Luke 8: 1-3 Jesus goes on tour with groupies!

Women Who Followed Jesus

1Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, 2along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; 3Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.

So Jesus is going on tour and a bunch of women are coming with him. Sounds like a rock band!

But seriously, this was written at a time when women had less value to most men than their cattle or sheep. But Luke takes the time to mention them each by name and what they were doing. Some of them may have been the wives of important people, but they were women so mentioning them did NOT bring credibility to the Christian movement. This was especially true since he also mentions that they had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. They were not a perfect little bunch of nuns. The only explanation for Luke inserting this paragraph is that what they did was VERY important.

So what did they do?

They didn’t look for glory, or work miracles, or preach sermons. They contributed their resources, time, money, energy, to support Jesus and the disciples. They were the people in the shadows who make everything else possible, or at least better. What they gave may have been the hardest to give with the least reward, and yet they gave it. But then let’s remember that in the long run, the first will last and the last will be first.

Lord, again you are telling me to give, not because of the reward, but because it is you. To give to someone who will repay, is nothing. To give to someone who will be grateful, is nothing. To give for no reward to someone who will likely kick you in the shins (or nail you to a cross), now that is…Christ-like! Give me the courage to be like you Lord.