Luke |lo͞ok| an evangelist, closely associated with St. Paul and traditionally the author of the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. Feast day, October 18. • the third Gospel.
The book of Luke was written for all people. It was a letter written to all lovers of God, by Luke, a physician and friend of the Apostle Paul.
Luke is known as the mercy gospel. It is a book written for all who are in need of mercy and love. (That’s us.)
As I read through the gospel of Luke, I find it interesting that Luke writes more about Jesus’ ministry to women than any of the other gospel authors. Luke sheds light on the humanity of Jesus—breaking down every barrier between Jews and Gentiles, the rich and the poor, and even the barriers between men and women.
Jesus came to set the captives free. He came to give the oppressed a voice. He came to shed light on darkness—and in His day and age, He came to do all of these things for women.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” Luke 4:18-19
As a woman living in the Western world, where I have freedoms and liberties that are not offered to every woman on this planet, I feel great responsibility to understand and share just how important Jesus’ ministry to women was…
Women were oppressed in Jesus’ day. The fact that Jesus hung out with women, talked with women, healed women, and even invited women to listen to His teaching was absolute blasphemy. The Pharisees and religious leaders hated this (among the many other things they disliked about Jesus…).
But the book of Luke makes one thing very clear: Jesus is the Savior of ALL who come to Him. Even the oppressed. Even the sick. Even the outcasts. Even—women.
Genesis tells us that “God made human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them,” (Genesis 1:27 NLT).
The Bible is very clear that God made both men and women in His image. This means we carry the DNA of our Heavenly Father. We are the daughters of the God of the universe. And we naturally display the feminine nature of God in all we do.
I believe Jesus came to free women from the oppression they were under because of the power we carry when we understand our worth.
There are still women all over the world who live in oppression because of the unjust laws placed over them. But what is even more sad to me, is when I see women who live in a “free” society, who still subject themselves to bondage because of their own shame, fear, depression, or insecurity.
Women! Jesus came to set us free. Completely. We are no longer slaves to our sinful nature. We have all freedom to live in holiness because of what Christ has done for us.
Be encouraged in your femininity today—in your nurturing spirit, your desire to love and be loved, your heart to serve, your gift to create, your ability to reproduce, your strength, your beauty, your discernment, and your God-given feminine attributes.
You are a powerful representation of God’s love for humanity.
And you, dear daughter, are deeply and completely loved by Him.
XO-
Sabrina
“And I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven. So she has shown much love.” Luke 7:47