“Christianity is Trustworthy!”

Good Morning. Today we are going to begin our journey through the Gospel of Luke. If you have your Bibles go with me to Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1 verses 1-4 give us the prologue or introductory act into what this Gospel is all about.

Luke is the author of this Gospel as well as the book of Acts, and probably wrote these two books around the beginning of A.D. 60. So, what do we know about his life? Well he is mentioned in several places throughout the New Testament and of course in his other book of Acts where he served as a friend and co-laborer alongside the Apostle Paul in his missionary journeys. Luke was not only a doctor but also a missionary, a medical missionary who was a friend too many of the Apostles but in particular Paul or formerly Saul of Tarsus. We know that Luke was born and raised in Antioch, and was from a Gentile family. He died sometime in his 80’s probably in a peaceful manner unlike most of the disciples.

There are a few interesting things that stand out to us about the Gospel of Luke. Luke is the only gospel writer to record the history of Zechariah and Elisabeth who were John the Baptist’s parents. Luke is the only author to record the angel’s announcement to Mary. Only Luke records the conversions of Zacchaeus and the thief on the cross next to Christ. Only Luke records the walk to Emmaus, and the famous parables of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the rich man and Lazarus, and the prodigal son. I tell you this today because as we look at these parts of God’s Word would should forever be thankful that these are recorded and given to us through God’s Spirit and through Luke. They show us the love and grace that Jesus showed toward sinners, people like you and I.

John MacArthur tells us that a running theme throughout Luke’s Gospel was that Jesus showed compassion for many. He showed compassion for the Gentiles, for Samaritans, for women and children, tax collectors and sinners. Luke took time more than any other writer to emphasize the central role of women in the life and ministry of the Lord. But more than any thing Luke gets right to the point. The main theme is that Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost.

Luke 19:10 ESV

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

This was the whole mission of Jesus! Let us take a look now at the first 4 verses of Luke chapter 1.

Luke 1:1–4 ESV

1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

Luke the good doctor who was inspired by the Holy Spirit sat down to write what we have in our hands today. He wrote this gospel to give us the readers of this gospel the good news and certainty concerning the things that we know to be true about Jesus. Over the course of the next year as we journey through this wonderful account of Christ, we will read and reread, how the Spirit will work to build us up in the truth of Christ.

What is so interesting about Lukes account of Christ is that before the Lord returned to heaven, Luke tells us that Christ told his disciples that they were going to be witnesses of the Messiah and His fulfillment of God’s promises. It’s as if the beginning of Luke and the end of Luke fit perfectly together. Turn with me to Luke 24 so that you can see this.

Luke 24:44–48 ESV

44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.

Luke truly gives us an accurate account of the life and ministry of Christ.

-Luke tells us that the angel Gabriel bore witness of God’s saving purposes to Zechariah and Mary, who then testified to the Lord’s work in their songs of praise.

-The angels bore witness of God’s saving purpose to the shepherds, and Simeon and Anna were witnesses that Jesus was the Messiah.

-Even John the Baptist the cousin of Christ told of the coming of Christ. He was a witness.

-Jesus himself called many people to be witnesses for him, and really zeroing in on the 12 disciples. Jesus taught others the truth about God and His holiness and His character.

-Jesus then went to the cross for our sin and rose from the grave 3 days later to bear witness to God’s hatred of sin and a commitment to show us mercy and grant us salvation.

-Jesus rose from the grave and appeared to many so that they could go out and be witnesses of what He had done for mankind. More than any of the other gospel writers Luke wanted others to know for certain that the gospel message is true and as believers we should be a witness to others about these wonderful things that we know to be for sure about Christ and His life. There are three things today that I want you to understand about our text.

1. The motivation for writing this Gospel.

Luke 1:1–2 ESV

What was the motivation behind all of this for Luke? Luke desired to give an account of the facts about Jesus. Christianity is a religion built on facts. Christianity is built on historical, cultural, verifiable facts, and we should never lose sight of this. The very first disciples and preachers did not go around teaching principles and doctrines that they made up. They went out into a sin infested world and told others about the Love of Christ who came down to earth and lived for us and died for us and rose again so that we may have life. This is the gospel message.

In fact, so important are the events about Jesus that many people had already taken to write up reports and a narrative concerning the life of Christ. We know this from verse 1 that others had set out too write down considerable things that they knew about the life of Christ. We are not sure who exactly had, but we do know that there were other gospels. The gospels of Matthew and Mark had already been written and so Luke may have been thinking about these gospels and Mark in particular as he writes about the many. We also know from Luke chapter 10 verse 1 that there were of course many disciples of Christ, so some of them may have written about Christ but there works would not have been considered inspired and part of the cannon.

Luke 10:1 ESV

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.

In verse 2 Luke gives us a wonderful picture of the apostles in the early church. He tells us that just as they were from the beginning. This would be the beginning of the Lord’s ministry, He had his disciples with him as he began to work miracles and preach the good news. So, the disciples were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word. Luke describes them as eyewitnesses because they had seen Jesus with their own eyes and heard Him speak with their own ears.

