22 Jan 2024 (b)

Luke indicates his purpose in the opening verses that he wanted to provide the reader with the CERTAINTY on the things that took place (1:4). This certainty he referred to becomes clearer as the narrative proceeds across the two volumes of Luke and Acts
It concerns the CONTENT of the gospel – he defines the gospel for his reader; The second concerns the CREDIBILITY of the gospel – he defends the gospel; and the third concerns the COMMUNICATION of the gospel – he asserts that the gospel must be declared.

THE CONTENT
Luke presents Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and Saviour of every kind of person. The gospel opens with the declarations of Jesus’ identity and mission, and closes with Jesus’ own summary of His ongoing work. Luke presents Jesus as the divine Saviour who has come to offer salvation to all people from every nation; at the heart of this salvation is the forgiveness of sin for the individual believer, as Jesus the Lord is received by faith. Repentance and the forgiveness of sin for the individual believer lies at the heart of Luke’s definition of the gospel; the believer is saved by grace through faith in Christ (Luke 7:50).
The nature of the salvation is not only for life now, it is also the ultimate and final salvation from all the effects of the Fall.

THE CREDIBILITY – (1) Historical authenticity
Luke is notable for its contemporary historical, geographical, and sociological content – he is recording eyewitness’ material. His frequent mention of contemporary political figures, specific names and places, cultural habits provide his work with an undeniable ring of historical authenticity. His account also provides his reader with theological and a socio-political defence of his work’s credibility.
(2)Theological Certainty
What Luke is presenting to the reader is to be understood as the fulfilment of Old Testament promises. This explains why from the beginning, Luke is packed with numerous Old Testament references and allusions. His use of the Old Testament does two things: it provided theological credibility for the work of Jesus and also interpretative clarity – Jesus is accomplishing and fulfilling the long cherished promises of God. His arrival is not unexpected; His saving work in the fulfilment of God’s long-promised redemption plan. What is happening has been spoken of by God Himself and through His prophets, over thousands of years – this gives the reader real confidence, The Old Testament Scriptures are the interpretative grid by which the life and work of Jesus are to be understood.
(3)Socio-political Credibility
Luke provides a thorough defence of the gospel against the accusation of the Jewish establishment that Christianity is socially or politically dangerous; the Pharisees are presented in their true light – as unreasonable enemies of the God of Abraham.

THE GOSPEL’S COMMUNICATION

The fulfilment that Jesus has accomplished is to be proclaimed to all nations. Simeon who meets baby Jesus in the temple indicates this as he holds the baby Jesus aloft. More elaboration on this is elaborated in the second volume – Acts.

As we study LUKE, the application of God’s word carries all the weight of the Bible authors’ (and thus the Holy Spirit’s) theology. Application will be driven by big truths about who God is and what God is doing. Where the structure, theology and ideas of the Bible’s author are ignored, application lacks convincing power. It tends instead to lean on the theological ‘grid’ of the reader, teacher, or preacher – it becomes either predictable or man-centered, and frequently plain wrong. This means that the reader, teacher or preacher must draw out what the author originally intended and not read their own ideas into the Bible, even though they may have the best motives in the world.

Also, we need to remember that God did not reveal the Bible merely to satisfy our curiosity about intellectual questions; He reveals Himself and His ways in order to transform how we live.