"ONE THING"

 

"But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”                                                                                                                                     -- Luke 10:42

 

Let me rivet the attention of your heart upon "one thing". The Lord Jesus said to Martha, “one thing is needful.” Many things crowd our hearts and minds. Many things distract our attention. Many things will carry us to hell. The care of the world and the deceitfulness of riches, the pleasures of life and its troubles, all choke out the influence of the gospel. As you care for your soul, give me your attention. “One thing,” only “one thing,” “one thing” to the exclusion of all other things “is needful.”

 

That one thing is Christ. He who has Christ has all, for “all things are Christ’s.” But if you do not have Christ, you have nothing that will last. You have nothing you can carry to the grave. You have nothing that will profit your soul. If you are without Christ, you are lost, without God, without grace, without life, and without hope. Oh, may God cause you to see this, rouse up your soul by the power of his Holy Spirit, and cause you to seek Christ.

 

One Thing Desired

 

In Psalm 27:4 David said, "one thing have i desired of the Lord" The man after God's own heart desired but "one thing" and sought but "one thing" from the Lord. -- "That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." David desired to dwell in the conscious awareness of Christ's manifest presence, in sweet communion on earth and perfect communion in heaven. -- "To behold the beauty of the Lord," by faith here, and face to face hereafter. -- "And to inquire in his temple," to be taught and directed by his Spirit, and to be taught perfectly in his glorious presence.

 

One Thing Needful

 

In Luke 10:42 our Lord told Martha, "one thing is needful." It is true, we live in this world with many cares and responsibilities, which we must not neglect. Yet, even in this world, only one thing is needful. And that one thing, I repeat,  is Christ. "Martha was cumbered about much serving." Martha was "careful and troubled about many things." How sad! Mary chose one thing. Mary sought one thing. The one thing Mary sought is the one thing needful. -- Christ Jesus. Mary "sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word." How wise! How blessed!

 

One Thing Known

 

In John 9:25 the blind man, whose sight had been restored by the power of God, said, "one thing I know." He knew that once he was blind. And he knew who caused him to see. That was enough. If you see the things of God, you know who caused you to see. Like the blind man, you lay all praise at the feet of Christ. If you know this one thing, you know enough

 

One Thing Do

 

In Philippians 3:13 the Apostle Paul said, "one thing I do." We have not yet attained perfection, or even come close. We have not yet won the prize we seek, perfect conformity to Christ. But this one thing we must do. -- "Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before," we must "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." We must persevere, expending every effort, using every means, seeking the Lord Jesus Christ, until at last we are found in him, righteous, perfectly holy, perfectly conformed to Christ in body, soul, and spirit by the grace of God.

 

 

Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For Today Radio Message #803

2734 Old Stanford Road - Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net