Luke chapter 8, I want to look
at just three verses. Luke chapter 8, verse 1, 2, and
3. And it came to pass afterward
that he went throughout every city and village. He's talking
about the area of Galilee. Preaching and showing the glad
tidings of the kingdom of God. What are the glad tidings of
the kingdom of God? and he went with this company
of this twelve, the twelve, they're often referred to as the twelve,
when we know that's referring to the twelve apostles, and also
certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities,
women, women ministered unto the Lord and to the apostles. He mentions here Mary called
Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, Joanna, the wife of Cusa,
Herod's steward, and Susanna. This is the only time that Susanna
is mentioned in the Word of God is right here. Don't know anything
about her other than the Lord healed her. And the Lord blessed
her. And then it says, "...and many
others which ministered unto him that service to the Lord."
And they did so out of their substance, whatever they had,
whatever they were blessed with, whatever God put into their hands.
They were willing to minister to the cause of God and the gospel. I'm entitling the message today
from verse 1, glad tidings of the kingdom of God. Glad tidings or good news of
the kingdom of God. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ indeed is good news. It's not good news to everybody,
but it's good news to the needy. It's good news to the guilty.
It's glad tidings to those who are miserable, guilty, vile,
wretched sinners. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
came to save the ungodly. The Lord Jesus Christ. This is
a faithful saying, worthy of all acceptation, that the Lord
Jesus Christ came to save sinners. That gives me hope, because I'm
a sinner. One old preacher of the past
put it this way, the first link between my soul and Christ is
not my goodness, but my badness. Not my merit, but my misery. Not my standing, but my falling. Not my riches, but my need. He comes to visit his people,
Yet, not to admire their beauties, they don't have any, but to remove
their ugliness, their deformities, and sin. Not to reward their
virtues, but to forgive them their sin, and to make them new
creatures in our Lord Jesus Christ. The one of the apostles writes,
how beautiful are the feet of them, and that refers to Christ,
and his servants called to preach the gospel, that preach the gospel
of peace, that bring glad tidings of good things." Good things. The gospel of Christ contains
many and special spiritual good things that are freely given. Freely given. Don't you like
things that are free? God who spared not His own Son, but delivered
Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely,
freely, I love that word, don't you? Freely give us all things. being justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything in the gospel is free. It's the free gift of His grace,
the free gift of His mercy, and the free gift of His love. Now
notice verse 1 of Luke chapter 8, and it came to pass afterward. This refers back to all that
the Lord had said and all that the Lord had done in Luke chapter
7, how the Lord was always going about and doing the will of the
Lord, doing the purpose of the Lord, healing all that had need
of healing. You remember back in chapter
7, turn over there, verse 21 of Luke 7. And in that same hour,
He cured many of their infirmities and plagues and of evil spirits,
and unto many that were blind he gave sight." Turn to another
scripture here, close in Luke chapter 9 verse 11. And the people,
when they knew it, followed him, and he received them, and spake
unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need
of healing. The Lord Jesus Christ was always
going about doing the will of the Father. Our blessed Savior
was always willing and wanting to do the will and work of the
Father's business in accomplishing our salvation. Hold your place
here and find Luke chapter 2. Remember earlier, in His life,
in the temple, when His parents had gone and he stayed behind.
In Luke 2 verse 49, when they came back to find him, being
concerned about him, how is it that you sought me? Know you
not that I must be about my father's business? Luke 2, 49. Remember
he said, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and
to finish his work. And then he prayed in John chapter
17, Father, I've glorified thee on the earth. I've finished the
work. You gave me to do. I'm trusting the Lord Jesus Christ
who finished salvation for His people. Now, again look at Luke
chapter 8 verse 1. We see the Lord Jesus Christ
after all that He had done. There in, this recorded in Luke
chapter 7. It came to pass afterward that
he went throughout every city and village, and this is talking
about the region of Galilee, preaching and showing the glad
tidings or the good news of the kingdom of God. We see the Lord Jesus Christ
back at his principal business, going through every city, every
city in Galilee, Preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.
Our Lord was a preacher, a preacher of the gospel. Let's turn back
to Luke chapter 4, and let's read that again. Luke chapter
4, when He came to His hometown of Nazareth, where He had been
brought up, verse 16 of Luke 4. As His custom was, He went
into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read.
