How Jesus financed His ministry

 Luke 8 begins, [1] And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,

[2] And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
[3] And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

“It’s only in Luke that you find this little commentary about who goes along with Him,” explains Richard Jordan. “The twelve are with Him and they’re traveling in an itinerant ministry, but along with that is a whole host of people. He’s traveling with quite an entourage. In modern parlance you would say these were ‘my people,’ as the politicians and celebrities do.

“The thing that fascinates me is not so much that He has the 12 with Him (I expected that) but there’s this whole group of women following along; women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities. There's these two categories of miracles and here are some of the ones who had been healed.

“Mary Magdalene is introduced to you here and it says seven devils were cast out of her. Most of the time when you read about Mary Magdalene it’s said that she was this wicked woman and a harlot—none of that’s true, at least not based on what’s in Scripture.

“She had a great appreciation for the deliverance Christ had given her from satanic possession and oppression.

“You notice these ladies are ones of some influence: ‘Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward.’ Here’s somebody in the upper echelons of the governmental ranks of the day and this guy’s wife is out going around with Jesus, following Him around and working with Him. Susanna, you don’t ever hear of her again in the Bible, and many others, and it says ‘which ministered unto him of their substance.’

“I don’t know if you’ve ever wondered about how it is the Lord Jesus Christ lived during His earthly ministry. It’s not real clear in Scripture exactly how He financed most of His three and a half years of ministry. Prior to that time He worked as a carpenter. He learned the trade of His dad Joseph.

“Around age 30 He went up to be introduced into the ministry and from that point on He no longer lived at home and was no longer following the carpentry trade.

“Matthew 8: [19] And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
[20] And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

“He didn’t have a permanent dwelling place. He didn’t have a home. In His earthly ministry as the Son of man, the Messiah, He was basically homeless; a fugitive.

“And yet if you go to John 12: [4] Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
[5] Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
[6] This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

“When it says Judas had the bag, that’s the idea that he was the treasurer for the group. He carried the money purse.

“John 13:29: [29] For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

“Obviously the group had funds and somebody who took care of the money. Obviously what happened is people who were recipients of His ministry gave to Him, in return for His ministry, a place to live, things to eat, substance.

“They did what these ladies did; they ministered unto Him all their substance. He tells the apostles in Matthew 10:9 (the initial installment of the Great Commission): [9] Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
[10] Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

“The Lord, in the carrying out of His earthly ministry and in His life, demonstrated the things He taught. His followers placed at His disposal their means, and while He was doing miracles for other people (He feeds five thousand people at once and another time four thousand people at once, He turned water into wine . . .) He lived out of the charity of His followers, as they, out of love for Him, gave to Him to provide for His means and that of those who worked with Him.

“In the Sermon on the Mount, He says in Matt 6: [25] Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
[26] Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
[27] Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
[28] And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
[29] And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
[30] Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
[31] Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
[32] (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

[33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
[34] Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

“I’ve heard people quote, especially verse 33--you go down to the mission downtown and that verse gets quoted about six times every meeting.

“But what they ought to be quoting is Colossians 3: [1] If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
[2] Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
[3] For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."

(new post tomorrow)