Say Hello to My Friend Luke

Say Hello to My Friend Luke

Luke 1:1–4

ICC’s Wednesday In the Word (1/17/22)

I. Introduction

1. Prayers

2. Scripture memory

Romans 8:1- There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

3. Catch- Which human author do you think wrote the most in the NT?

i. We know God did, but which human?

1. Clearly Luke and Acts dwarf the rest in their word count

2. Luke wrote 2,138 verses; Paul wrote 2,033[i] Johannine writings have 1,407[ii]

3. This is 27.1 percent of the NT

ii. There are 4 different gospels according to ______

1. Same good news, but different eye witness testimony

iii. What is your favorite gospel and why?

1. RC Sproul wrote that Luke was his favorite

2. I’ve always said John because of the upper room discourse, but the history of Luke has been winning me over

4. Review on the context

i. Let’s review Israel’s goal- build it and they will come, right?

1. Who was supposed to come? How did that go?

2. We’ll see that Luke was a Gentile and he focuses on how the gentiles come to Jesus

3. Solomon came close, but failed to keep gentiles, luke-acts shows how Jesus succeded

ii. Israel was a come and see

1. And all of Luke happens in the small nation of Israel

2. This small nation that barely makes up a part of California

3. But Acts ends with the gospel going all over the world..

iii. So, Luke is showing how Jesus answers many of the roles the king of Israel was supposed to have

So, let’s learn about luke together and see

II. The 5 W’s of what Luke Offers

1. Who is The author? (title)

i. Explanation

1. Does the author say his name?

a. But does he introduce himself?

b. V3 he says “me”

c. None of the other gospels are this personal in their introducitons

Matthew 1:1- The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Mark 1:1- The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

John 1:1- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2. But the title, the gospel according to Luke is very early in tradition

a. WE know for sure that he wasn’t an eyewitness of Jesus, and since acts has the same introduction we know he wrote that too

Acts 1:1- In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,

b. And he must have been a companion with Paul since he writes

Acts 16:10- And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

c. We are able determine that since the writer of acts was with Paul during his first romans imprisonment , he must be mentiond in this letter

d. &The Apostle Paul referred to Luke as a physician (Col. 4:14).

e. And his work matches someone of great learning since he claims to have done extensive interview, research, and coordinating of the information

f. So, the tradition matches the evidence

3. Luke was Luke was a Gentile. The Apostle Paul seems to confirm this, distinguishing Luke from those who were “of the circumcision” (Col. 4:11, 14)… the only one to write scripture[iii]

4. And luke was a loyal friend as Paul made clear

2 Timothy 4:11- Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry

a. What does this tell us about the kind of person Luke was?

ii. Illustration

1. We are pretty sure it is Luke, and he does his best to present his trustworthiness to us

2. It ls like when you watch a historian channel and you’re told toy expert

a. Might not give you great confidence

3. But Luke does more than that

iii. Application

1. How does Luke give us confidence for what he is writing?

2. Why should we trust this book’s explanation of Jesus?

Not just

2. When? After other gospels (1-2)

i. Explanation

1. What does Luke say about what other eye witnesses and the ministers have done?

2. So, we know this was written later

a. Probably A.D. 60–62[iv]

b. THe book of Acts ends while Paul is in Rome

c. Luke records Jesus’ prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (19:42–44; 21:20–24) but makes no mention of the fulfillment of that prophecy

d. He points out areas where prophecy comes through (ie: Acts 11:28 where th propehts speak)

e. So, if they were not written at the exact same time, probably Date: c. A.D. 58-63

3. But he still decides to write a another one

4. Why would it not be enough to have only one biography of Jesus?

a. I read one anaology that said we see depth in creation around us because we have two eyes and a brain that puts the two images together. Thus we see in three dimensions! The Gospels reveal Jesus not from three, but four viewpoints[v]

5. What are the differences with other gospels then?

a. There were things that only Luke tells us

i. Of the total 1,151 verses in this Gospel, 499 are found only here. Of these, 261 are the sayings of Jesus[vi]

b. Without the gospel of luke we would not have

i. If there were no Gospel of Luke, we would have none of the following:

