I mentioned in my introductory remarks about Luke that he was a gentile – a non-Jewish person. One of the themes that he is very intentional about expressing is that Jesus welcomes all people into the kingdom of God. He wants everyone who had been excluded by God’s people to know that God actually includes them in His love and salvation.
Women were a group of people who were largely excluded in Jesus time. So, while we don’t bat an eye lash that women supported Jesus’ ministry and followed him, this was a major departure from tradition for the rabbis of his day. That Luke names Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna would have been shocking to some of Luke’s original readers. However, he is expressing and important spiritual truth: Jesus calls everyone to believe in Him, and He has blessed all of us with gifts and abilities to serve – just as He Himself served us. Jesus reaches out to the marginalized and shows that every person is valuable and has purpose.
As Jesus tells the Parable of Sower, it highlights that God’s invitation goes out to all people and is scattered generously about. It also highlights that, while everyone has the opportunity to receive the seed and have faith, some people will not believe. They are not ready to receive the seed like good soil. When that happens, we don’t give up on people. We continue to pray for them that the Holy Spirit would prepare them to receive the gift He wants to give them. We pray that the Spirit would remove the “rocks” and “weeds,” whatever they may be so that the Good News may take root in their hearts.
A striking example of this is found in vv. 26-39. If anyone was ever rocky soil it would be the demoniac (demon possessed individual) Jesus met in the country of the Gerasenes. This man went about naked – more like an animal than like a man – driven into the desert by the host of demons inside him. He was compelled to openly confront Jesus, “What have you to do with me, Jesus?” His total possession is frightening. When Jesus asks his name, the demon responds, “Legion.” – more than implying that there were many demons inside the man. Yet Jesus continued to work on the man. He cast the demons out, and the man experienced the love and grace of God. He believed in Jesus and wanted to follow and become one of the disciples. The seed was planted – and this time is was left to grow where it was. The man was to declare what God had done for him so that his neighbors might receive the seed as well.
What about Jairus and the woman with the discharge of blood? Are they not examples of people who had weeds in their lives that might choke out their faith? But Jesus works in their lives and prepares them for the seed of faith to take root in them. The woman had suffered for twelve years, but he removed her suffering. Jairus lost his daughter and Jesus gave her back to him. Jesus doesn’t always work this way. He doesn’t always make our troubles go away. He will address those struggles though and help us to grow through them. He will tend us and amend the soil with hope, forgiveness, and peace.
Never give up when it comes to praying for someone to come to faith. God can make it happen.
Father, there are people that I know and people that I love who need to have the seed of faith planted in their lives. Please prepare the soil of their hearts to receive the Good News that Jesus died and rose again in order to reconcile us to You. Help me to do my part as I pray for them and witness, and then let me see the miracle of Your salvation at work growing in them. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Women were a group of people who were largely excluded in Jesus time. So, while we don’t bat an eye lash that women supported Jesus’ ministry and followed him, this was a major departure from tradition for the rabbis of his day. That Luke names Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna would have been shocking to some of Luke’s original readers. However, he is expressing and important spiritual truth: Jesus calls everyone to believe in Him, and He has blessed all of us with gifts and abilities to serve – just as He Himself served us. Jesus reaches out to the marginalized and shows that every person is valuable and has purpose.
As Jesus tells the Parable of Sower, it highlights that God’s invitation goes out to all people and is scattered generously about. It also highlights that, while everyone has the opportunity to receive the seed and have faith, some people will not believe. They are not ready to receive the seed like good soil. When that happens, we don’t give up on people. We continue to pray for them that the Holy Spirit would prepare them to receive the gift He wants to give them. We pray that the Spirit would remove the “rocks” and “weeds,” whatever they may be so that the Good News may take root in their hearts.
A striking example of this is found in vv. 26-39. If anyone was ever rocky soil it would be the demoniac (demon possessed individual) Jesus met in the country of the Gerasenes. This man went about naked – more like an animal than like a man – driven into the desert by the host of demons inside him. He was compelled to openly confront Jesus, “What have you to do with me, Jesus?” His total possession is frightening. When Jesus asks his name, the demon responds, “Legion.” – more than implying that there were many demons inside the man. Yet Jesus continued to work on the man. He cast the demons out, and the man experienced the love and grace of God. He believed in Jesus and wanted to follow and become one of the disciples. The seed was planted – and this time is was left to grow where it was. The man was to declare what God had done for him so that his neighbors might receive the seed as well.
What about Jairus and the woman with the discharge of blood? Are they not examples of people who had weeds in their lives that might choke out their faith? But Jesus works in their lives and prepares them for the seed of faith to take root in them. The woman had suffered for twelve years, but he removed her suffering. Jairus lost his daughter and Jesus gave her back to him. Jesus doesn’t always work this way. He doesn’t always make our troubles go away. He will address those struggles though and help us to grow through them. He will tend us and amend the soil with hope, forgiveness, and peace.
Never give up when it comes to praying for someone to come to faith. God can make it happen.
Father, there are people that I know and people that I love who need to have the seed of faith planted in their lives. Please prepare the soil of their hearts to receive the Good News that Jesus died and rose again in order to reconcile us to You. Help me to do my part as I pray for them and witness, and then let me see the miracle of Your salvation at work growing in them. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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