December 4th - Doctor Luke's Meticulous Research

 

Passage:  

I am writing for you, mighty lover of God, an orderly account of what Jesus, the Anointed One, accomplished and fulfilled among us. Several eyewitness biographies have already been written, using as their source material the good news preached among us by his early disciples, who became loving servants of the Living Expression. But now I am passing on to you this accurate compilation of my own meticulous investigation based on numerous eyewitness interviews and thorough research of the story of his life. It is appropriate for me to write this, for he also appeared to me so that I would reassure you beyond any shadow of a doubt the reliability of all you have been taught of him (Luke 1:1-4 Passion Translation)

 

Ponder:

An introduction is like a road map – it tells us where we are headed. In Luke’s Gospel we see his intentions to follow an orderly scriptural account of the events preceding the birth of Jesus. Reading the incarnation story in the Gospels sequentially, as we shall be doing, is known as the Harmony of the Gospels. Using Matthew’s and Mark’s Gospels as his eyewitness biographies as the basis for his source material, Dr Luke recounts the major players involved around the Living Expression – the narrative of God enfleshed - Jesus’ birth and life. Luke underscores the accuracy of his compilation as a meticulous investigation, based on thorough research. Luke also underscores that  although never meeting Jesus personally, reassures us beyond any shadow of doubt in the reliability of His journalistic sources. Luke was a companion to Paul the Apostle. Paul had transformational encounters with Jesus, the Risen Lord.

Prayer:

Thank you Lord for the meticulous scriptural records that precede your birth. We affirm that faith comes by hearing and hearing by your word. I pray that more people will come to faith in Jesus this Advent season, as they hear the Spirit speak through the scriptures. I believe the lyrics that say “all the worlds knowledge can make the mind smart, but the difference is made in the heart.” Let the love of God be shed abroad in many hearts (by the Holy Spirit) during this season when we celebrate God incarnate. Amen.

 

*(The Jesus Diary – The Most Comprehensive Chronology of the Life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God)

** Luke: The NIV Application commentary from Biblical Text to Contemporary Life: Darrell L. Brock – Quotations (moving forward) will be from this source and The Matthew Commentary Collection by Wilkins, Osborne and McKnight.