Some parables found only in Luke

The Good Samaritan; The Rich Fool; The Barren Fig Tree; The Wedding Banquet; The Prodigal Son; The Dishonest Steward; The Rich Man and Lazarus; The Persistent Widow; The Pharisee and the Publican; The Ten Pounds (or ‘minas’)

Some accounts found only in Luke

Zacharias and Elizabeth (1:5–80); The birth of John the Baptist (1:57, 58); The shepherds of Bethlehem (2:8–20); The widow of Nain’s son (7:11–17); The seventy sent out (10:1–12); Mary listening as Martha served (10:38–42); Ten lepers healed (17:11–19); Zacchaeus (19:1–10); The dying thief who believed (23:39–43)[vii]

ii. Any favorites in that list?

c. I found this chart helpful

i. Luke was written to Greeks with a historical focus

ii. And while he doesn’thave much that is unique (only about 7% is not Mark and Matthew) his parts are special

ii. Illustration

1. Luke was not first out of the gate in writing his gospel

a. Does he condemn others and think they messed and need fixing? NO!

2. These guys are serving the same master and like Jesus parable of the laborers in the vineyard from Mathew 20

Matthew 20:12–16- saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”

iii. Application

1. Does he say the exact same thing as the other writers? NO

a. Lot is the same, and I think some styles of evangelism seem to indicate you just have to say this phrase after this phrase to get people to believe

b. But Martyrn Lloyd Jones- The supreme object of the work of evangelism is to glorify God, not to save souls.

c. So, like Luke, we can say things in a different ways… it’s not supposed to be formula, but telling the greatest news about the savior

But also,

2. You do not have to be first to be faithful?

3. Do you have to be original to be faithful?

4. Luke comes later and uses others resources, but greatly honors Jesus and blesses us today

a. What might be something that we are not first at, but could serve God well to still do?

3. What? An orderly account of eyewitness (v3a)

i. Explanation

1. He is writing something specific.. an orderly account

a. It begins earlier (with John the Baptist’s birth announcement)

b. It goes longer… all the way to the accession

c. And throughout all of it, he seems to focus on Jesus as the "Son of Man"

2. So, how does he break it down?

3. Dvision

a. 1-4:13 is the introduction of the son of man

i. This happens all over Israel and tells us where Jesus came from including the only info we have about Jesus’ childhood years

ii. Here we see something unique in the gospels: Women are given a high signfigance

1. Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna are given prominence

2. Women are seen as very helpful throughout Jesus minsitry

b. 4:14-9:15 is the ministry of the son of man

i. Jesus goes about preaching with many miracles

ii. Here in Galille of the gentiles Luke shows special focus on the universal scope of the gospel invitation.

iii. Luke repeatedly related accounts of Gentiles, Samaritans, and other outcasts who found grace in Jesus’ eyes[viii]

iv. Jesus seems to have great success but

c. 9:51-19:27 is the rejection of the son of man

i. Jesus is rejected by the leaders

ii. Starting with 9:51, Luke devoted 10 chapters of his narrative to a travelogue of Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem. Much of the material in this section is unique to Luke

iii. This is the heart of Luke’s gospel- Jesus’ relentless progression toward the cross[ix]

d. 19.28-24.53 is the crucifixion and resurrection of the son of man

i. His clear mission is laid and his victory as we hear even about the disciples going to Emmaus

ii. Jesus, the defeated teacher is shown to be the resurrected Savior

iii. Throughout the book is the great reversal: which the first are becoming last and the last are becoming first, the proud are being brought low and the humble are being exalted

iv. From the welcoming of the disrpected shepehrds, to the resurrection, Luke shows

ii. Application

1. So, notice the gospel also should be orderly and well thought out… it is not just saying whatever you want

a. We do need some system to explain it

b. So I do suggest memorizing some key points

God

Man

Isaiah 6:1–3. God is holy.

Colossians 1:16–17; Psalm 8:1–4. God is the Creator.

Genesis 1:26–27. We are made in God’s image.

