority to strike the devil and enemies, release those who are taken captive, and let those who are oppressed be free.
I hope that those who are paralyzed, have polio, and are lame can stand up and walk among us. I hope that those among us who have leprosy and skin problems will be cleansed. I know that these healings are only temporary, because we must obtain the God truth in our hearts. Only the truth of God can truly set us free. It's just that God temporarily releases you through me, so that you can also imitate these people and love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, because this is the best blessing, which cannot be taken away.
Today, we Christians, when do we see people who are ravaged by demons, and we have compassion in our hearts? Once I went to preach, and they insisted that I go to preach. I stood on the stage and preached to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind. When I preached, some pastors in the audience were self-conscious. Why? Because they are two-cent teapots, just a good spout. They felt pricked and uncomfortable after hearing what I preached, and felt ashamed in front of their members. I am a person who pays the price. Did they pay the price?
When we see those who are oppressed and ravaged by demons, those who are bound by the curse of poverty, and those who are dominated by the spirit of sickness, do we say, I don't have this gift. Do we need gifts? What we need is God's mercy. I challenge our brothers and sisters again, who have you released? You need to have the mercy of God. What does God ask of us? What God asks of us is but to act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God. Those who fall into the hands of robbers, are they not oppressed and ravaged by demons? Today, let the kingdom of God come through us. This is the best choice, which will definitely be shown by loving God!
Some people love God, some people love hunting, some people love fishing, and some people can put down their service and pick up their hobbies. When did we see Jesus have a hobby of fishing, see Jesus playing with sports cars and horses? No! The harvest is ripe, there is much harvest to collect, and there are few workers. We ask God to send us out. Do we have compassion? Maybe after we release them, they may leave. It doesn't matter, we still release them.
Choosing to pay the price for God is choosing the best blessing.
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)
When Jesus was serving, there were two sisters, Martha and Mary. Mary sat quietly at Jesus' feet and listened to the teaching, but Martha was busy there. I was thinking: Busy with what? What is there to be busy with? People are here to listen to Jesus preach and teach the truth. Martha has no time to listen, because there are many things to be busy with. What is there to be busy with? Jesus did not ask her to serve tea and pour water. She also came to Jesus and said: Lord, my sister left me alone to serve, do you not care? Please tell her to help me.
Jesus replied, Martha, Martha! Anyone who speaks like this is very impatient. Martha is worried and disturbed about many things, but she does not know that only one thing is really necessary. Is Martha's choice smart? Many people are Martha, people without blessings. It would be good if busy people don’t make more trouble, they are upset and busy, they are not efficient in doing things, and they blame others for not helping her. In fact, is what she is doing important? Not important at all!
I heard some people say that their pastor does a lot of administrative work. What administration? There is no administration in the church. I never hire an administrator, and I don't look for a secretary. I read emails myself, answer the phone myself, book tickets myself, and write articles myself. I don't need a secretary. If she has problems after hiring a secretary, I still have to solve her problems. If I had that time, my work would have been done long ago.
I have never known what Martha was busy with? Jesus did not quite agree with her busy work either. Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must learn to make choices. If you choose to cook at home, you can be busy all day long, busy with lunch after breakfast, and busy with dinner after lunch. Very busy. I do things very quickly, because I omit the unimportant things.
Where is the problem? What we love is what we will pay the price for. Thank God that He is willing to reveal to me so that I can know Him more. When I see the power of God manifested, I know this is a treasure, and I also hope that those who listen to my sharing can get nutrition, make the same choice as me, and think this is such a good blessing!
I don't want to go to Hades, and I don't want to be without power in the world. I don't want to be oppressed by ghosts in the world, and I don't want to feel helpless when I see people in the world being oppressed by ghosts. I want to be a person who expands the kingdom of God. I just want to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind, and completely offer my life.
We love God and choose to pay the price for God, and we become His disciples. Our names are recorded in heaven, and we welcome the grace and blessings of eternal life with joy. If we do not love God, but love the world, and pay the price for the world, we will go down to Hades, and when we are alive, we will be troubled by ghosts. God’s will is so, the problem is all in our own choices.
May God bless everyone!