The Heart of the Gospel: Renewal through the Book of Luke -Reintroducing Luke
Notes
Transcript
Intro -
Intro -
It has been some time since we were in the book of Luke.
Some of you were not here for the first 11 chapters, if you would like, most of the sermons are available to go back and listen to but there were quite a few, I don’t expect anyone to go back through them.
This morning I want to reintroduce us to the book.
I want to give us an overview of what we have covered and remind of of where we are going in the book.
Back to the basics -
The book of Luke is one of the 4 Gospels.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are referred to as the synoptic gospels.
They each have a similar order, content, and wording.
The word synoptic means - seen together.
Each of the four gospels tell of the good news of the messiah.
That is what gospel means - good news.
Each gospel tells the story of Jesus.
The reason each of these are different is because they were written to different audiences to display different things.
Matthew for instance was written to a primarily Jewish audience, the theme of that book is that Jesus is the King of the Jews.
Matthew emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and it includes teachings specifically relevant to Jewish law and customs.
Mark is commonly believed to have been written for a Gentile (non-Jewish) audience.
Mark's Gospel is straightforward and action-oriented (the writing moves things along, and then they did this, and then the went here),
Mark focuses on Jesus' deeds and miracles rather than lengthy discourses.
Part of the reason for this is that John Mark - the companion of Paul, wrote encourage believers that discipleship mean cross bearing, even for Jesus.
It doesn't contain as many Old Testament references or explanations of Jewish customs as Matthew does, making it more accessible to non-Jewish readers.
Mark focuses on Jesus as the Son of God and servant of the Lord.
The 4th gospel, John is often regarded as having a theological and philosophical focus, with its primary audience being both Jews and Gentiles who are seeking a deeper understanding of Jesus' identity as the Son of God.
John’s goal is to tell of, or remind his readers of the unique power and person of Jesus.
That’s why it is often a great place for people who are curious about Jesus and the Bible to start reading.
John's Gospel contains theological reflections on Jesus' nature, using symbolism and metaphor to convey spiritual truths.
It emphasizes Jesus' divinity and his role in salvation, making it suitable for a diverse audience seeking deeper spiritual insight.
Luke was also written to a primarily gentile audience.
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 wrote his Gospel so that his readers would understand that the gospel is for all, both Jews and Gentiles alike,
since Jesus is the promised one of God as prophesied in the OT and as attested through God’s saving activity in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
Luke presents Jesus as compassionate towards marginalized groups, such as women, the poor, and Gentiles.
Luke wrote to emphasize Jesus as the Son of Man
The genealogy in Luke traces Jesus lineage all the way back to Adam - the first man.
Luke emphasizes how Jesus brought together training, knowledge, and wisdom to be the perfect man.
Luke focuses on the sinless humanity of Jesus.
He uses the title the Son of Man more than any other gospel writer.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Jesus’ Use of “Son of Man”
Jesus uses “Son of Man” language in the New Testament Gospels: 1) to refer to Himself; 2) to describe His authority and earthly ministry; 3) to anticipate His suffering and death; and 4) to anticipate His future exaltation and glory.
Luke’s gospel is meant to turn our world on it’s head.
The gospel from the outside in.
Luke’s gospel account displays for us an upside down kingdom so to speak.
This is really reflected in the verses that frame his public ministry.
After Jesus baptism and temptation in the wilderness, he went back to his hometown of Nazareth and taught in the synagogue.
The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him and he read
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
We look at these verse and see Jesus fulfilling OT prophecy.
Jesus is communicating that salvation is here and now.
He is the messianic king bringing the good news of God’s kingdom.
Jesus brings freedom - the word literally means release - referring back to the Jewish practice that God instituted through the year of Jubilee.
The year of Jubilee was to be when land would go back to it’s original families.
Slaves were released, debts canceled.
A symbolic reenactment of God’s liberating justice and mercy.
(This never happened!)
Jesus said that he was sent to proclaim good news to the poor.
Poor doesn’t mean only people without money.
The Hebrew word poor refers also to people of low social status in their culutre - disabled, women, children, elderly.
Also social outsiders - other ethnicities - those whose poor life choices have placed them outside of acceptable religious circles.
God’s kingdom is especially Good news for these people.
The chapters that followed we saw what that Good news looked like.
The healing of a bed ridden ridden sick woman.
Healing a man with leprosy, healing a paralyzed man.
Stories of Jesus welcoming unsavory men.
A tax collector named Levi - who was a social outsider.
Jesus forgiving a prostitute.
Restoration and reversal of people’s whole life circumstances.
Jesus shows how the circle of who get invited into discover the healing power of God’s kingdom is expanded through Him.
He appoints the 12 disciples as a representation of the new kingdom of Israel.
In chapter 6, Luke records what the Bible Project describes as Jesus manifesto for an upside down kingdom.
A manifesto is
a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer
God’s love is a reversal of our value systems.
Radical generosity, servant leadership, peacemaking, forgiveness, and a deep love for God that rejects religious hypocrisy.
This takes the the statement he made from the Isaiah scroll to a deeper level.
God’s love for the outsider and the poor means His kingdom brings a reversal of our value systems.
Radical service, radical generosity, leading by serving, living by peacemaking and forgiveness.