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah,
and when he had opened the book, he found the place where it is
written, this is Isaiah 61, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me, he hath anointed me to preach
the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captive, recovering of sight
to the blind, This did at liberty them that are bruised, to preach
the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, gave
it to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them in the
synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them,
This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. The Lord was sent
to preach the gospel. In Luke chapter 4, Luke verse
43, And he said unto them, I must
preach the kingdom of God to other cities also. For therefore
am I sent, and he preached in the synagogue of Galilee. The Lord Jesus Christ indeed
was blessed, anointed, and sent of God to declare how God saved
sinners through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. While
the Lord went through, Many areas preaching the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Lord also healed many people of their physical
diseases. All those physical healings are
only emblems of our spiritual healing we receive through the
gospel. Look again at Luke chapter 7
verse 22. As he went preaching the gospel,
he also went healing those who had need of healing. But all
those healings teach us how God saves sinners. Luke 7 verse 22.
Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, you tell John
what things you have seen and heard, how that the blind see. The Lord's given us eyes of faith
to see Him. How the lame walk, He's given
us faith that we might walk by faith and not by sight. How the
lepers are cleansed, we're cleansed with the blood of Christ. How
the deaf hear, He's given us ears to hear Him. How the dead
are raised up, quickened together with Christ. And the gospel is
preached to them. And blessed is he whosoever shall
not be offended in me. What are the glad tidings of
the kingdom of God that we read about there in Roman chapter
10? Hold your place here in Luke
8. I want you to find Isaiah 52. That verse is quoted from
Isaiah 52 verse 7. What are the glad tidings of
the kingdom of God? Isaiah 52 verse 7. How beautiful
upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,
that publish peace, that bring good tidings of good, that publish
salvation, that saith unto Zion, that's God's church, the Lord
God, what's that word? The Lord thy God reigneth. What does that mean? That means
he's sovereign. Now, three things are declared
right here in this verse, Isaiah 52, 7. First of all, what are
the good things of the gospel? That publish peace. The glad
tidings of the gospel is how we have, as guilty, vile sinners,
how we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. to publish
peace. The Lord our God is called the
Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9, 6. In Hebrews 7, verse 2, He is
called the King of Peace. And then we read in Colossians
chapter 1 that He made peace for us with His own blood. So when we declare the Gospel
of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, we declare how the Lord
Jesus Christ with His blood sacrificed reconciled us unto God and that
we have peace with Him only in Christ. He made peace for us with His
own blood. Being justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God was in
Christ reconciling us unto Himself. What does that word reconciliation
mean? To who are at odds. are reconciled. Our sin have separated us from
God, in Christ we are reconciled because He has removed our sin,
therefore we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The second thing that is mentioned
here in Hebrews, or rather Isaiah 52-7, not only that we publish
peace, peace with God through Christ, and then that bringeth good tidings of
good, that publish, secondly, salvation, salvation, salvation. There is no other name under
heaven. given among men, whereby we must be saved." The Lord Jesus
Christ is the only Savior of sinners. He is the only just
God and Savior, as it says in Isaiah 45. Salvation that was
purposed by God in eternity was accomplished in time in the coming,
the doing, and the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ. What was purposed
in eternity, the Lord Jesus Christ in time actually purchased with
His own blood. The Lord stood as a lamb slain
before the foundation of the world, right? What did He do
in time? In the fullness of time, God
sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem
them that were under the law. Salvation. We publish peace through
the blood sacrifice of Christ, and we publish salvation in Christ,
the Lord Jesus Christ alone. The salvation that the Lord declares
is that salvation that He accomplished. Salvation is not based upon... Now listen carefully, don't miss
this. Salvation is not based upon what
you do. Not in anything we do. Not our
faith. Not our repentance, not our church
membership, not our baptism. Salvation is not based upon what
we do, what we bring, what we give, what we say. Salvation
that's of the Lord is that salvation that He accomplished by Himself,
with Himself, and it's in Him. He has the Son. half-life. You see, we publish peace through
the blood sacrifice of Christ, we publish salvation in Him. Isn't that exactly what the Lord
said? He said, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life,
no man comes to the Father but by and through me. So we publish
that salvation is of the Lord. From election The glorification,
He's the Alpha, He's the Omega of all of our salvation that
we have, salvation of the Lord. It's His doing, it comes from
Him, it's by His purpose. And the third thing we preach,
Isaiah 52-7, we publish peace through Christ, we publish salvation
in Christ, by Christ, that saith unto God's people, Zion, somebody's
in charge. Thy God reigneth. What do we preach? We preach
the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation. What does that
word sovereignty mean? It means that God has all authority
in heaven, all authority in the earth, all authority over you,
and that He gives salvation to whom He will. I will have mercy
upon whom I will have mercy. That's what he said. I will harden
whom I will harden. The good news and glad tidings
of the gospel of Christ is that he has all power to give salvation
unto his people and to save them from their sin. Again he prayed
in John 17. The Father hath given me power,
authority over all flesh, that I should give eternal life to
as many as the Father hath given to me. All that the Father hath
given to me shall come to me, and those that come to me I will
in no wise Cast out. Aren't you glad He has all authority
and power to save me? You see, my case is so desperate.
