Title: Women of Faith / Luke 8:1-3
A woman is the most influential person in a man's life. Mothers have a far greater influence on their children than fathers. That is why there is a saying, “It is men who move the world, but women who move men”. There is also a saying that “the hand that rocks the cradle shakes the world”. A cradle is a chariot that puts, sits, and shakes a child to entertain or put them to sleep. After all, the man who grew up in the hands of the mother who shook the child will shake the world. Behind Jacob was his mother Rebekah, and behind Moses was his mother Jochebed. Behind Timothy were her grandmother Lois and her mother Eunice.
According to the verse I read this morning, Jesus went through each city and village, preaching the good news about the kingdom of God. At this time, the twelve disciples also went with Jesus. Not only that, but the women also accompanied Jesus and his disciples with their possessions. Among them were women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases. A man like Mary Magdalene was possessed by seven demons. There was also a man named Joanna, the wife of Kusa, who was a servant of King Herod at that time. Susanna and several other women accompanied him and helped Jesus and his disciples.
In the Jewish society at the time of Jesus, women traditionally did not have an equal status with men and were not treated personally. Even when counting the number of people, it was said to be “a few other than women.” However, Jesus was very interested in women, children, and the sick, who were socially disadvantaged at the time.
One of the common names in Jewish society was “Mary.” The meaning of this name is “to be loved” or “to be exalted.”
This morning, among the women of faith, we are going to find some who have the name “Mary” and discover their faith.
1. The obedient woman, Mary the mother of Jesus
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was betrothed to Joseph, and she heard from an angel that she would be conceived by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the baby Jesus. Astonished by the angel's words, Mary asked, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" The angel said, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." Mary obeyed in faith, saying, “I am the maidservant of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.”
Mary fled to Egypt with the baby Jesus because King Herod wanted to kill all children under the age of two. After returning from Egypt, Mary lived in Nazareth.
When Jesus died on the cross, Mary experienced the pain of watching her son suffer. After Jesus was resurrected and ascended into heaven, he experienced the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost while praying with other children and 120 other saints. Mary was a woman blessed enough to be praised as “the benefactor” among all women over the centuries, and she believed in and nurtured the Son of God, Jesus, not as a human son but as the Son of God and absolutely obeyed God’s will became a woman. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a faith that will be remembered as a woman of obedience. Even in today's church, women who obey these words are required.
2. The woman of devotion, Martha's sister Mary
In John 11-12, we find the story of three children, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, from the village of Bethany. When Jesus came to Jerusalem, the place he often stopped by was the village of Bethany, and Jesus stayed at Mary's house.
In Luke 10, when Jesus stopped by Bethany for a while, Martha invited Jesus to her house. At that time, Martha's younger sister, Mary, was sitting at Jesus' feet and listening to the Word, while her sister Martha was busy preparing food. The older sister Martha said to Jesus as if she was displeased that her sister was sitting still and listening to Jesus. “Lord, do you mind that my brother does not help me? Please tell me to help” (Luke 10:40).
Then Jesus said to Martha. “Martha, Martha! You are anxious and restless because of too much work. But there is only one thing needed. Mary has chosen the good side, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:4-42).
Mary, who liked to listen to the words at Jesus' feet, had poured perfume on Jesus' feet a few days before He was crucified and wiped them with her hair.
In John 12, 6 days before the Passover, Jesus went to the village of Bethany where Lazarus lived. Lazarus is the man whom Jesus raised from the dead. The people in the house served Jesus dinner. Martha was in charge of serving the food, and Lazarus was among those dining with Jesus. At this time Mary brought about 300 grams of very expensive perfume, poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. Then the fragrance filled the whole house. At this time, one of Jesus' disciples, Judas Iscariot, was there. He was the one who would later betray Jesus. said Yuda. “Is it not good to sell this perfume and give the money to the poor? This is expensive, equivalent to three hundred denarii.” But Judas didn't really say this for the poor. He said this because he was a thief. Martha's sister Mary here can be seen as a devoted woman who can spend the most precious thing for the Lord. Even today's church needs a woman of such dedication.
