The Better Part

By Tom Kingery

Jesus came to the home of Mary and Martha. Martha busied herself with preparing and serving a meal, while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening to His teaching.

When Martha suggested Jesus should tell her to help prepare the meal, He told her that Mary was choosing the better part.

Each one of us must ask ourselves why we seek Jesus. What is it about Him that feeds us? What is it that we want to be fed?

Mary had chosen the better part. She was being fed by Jesus. She was being fed so well that nothing else mattered, at least not the distraction of serving a meal.

In this book, Tom Kingery urges readers to spend time sitting at the feet of Jesus while listening to His teaching. This will feed your soul, nourish your spirit, improve your life, and enhance your faith. This is what really matters.

You’ll enjoy the parables and insights in this book that will help you focus on priorities as you seek God’s righteousness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664281288

Tom Kingery

Tom Kingery retired from the United Methodist Church in 2017 and lives in Durand, Illinois. After serving 7 appointments in the Northern Illinois Confrence, he is blessed to continue in ministry as the preacher at The Church By The Side of The Road in Rockton, a non-denominational congregation with a close family spirit. He has published several other books concerned with faith and spiritual growth, all grounded in Scripture and relevant with respect to the journey of a believer. Tom grew up in a suburb of Chicago and went to the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado. A daughter, Emily, lives in Davenport and teaches at St. Ambrose University. Tim, his son, lives with Jen and their son and daughter in Deerfield, Illinois.

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Copyright © 2022 Tom Kingery.

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New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-8129-5 (sc)

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2022919094

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/07/2022

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1   Strive First for the Kingdom

Chapter 2   Humble Yourselves

Chapter 3   Take Up a Cross

Chapter 4   Abide in Me

Chapter 5   Ways the Kingdom Is Found

Chapter 6   Living Water

Chapter 7   Treasure in Heaven

Chapter 8   The Resurrection and the Life

Chapter 9   Jesus Christ Is in You

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

Now as they went on their way,

He entered a certain village,

Where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

She had a sister named Mary,

Who sat at the Lord’s feet

And listened to what He was saying.

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks

So she came to Him and asked,

"Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?

Tell her then to help me."

But the Lord answered her,

"Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things.

There is need of only one thing.

Mary has chosen the better part,

Which will not be taken away from her.

What really matters?

It was the home of Martha. Her sister, Mary, and her brother, Lazarus, lived with her. It was in Bethany. One day, Jesus was passing through town, and Martha invited Him to her home. She busied herself preparing a meal while Mary sat at Jesus’s feet and listened to His teachings. As a hospitable hostess, Martha was distracted with all the serving. She could have used some help from Mary, but Mary was sitting and listening to the Lord. As far as Martha was concerned, Mary was doing nothing. Finally, in her frustration, she went to Jesus and said,

Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me. But the Lord answered her, Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:40b–42)

Does it surprise you that the better part is sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to His teaching? It is better, certainly, than being anxious and troubled, or distracted with service, but even eating a meal? Yes, even better than the meal she was preparing.

In the Gospel of John, in chapter 6, Jesus had just fed 5,000 the day before. Many of them wanted to see Jesus again, but He had disappeared. They had the idea that He had somehow crossed the sea of Galilee, so they got into boats and went after Him. When they found Him, they asked Him how He got there, and Jesus said,

Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life (John 6:26–27)

Each one of us must ask ourselves why we seek Jesus. What is it about Him that feeds us? What is it that we want to be fed? Mary had chosen the better part. She was being fed by Jesus. She was being fed so well that nothing else mattered, at least not the distraction of serving a meal.

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon him while he is near (Isaiah 55:6). Feed upon the resources that truly give life, that give life to your soul. This is the better part.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10–11)

But it can’t accomplish much if it remains unknown. We cannot truly receive the bread of life if we never come to Christ, if we never receive the gift of truth that only Christ can give. He said, l am the bread of life; they who come to me shall not hunger, and they who believe in me shall never thirst (John 6:35).

Spend time sitting at the feet of Jesus while listening to His teaching. This will feed your soul, this will nourish your spirit, and this will enhance your life in such a way that you will grow in faith, you will be strengthened in wisdom, and you will begin to know even the thoughts of God. This is what really matters! Without sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to His teaching, we can never know the ways of Christ or the thoughts of God. God said,

My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways