# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S73
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Hearing and Working Together
LUKE 10:38–42

LCMS Sixth Vice-President Rev. Christopher S. Esget
67th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod • July 21, 2019 • Matins
A storm is coming. It threatens to sweep them away.
Death will soon visit this house. And Death comes with
his companions, Doubt and Despair.
Knowing death was coming for Lazarus, Life came. Life
spoke. And Mary listened. She does not know it yet, but
she will soon need the Word of Life. A storm is coming.
Another storm rages within Martha. She is busy. Doing
what? Doing diakonia — service, ministry. Is that not
good? To prepare a meal for Jesus? But over the fire of
the hearth, a fire burns in Martha’s heart.
She resents Mary. “I’m doing all the work! And she is
not working with me.”
Thus Martha judges her sister. For this, Martha is in
jeopardy of God’s judgment. So is everyone who is
angry at her sister, or brother. “For the wrath of man
does not produce the righteousness of God” (James
1:20).
We can relate to her cry to Jesus: “Lord, do you not
care?” Mired in self-pity, she felt alone. Have you
experienced that? We know what needs to be done, but
the people who are supposed to help don’t see it. And it

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appears the Lord does not care. “I’m working! And she
is not working with me.”
“Tell her to help me.” That’s why we’ve come to
Tampa. That’s why we are in this Synod — to help each
other, to undertake together the mission of Christ. And
we can feel like Martha: “I’m working, but my sister
congregation, my brother pastor, my district president
— they’re not working with me.”
Maybe we shouldn’t even bother. Maybe we’d be better
off going our separate ways. But first we’ll try the Law.
That’s what Martha is doing. “Tell her to help me!”
Cooperation by compulsion. She wants Jesus to
command the diakonia, force Mary to the ministry of
the table.
Mark how Jesus responds. Not in anger. “Martha,
Martha.” The repetition indicates love. His rebuke is
gentle.
He addresses in her the anxiety common to us all.
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled
about many things.”

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 73