Sermon index

1.  Jesus and his mission

Luke 8 begins by noting that, "After this, Jesus began to travel about from place to place".  This seems to be a new departure.  Previously he was based in Capernaum but now he takes up an itinerant ministry, a roving commission.  Always a peripatetic teacher, he was now one more than ever.  There are two points to consider.

Where he went

"Jesus travelled about from one town and village to another."  He went to more towns and villages than ever.  He was determined to go through the towns and villages of Israel.  The mission continues today.  At the start of his second book (Acts), Luke says "In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach ..."  Acts describes how the work went on from Jerusalem, to Judah, Samaria and earth's utmost end.

The mission continues today as the gospel continues to go out into every place.  If we're believers we ought to be concerned to see the gospel going to friends, neighbours and earth's uttermost parts.  At home, we can play our part by making his name known.  We can also pray for all who in other lands don't yet know the Saviour, as others go to them with the gospel.

What he did

No doubt there were other things - healings, casting out demons - but the chief thing occupying Jesus was "proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God".  Literally, evangelising on the kingdom of God.  He wanted people to know the good news - the kingdom was here.  It was drawing near and now was the time to repent, trust in him and receive the free gift of eternal life.

As already intimated, that mission goes on today.  We need people to go and reach the unreached - to learn their language, to translate the Bible - so that they may know about Christ.  We need evangelists, church planters, ministers.  We need people to train ministers; people who can preach on radio or TV; who can write letters and helpful pamphlets and books.  We need people skilled in all sorts of areas who can go and live where the gospel's beginning to make inroads, supporting the word ministry and making known Christ's love in hospitals, classrooms, offices and factories.

What need there is!  There are people who don't know that God's kingdom's here, who've never heard the good news that all who trust in Christ are saved.  Who'll make it known to them?

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2.  Jesus and those who were with him

It's significant that when Jesus went on the road, he didn't go alone.  By this time he'd chosen disciples to accompany him, and there were also women who were very much involved in the work too.  Jesus could have gone out and worked on his own but he didn't chose to act this way.  Mark 3:14 says, "He appointed twelve - designating them apostles - that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach."  First they were with him; then he sent them out to preach.

Something similar happens today.  In his mission, Jesus works chiefly through people.  He is at work declaring the good news, of course, but he uses people to proclaim the message.  He's with them and they're with him.  That's how it was then.

Who was with him?

The Twelve

First the Twelve were with him.  We've noted that he chose them to be with him and that they might preach.  They were like 12 new patriarchs, a new foundation, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.  They would become witnesses to his resurrection and perform many miracles in his name, some of which we read about in Acts.

There aren't apostles today in the full sense.  We have their writings in the New Testament, which is enough.  There are those called, however, to be with Jesus in his mission and to preach.  How we need faithful preachers.  We should constantly pray that God would raise up preachers who've been with Jesus; that they may be trained well by those called to it; that God will sustain those who already preach and use them to his glory.  Do you pray like that?

The women whom he'd cured of evil spirits and diseases

It's important to note, however, that it wasn't just the disciples who were with him.  There were women too, some of whose names Luke gives.  This is a reminder, surely, that we need not only preachers, but also many others.  We need men; we need women.  We need people in the front-line, as it were, but also people in the background doing the vital work they do.

It's sometimes said that behind every great man there's a great woman (or, behind every great man there's an astonished woman!).  Here we see it.  Behind the apostles was a group of women, largely forgotten but playing a significant role in Jesus's mission - a role we ought not to forget but hold up as an example for emulation today.  Of those Jesus healed, some were ungrateful; some were grateful but remained where they were; some wanted to follow but were refused.  These women were grateful, wanted to follow him and were allowed to support him (and the Twelve) from their own purses.

They weren't discouraged by the hardships of travelling from place to place or afraid to be in the presence of Christ, the holy one.  We shouldn't let such things deter us either.

We can ask three helpful questions about these women.

1.  What was their background?

Not only did the Twelve accompany Jesus but also some women whom he had cured of evil spirits and diseases.  (We are given details only about one of them.) Having been cured they decided to follow him as he travelled around - to be with him and assist in what ways they could.  We know these women didn't preach as the apostles later did, but they played an important role.  Having been delivered from hardship and woe by Jesus they were determined to follow and serve him from then on in whatever way they could.

