Some Women (Luke 8:1-8)
Luke 8:1–15
If we’re honest, most of us are building little kingdoms all the time. We pour ourselves into our careers, reputations, relationships, or even our kids’ achievements—hoping these things will give us life, identity, and stability. But sooner or later, even the most impressive kingdoms crumble.
Luke 8 gives us a better story.
The Kingdom Jesus Brings
As Jesus travels from town to town, Luke tells us He is “proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God.” Scripture paints this kingdom not as a territory or political system, but as God’s loving rule in our hearts and in the world—a kingdom that is both present and coming, both deeply personal and eternally cosmic.
It is a kingdom built not on human achievement but on God’s grace breaking into real lives.
The People We Least Expect
When Luke lists Jesus’ followers, he surprises us. It’s not a lineup of religious elites—it’s fishermen, farmers, a former tax collector, and even a political revolutionary. And then Luke highlights three women traveling with Jesus: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna.
These women had been healed, restored, and dignified by Jesus. In a culture that minimized and marginalized women, Jesus lifts them up as disciples and partners in ministry. They financially supported Him. They traveled with Him. They remained at the cross when others fled. And they were the first witnesses of His resurrection.
The kingdom of God always moves toward the overlooked and the unexpected—then turns them into messengers of His love.
Receiving, Not Achieving
Jesus’ parable of the sower (Luke 8:4–15) helps us understand how the kingdom grows in us. We don’t earn it or construct it—we receive it. Our hearts are the soil, and the seed of God’s Word takes root when we come honestly, humbly, and dependently before Him.
Kingdom life begins not with striving, but with surrender.
Mary received healing.
Joanna received courage to follow Jesus despite great risk.
Susanna received grace and responded with generosity.
All three remind us that God’s kingdom comes to those who are willing to be healed, led, and changed.
A Different Kind of King
Jesus doesn’t build His kingdom through power or influence. He establishes it through the cross—through love, sacrifice, and the willingness to draw near to the hurting and the hardened alike.
And that is why His kingdom lasts.
So the question for us today is simple but deeply searching:
Am I trying to build my own kingdom, or am I receiving God’s?
Where might Jesus be inviting you to let go of control, pride, fear, or self-reliance?
Where is He asking you to let Him reign—bringing healing, freedom, and rest?
This week, may we be people who don’t simply admire the kingdom from a distance but actively receive it—trusting Jesus to reorder our vision, heal our wounds, and make us people of His love.
Reflection Questions
Where am I most tempted to build my own “kingdom”?
(Career, reputation, relationships, accomplishments, image, comfort, etc.)Which of the women in Luke 8 do I resonate with most right now—Mary needing healing, Joanna taking risks, or Susanna giving generously? Why?
What is one area of my life where Jesus is inviting me to loosen my grip and receive His kingdom with an open heart this week?