I'm so guilty. My sin is so vile. I'm so dead
in sin. If He doesn't have all power,
this sinner has no hope. But thank God, He said, all power
is given unto me in heaven and earth. You know what that means?
That means nobody else has any power. Now the United States
government, they think they've got some power. The powers that
be are ordained of God. They are ordained of God. Let
us never think that anybody has any power or authority outside. Even our Lord told Pilate, Pilate
said, I have authority and power to crucify you or to let you
go. Remember what the Lord said?
You don't have any power over me at all, except that which
I give you, which is ordained of God. So, let us never think
lightly of the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the glad tidings Peace with God through Christ. Salvation
in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the sovereign Christ of God. We bow to the Lordship of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Let us never think lightly of
the preaching of the gospel of Christ. As a matter of fact,
the charge is given unto His church, I charge thee before
God, and the Lord Jesus Christ to preach the gospel. Let us
never think lightly of preaching of the gospel. Paul says, Woe
unto me if I preach not the gospel. But let us never think lightly
of hearing the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are told
to take heed how we hear, and take heed what you hear. You see, by the foolishest of
preaching, The Lord Jesus Christ is pleased to call out His people. While the preaching of the gospel
may be foolish to some, it's the wisdom and power of God unto
salvation. You see, the Lord has ordained
the preaching of the gospel as a means to call out His elect. Remember what the Apostle Paul
said? Brethren, we know your elections of God. How do you
know that, Paul? Because our gospel came unto
you not in word only, but in power and the Holy Spirit and
in much assurance. You see, the Lord has ordained
the preaching of the gospel as a means to call out His people. It pleased God through preaching
to call out His people. Secondly, as a means to quicken
and call sinners to life in Christ of His own will, begat He us. with the Word of Truth. We're
born again, not with the corruptible seed, but of an incorruptible,
the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. We're going
to see in our study here in Luke chapter 8, turn back over there,
Luke chapter 8 verse 11, when he talks about the parable of
the sower. The sower went forth to sow the
seed. What is that seed? Look at verse
11 of Luke 8. Now the parable is this, the
seed is the Word of God. That's what we're doing this
morning. We're sowing some seed. I can't give it life. I can't
make it grow. God does. God can. God will. Do you remember the story of
Ezekiel and the prophet of God in Ezekiel 37? When he showed
the prophet a valley of dry bones, they were bleached, many bones,
they were dead bones. Remember what the Lord said to
him? Can these bones live? Remember what he said? Lord you
know. Do you know what he told him
to do? The Lord told Ezekiel to do? Preach to those bones. Preach to those dead bones? Absolutely. And God will bless the preaching
of His Word. He said it will never return
unto Him void. The seed is the Word of God.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Truth, the Word
of God. Thirdly, as a means to feed His
church. Feed the church of God which
He had purchased with His own blood. How are you going to feed
them? with the Word of Truth, the Word of Life. That's why
the Lord has charged His church to go into all the world and
preach the Gospel to every creature. That's why we make much of preaching
here. Now, we don't make much of the
preacher, but we do make much of the preaching
of the Word. This preacher is just an earthen
vessel, just like you, a weak, frail, sinful, guilty man. but
we do make much of the Lord Jesus Christ. I point you to Him. Look
unto Him and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth. Now, here's
the second thing I want us to look at. In Luke chapter eight,
verse one, and the 12 were with Him. The 12 were with Him. Now, we know that these were
the apostles that the Lord had chosen. Remember, He said, Matthew,
follow me, and He called others. They were specially chosen men,
chosen by Christ to serve His purpose, to the glory of His
grace and to the glory of His justice. Remember, our Lord said
in John 15 to those men, He said to them, you didn't choose Me,
I chose you and I ordained you that you should bring forth fruit
unto the glory of God." They were anointed by Him to preach
the gospel and sent forth to do so by His command. Turn to
Luke chapter 9. Turn there. Verse 1 and 2, He
called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority
over all devils to cure diseases, and He sent them to preach the
kingdom of God and to heal the sick. What were they sent to
do? To preach the kingdom of God,
preach Christ in His lordship and His authority, that salvation
of the Lord. They were called and put into
the ministry. They left all and followed Him.