1 John 1:1 ESV

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—

Luke describes them as servants of the word. The word was Christ and so they were servants of Him and His Gospel message. These were men who counted it their honest honor and privilege to go out and share the good news about Christ to a sinful world, to tell the story about the cross and Christ’s resurrection from the grave. And so must we today. People need to know about what Christ has done for them. Will we continue to be witnesses about Jesus???

But while others had written about Christ, no one had put together as complete an account as Luke set out to write. Notice verse 3, “having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you.”

2. The Qualifications for writing this Gospel.

Luke 1:3 ESV

3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

Luke now begins to lay out his personal qualifications for writing this gospel. It was fitting for Luke having followed all things closely for some time, to write and orderly or accurate account. What this shows us is that Luke desired for his readers or his audience to not only have a complete account of Christ, but also an accurate one. A orderly account is one that says what should be next. It is an account that is not confusing or just thrown together. However, Luke does not write this gospel in such a way that every event will be related in perfect chronological detail.

What Luke was about to publish agreed with what had been delivered by word of mouth over and over again through the disciples who were eyewitnesses to what Christ had done. Of course Luke had spent time with Paul to hear his stories and Peter and John and others like Mary the mother of Christ all of which were eyewitnesses. Luke did not take things easily or obviously that others did. No, look made it his passion to help others with the particulars of the life of Christ. Of course he had recieved great details and intelligence by speaking with others, but Luke wrote his gospel as he was moved by the Holy Spirit. Luke wrote everything he had by God’s inspiration as the Holy Spirit guided him. Think about this for just a moment. The Holy Spirit gave Luke his thoughts, his sentences, his words, and the result is that what Luke wrote are not words of men but the word of God. Here is how Paul said it in his letter to the church at Thessaloniki.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV

13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

It is important that we understand today that every word we have here in the Bible is inspired from God and is perfect and complete. We don’t have to add anything on to what we already have church. God’s word is enough. So, as we read God’s Word today and we come to a difficult part may we never think that the Bible is wrong or too difficult or outdated. Maybe the problem lies within. Maybe the problem is us and we don’t like what it says because of our sinful prideful human hearts. Luke wrote exactly what God wanted him to write and has given us a perfect account of the life and ministry of Christ. May we forever be thankful for what we have here in this wonderful Gospel.

3. The Purpose for writing this Gospel.

Luke 1:4 ESV

4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

Luke now gets to the point and informs us of the purpose he has in mind for writing this gospel. Why did he write this? So that we may know the certainty of the gospel. So that we may know that the Christian faith is trustworthy. Luke has in mind here his friend Theophilus as he is writing his purpose. We are not for sure exactly who was Theophilus but we do know that his name meant, “lover or friend of God.” Some scholars believer that this is not speaking of an actual person, but every person who is in love with God. Are you that person today? Do you have a love for God and a desire to follow Him? People who are truly in love with God will have a love for His Word and a desire to be a witness to those who don’t know Christ.

But as we read our text here it should be taken that Luke is speaking about a particular person. Theophilus was probably a magistrate which was a high position in the Roman government. He was a person worthy of high honor because Luke gives him the same title that Paul gave Festus and Felix, “most excellent.”

We know that Theophilus had already recieved some considerable information about Christ. However, he was in need of some more serious grounding in the truth. He may of still had questions and there may have been others who were questioning his faith concerning Jesus and the church.

For Theophilus to know or even come to know the exact truth was so important to Luke. What we see here are two important reasons for this.

-First, to keep Theophilus from falling into error. Think of the many attacks upon truth that we see today. What is truth? Who is truth? So, many people just live however they desire. God’s Word tells us that Jesus is the way the truth and the life. There were many attacks during the time of Christ regarding truth made by both Jew and Gentile. So, Luke wanted Theophilus to know the truth about Christ so he would not be led astray.

-The second reason is to obtain salvation and bring glory to God. What happens when we know the truth?

John 8:32 ESV

32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Are you free today? Are you free from doubt? Are you free from the guilt and shame of sin? Luke does not want his friend to remain in doubt any longer. He wants him to know the certainty of the things that he had been taught. Church, it is so important that we have a thankfulness for God’s Word today. We do not have to depend on human traditions or philosophies to guide us or lead us. We have been given the very word of God which is able to make us wise for salvation. Timothy said it this way.

2 Timothy 3:15 ESV

15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion: My desire and prayer is that as we journey through this wonderful Gospel of Luke, that you will get to know Jesus more. If you have lost your love and passion for Christ, that you would see how much he loves you and that you would love him even more. If you don’t know Christ yet, my prayer is that you would see how more than anything Luke has put together an orderly account of the life, ministry, work, death, and resurrection of Christ. And he did this so that you can be certain of the things that we see in Scripture. Get to know Jesus by repenting of your sin and placing your faith once and for all in Christ as your Lord and God. He will not forsake you. He will save you. For those of you who are believers may we continue to share our faith and be a witness to these truths that Jesus is God who died for our sin.