Luke #4"For Everyone" 2-27-21

Overview

Text: Luke 8:1–3

Topics: Women, Provision, Support

Big Idea of the Message: God’s grace is for everyone—even those society might not expect.

Application Point: A proper response to God’s grace is to serve the King.

Housekeeping

-Thank you to Doug Ghormley for covering last Sunday.

-One 2 One Biblical Counseling Trainings. Share info in class

-Next Sunday is First Fudds!!

Prayer

We are in our fourth part of our study in Luke.

This morning, our hope is that we see that God’s grace is for everyone—even those society might not expect. And we then have a servant’s heart towards our worship and love to Jesus.

I want to start with a short movie clip from a classic…Empire Strikes Back.

(Show Clip)

See this guy, That, my friends, is Chase Wilsorr: Box carrier. Deliverer of Caf, resupplier of empty blaster packs. True Hero of the Rebellion. And...just a complete and utter mess of a human being.

You can find out more about his story From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back by CB Lewis.

The fact that a story has been written about him shows that in the Star Wars universe there is no such thing as a minor character.

Even someone who is on-screen for one second can end up having their own story.

The Gospels are filled with people who briefly appear, and yet how many of us know their name, story, or roles? Who is Joanna? And who is Susanna? It is to characters such as this—and specifically, female characters—that we turn today in our study on the Gospel of Luke.

Let’s read Luke 7:36-50

Luke 7:36–50 CSB

36 Then one of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume 38 and stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to wash his feet with her tears. She wiped his feet with her hair, kissing them and anointing them with the perfume. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—she’s a sinner!” 40 Jesus replied to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He said, “Say it, teacher.” 41 “A creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one he forgave more.” “You have judged correctly,” he told him. 44 Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she, with her tears, has washed my feet and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in. 46 You didn’t anoint my head with olive oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume. 47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Luke 8:1–3 CSB

1 Afterward he was traveling from one town and village to another, preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out of her); 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions.

John 19:25–27 CSB

25 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

Luke’s orderly account of Jesus’ ministry does not always locate Jesus precisely. In chapter 7, he was in Capernaum (v. 1), Nain (v. 11) and in a Pharisee’s house in an unnamed locality (v. 36).

Now, in chapter 8, he begins a nomadic ministry through the towns and villages, presumably of Galilee, fulfilling the purpose of his ministry explained in chapter 4: preaching the kingdom to other towns.

What follows in this chapter and beyond are examples of how Jesus and his followers preached the kingdom so everyone could hear. Luke is pretty awesome because he spotlights women in ministry for Jesus.

See, Jesus did not select men exclusively as his followers. A central core of women also accompanied him. They did more than the feminine household tasks. They provided much of the financial support Jesus needed to lead such a squad of followers from town to town.

Luke often shows a pair of events, one with a man and the other with a woman: Zechariah and Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary, Simeon and Anna, a man with an unclean spirit and Peter’s mother-in-law (4:31–39)

Luke 4:31–39 CSB

31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbath. 32 They were astonished at his teaching because his message had authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man with an unclean demonic spirit who cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Leave us alone! What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 35 But Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be silent and come out of him!” And throwing him down before them, the demon came out of him without hurting him at all. 36 Amazement came over them all, and they were saying to one another, “What is this message? For he commands the unclean spirits with authority and power, and they come out!” 37 And news about him began to go out to every place in the vicinity. 38 After he left the synagogue, he entered Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her. 39 So he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and began to serve them.

the centurion’s servant and a widow’s son (7:1–17),

Luke 7:1–17 CSB

1 When he had concluded saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 A centurion’s servant, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, requesting him to come and save the life of his servant. 4 When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to grant this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue.” 6 Jesus went with them, and when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, since I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel.” 10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant in good health. 11 Afterward he was on his way to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were traveling with him. 12 Just as he neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the town was also with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said, “Don’t weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the open coffin, and the pallbearers stopped. And he said, “Young man, I tell you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Then fear came over everyone, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people.” 17 This report about him went throughout Judea and all the vicinity.

the sinful woman and Simon the Pharisee , what we just read, and also the Twelve and the women who supported Jesus (8:1–3),

as well as the woman with a hemorrhage and Jairus (8:40–56), the crippled woman and the man with dropsy (13:10–14:6), the parable of the shepherd and that of the woman (15:3–10), the unjust judge and the persistent widow (18:1–8), the scribes who devour widows’ houses and the widow who gives her all (20:47–21:4).