They went everywhere with Him, heard Him preach. They saw His
miracles. You think of everything they
saw in those three years. They loved Him. They wanted to
be with Him and taught by Him. They wanted to learn His doctrine. They were eager and willing to
tell others and willing to serve Him. Now, I want to be a disciple
like that, don't you? forsaking all and following Him. Matter of fact, He said that,
except you forsake all, you cannot be My disciple. But now here's
a warning. Here's a warning. Turn to John
chapter 6. John chapter 6. I bring this up because the Word
of God brings this up. In John chapter 6, among those
twelve was also Judas, who betrayed the Lord. Do you remember? John
chapter 6, Judas also served the Lord's purpose to magnify
His justice. Notice in John chapter 6, verse
65, Therefore I said unto you that no man can come unto me,
except that it were given unto him of my father. John 6, 65.
Do you see it? From that time, many of his disciples
went back and walked no more with him. What is he declaring
there? No man can come unto me except
that we've given him to my father. He's declaring that salvation
is of the Lord, is he not? We have no ability, no will,
no love, no want to by nature. God must make us new creatures
in Christ. And many went back And followed
him no more. Verse 67, then the Lord said
to the twelve. There's that twelve again. Will
you also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him,
Lord to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. The words of eternal life. We
believe and we are sure thou art that Christ. That Christ. Not another, that Christ, the
Son of the living God. And the Lord answered them, Have
not I chosen you twelve? Now watch this. And one of you
is a devil. He spake of Judas Iscariot, the
son of Simon. For he it was that should betray
him, being one of the twelve. We know among them, the twelve,
was a reprobate, an apostate, a traitor, one who sold the Lord
out for thirty pieces of silver. Our Lord in John 17 called Judas
the son of perdition. So the warning is this. Judas
betrayed the Lord for thirty pieces of silver, sold Him out,
and betrayed Him with a kiss of malice. Let us examine ourselves
whether we be in the faith. I don't want to make a shipwreck
of the faith. Do you? Like Judas, like Demas. I want to, by God's grace, continue
in the faith and to die in faith. We're exhorted in Scripture,
2 Corinthians 13, 5. Let me just read it to you. Examine
yourselves whether you be in the faith. Examine yourselves. I'm not to examine you. Prove
your own selves. Know ye not your own selves,
how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be a reprobate? Now, here's the third thing I
want us to notice in verse two and three. Back in Luke chapter
eight, turn back over there. And certain women, Certain women,
now yesterday they had, if any of you watched the news yesterday,
there's women everywhere in all these cities, right? Did you
see it on the news? Women, women everywhere, marching,
marching, marching. What were they doing? I'll tell
you in a minute. These certain women here, which
had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called
Magdalene, out of whom the Lord cast seven devils, Joanna, the
wife of Cusa, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others,
many others, which ministered unto him of their substance,
of their substance. Certain women. Who are these
many women? Well, certain women which had
been healed. I mean, they've been healed.