Having a deep love for God but denying religious hypocrisy.
Opposition to Jesus from the religious elite really begins to take shape at this point.
The other bookend that frames Jesus public ministry in the book of Luke comes in 19.
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus here called to Zacchaeus - remember that wee small man we sung about last week.
Jesus is speaking more to the judgmental crowd around Him that to Zaccheus here but plainly reiterates His purpose.
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.
To proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
From there we see the triumphal entry and Jesus final path to the cross.
The upside down nature of the gospel is particularly important to point out because studying the Bible with other Christians can have an insular effect and cause a group to be inwardly focused.
Luke’s Gospel is meant to have the opposite effect on us.
Luke’s gospel is meant to challenge us to see the world as Jesus sees it.
To see the transformative effect that the gospel can have in the lives of every person we meet.
Transforming relationships of all sorts.
Marriages, parents and children, friends, even with our enemies.
From start to finish Luke articulates Jesus’ story as accessible to the unknowns, the outcast, the lost, and the hopeless.
This is clearly shown in many of Jesus parables and teachings.
The story of the prodigal son comes to mind specifically.
This parable is not found in the other gospels.
Luke tells it to show that Jesus desires the lost and destitute and the very religious to turn to Him in repentance.
Jesus’ invitation to Zacchaeus—the hated tax collector who was eavesdropping on Jesus from the outside—and the grumbling response of the crowd on the inside: “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”
Specifically through this gospel account, we witness Jesus look with compassion on a reviled, yet repentant criminal hanging on the cross next to His.
Jesus constantly challenged the “insiders” in Israel by highlighting “outsiders” being transformed by the gospel.
He desired transformation in both camps.
Jesus ministry is to seek and to save the lost.
The first 11 chapters of Luke cover Jesus birth through his 2nd year of public ministry.
There are too many significant events, miracles and teachings to recount them all so I encourage you, go back and read through these first 11 chapters before next week.
Take notice of how Jesus is working in ways that are often counter to the culture of the day.
Cleansing lepers, raising dead men to life, calling sinners to repentance.
Confronting the religious leaders.
As we pick up now I want to give us a sense of where we are going.
Jesus is on the road to Jerusalem.
This is the third year of His public ministry, so he is quite well established by now.
But so is the opposition coming against him.
Jesus sent out the disciples to go before him.
Throughout the next few chapters we will see Jesus teachings and confrontations with the religious leaders.
The chapters that lay before us offer some very practical teaching from Jesus on what it means and looks like to live in the kingdom.
There are Warnings Against Greed, Anxiety, and Worldliness.
There are calls to repentance, calls to fruitfulness in life.
Lessons on humility and hospitality.
Examples of the Lord’s love for the lost.
The need and importance of forgiveness.
The need for unwavering faith.
The importance of prayer and perseverance.
All of this is leading to the the most significant act to take place in all of history.
The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
So what is this book meant to do for us?
Luke is presenting that Jesus did not come to establish a religious movement.
Jesus came to take over your life.
He came to propel the gospel through His own person and work that reaches to every area of your life.
One sad thing that we often tend to do is break our lives up into secular and spiritual things.
Things that are religious and things that aren’t.
Jesus teachings in the gospel of Luke especially are meant to turn that idea on its head.
An hour a week on a Sunday morning is not the only spiritual part of our week.
Your work is a spiritual thing.
Sitting behind the wheel of a truck, talking on the phone, raising kids.
God is after every area of our lives and He welcomes us to renewal of every part of us.
Physical, spiritual, external and internal, now and future.
The bible is directed towards our hearts.
Luke though makes it very clear why the gospel, the good news of Jesus, has to reach every area of your life.
The gospel is about renewal of the heart.
The bible describes the heart as the core of our personhood, the steering wheel.
What it is that rules our hearts, exercises inescapable influence over our lives and behaviors.
I personally need this reminder and I am sure you do as well.
We all get off track at times in our lives.
IF the gospel doesn’t have your heart, if the grace of God doesn’t renew your heart, it doesn’t have you.
As we continue on through this book.
Don’t leave your heart at the door.
Paul David Tripp is one of my favorite authors, he describes it this way.
Your heart is operating in family and friends, in entertainment, and at work, as a citizen, in sex, in finances, in every situation, every relationship, every location of your life, the heart is operating!
And Luke makes it very clear that you live out of the heart and makes it very clear that God is after heart change; humility versus power and prejudice, mercy versus a legalistic condemnation, acceptance with God versus living for favor with people, spiritual riches versus living for money, that there's radical change.
It's really good news that God wants your heart because I don't know about you, well I do know about you; our biggest problem is not outside of us; our biggest problem in all of life lives inside of us, the Bible names it, it’s sin.
The biggest thing that I need rescued from - is myself - I need to be rescued from the inside of me.
I know the same is true for you also.
That rescue is only provided through the personal work of Jesus.
If our hearts change, then we will change in every dimension of our lives.
Luke is a wonderful place for us to be because it is a great big gospel.
The gospel causes us to become new.
Luke helps us to see just what that looks like.
Wherever you are, in every dimension of your life.
Not just religiously new, but completely new in every way.
This is great a glorious news.
The gospel is for the heart!