Women play significant roles in Luke’s Gospel. Mary and Elizabeth are the heroes of the infancy narratives. The women followed Jesus just like disciples and provide his material support. Jesus commended Mary for sitting at his feet and learning like a disciple (10:38–42)

Luke 10:38–42 CSB

38 While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.” 41 The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

He also had his final rites cared for by women (23:49, 55–56). At the tomb women first heard the news of resurrection (24:1–12).

Thus it is significant in a world dominated by attention to men that Luke pays so much attention to women. He does not immediately change any of their roles in society, but he shows Jesus’ care and concern for them and the way Jesus let them participate in his ministry.

His Gospel begins and ends with focus on women and their part in the coming of Jesus and in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

In Luke 8 we are given a very brief image of how Jesus’s ministry survived.

How did a man who was constantly on the go receive the necessary means to support himself and at least twelve other individuals?

He had help.

There were some who supported him financially. That isn’t necessarily remarkable or surprising. But what is surprising is that the people listed here as helping him are all women.

Though we may not even notice it today, Darrell Bock points out,

“It is hard for us to appreciate how revolutionary Luke’s picture of Jesus’ ministry is.”

In the Jewish practice of the day, there were even prayers of thanksgiving that God had not made one a woman,

Yet in Luke’s Gospel women show up in important roles over and over again.

Here they are with Jesus as he travels (8:1–2), and they are providing for him (8:3).

So let’s get to know the women in the first 3 verses of chapter 8.

Luke 8:1–3 CSB

1 Afterward he was traveling from one town and village to another, preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out of her); 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions.

Mary Magdalene (from the unidentified city of Magdala) had good reason to follow Jesus. He had exorcised demons from her, transforming her life from a person totally possessed to an individual totally pursuing committed discipleship.

She would be among the first witnesses at the empty tomb (cf. Matt. 28:1, 9–10; Mark 15:40, 47; 16:1; Luke 24:10; John 20:11–18).

Luke 24:10 CSB

10 Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things.

Joanna appears elsewhere only in Luke 24:10 at the empty tomb. Married to a major official in Herod’s government, she may have supplied much of the means for Jesus’ ministry.

She apparently was a person who left home for the sake of the kingdom (18:29).

Luke 18:29 CSB

29 So he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left a house, wife or brothers or sisters, parents or children because of the kingdom of God,

Mention of her husband’s position also provides contrast to the response of Herod himself (9:7–8).

Luke 9:7–8 CSB

7 Herod the tetrarch heard about everything that was going on. He was perplexed, because some said that John had been raised from the dead, 8 some that Elijah had appeared, and others that one of the ancient prophets had risen.

Susanna appears only here in the Bible.

In these few verses we also see the wide social stratum that Jesus was able to appeal to. Some are not socially categorized: Susanna and Mary.

But there’s Joanna, the wife of King Herod’s steward (v. 3).

Her husband was in charge of the household of King Herod, and thus, she would have been very well connected to others of the ruling class.

Yet here she is by Jesus’s side.

When you also consider the previous passage, where Jesus interacts with a woman who is a known sinner (7:36–50), something is clearly shown in Luke’s Gospel:

God’s message of salvation is for everyone.

Closing

There is a story attributed to Charles Spurgeon.

It goes like this: a gardener presents his king with the greatest carrot he has ever grown. The king is touched and responds by giving the gardener a large plot of land.

A nobleman who witnesses this event, decides it would be advantageous for him to present the king with his finest horse.

He does so, and the king merely thanked him for the horse.

The nobleman is confused and so the king explains to him, “That gardener was giving me the carrot. But you were giving yourself the horse”

There is a point of application in 8:2 in what Jesus had done for these women: he had healed them. Their service to Jesus was a response to the grace of God in Christ.

Friends, All of us have been recipients of God’s grace.

Grace is the undeserved love and favor of God

Grace, which comes from the Greek New Testament word charis, is God's unmerited favor.

It is kindness from God that we don't deserve. There is nothing we have done, nor can ever do to earn this favor.

It is a gift from God

Every day that we wake up and breathe air, we are breathing in the very grace of God.

What are you doing to further the ministry of Jesus as a way of showing him your gratitude for his grace?

Friends, we need to stop and see that God’s grace is for everyone—even those society might not expect.

Who have you “looked down on” with disrespect because you felt they didn’t deserve your love or service towards their needs?

Friends, we must all never forget the lesson from those 3 powerful verses we studied today, “A proper response to God’s grace is to serve the King.”

How can you worship Christ today by the way you serve your spouse, your children, a stranger in need?

Pray

Next Sunday, read Luke 17:11–19 as we will unpack the lesson of the Gratitude.