Journeying with Jesus

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources. (Luke 8:1-3 NRSV)

This is the end of the Gospel reading for this coming Sunday. It follows the story of a woman expressing her love and thankfulness to Jesus by washing and anointing his feet. The story it follows is one of forgiveness, a story that expresses how deeply God’s forgiveness can be part of our lives. That forgiveness is connected, through the first part of this passage, to what Jesus was all about. Jesus was preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God; and that kingdom is one of forgiveness.

This passage goes on to clarify that Jesus didn’t do this proclamation on his own. It wasn’t “him against the world” as he proclaimed God’s kingdom. True, it was all about him – in that he is the Son of God who creates the kingdom by his existence in the world. But the proclamation of the kingdom is never done alone. It is never done outside of a community. The disciples were with him, and some women were with him. Mary Magdalene (free of demons and not explicitly the woman just identified as a prostitute), Joanna, Susanna, and many others (many other women or maybe just many others which probably would have included other women) are traveling with Jesus, providing the resources necessary for the proclamation.

I didn’t start out thinking this was a stewardship message, but it turns out it is. And I’m not talking just about money. We have incredible resources among and within us to share in the proclamation of the kingdom. Each of us has gifts that we can bring to ministry. They may not feel like the right gifts, but they are God-given and God can use them for the good of the kingdom. Think about what your gifts are. Think about how you can provide for the proclamation as did those who followed Jesus. Think about what God is calling you to do to proclaim the kingdom today.