The One Thing That Cannot Be Taken | Brett Turner | July 20, 2025

Flourishing Grace Church

Join Us for Worship: Sundays at 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM https://www.flourishinggrace.org/plan-your-visit In this week’s message at Flourishing Grace, Brett Turner, our Minister of Music and Prayer, shares a powerful and deeply personal sermon from Luke 10:38–42—the story of Mary and Martha. Rather than interpreting the text as a mere contrast between two personalities, Brett invites us to consider a more foundational question: are we choosing the good portion? In a culture that celebrates productivity and constant motion, this passage disrupts our assumptions by revealing a greater truth—there is only one thing that is necessary, and it cannot be taken away. Preaching between the parable of the Good Samaritan and the Lord’s Prayer, Brett highlights the intentional placement of this short but rich story in Luke’s Gospel. Mary’s decision to sit at the feet of Jesus is not laziness or passivity, but a bold act of reception—a choice to receive her spiritual inheritance. Meanwhile, Martha, though serving Jesus directly, is burdened by anxiety and distracted by many good but lesser things. Through this contrast, the sermon points us to a life not defined by striving, but by sitting with Christ and receiving what He alone can give. Brett challenges the listener to consider how often we, like Martha, invite Jesus into our lives yet fail to welcome Him into our hearts. Even in ministry, service, parenting, and relationships, we can find ourselves empty and anxious when we work from our own limited resources rather than from the immeasurable riches of God’s grace. Drawing on Ephesians 1–2, Brett reminds us that every believer in Christ has already been seated with Him in the heavenly places and granted a spiritual inheritance that changes everything. This inheritance—our “portion”—cannot be earned, bought, or lost. It must simply be received. As the sermon unfolds, Brett reflects on the deeper implications of inheritance language in Scripture and shares a vision for a life that flows from identity in Christ rather than striving for it. Whether we are in a season of burnout, bitterness, distraction, or doubt, the invitation is the same: come sit with Jesus. When we start there, our serving becomes joyful, our burdens become lighter, and our relationships become rooted in grace rather than resentment. This is not about doing more for God, but being with God—receiving, resting, and then walking in the good works He has prepared for us. Brett also explores Mary and Martha’s later appearances in John 11 and 12, showing how both sisters grow in their relationship with Jesus. Martha boldly declares Jesus as the Christ even in grief, and Mary pours out costly perfume on His feet, embodying extravagant devotion. These moments illustrate what it looks like to live from our portion in Christ: drawing near in loss, pouring out in worship, and trusting Jesus with our reputation, our resources, and our very lives. The sermon closes with a heartfelt invitation to three kinds of people: those who are serving Jesus yet feel anxious and unseen; those who have drifted from intimacy with God and feel distant from their inheritance; and those for whom the idea of a spiritual inheritance is brand new. For all, the message is clear—Jesus is not asking us to prove our worth, fix our problems, or perform our way into His favor. He is offering Himself, the good portion, and inviting us to receive. This message is a call to stop striving and start sitting—to pause long enough to be with Jesus, to listen, to be filled, and to walk from a place of fullness rather than emptiness. If you’ve ever wondered if God sees you, if He cares, or if you’ll ever feel whole again, this message is for you. It is not just a teaching; it’s an invitation to transformation. The good portion is yours. Will you receive it?