What a challenge they are to us, women and men alike.  Has Jesus changed you?  Has he cast out the demons of sin?  Has he cured you from the evil that once held you?  Then give thanks to the Lord and seek to serve him any way you can as you follow Jesus.

2.  Who were these women?

We are given three names.  (Matthew and Mark have similar lists in connection with the cross and name Mary Magdalene; plus Mary, the mother of James and Joses; and the mother of Zebedee's sons, James and John, who is presumably called Salome.)

"Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out."

Mary (Miriam) was a popular name in Bible times and more than one Mary appears in Scripture, including Jesus's own mother.  Whether Mary Magdalene is the woman mentioned at the end of Luke 7 is disputed.  It's also a question as to whether she's to be identified with Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus of Bethany.  (One argument against is that the latter would surely be called Mary of Bethany.)

However, it is posited that Mary of Bethany left home at a young age and went to Magdala, a garrison town on the shores of Galilee.  There she fell into prostitution and, it is revealed here, much worse.  (It is important to note, however, that she is nowhere said to have been a prostitute; this is a tradition).  She was eventually possessed by seven demons.  She then met with Jesus, however, who cast them out and restored her.  She put her faith in him and returned to Bethany where she introduced him to her family.

Bethany was certainly a place where Jesus was well loved and where he delighted to stay.  We can't prove the Mary of Bethany/Magdala connection.  Whether it is correct or not, Mary Magdalene, who was later the first person to see the risen Lord, was undoubtedly a trophy of grace, one who was transformed by Christ and then sought to live her life serving him.

Are you still in your sins?  You may not have sunk as low as Mary, but you've many things to be ashamed of.  Do you know that those sins can be driven out through putting faith in Christ?  Trust in him and you'll be forgiven.  Look to him and there's hope.  Have you already trusted in him?  Then what are you doing in his service?  He didn't save you so that you could go back to your old ways.  He didn't save you so that you could do nothing in the kingdom.  He saved you to serve him.

"Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod's household."

Apart from the mentions here and in Luke 24:10, there's no other reference to Joanna or Chuza, and we know nothing of them except what's here.  Herod Antipas was, of course, rich and powerful.  Quite how close Chuza was to him we can't tell.  We know, however, that Chuza's wife had been cured by Jesus.  Did she first hear the gospel through John the Baptist?  She'd looked to Jesus in faith and he'd made her well

It's clear then that Jesus healed not only the poor but better off individuals like Joanna too - even individuals from the corrupt court of Herod.  I don't know if you're well off or what your background may be but are you still in your sins?  Do you know that you can be healed from the disease of sin that so afflicts you, by trusting in Jesus?  Trust in him and you will be well.  Look to him and there's hope.  Have you already trusted?  Then what are you doing in his service?  He didn't save you so you could go back to old ways or to do nothing in the kingdom.  He saved you to serve him.  Serve him.

"Susanna; and many others."

The last name here is even more obscure.  We know almost nothing about Susanna.  If we're right to identify the wealthy Mary of Bethany with Mary of Magdala, and bearing in mind the financial commitment of these women, we can assume that Susanna, too, was wealthy and was cured by Jesus.  She now sought to follow him and serve him in what ways she could.  To us, she is now just a name, but she was saved to serve Jesus and that's enough.  Another example to us, she's like the nameless others who also did this work.  Let's make our ambition, not fame, but serving Jesus Christ.

3.  What did they do?

No doubt they did many things but Luke singles this out: "These women were helping to support them out of their own means."  They didn't pay for all the costs involved, but for a good deal of it.  They were all women of independent means who used the wealth God had blessed them with to further his kingdom.  Jesus and the disciples no doubt ate frugally and slept where they could find lodgings, but some expense was inevitably involved - and this was provided, in part, by these generous women.

It's a biblical principle that the labourer is worthy of his hire.  We should never be embarrassed about paying to maintain the ministry.  What's particularly noteworthy here is that even the Lord himself was willing to live on what others gave.  There was no pride or false modesty in him.  He himself proved his own teaching that if we seek first God's kingdom all else that we need will be given us. 

The application is obvious.  What about our giving to God's work?  Are we giving as much and as often as we could?  There's not only money but time and talent too.  Are we the givers that we ought to be in view of all that he's done for us?