Romans 3:9–12. We all are sinners.

Christ

Response

John 3:16. Jesus is the way to God.

Romans 5:6–8. Jesus died for us.

Romans 10:9–11. We must confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts.

Matthew 4:17; Acts 2:38. We must repent.

2. And think what you have heard from others…

a. It’s not just Luke… it’s a group

b. how can others in church help you communicate the gospel?

4. Where was this letter supposed to go? (3b)

i. Explanation

1. Theophilus- his name means lover of God, but many were named that

a. there is no reason to deny that he was a real person, although attempts to identify him have been unsuccessful

b. What else does it describe about him?

i. Luke uses the same description “most excellent” (Luke 1:3) in the book of Acts to describe the Roman governors Felix (Acts 23:26; 24:2) and Festus (Acts 26:25). Theophilus was probably a man of wealth and social standing, and “most excellent” served as a respectful form of address. [x]

ii. At the least, this means he is a higher social status

iii. Perhaps he was even a member of Cesar’s house who Paul says have become christians

c. Many think that this man helped paid for Luke to do his research and travel

d. Notice in v 4- what else do we know about him?

i. He’s been taught

But it’s not just him

2. Greeks

a. These are gentiles are those exposed to the gospel, but some more information will help

ii. Application

1. Who here is a gentile?

a. I don’t think ethnicity matters as much/

b. This is the gospel that was written for those who didn’t grow up with the bible

c. What kind of people are like that?

d. I think this shows us how to explain the gospel to different people

2. Think about the person you’re trying to explain to… what is their hang-up, what is their issue of unbelief?

a. What are different examples of what is someon’s objection to Jesus

Lastly,

5. Why? To provide certainty (4)

A historical record of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ given to Theophilus certainty about what he believed.

i. Explanation

1. What does he say he wants Theophilus to know?

a. Remember, he traveled with Paul

b. So, this letter would go back to them know with certainty that the Word taught to them was absolutely true

c. They don’t need more information to believe, but more support for the conviction that he already believes[xi]

2. But assurance over what?

a. the plan of God as worked out in fulfillment of divine promise. [xii]

b. Remember, we keep seeing these covenants were given to bless all the nations… and now we will see the one who fufills all of that

3. But we have a problem

a. a dead Savior and a persecuted community of God that included Gentiles

b. Remember that many in Israel did not like gentiles

c. And those christians were being persecuted, which might have wondered if that persecution was God’s judgment on the church for being too racially broad with His salvation[xiii]

d. So, he will prove the resurrection and how there is a second coming when everything will be fuiflled

ii. Illustration

1. Assurance is important for us

2. Charles Hodge wrote Assurance is “In opposition…to all the suggestions of the devil, the sole, simple, and sufficient answer is the word of God. This puts to flight all the powers of darkness. The Christian finds this to be true in his individual experience. It dissipates his doubts; it drives away his fears; it delivers him from the power of Satan”

iii. Application

1. So, we must be certain about the gospel

a. There false humility of “not being sure” that destroys

2. But does that mean we are not to have doubts?

a. What can we do about them?

III. I think we’ll build that assurance by going through Luke together.

IV. Closing prayer

1.

[i]Wilkiconson and Boa pg 329 [ii] Roy B. Zuck, A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 87. [iii]John MacArthur Jr., ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville, TN: Word Pub., 1997), 1504. [iv]John MacArthur Jr., ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville, TN: Word Pub., 1997), 1504. [v]Gavin Childress, Opening up Luke’s Gospel, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2006), 8. [vi]Gavin Childress, Opening up Luke’s Gospel, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2006), 10. [vii]Gavin Childress, Opening up Luke’s Gospel, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2006), 10–11. [viii]John MacArthur Jr., ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville, TN: Word Pub., 1997), 1505. [ix]John MacArthur Jr., ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville, TN: Word Pub., 1997), 1505. [x]Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible(Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1936. [xi] Dr. Keith Essex, TMS Bible Overview, n.d. [xii]Roy B. Zuck, A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 87. [xiii]Roy B. Zuck, A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 88.