WRSP 510 Book Review Paper
Kurt Anderson
Book Report
WRSP 510 Biblical Foundations of Worship (On Line)
Mathena, G., One Thing Needful.
Chapter 1: One Thing Needful
Summary:
In Mathena’s insight into the story of Mary and Martha he observes, what I will call the three C’s, in Martha. This story illustrates Martha’s “commendable” act as she desires to serve
Christ as she wanted this meal “to be her very best.” Her actions are also, “condemnable”, as her activity takes priority over her relationship with Christ. Lastly, there is contempt in her heart towards Mary in her perceived poor choice.
The warning Mathena is really driving home is to the believer’s posture before the Lord, in terms of our “busyness”. “Spiritual busyness and misplaced priorities” are his caution. He makes clear that just as disobedience in all that God calls us to be sin, doing too much is equally as sinful.
Mathena looks at Luke’s account of the boy Jesus in the temple as he was “lost to the strangest people, in the strangest place, and in the strangest way. Though Jesus was in the midst of God’s house, among His people and was “neglected” by his parents, he was about His
Father’s business. While Jesus sought the Father, all others seemed to be too busy to notice even what the Father’s business was or for that matter, who or where Jesus was.
Analysis:
This opening chapter hit me hard. This is Christianity 201, but at age 52 and engaged in full time ministry for the last 25 years, the lesson is clear. I, as most Christians I suspect, do not fall short of “doing”, but fall short in “being” in the presence of Jesus. I believe Mathena is spot on in his observations of Martha as well as Jesus at the temple. It is the Christian who loves
Jesus more than ministry who will notice when Jesus goes missing. It is the believer who just has to get that last thing checked off the tasker who will lose Jesus in the “strangest place.” And it is a lost world who will never recognize the Son of Man, because they will not slow down long
Book Report
WRSP 510 Biblical Foundations of Worship (On Line)
Mathena, G., One Thing Needful.
Chapter 1: One Thing Needful
Summary:
In Mathena’s insight into the story of Mary and Martha he observes, what I will call the three C’s, in Martha. This story illustrates Martha’s “commendable” act as she desires to serve
Christ as she wanted this meal “to be her very best.” Her actions are also, “condemnable”, as her activity takes priority over her relationship with Christ. Lastly, there is contempt in her heart towards Mary in her perceived poor choice.
The warning Mathena is really driving home is to the believer’s posture before the Lord, in terms of our “busyness”. “Spiritual busyness and misplaced priorities” are his caution. He makes clear that just as disobedience in all that God calls us to be sin, doing too much is equally as sinful.
Mathena looks at Luke’s account of the boy Jesus in the temple as he was “lost to the strangest people, in the strangest place, and in the strangest way. Though Jesus was in the midst of God’s house, among His people and was “neglected” by his parents, he was about His
Father’s business. While Jesus sought the Father, all others seemed to be too busy to notice even what the Father’s business was or for that matter, who or where Jesus was.
Analysis:
This opening chapter hit me hard. This is Christianity 201, but at age 52 and engaged in full time ministry for the last 25 years, the lesson is clear. I, as most Christians I suspect, do not fall short of “doing”, but fall short in “being” in the presence of Jesus. I believe Mathena is spot on in his observations of Martha as well as Jesus at the temple. It is the Christian who loves
Jesus more than ministry who will notice when Jesus goes missing. It is the believer who just has to get that last thing checked off the tasker who will lose Jesus in the “strangest place.” And it is a lost world who will never recognize the Son of Man, because they will not slow down long