A Series on
Living in the Wilderness
Mary Magdalene
(Click on the
link below to read the verses.)
Luke 8:1-3
[In this series
we’ll be looking at people who lived in the wilderness of life. In fact, there
are times when we all feel like we are living in the wilderness. During those
times, it’s important to remember that the Lord is faithful, that He loves you
and is always with you.]
Mary Magdalene had three strikes against her.
Her first one was simply due to the fact that she
was a woman. Women in that culture were treated like second class citizens.
They had no property or inheritance rights. In fact, they were considered the
property of the man in their life, whether it was a husband or a father.
That brings us to her second strike. Women at that
time were valued for bearing children. Because of this, they were known by who
their husband was. For example, one of the women mentioned in this passage was “Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business
manager”.
Unlike Joanna, Mary Magdalene had no such attachment
to her name. She was called Magdalene because she was from the fishing village of
Magdala. This would seem to indicate that she wasn’t married and therefore had
no children.
The third strike against her was that seven demons were
living inside of her. According to
the New Bible Commentary, “Seven is a round number, indicating the worst
possible state of corruption”. We can safely assume that she was a tormented
soul controlled by evil spirits.
For Mary Magdalene, it was three strikes and you’re
out! Even though they were not of her own accord, she would have been viewed
with utter contempt by respectable Jews. She would have been socially and
religiously isolated. She would have been considered unredeemable.
But not by Jesus. For him, she wasn’t defined by those
negative circumstances and experiences. She wasn’t defined by her failures or
sins. Instead, he saw someone that had been uniquely created in the image of God;
who had value and the potential purpose of building God’s kingdom.
Jesus had three strikes of his own. One in each hand
and the third through his feet. In doing this, he not only took away Mary
Magdalene’s three strikes, but he also took yours and mine. He made it possible
for our forgiveness and redemption. Paul put it like this in his letter to the
Romans.
24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from
this body of death? 25a Thanks be to God, who delivers
me through Jesus Christ our Lord! 1 Therefore, there is
now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. NIV
In the game of life, three strikes doesn’t mean
you’re out if Jesus is in your heart. What it does mean though is that you’re
forgiven. And, that everyday life is starting over for you with a clean slate, a
new purpose and the opportunity to live life to the fullest.
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