Follow Closely to Jesus
“Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.”
All around the world, people pause today to remember Jesus as He hung on the cross. We call it Good Friday because though it was the worst day in the life of Jesus, it was a good day for humanity. It was the day that Jesus made the last sacrifice for our sins. The work of redemption was done. It was a good Friday.
As I have studied the ministry of Jesus, from launching in Galilee through the resurrection, I noticed a woman I hadn’t paid much attention to that had seen it all! Her name was Joanna, and she followed closely to Jesus.
We first see her name in Luke 8:3, where several women were listed as part of Jesus’ entourage as He went about proclaiming the good news through cities and villages. Jesus had cured her, and she provided for His ministry out of her own resources.
In Luke 23, we see the story of the cross unfold, as Jesus goes from Pilate to the cross to the burial. In verse 49, we see the women who followed Him from Galilee standing at a distance, watching all these things. And in verses 55-56, it says that these women saw the tomb, how His body was laid, then went off to prepare spices and ointments.
After the sabbath, the women returned to the tomb with the spices they had prepared, only to find that the stone had been rolled away with no sign of Jesus’ body. They were perplexed by what had happened when they encountered two men in dazzling clothes.
The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. (Luke 24:5-10, NRSV)
There she is again. She is listed by name as a woman who had been traveling with Jesus since Galilee. Joanna bore witness to it all. She saw miracles and wonders. She heard our Lord preach the good news. She gave of her resources to make sure the gospel went out. And she watched from a distance, our Lord on the cross. I can imagine her crushing spices and making ointments with her hands to care for the body of Jesus in His death. And after her encounter at the tomb, she was one of the women who proclaimed to the apostles that our Savior had risen!
She saw it all because she followed closely to Jesus. And she proclaimed the resurrection! Her name is not listed again, but I am confident she is among the “certain women” in Acts 1:14 who constantly devoted herself to prayer with the other disciples. I am convinced that she was among the gathered on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1). And I am certain that having witnessed the life and saving work of Jesus, up close and personal, she continued to testify about her Lord and proclaim the good news long after the resurrection.
Prayer Starter
Father, we thank You for the indescribable love and work of Jesus on the cross. We stand as witnesses to Your goodness and grace. Like Joanna, we are your disciples who will follow closely to Jesus and use everything we have to proclaim the good news. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Dig Deeper
Luke 24:22-27, “‘Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.’ Then he said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.” (NRSV)
John 15:8, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (NIV)
Reflections
As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus this weekend, consider what this all means for you personally. Joanna was cured by Jesus and became a devoted follower. What has Jesus redeemed you from? Be sure to testify to what you have seen in your own life.
