Elite. Rich. Poor. Middle-class. Homeless. Elderly. Felons. Sex-addicts. Botoxed. Surgically-enhanced. Refugees. Orphans. Widows. Foreigners. Addicts. Gamblers. Short. Tall. Obese. Skeleton-thin. Scantily clad. Home schoolers. Ivy leaguers. Diet Coke drinkers. Add-to-the list.
Jesus ability to lock-eyes and love those He encountered uncovers our hidden biases and prejudices—both the silly and the serious. Against particular people. Against those people. Whoever they may be in our lives and in our hearts.
The opening of Luke 8 awakens us to the socio-economic, gender, and power barriers Jesus busted through as He announced the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
This is Day 7 of The 40-Day #LentChallenge: Luke and Acts.
(NOTE: Click here to download a FREE one-page reading guide of Luke and Acts. or upgrade to the downloadable ebook called The 40-Day Live Lent Challenge: A Color Method Study for Luke-Acts for only $8.99. This 200-plus page booklet includes: a welcome letter, the reading plan, instructions on how to use the Color Bible Study Method, ideas on how to get the most from your study, creative artwork, and space to journal and doodle.)
We find Jesus surrounded by sketchy people. Again.
Jesus entourage includes the dirty dozen. Doubters. Tax collectors. Ultra-competitors. Stinky fishermen. People who who party instead of fast, students who flunk more tests than they pass.
But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He also includes a sorority of women. These front-row females follow Jesus, financially support Jesus, and sit alongside the disciples munching on the rich teaching, watching miracles unfold.
Their reputations aren’t any better than the dirty dozen. These are women who have unclean backgrounds. They’ve been marred by disease, harassed by evils spirits. Through Jesus Christ, they walk whole and free.
Mary Magdalene had endured not one, nor two, nor three, nor four, but the seven demons occupying her soul. The weight her oppression and struggle was unspeakable.
Joanna, the wife of Chuza, served as Herod Antipas’s business manager. That’s the Herod who decapitated John the Baptist. Jesus’ transformative teaching penetrated the palace of Herod.
Susanna and many others were benefactors of Jesus and the disciples.
Granted the women mentioned in Luke 8:1-3 are never listed among the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12-16) or sent on the some of the same missions (Luke 9:1-6), but Jesus inclusion of such a diverse group of women among his disciples was counter-cultural andnstood firmly against the common ancient view that women were to be seen, not heard.
Their presence demonstrated Jesus’ ability to reach the richest and most prestigious levels of society and as well as the lowest and least understood.
Perhaps most startling is the central message Jesus entrusted to them.
Consider the four essential components of the early church as listed in 1 Corinthians 15:3-5:
1. Death of Jesus.
2. Burial of Jesus.
3. Empty tomb of Jesus.
4. Resurrection of Jesus.
Do you know which is the only group to witness all four components?
Women.
When it came to the Good News of Jesus Christ, women to were to be seen and heard. Jesus was taking the gospel to all people.
In today’s Lent reading of Luke 8, I reflect on our central question:
What do I most need to hear but least want to hear?
And I find myself wrestling.
Who do I least trust with proclaiming the Good News of Jesus?
What biases and prejudices do I cling to in my heart?
Who do I subtly try to exclude from Jesus’ inner circle?
And who are you tempted to write off, dismiss, exclude, leave off the invite list?
That’s not how Jesus rolled. And we’re grateful for it. And that’s not how I want to roll either.
Father, Forgive me for my closed-heart, my blindness, my coldness toward those who you treasure. Give me your heart for them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
