The Women Who Ministered for Jesus

Luke 8:1-3 (KJV)

1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,

2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

I find this a very significant passage in the Bible but even more so in that it is unique with Gospels, it gives us a list of women who followed Jesus and actually names some of them, along with the males, who are not named but assumed identities. I think the significance of this verse is huge and powerful, here women are given a place of prominence within the workings of Jesus. Luke portrays Jesus as showing great respect for women, who in their culture were often treated as mere property.

I think the message is clear, the Gospel message would not have been nearly as effective without the work and ministry of these women and many others.

I feel that should this verse be written today in this area that Luke would include the women from here who are faithful to him, their husbands, families, and church.

My goal - to affirm and encourage not just the mothers, but the women here this morning.

Women are important and necessary in the Kingdom of God Women can be a blessing to the cause of God (Aunt Velma and her quarters she saved for a pew) The Widow and her last mite - It was worth more to God than all the rest of the money put into the basket that day. Women are loved and highly respected in God's kingdom

It was through Women that salvation came to earth (that may have been part of the curse- but It was one of the greatest blessings known to humanity today.)

I just want to note a couple of things about these women;

These women

They were marred, All understood what bondage and brokenness was till Jesus came by

He doesn't throw the clay away, he just remolds and remakes it It wasn't how big the scar or the break - it was how powerful the healing

Mary had seven devils Johanna's family was in with the Romans (Herod Antipas - the one who cut of John the Baptist's head, the one who questioned Jesus a wicked man) - That didn't stop Jesus from working in her. They all ministered - Used their personal resources to support the cause.

Their commitment to the cause of Christ reached all the way to their purses. We don't know how much each of them would have been able to give, but this is the way it is in God's work—small gifts from unknown persons often outweigh the big gifts from prominent persons. The point is that Jesus was able to do His ministry because of the financial support from people like this group of women.

Wesleyan Bible Commentary - Wesleyan Bible Commentary – Luke.

They were Immovable - Went all the way with Jesus - they watched at the cross, they watched where they placed his body, they came early Sunday morning with spices. They were marvelous - Were the first eye-witnesses of the resurrection, they heard the words, "He is not here for he is risen" they seen the angels, they were told to go tell Peter and the others, apparently Mary saw him first.

Now I want to notice a few things about each woman;

Mary Magdalene - A Woman's Testimony for the cause of Christ is very Powerful - (in this culture it took about two women to equal the testimony of one man - here Jesus had at least three and many more) Mary Magdalene. I did find it somewhat humorous and glad we don't have any here this morning but in the Hebrew Mary means "fat one," of course that would have meant blessed or prosperous more than overweight in their culture.

The name Magdalene was derived from Magdala, a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. The only mention of her outside the Crucifixion and Resurrection narratives is in Lk. 8:2. (She is not to be identified, as she frequently used to be, with the woman of Lk. 7, "who was a sinner.") Jesus had cast several demons out of her, and this helps to explain the devotion to Him that she showed by the following actions.

(1) Together with other formerly demon-possessed women, she followed Jesus and His disciples from town to town, helping to support them from her own means (Lk. 8:1-3). (2) She followed Him to Jerusalem to care for His needs (Mt. 27:55), and even when His disciples fled, she followed Him to the cross (Mk. 15:40). (3) She watched to see where He would be buried (Mk. 15:47).

(4) On the day of the Resurrection she was among the first who went to the tomb to bring spices for Jesus' body (Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:1). On seeing that the tomb was empty, she ran and told Peter and John (Jn. 20:2) and then returned to the tomb. There she met Jesus and wanted to cling to Him. But He told her not to hold on to Him, for He wanted her to realize that His former way of living among the disciples was to be changed, since He was to ascend to heaven. He commanded her to go and tell the disciples that He would ascend into heaven (Jn. 20:17); she obediently went and reported, "I have seen the Lord." International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised Edition - International Standard BIble Encyclopedia, Revised Edition – Volume Three: K-P. Mary had a powerful testimony, she was delivered from seven demons, she could have gladly sang,

"From depths of sin and sadness to the heights of joy and gladness Jesus came to lift the lost in sin and woe…. Hallelujah what a Savior who can take a poor lost sinner lift her from the miry clay and set them free, I will ever tell the story, shouting glory, glory, glory, hallelujah Jesus ransomed me. "

Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward - Godly women can be very effective in very ungodly situations and circumstances

JOANNA The wife of Chuza, Herod's steward. She was one of the "women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities" and who "provided for them [i.e., Jesus and His disciples] of their means" on the occasion of Jesus' tour through Galilee (Lk. 8:2f.). Along with other women she accompanied Jesus on His last journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, and was present when His body was laid in the sepulchre (Lk. 23:55). She was thus among those who prepared spices and ointments, who found the grave empty, and who "told this to the apostles" (Lk. 23:56-24:10).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised Edition - International Standard BIble Encyclopedia, Revised Edition – Volume Two: E-J.

Susanna & many others- The quiet bashful backseat woman still got her name in the Bible, we have no real idea who she was, where she came from, or her life story, but we know that she was an inspiration to Jesus.

SUSANNA. sōō-zan'ə [Gk. Sousanna] (Lk. 8:3). One of the women whom Jesus had healed of evil spirits or diseases and who ministered to Him and His disciples during His preaching journeys in Galilee (Lk. 8:1-3). Presumably she also went with the women who brought spices to the tomb after Jesus' burial (23:55-24:1), although she is not among those named in 24:10 (cf. Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:1). The women informed the disciples of their experience at the tomb, and one may conjecture that they later provided Luke with the details unique to his Gospel.

C. J. Hemer

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised Edition - International Standard BIble Encyclopedia, Revised Edition – Volume Four: Q-Z.

It amazes me what these women did and how the Gospel reached farther and was more effective for their being there, I just want to thank our women for being here, to help spread the love of Christ, to share the compassion, empathy, and love like you do and I truly think we would be lost without you. Keep following Jesus all the way, I promise you there will come a day of rewards and blessings.