Tracking Jesus'
mission to the marginalized...
In 7:22, we see Jesus summarizing and restating his
mission: “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive
their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead
are raised, the poor have good news brought to them.” It appears
that these were important to Jesus. How
important are they to you? How do you
see any or all of these activities still happening by Jesus’ power through the
work of the church around the world?
I think the most significant marginalized group of people
presented in these chapters of Luke’s gospel is women. In Jesus’ day, women were marginalized to a
low status of society. They had few
rights, and their lives often unfolded based on the (wise or unwise) decisions of the men in
their families and community. In Luke
& Acts, particular women are lifted up as models of discipleship and
service. These are meant to inspire all
believers, not just women. Some parts of
the Bible are silent in this regard, and this can lull us to sleep so that we miss these
radical portrayals. Notice them! Make sure you spend time with the following characters/scenes:
The Widow of Nain,
7:11-17
Jesus performs a miracle. A man brought back to life! Question:
Why him? Answer: “Blessed are the poor.”
It turns out that the main subject of this episode is a widow. Women whose husbands died relied on the
financial support of their sons, but she only has one, and now he is dead. This loss of a treasured loved one brings with
it a loss of material well-being.
Without him she is destitute, utterly poor. How will she know the blessings of God’s
kingdom? Jesus blesses her in a powerful
way. He brings her son to back to life, and
in so doing restores her means of financial support and material well-being. Have
you ever been in this woman’s shoes, or known someone who has? In addition to the loss of a treasured
relationship, what else was lost? How
did God provide?
The Sinful Woman
Who Anointed Jesus' Feet, 7:36-50
One of the ways that women were marginalized is that
their sins and moral failures were judged as more awful than those of men –
even when people of both genders were involved with each other in the same
sinful activity! Jesus welcomes this
woman and receives her offering of love.
Jesus forgives her. The shame of
sin – whether felt internally or heaped on us by our judgmental peers – is no
match for Jesus’ forgiving love. How do you identify with this woman? Have you experienced Jesus forgiving you of a
sin that you once thought was unforgiveable?
Is there a sin that you have committed that you think Jesus would never
forgive? Follow this woman to the feet
of Jesus and find the freedom of forgiveness.
Jesus’ Female
Disciples, 8:1-3
One of the ways women have been marginalized through the
years is that their stories have not always been included or acknowledged. Here Luke gives us a window into the stories of
women who responded to Jesus’ call to follow him. They had received his ministry; oppressed by
evil spirits and/or sick with disease, Jesus made them whole and now they
followed him. And they weren’t just
along for the ride! Luke mentions that
they contribute their resources to the movement. Take
time to memorize the names of these disciples: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, &
Susanna. Allow yourself to be inspired
by their discipleship and the way they provided for Jesus' ministry in Galilee. Here's a fun question: Whose wealth was Joanna diverting to Jesus’ ministry? Isn’t that incredible!
Tracking the
orderly account of a world-changing movement, the person at the center, and the
power behind it…
Authority continues to be a theme. Jesus is demonstrating the power of God, and
people are asking question “Who is this?”
- The Centurion's Testimony, 7:1-10
- Jesus Calms the Storm, 8:22-25
- Jesus Heals Women, Young & Old (Jairus’ daughter & a suffering woman), 8:40-56
“When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick…So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.”
In the context of the two-volume Luke-Acts, this scene is
a preview of the “acts” of the apostles.
It establishes that the power the Apostles demonstrate is not their own,
but it is from Jesus who gives it to them for his purposes.
How does Jesus' authority function in your life? How have you been given authority by Jesus to use in his service and for his purposes?
Blessings...and let's keep reading!
Kurt
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