Introduction to Luke

Women’s Study: Looking at at study by Tim Keller on Romans. Starts this Tuesday @ 6:30am. There will also be an evening study with Linda Jones.

Church Potluck: This Sunday (9/10) following the afternoon worship service.

Jack & Keiko Marshall: Visiting Grace Clovis on Sunday (9/17). Jack and Keiko will be sharing about their ministry in Japan and I will be praying for them in the AM service. Then at 4pm Jack will be preaching at our afternoon worship service. I hope you will join us as we learn more about the work God is doing in Japan.

Hurricane Harvey Relief:

Pray for relief from the storm and for those being rescued and affected by this storm.

Give generously. Click here to support efforts financially. Funds will be used for assessment, mobilization, relief grants for flooded PCA families and churches, to purchase needed supplies and equipment, to construct Sheds of Hope, and to setup and operate flood recovery sites.

Prepare to GO. We have the opportunity to join FPCJ if anyone is interested.

Financial Stability: Our goal is to be self-sufficient by the end of the year.

New Members: Let’s ask the Lord to provide five new families in 2017.

Unity: That we would have unity amid diversity - loving those with whom we have nothing in common but the gospel.

The Mills’: Carrie’s sister, Nicole, is still dealing with blood clotting in her leg. She just found out that she will not be able to have anymore children.

The Ponce Family: House hunting. Larry’s co-worker Frank’s girlfriend is pregnant and may have cancer. DeeDee’s daughter, Nicole, is dating Moses who may have cancer. His mother, Sarah, is also in poor health. Please pray for opportunities to share the gospel in each of these circumstances.

The Salas Family: Anita’s brother, Nick, is recovering from a stroke that was caused by blockage. He is taking blood thinners and scheduled for an appointment on Friday. The hope is that the medication will dissolve the blockage so that he won’t require surgery.

Unity: That we would have unity amid diversity - loving those with whom we have nothing in common but the gospel.

- **Financial Stability:** Our goal is to be self-sufficient by the end of the year.

The Mills’: Carrie’s sister, Nicole, is still dealing with blood clotting in her leg. She just found out that she will not be able to have anymore children.

The Winslow's: Derek's mom, Dorothy, is recovering from stint surgery.

- **The Mills’:** Carrie’s sister, Nicole, is still dealing with blood clotting in her leg. She just found out that she will not be able to have anymore children.

- **The Ponce’s:** House hunting. Larry’s co-worker Frank’s girlfriend is pregnant and may have cancer. DeeDee’s daughter, Nicole, is dating Moses who may have cancer. His mother, Sarah, is also in poor health. Please pray for opportunities to share the gospel in each of these circumstances.

- **The Salas’:**

WSC Q.89-90

1 Cor 16:29

1 cor 16 29

1 Corinthians 16:29

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness

This morning we will look at the prologue of Luke’s gospel which will help us to understand the situation of the author, the recipients, as well as the purpose for which Luke is writing. This introduction can be viewed as a road map that shows us where we are going.

Luke 1:1–4 ESV

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 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, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

[Scripture Passage]

Charles Templeton was converted in 1936, began pastoring a church in 1941, and became a friend of Billy Graham’s and fellow evangelist with Youth For Christ in 1945. However, in 1948, Templeton began questioning his faith, just before entering Princeton Seminary. In 1957 Templeton publicly announced he had become agnostic. In 1995 He would go on to write a popular account of his departure from faith titled, Farewell to God: My Reasons for Rejecting the Christian Faith.

In The Case for Faith, Lee Strobel had the opportunity to interview Templeton, just a few years before his death. Strobel asked:

“And how do you assess this Jesus?” It seemed like the next logical question—but I wasn’t ready for the response it would evoke.

Templeton’s body language softened. It was as if he suddenly felt relaxed and comfortable in talking about an old and dear friend. His voice, which at times had displayed such a sharp and insistent edge, now took on a melancholy and reflective tone. His guard seemingly down, he spoke in an unhurried pace, almost nostalgically, carefully choosing his words as he talked about Jesus.

“He was,” Templeton began, “the greatest human being who has ever lived. He was a moral genius. His ethical sense was unique. He was the intrinsically wisest person that I’ve ever encountered in my life or in my readings. His commitment was total and led to his own death, much to the detriment of the world. What could one say about him except that this was a form of greatness?”

I was taken aback. “You sound like you really care about him,” I said.

“Well, yes, he is the most important thing in my life,” came his reply. “I . . . I . . . I . . . ,” he stuttered, searching for the right word, ‘I know it may sound strange, but I have to say . . . I adore him!” . . .

” . . . Everything good I know, everything decent I know, everything pure I know, I learned from Jesus. Yes . . . yes. And tough! Just look at Jesus. He castigated people. He was angry. People don’t think of him that way, but they don’t read the Bible. He had a righteous anger. He cared for the oppressed and exploited. There’s no question that he had the highest moral standard, the least duplicity, the greatest compassion, of any human being in history. There have been many other wonderful people, but Jesus is Jesus….’

