(Notes from our Online Ladies Home Group)
In a world of uncertainty, change and challenges. This message is a word of encouragement to all God’s beautiful women. Let’s never forget Christ’s love for each one of us.
Did you know: The word adam is a neutral term meaning “human,” not specifically a man. In the original Hebrew text, all references to Adam are neutral until God makes a woman: ishah, in Hebrew. Only at that point is Adam called ish, a man. The Hebrew word ishah hints at her origins from within the ish, something that we can mimic in English, with the words “man” and “woman.” But interestingly, Adam is never called an ish until the ishah has been separated from him.
The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
Paul’s ministry highlights a few key notes where “woman” were mentioned & how they were viewed.
Like Jesus, Paul relied on woman – Phebe a deaconess who had a leadership title was entrusted by Paul to deliver letters to Romans.
I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea
Priscilla and Aquila had a close relationship with Paul, like him they were tent makers and Paul often mentioned her first in his letter. It was common in those days to list the person you held superior first in a letter/ list.
Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
As we explore and read the Gospel, we will notice that Paul’s value system was based on the Messiah not on gender. See below:
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Have you ever wondered how Jesus viewed women?
Jesus HEALED woman
Mary Magdalene was healed from 7 demons.
Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and [a]bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons,
Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-Law
Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was very sick. She had a high fever. They asked Jesus to do something to help her. He stood very close to her and ordered the sickness to go away. The sickness left her, and she got up and began serving them.
Jesus healed a woman from a bleeding disorder that lasted 18 years.
The woman heard about Jesus, so she followed him with the other people and touched his coat. She thought, “If I can just touch his clothes, that will be enough to heal me.” As soon as she touched his coat, her bleeding stopped. She felt that her body was healed from all the suffering.
Truth: When we reach out to Jesus in our pain and brokenness, He is faithful to heal us and meet our deepest needs. He speaks peace and freedom over our lives.
Jesus DEFENDED woman
A woman was caught in adultery. (She represents the sin in all of us). Jesus brought hope and healing instead of shame and condemnation. In this story we see no man was found without sin. The good news is the woman found peace and safety at the feet of Jesus.
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us ]that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Truth: Jesus came to heal us spiritually and set us from sin. He came to make a way as our Defender & Rescuer. Look up at Jesus. You are strong only in Him.
Jesus DEPENDED upon woman
Mary Magdalene was the first person to see Jesus after His resurrection. A women! Jesus commissioned her to tell others about His resurrection.
But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. While she was crying, she bent down and looked inside the tomb. She saw two angels dressed in white sitting where Jesus’ body had been. One was sitting where the head had been; the other was sitting where the feet had been.
The angels asked Mary, “Woman, why are you crying?”
Mary answered, “They took away the body of my Lord, and I don’t know where they put him.” When Mary said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not know that it was Jesus.
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
She thought he was the man in charge of the garden. So she said to him, “Did you take him away, sir? Tell me where you put him. I will go and get him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and said in Aramaic, “Rabboni,” which means “Teacher.”
Jesus said to her, “You don’t need to hold on to me! I have not yet gone back up to the Father. But go to my followers[a] and tell them this: ‘I am going back to my Father and your Father. I am going back to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went to the followers and told them, “I saw the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her.
Mary of Bethany who poured expensive perfume on Jesus. Mary’s anointing was the outward symbolism of Jesus being prepared for His burial.
Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper. 7 While he was there, a woman came to him. She had an alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. She poured the perfume on Jesus’ head while he was eating.
The followers saw the woman do this and were upset at her. They said, “Why waste that perfume? It could be sold for a lot of money, and the money could be given to those who are poor.”
But Jesus knew what happened. He said, “Why are you bothering this woman? She did a very good thing for me. You will always have the poor with you. But you will not always have me. This woman poured perfume on my body. She did this to prepare me for burial after I die. The Good News will be told to people all over the world. And I can assure you that everywhere the Good News is told, the story of what this woman did will also be told, and people will remember her.”
Here are a few encouraging Bible verses for woman. Reminding us of our worth and value.
Psalm 46:5 – “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.”
Proverbs 31:30 – “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
Proverbs 31:16-17- “She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.”
1 Corinthians 15:10 –“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
Psalm 139:14 – “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
1 Corinthians 11-12 – “Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.
Luke 1:45 – “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Proverbs 31:25 – “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.”
Proverbs 31:26 – “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”
We note there is no shortage of incredible women through the Gospel. Each one of them have made their mark on the Christian world.
Be inspired and motivated as you spend time with God and read about their bravery, trust, patience, and unwavering faith. As you learn more may God’s love and grace embrace each of you on your personal walk with your Saviour.