They've met the Lord and He healed them, body, soul, and spirit. These women were chosen to salvation
from the foundation of the world. Well, we read, we are bound to
give thanks to God for you, brethren, and that includes the women among
God's elect. We are bound to give thanks to
God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has,
from the beginning, chosen you to salvation. Their names are
written in the Book of Life. Before time began, in the Lamb
Book of Life, turn over here to Philippians chapter 4. Philippians chapter 4. Their
names were written in the Book of Life. These women, God's elect. Philippians chapter 4, look at
verse 1. Therefore, my brethren, dearly
beloved, long for my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord,
my dearly beloved. I beseech Jodeas and Syntyche
that they be of the same mind in the Lord. I entreat thee also,
true yokefella, help those women which labored with me in the
gospel, with Clement also, other my fellow laborers whose names
are in the Book of Life." When were they put there? When God
chose a people in eternal election and wrote their name in the Lamb's
Book of Life. Rejoice in the Lord always. Rejoice
in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice in the Lord. These women had experience in
saving power and wonder of His sovereign grace. They have been
healed of evil spirits and many infirmities. Last week we talked
about a woman whose name was not given, but one whose sins,
which were many, were forgiven, who loved much. Remember Luke
7 verse 47, Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many,
are forgiven, for she loved much. Verse 48, 47, Her thy sins are
forgiven. Now be sure you know these women
that are mentioned here, Their sins were also forgiven. But
back in Luke 7, the Lord doesn't even mention the name of that
woman. But here we have the name of three women. Three women. The first one we read about is
Mary Magdalene. She lived in a city by the name
of Magdala. The Lord cast seven demons out
of her soul. She served the Lord out of gratitude
and love. It was this same Mary who stood
at the foot of the cross when the Lord was crucified. It was
this same Mary who went to the grave that third morning to whom
the Lord appeared and who went and told the disciples, the Lord
is risen! And they laughed at Mary. Mary
was a faithful woman. The Lord had done much for her
and in her and given her salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. The
second that is mentioned here is this woman by the name of
Joanna. Joanna. Now notice it says specifically
that she was the wife of one named Cusa, Herod. Who was Herod? Herod was a wicked,
wicked king and he had a steward in his house named Cusa and his
wife met the Lord in saving mercy, and He healed her and forgave
her sin." And then Susanna. Susanna. Her husband, Joanna's
husband, was a high servant. This word, steward, here seems
to indicate that Cusa took care of all the dealings, the legal
and financial dealings, of Carrie. Her husband was a high servant
of a wicked king, but even in the household of a wealthy, wicked,
powerful man, the Lord has his sheep, and he will cross their
path with the gospel." We read in Scripture, not many wise men,
not many mighty, not many noble are called, but thank God, some
are. This woman was Joanna Mary of
Magdala. And then thirdly, Susanna. Susanna. We used to sing that
song as a boy, old Susanna. You know, this is the only mention
of her name in Scripture. And there's nothing given about
her other than the fact she met the Lord, she loved the Lord,
she ministered unto Him. Why did she do that? Out of gratitude
and a thankful heart. No information is given about
her in the Scripture, but this is certain. She walked with Christ
because she loved Him. And the Lord had forgiven all
her sin. Now notice what they did. Notice what they did. Many others also that are not
mentioned here, but notice what they did. They ministered unto
Him. These women, now don't misunderstand
what I'm saying here, these women were in the ministry. Every believer is in the ministry. They serve God's purpose by serving
one another. They ministered unto Him of their
substance. Like the woman we read about
last week who brought the alabaster box of ointment, and fell at
the Lord's feet, and kissed His feet, and shed her tears, and
washed His feet with the hairs of her head, and anointed His
feet with oil, These women worshipped the Lord with what they had.
These women worshipped the Lord and supported the gospel with
the substance they were blessed to have. Now we know this, the
Lord didn't need their substance, did he? He owns a cattle on a
thousand hills. But the Lord did not refuse their
willing service to Him. How gracious is our great King,
our Lord Jesus Christ, to truly allow us and to bless us to worship
Him in spirit and in truth, to allow sinners to express our
devotion and love toward Him, who is altogether lovely. To
you who believe, The Lord Jesus Christ, He is precious. To you
who believe, Christ is all and in all. Now in closing, let me
give you this. Let us follow the example of
these three things that are mentioned here. Like our wonderful Lord
and Master going and preaching the good news of the gospel wherever
we go. To everyone we meet, Declare
the gospel, as Paul said, for as much as in me is, I'm ready
to preach the gospel to you who are at Rome also. For the gospel
is the power of God and the salvation to everyone that believe it.
Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith. So let us not be ashamed of the
gospel, the gospel that publishes peace, the gospel that publishes
salvation in Christ, that says God reigns over all things, and
then secondly, Let us, like these faithful disciples who willingly
serve the Lord out of love and gratitude, to be ever found with
Him, counting all things but loss, that we might win Christ
and be found in Him. And then like these devoted women,
like these devoted women, Let us be like these devoted women,
bowed to his will to serve the cause of Christ, to promote his
glory and the cause of God and his truth. Let us contend for
the faith once delivered unto the saints. May God bless us
to do so. There was a young man many years
ago who approached an old preacher of the gospel. The old preacher
of the gospel's name was Rob Barnard. And this young person
came to this old preacher after the service and said, Preacher,
I want to serve the Lord. You know what he said? Do it. Do
it. Remember over here in, don't
turn, let me just read it to you. Submitting to the will of
the Lord, do it. When they ran out of wine at
that wedding, and his mother said this to those
servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. You want to
serve the Lord? I'd like to serve the Lord. Do
it. Do it. Do it by His will. Do it by His grace. And do it
to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.