JESUS MADE A DIFFERENCE…

in the Lives of Women

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   The Bible gets criticized often due to some of the teachings involving women.

1.    1 Corinthians 14:34

 

Let your women keep silence in the churches:  for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

 

2.    Ephesians 5:24

 

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wive be to their own husbands in every thing.

 

3.    1 Timothy 5:14

 

I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

 

B.   None of these things are meant to harm women in any way.  Most of the commands are intended for order within God’s divine institutions of the home and the church.

 

C.   A study of Jesus’ relationship with women will prove that deity had a high regard for them.  There is not one occasion wherein Jesus treated a woman with harshness or contempt. 

 

D.   In this lesson, we want to look at the subject:  “Jesus Made A Difference…in the Lives of Women.”

 

I.             A WOMAN WHO WAS SICK

 

A.   Most Bible students are familiar with Jesus’ encounter with the woman with an issues of blood recorded in the fifth chapter of Mark’s gospel.

 

B.   The background:

1.    Jesus was on His way to heal the ruler of the synagogue’s daughter.  The man’s name was Jairus (Mark 5:22-23).

2.    As Jesus made His way to Jairus’ house “much people followed him, and thronged him” (Mark 5:24).

3.    A certain woman heard that Jesus was passing by (Mark 5:27).

a.    She had an issue of blood (Mark 5:25).

b.    She had suffered many things of many physicians (Mark 5:26).

c.    She had spent all she had (Mark 5:26).

d.    She was nothing better, but “rather grew worse” (Mark 5:26).

e.    She told herself:  “If I may but touch his clothes, I shall be whole” (Mark 5:28).  And, this is precisely what she did (Mark 5:27).

4.    The miracle was immediate (Mark 5:29).

 

And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

 

5.    Jesus knew that virtue or power had gone out of Him, and questioned:  “Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30).

6.    When Jesus turned to see who had touched Him, the woman feared and fell down before him, and told him all the truth (Mark 5:33).

 

C.   Jesus made a difference in the life of this woman.

1.    He healed her.

a.    No more bleeding difficulties.

b.    No more suffering.

c.    No more doctors.

d.    No more waste of money.

e.    No more struggles with being unclean.

f.     Now she could live her live as a “normal” person.

2.    He commended her faith (Mark 5:34).

 

And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

 

3.    She is recorded forever in Scripture as an example of great faith.

 

II.           A WOMAN WHO WAS SUFFERING

 

A.   Another woman whose life was dramatically influenced by Christ is only know to us as “a widow” (Luke 7:12).

 

B.   Background:

1.    Jesus went into the city of Nain with His disciples and much people with Him (Luke 7:11).

2.    As He was going in, a procession was going out (Luke 7:12).

 

Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow:  and much people with her.

 

a.    This woman had previously experienced the loss of her husband.

b.    Now, she was experiencing a second loss, the son of her only son.

3.    Jesus’ reaction is priceless (Luke 7:13).

 

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

 

a.    Jesus had compassion on this woman.  In other words, He suffered with her.

b.    His compassion brought Him near to her, and He told her not to weep.

4.    The miracle (Luke 7:14-14)

 

And he came and touched the bier:  and they that bare him stood still.  And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.  And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak.  And he delivered him to his mother.

 

C.   Jesus made a huge difference in this woman’s life.

1.    Her grief was immediately removed.

2.    She was no longer alone.

3.    She would have a son that she could enjoy for many years to come.

4.    Perhaps he would live long enough to care for her in her old age.

 

 

III.         A WOMAN WHO WAS SERVING

 

A.   On one occasion in the life of Christ, a woman entered into the home of Simon where Jesus was and broke an alabaster box of “very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat” (Matt. 26:7).  This woman was providing as act of service to the Lord.

 

B.   Background:

1.    She was immediately criticized by the disciples of the Lord.

a.    “To what purpose is this waste” (Matt. 26:8).

b.    “For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor” (Matt. 26:9).

c.    Question:  How did this woman feel when these words of harsh ciritcism were spoken against her?  Shame?  Embarrassment?  Hurt?  Sorrow?

d.    Jesus immediately rescued this woman from her accusers (Matt. 26:10-13).

1.    An Admonition:  “Why trouble ye this woman?”

2.    A Commendation:  “…for she hath wrought a good work upon me.”

3.    A Reflection:  “For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.”

4.    An Explanation:  “For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.”

5.    An Affirmation:  “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel is preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.”

 

C.   Jesus made a difference in the life of this woman.

1.    He protected her from evil critics.

2.    He healed any hurt that she experienced from their accusations.

3.    He caused her to be justified for her actions.

4.    He set her up as someone who would be remembered wherever the gospel was preached in all the world.

 

IV.         A WOMAN WHO WAS SINFUL

 

A.   The final example is also an unnamed woman noted in John 4.

1.    We know her as the woman of Samaria.

2.    We know her as the woman at the well.

3.    We know her as a sinner.

 

B.   Background:

1.    Jesus was weary and sat at Jacob’s well while His disciples went into the city to buy food (vs, 6,8)

2.    This woman of Samaria came to the well, and Jesus made a simple request of her:  “Give me to drink” (v. 7).

3.    The woman was perplexed, and said unto Him:  “How is it that thou, being a Jews, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria?  for the Jews haveno dealings with the Samaritans” (v. 9).

 

C.   From that point onward, Jesus would make a difference in her life.

1.    He broke down social barriers that existed between them (v. 7-9).

2.    He taught her about the living water (vs. 10-15).

3.    He exposed her sinful lifestyle (v. 16-18).

4.    He corrected her view of worship (vs. 20-24).

5.    He proclaimed Himself to be the Messiah to her (vs. 25-26).

6.    He caused her to become an evangelist to her people (vs. 28-30).

 

Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did:  is not this the Christ?  Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We have seen four accounts in this lesson.

1.    One account from Matthew, another from Mark, another from Luke, and another from John.

2.    None of the women are named in these examples.

3.    Jesus made a difference in the lives of each of them.

a.    Healing to a sick woman.

b.    Comfort to a suffering woman.

c.    Protection to a serving woman.

d.    Salvation to a sinful woman.

 

B.   Jesus came to make a difference.  It mattered not whether one was a man or woman.

 

C.   The same is true today.  He wants to make a difference in the lives of all who are on the earth, men and women alike.