“Uh . . . but . . . no,’ he said slowly, ‘he’s the most . . .” He stopped, then started again. “In my view,” he declared, “he is the most important human being who has ever existed.”

That’s when Templeton uttered the words I never expected to hear from him. “And if I may put it this way,” he said as his voice began to crack, ‘I . . . miss . . . him!”

With that tears flooded his eyes. He turned his head and looked downward, raising his left hand to shield his face from me. His shoulders bobbed as he wept. . . .

Templeton fought to compose himself. I could tell it wasn’t like him to lose control in front of a stranger. He sighed deeply and wiped away a tear. After a few more awkward moments, he waved his hand dismissively. Finally, quietly but adamantly, he insisted: “Enough of that.”

An historical Jesus is quite a powerful figure, but if we stop there we will miss the real Jesus entirely.

Begin with an involving introduction that surfaces need. Use a provocative question, human-interest story, simple assertion, startling statement, a catalog of information, or create a conflict/problem.

Luke opens his gospel with a dedication that sets the stage. We will note the credibility of the author, the probable situation of the recipients, and the primary purpose for which Luke writes.

Big Idea:

Several factors make it likely that Luke was written sometime before A.D. 70. The destruction of the temple, which occured in A.D. 70 is not recorded. Paul’s death in Rome and

The Author (1-2)

The Recipients (3)

The Purpose (4)

Luke 1:1 ESV

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us,

Of course, here, Luke has Mark in mind as well as other writers who might have written short accounts of the life of Jesus that have not survived.

Luke does not name himself in the introduction like the NT epistles, but this is true of the other gospels as well. This, however, does not mean the gospels were distributed anonymously. The oldest manuscripts we have access to included titles “According to Matthew/Mark/Luke/John”. And as they were often distributed together, at some point they were bound as accounts of the good news about Jesus Christ.

Most scholars agree that the same author wrote Luke and Acts. Both are addressed to Theophilus. Both have similar language, style, and theology. In Acts, the author used “we” in several places leading us to believe the author was actually with Paul during those periods. When we compare the letters Paul wrote on those journeys it seems most likely that Luke is the author.

Luke 1:2 ESV

just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,

Luke acknowledges that he was not an eyewitness to Jesus’ ministry, but he received the message from eyewitnesses, of whom he had followed the story closely (v.3). Luke was quite detailed in his approach to the story. 30% of his gospel contains content that is exclusively found in Luke.

Luke acknowledges that he was not an eyewitness to Jesus’ ministry, but he received the message from eyewitnesses (v.2). The only thing we know of Luke’s background come from:

The only thing we know of Luke’s background comes from:

Colossians 4:14 ESV

Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.

If this is indeed the same person, then it is easy to see why the literary style is of such high quality. He was clearly someone who was well educated, and probably classically trained. He often provides historical details in order to bolster his argument.

R.C. Sproul points out:

A Walk with God: Luke Characteristics of His Gospel

It was common for late nineteenth century scholars to be sceptical about the trustworthiness of Luke and Acts. Luke was criticised as an historian. His accuracy on details of first century culture was questioned. However, the critics and sceptics have been embarrassed, as Luke’s credibility has been successively vindicated. It seems that whenever archaeologists uncover a new Palestinian artefact, Luke’s historical accuracy is upheld. One scholarly non-Christian rabbi thought Luke was the finest historian in the ancient world.

It is tremendously helpful to lay out all of the evidence we have of the historical Jesus. We have eyewitness testimony, enough to convince an impartial jury that Jesus was a real historical figure.

But Luke was more than a good historian, he had pastoral instincts as well. He presents events in such a way that connects them to their underlying theological point.

The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) Author

According to tradition, Luke came from Antioch in Syria, and Luke-Acts certainly demonstrates an interest in the evangelization of Gentiles in that city (Acts 11:19–30) and its role in the Gentile mission beyond Palestine (13:1–3; 14:26–15:4). The author is keenly interested in the conversion of Gentiles, both “God-fearers” associated with synagogues and full pagans, and he himself may be the only New Testament author to have come from a Gentile background.

It is tremendously helpful to lay out all of the evidence we have of the historical Jesus. We have eyewitness testimony, enough to convince an impartial jury that Jesus was a real historical figure.

But thankfully, Luke was more than a good historian, he had pastoral instincts as well. He presents events in such a way that connects them to their underlying theological point.

In The Case for Faith, Lee Strobel had the opportunity to interview Templeton, just a few years before his death. Strobel asked:

In The Case for Faith, Lee Strobel had the opportunity to interview Charles Templeton. Templeton was a friend of Billy Graham’s and fellow evangelist until he began questioning his faith before entering Princeton Seminary in 1948.