Supporting the Work of God
I look forward to meeting these women who followed Jesus one day in glory! Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and the countless others who Luke mentions here in verse 3.
I want to just mention the sentence that Luke writes in this verse. He says “these women were helping to support them (the disciples) out of their own means.” They were helping to support the work of the ministry out of their own means.
Preachers and Money
I'm very weary of being a preacher always asking for money, and it's been very hard for me since I left my previous church where I earned a decent salary to now being a self-sustaining minister who needs the support of others in order to survive. Sometimes I don't know when I should ask or if I should at all, but I think you've heard me here and there saying your support helps me.
And I wonder sometimes how Jesus went about this himself because he needed the help of people. He walked around - a poor man not having a place to stay, not having assets of his own, but relying on the help of people like these women who supported the work that he was doing. And Paul, of course, did the same. He would often take up offerings for those who were poor, and he actually said I'd rather not take money from people if it's going to make them suspicious of me. And so he did his own work. He was a tent maker alongside being a preacher of the gospel.
Church and Money
I think we've got to be weary of churches that are obsessed with money. I think we've got to be specially weary of churches who tell you that if you give to them, you'll receive blessing from God in return. That sounds quite manipulative to me.
But on the other side of the coin, I think we've got to be weary of hanging onto our treasures - and our money especially - so that they become a barrier between us and God. I think God is longing for people who give generously and kindly.
Glad Givers
In fact, just the other day I was reading in the Old Testament in the time of King Joash. He decided to rebuild the temple, and so he asked the people to give. 2 Chronicles 24: 10 says “All the people brought their contributions gladly”. And I read that and I thought, “Am I a glad giver? Glad to give towards the work that God is doing in this world through various people?” These women who followed Jesus around I'm sure were glad givers, and I too want to be a glad giver.
I pray that you never feel manipulated. I pray that you never feel taken advantage of by preachers wanting to get rich. But I pray that in faith you will be a cheerful giver to the work of God in your local church, to whatever other ministries are leading you towards God, to the work of missions around the world, so that the work of God can continue.
If Mary and Joanna and Susanna and the others could do it, so can we. God bless you, my friends. I appreciate you all. And I pray for a blessed and peaceful weekend for all of you. Take care.
