Just Jesus
Sometimes we can make the Bible complicated. We can have add ons and be legalistic but we can't get right with God with man made rules. The only was we can get right with God is through Jesus. This series is therefore entitled Just Jesus.
Today sets the scene in the first 4 verses.
1/. The author.
No matter who the author is we have to remember that all of the Bible is God inspired. Although God inspired we will see the author's own personality come through.
The book is written to Theopphilus. The book of Acts is addressed to the same man. It is therefore fair to say the two books are linked. We are also told the author is a companion of Paul
Luke is of course the author. He doesn't identify himself but we know from Paul's writing Luke was a doctor. Paul identifies Luke as his fellow worker. Luke was faithful. All Paul's companions left him except Luke we are told in 2 Timothy.
Although Luke was a Doctor he used his learned knowledge to serve God.
Luke gave his all to serve God. Do we love our lives and our reputations too much to serve God as we ought?
2/. The audience.
Who did lIke have in mind when he wrote this book. Well as we have said he mentions this man Theophilus. Theopphilus was probably quite a prominent man in society. He was maybe a government official. We are not entirely sure but Theophilus was most probably the one who financed Luke.
Theophilus was most likely a gentile Christian. He certainly had trusted Jesus but wasn't entire sure of his theology. He had a lot to lose if Christianity wasn't true.
As well as Luke addressing Theophilus he was speaking to all gentile Christians. This book is aimed directly at us.
3/. The message.
What is this book all about? Well it is all about Jesus. He is the main focus.
He agrees he is not the first to tell this wonderful story but he tells us in verse 3 that he has carefully investigated everything from the beginning. He has decided to write a careful account.
This is an eyewitness account. He would draw on other's accounts, he would draw on history but he would investigate all.
He would have interviewed Mary. Interviewed the apostles. Gaining all the information he could and wrote it all down.
Luke goes back right to John the Baptist's birth.
Luke records much of what is not recorded elsewhere in the Bible.
Verse 3 tells us Luke wrote his account carefully. It is a logical clear concise account.
His reason for all this is spelt out in verse 4. So that we can be certain of the truth of everything we have been taught.
It is not enough to know of Jesus. We need to know Jesus.
Over the next year or more we look forward to studying Just Jesus.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
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