3. Witness of the Resurrection, Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was a woman possessed by seven demons. The name “Magdala” was given because the name Mary appears in the Bible many times. This is a small town near the Sea of Galilee. He had been possessed by seven demons and was healed by Jesus. He was so grateful and thankful that he gave his property to serve Jesus and his disciples. Mary Magdalene was also the first person to meet the resurrected Jesus when he was crucified, when he was buried, and when he went to anoint his body on the Sabbath.
In John 20, Mary Magdalene wept over the empty tomb where Jesus was buried. At this time, I saw two angels in white robes. The angel asked Mary Magdalene. “Woman, why are you crying?”
Maria answered. “People have taken our Lord somewhere, and we do not know where we have put Him.”
When Mary had said these words, she looked back and Jesus was standing there. But Mary did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus asked Mary. “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
Mary thought he was the gardener, and said, “Well, if you have moved him to another place, please tell me where you have moved him. Then I'll take you."
Jesus said to Mary, “Mary!” Mary turned to Jesus and cried out in Aramaic, “Raboni.”
Mary Magdalene, who met the resurrected Jesus, went to Jesus' disciples and said, "I have seen the Lord!"
Mary Magdalene, who was healed after being possessed by seven demons. Mary Magdalene was the first witness to the resurrection of Jesus. Even today's church needs witnesses like Mary Magdalene.
4. Korean patriotic woman, Maria Kim
Maria Kim is a Christian female educator and patriot.
Maria Kim was born on June 18, 1892, in Songcheon-ri, Daegu-myeon, Jangyeon-gun, Hwanghae-do, the third daughter of a father Kim Yun-bang and mother Kim Mong-eun.
The eldest sister is Kim Ham-ra Kwon Sa-ra and the wife of the late Dr. Kwon Hamra Kim has been attending our Namdaemun Church since his return from Shanghai after liberation. From 1946-1964, she showed outstanding leadership as the president of the Namdaemun Church Women's Evangelism Association. Kwon Hamra Kim passed away in 1969, but during his lifetime, he devoted himself to building the church, and in 1955, he worked hard as vice chairman of the Architecture Committee.
After graduating from Yeondong Girls' School and now Shinjin Girls' School, Ms. Kim Maria worked as a teacher at Sufia Girls' High School in Gwangju, and then three years later, she was appointed as a math teacher at Shinjin Girls' School. Later, she attended Tokyo Women's Academy in Japan, and returned home preparing for the 3.1 Movement with her graduation nearing her graduation. After the March 1st Movement, he was arrested by the Japanese police and released on parole after 5 months of torture.
In September 1919, he gathered about 20 influential women leaders to rebuild the Korean Patriotic Women's Association and took office as president, but he was arrested again and sentenced to three years in prison. Six months later, he was released on bail. After that, from 1933, when he went to study in the United States in 1923, he taught at Martha Wilson Theological Seminary in Wonsan, Hamgyeong Province, until his death.
While serving as president of the National Federation of Presbyterian Women’s Evangelism Association several times, Mr. Kim was arrested by the Japanese police while continuing the anti-Japanese struggle while spreading the movement to reject shrine worship. He passed away in March 1944 at the end of his life.
I am Mary, the mother of Jesus, who showed the virtue of obedience while celebrating Women’s Evangelism Sunday today; Mary, the sister of Martha, who showed the virtue of devotion, who anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume and brushed his hair with her hair; I briefly introduced Mary Magdalene, who not only served Jesus and his disciples by giving all of his fortune, but also witnessed the resurrection of Jesus first, and Mary Kim, a patriotic man who was better in Korea. At the center of all of them was Jesus Christ. There was love for Jesus Christ. Now, the 5th Mary and the 6th Mary will have to continue to come out.
I chose all five hymns to be sung during today's worship service as the hymns written by Fanny J. Crosby (1820-1915). Among the hymns we sing, Ms. Crosby's hymn has the most with 23.
The Apostle Paul said in Romans 16:13, “Greetings Rufus, the elect in the Lord, and his mother. That mother was my mother.” The reason that Paul was able to fulfill his role as an apostle was because of the love and encouragement of the saints like his mother.
In the community of the church, there are elders like fathers, priests like mothers, and many saints like brothers and sisters, so you can build a church that is like a family.