Preached at Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rocklin, California on the Sixth Sunday After Pentecost, July 21, 2019 by Pastor John-Paul Meyer.

Sermon Text: Luke 9:51-62
Sermon Theme: “The Lord Supplies Our Needs”

Old Testament: Genesis 18:1–10a
Epistle: Colossians 1:21–29
Holy Gospel: Luke 10:38–42

The Word of Christ Is the One Thing Needed

“The LORD appeared to [Abraham] by the oaks of Mamre” (Gen. 18:1) and received his hospitality. But Abraham received the gracious promise of a son. Though Abraham and Sarah were very old, nothing is “too hard for the LORD” (Gen. 18:14). His Word appointed the time and fulfilled the promise. In the same way, the Lord Jesus “entered a village” and received Martha’s hospitality (Luke 10:38). “Martha was distracted with much serving” because she was “anxious and troubled about many things” (Luke 10:40–41), but her sister, Mary, “sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching” (Luke 10:39). The service of love is no sin, but “one thing is necessary” for both faith and love — the Word of Christ (Luke 10:42). Thus, the ministers of Christ are sent “to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints” (Col. 1:25–26).