He Went Throughout Every City

In Lk 8:1-3, Jesus was still in Galilee.  He went throughout every city and village.  From Lk 4:43 we learn that Jesus was sent to preach the kingdom of God “to other cities” also.  Therefore, he didn’t just go to one or two principal cities in an area; he went to every city and village.

This is the commission of the gospel, Acts 1:8.  We still go and must go to every place to preach the gospel where there are people who need to hear.

Preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the Kingdom God.  Tidings are pieces of news.  Throughout the Bible, they were typically brought from one location to another by a messenger.  Concerning the kingdom of God, the tidings came from God in heaven and were delivered by angels and the Lord Jesus.

Jesus preached these glad tidings:

• God coming like a shepherd to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, Is 40:9-11.
• The Lord publishing peace and salvation, Is 52:7.
• The Lord proclaiming liberty to the captives and the acceptable year of the Lord, Is 61:1-2, Lk 4:17-21.
• The Lord preaching the gospel, Mk 1:14.

Jesus shewed these glad tidings:

• He bound up the brokenhearted, Is 61:1.
• He opened the prison to them that were bound, Is 61:1.
• He saved the lost, Lk 2:10-11.  Publicans and harlots entered the kingdom of God, Matt 21:31
• He cast out devils, Matt 12:28.
• He raised the dead, healed the sick, etc. Lk 7:16 (v.14, 22).

Notice that the Old Testament prophecies containing glad tidings about Jesus prophesy both his first and second coming.  This is why the rulers thought he was going to overthrow them and his disciples and followers thought he was going to be their king.

When Jesus made his entry into Jerusalem and the people were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest”, the rulers were determined that he had to die then.

The twelve were with him.  They learned by being with Jesus as he went throughout every city and village.  See Phil 4:9.  The common saying is, “The ministry is caught not taught”.  This is how Timothy learned from Paul,  See Acts 16:3 and 2 Tim 3:10-11.  This is how men learn from us.

Certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities were also with him.  One of them was Mary called Magdalene.  Magdalene means she was from Magdala.  Jesus was from Nazareth, thus he was a Nazarene, Matt 2:23.

Imagine the change in this woman’s life.  You are familiar with the terrible reputations of other people who were possessed with devils.  Yet, after these devils came out of Mary, she became one of the closest women to help the disciples and minister to Jesus.

Also among the women was Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward.  How unlikely that the wife of Herod’s steward would have anything to do with Jesus,  One Herod tried to kill Jesus right after he was born, and another Herod killed John the Baptist.  She wasn’t afraid what following Jesus would do to her.

These women followed him as he and his disciples traveled and ministered unto him of their substance.  Try to visualize the scene as he went throughout all these cities and villages.  He had quite a following of disciples and helpers.

These women followed Jesus all the way to Jerusalem where he was crucified, Matt 27:55-56.  And they were the first to discover that he had risen from the dead, Lk 23:55-24:10.

Conclusion: from these three verses we learn that Jesus was constantly moving from place to place to preach.  Preaching the kingdom of God was truly good news to his followers.  God had visited them.  Yet, he did not come the first time to rule and reign over Israel and the all the nations of the world.  He’ll do this when he returns.  His twelve disciples learned by “on the job training”.  And the women who were healed by him were faithful to travel with him and minister to him all the way to the end of his ministry.

Thus, we should be encouraged and instructed to continue to publish the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  This is what Paul did in Acts 13:32.  And this is what we should do, Rom 10:14-15.

Furthermore, as women were faithful to minister to the Lord when he was here, likewise they can and should be faithful to minister to him today.

To study the previous lesson, see A Forgiven Sinner.