The Gospel Is for the Thankful Luke (10:38–42)

As we come into Thanksgiving week, most of us are thinking about turkey, ham, green bean casserole, yams, and pumpkin pie.

And for the record, the correct ratio of Cool Whip to pie is simple: If you can still see the pie, you did it wrong.

But there is another part of Thanksgiving we cannot ignore: remembering what we are thankful for.

Some of your friends are doing daily “thankful posts” online.

Some people have reached out to say, “Hey, I’m thankful for you.”

Maybe around your table this week, you will go around and share what you appreciate.

Usually, we start with the big things:
“My family… my kids… my job… my church…”

Those are good. But here is the question I want us to wrestle with:

What are the small things you are thankful for?

That question forces us to do something we are not very good at: It forces us to slow down.

We live at a pace where the calendar feels packed, the to-do list feels endless, and we rush from one thing to the next without catching our breath. To steal a line from Andy Griffith:
“What’s your hurry?”

Today, I want to walk through Luke 10:38–42 and ask:

• What blessings are we missing because we are too busy?
• How many moments of grace have we sprinted past?
• How do we become people who are truly thankful—not just once a year, but as a way of life?

Luke 10 gives us a scene that sounds like the setup for a sitcom:
Two sisters.
One home.
One Savior.

Two very different responses.

The tension in this story is not between right and wrong, but between good and best.

Both sisters are doing something good.
But only one is doing what Jesus calls “the one thing necessary.”

Jesus has just finished teaching the parable of the Good Samaritan, which shows what love looks like in action.

Now Luke gives us Mary and Martha, which shows what love looks like in attention.

We need both.
Serve with our hands.
Sit with our hearts.

Let’s step into the living room in Bethany together.

“And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.”
Martha invites Jesus into her home—a very good thing.

But Mary does something surprising. She:

• Sits at the Lord’s feet
• Listens to His teaching
• Stays close enough to be in His personal space

This is the classic posture of a disciple toward a rabbi:
Not casual.
Not distant.
Not distracted.
Mary is locked in.

She is near to Jesus and attentive to what He is saying.

What is she likely hearing?

• The nearness of the kingdom
• The call to costly discipleship
• The depth of God’s love
• The truth that He is the Messiah

Mary is not just “having a quiet moment.”
She is soaking in the words and presence of Jesus Himself.

Here’s the truth: When we slow down, we start noticing what God has been doing. Thankfulness does not begin with a list of blessings. It begins with nearness to Christ.

We pray, “God, give me more to be thankful for,” but God whispers, “Slow down long enough to notice what I’m already doing.”

The problem is not God’s goodness.
The problem is our pace.

“But Martha was distracted with much serving…”

Martha’s problem isn’t serving—serving is good.
Her problem is distracted serving.

Luke uses a word that means “pulled apart,” “dragged around,” “mentally divided.”

Her hands are full.
Her mind is racing.
Her heart has no peace.

Sound familiar?
Holiday hosting…
Life organizing…
Trying to keep everything “just right”…
…and then realizing the moment is over and you never actually enjoyed it.

Busyness does not always equal faithfulness.
Sometimes it is the slow erosion of spiritual focus.

And listen to Martha’s frustrated outburst:
“Lord, do you not care…?”
Stress twists our view.
The same Jesus who brings peace now feels like part of the burden.

Martha is near Jesus but unable to enjoy Him.

When we stay too busy, we become blind to God’s goodness.
Busyness:

1. Fragments our attention
2. Distorts our view of Christ
3. Silences our gratitude

Like a phone with too many apps open—it slows, freezes, stops responding.

Not because it’s broken.
Because it’s overloaded.

Many of us are spiritually overloaded.

Jesus gently redirects Martha:
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary…”

He’s not saying:

• Work is bad and worship is good
• Serving is bad and sitting is good

He’s saying:
Mary chose what is most important.

Psalm 103 echoes this:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

David is telling his soul to remember.

Mary remembers by sitting.
Martha forgets by rushing.

When we center our focus on Christ, thankfulness follows.

It’s like wiping a dirty window—the view was beautiful the whole time.
The clarity changed.

When Christ is at the center again, we see the small gifts:

• A child’s laugh
• A friend’s hug
• An answered prayer
• A welcoming church family
• Waking up to a new day

Gratitude grows when we:

• Slow down
• Notice grace
• Speak thankfulness

Before this week swallows the truth, here are three ways to respond:
1. Slow Down Intentionally
Take ten minutes with no phone, no noise.
Read Luke 10:38–42.
Ask: “Lord, where am I more like Martha than Mary?”
2. Notice the Small Things
Write down three small things you’re thankful for today.
3. Tell Someone You’re Thankful for Them
Say it specifically.
It will matter more than you think.

And if you feel alone reading this, hear this:
We are thankful for you.
You matter.
You are seen by God.
You are welcome here.