Imagine that you are living in Antioch. But not the Antioch just across the state line in Illinois. There is no Antioch in Illinois. There is no Illinois either. No, you are living in ancient Antioch, the third largest city in the Roman Empire. The year is 61 AD and your city is already three hundred and sixty-two years old.

You’ve heard there’s a new shipment of books down at Barnes and Noble. (Barnabas and Nabal?) There’s real excitement about book one in particular. It’s a new two-volume work by a local physician, a young man born and raised right in town. His Greek name is Loukas; in Latin it’s Lacianus or Lucius, but most people know him simply as Dr. Luke.

These writings of his are causing quite a stir. The first book in this new two-volume set is all about a Jewish rabbi who was executed by the Romans down in Jerusalem about thirty years ago. It’s being called a “gospel,” but it’s really a biography of this Yeshua ha Mashiach, the one some of the Jews have been saying is the promised Messiah of Israel. Oddly enough, a number of the Greeks have come to believe that as well. They are calling Him Ieosus Christos.

The second volume in Luke’s new series isn’t a biography at all. It’s a running history of both the Jews and Gentiles who have come to believe that this Yeshua, this Ieosus, is really God’s Son. It’s called the Acts of the Apostles. It’s all about how belief in this Messiah, this Christ, is even now spreading throughout the entire empire.

Well, you’ve never met Luke. Antioch is a pretty big town, but you assume that he must be a smart man. He must be a respected man. He must be some sort of a scholar. Maybe you should pick up a copy of his new book, and if that isn’t practical, maybe you should find out where it’s being read, and go listen to it.

Okay, I made up the guy living in Antioch. But you get the idea. Dr. Luke’s books did penetrate deeply into the Roman Empire. They had a tremendous impact. They still do. And why not? Luke penned the words, but the Holy Spirit of God gave him the words.
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Since I became pastor here at LBC, we have studied verse-by-verse through the books of Romans, Colossians, Philemon, and Revelation. I have also preached a number of topi-cal sermons and short series wherein we have searched the Scriptures to find the whole counsel of God on a particular subject or issue. We have recently completed an eight week series on what Scripture has to say about heaven, and a twelve week series on the subject of prayer in the Christian’s life. I enjoy teaching topically and will do so again.

But it’s easy for a preacher to skip over or even ignore difficult or controversial passages when preparing topical sermons.
I think you all know me well enough to know that I make every effort not to do that, but the temptation to do so is sometimes there.

The best way to avoid skipping over or ignoring difficult or controversial passages is to preach expository verse-by-verse sermons. So when the preacher is asked, “What are you preaching on next Sunday,” the answer is simply, “The next verse!”

When we study verse-by-verse we learn Scripture exactly as it was given. It is far more difficult to take something out of context and misapply it because whatever verse or passage we’re studying is already in the context in which the Holy Spirit of God gave it.

That will be our approach to The Gospel of Luke, the third of the four gospels given in the NT. Why are there four gospels? The easy answer seems to be that with having four separate accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ we get a full and complete picture that no one writer may have been able to provide. But I think there is far more to it than that.

God intended that the truth of His Son would ultimately go to the four corners of the earth. In the end, every culture, society, and nation would have to hear the story. Since all of this would begin in the first century, the gospels had to be effective in the world into which they were initially carried.

While Matthew, Mark, and Luke (often called “synoptic gospels,” meaning “to see together with a common view”) appear to be similar, they were each directed at a specific audience. Furthermore, each one emphasizes a particular aspect of Jesus Christ. This is true of the Gospel of John as well.

Take a moment to consider the following points and I think you’ll see the immense value of four gospels with four audiences and four views of our Lord and Savior.

Matthew is written specifically to a Jewish audience. Jesus Christ is depicted as the promised Messiah, the King of Israel. He is the One who fulfills OT prophecy. There-fore Matthew gives his readers a genealogy of Christ that begins with Abraham and quotes the OT at least thirty-five times to prove his point to his Jewish readers.

Mark is aimed at a Roman audience. Most of the people living in the Roman Empire in the first century were slaves, or at least they were people and nations in complete subju-gation to the power and absolute rule of the Roman authorities. The Romans neither knew nor cared about a Jewish king but they knew all about servants and slaves. So Mark presents Jesus as a humble Servant willing to lay down His life – something the Romans would understand.

Luke and Acts are written to a broad Gentile audience, but delivered to a Greek named Theophilus (“friend of God”). Luke, an educated man, writes for an educated reader. He depicts Jesus as the Son of Man.
We come to know Jesus in a personal way because there’s more emphasis on what Jesus said than what He did. Christ’s humanity is a major theme. Clear thinking and logical unbelievers are more able to relate to Him. In all of this Luke tends to avoid the use of terms that would only be understood by Jews, such as “Rabbi” and “hosanna.”

John writes his gospel to Christians. It is theological in nature and beautifully presents Jesus as divine, the Son of God.
John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

So Jesus Christ is King, Servant, Son of Man, and Son of God. There is one remarkable passage in Scripture that symbolizes this truth in a fascinating way. In Revelation 4 we are introduced to four living creatures standing around the throne of God.
*Revelation 4:7
7 And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf (or ox), and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and a fourth creature was like a flying eagle.

Many theologians argue that these four creatures are representative of the four gospels. Some of the reasoning for this interpretation is as follows: In Revelation these four creatures are presented in the same order that the Holy Spirit has arranged the gospels in our Bibles. By itself that could certainly be a coincidence, but their description makes for a stronger case.
• The first creature is a lion. Lions have always represented strength and power, and are almost universally known as the “king of the beasts.” In the OT the Messiah is referred to the lion of the tribe of Judah. In Matthew Jesus is presented as a King.
• The second creature is a calf (or an ox, depending on your translation). The ox is a beast of burden, a domesticated animal used in the service of man. In Mark Jesus is presented as a Servant.
• The third creature resembles a man. Unlike animals, humans are rational beings capable of logical thought. In Luke Jesus’ humanity is emphasized and He is presented as The Son of Man.
• The fourth creature is a flying eagle. It connects the heavens with the earth as did Jesus when He came down from the Father. In John Jesus is The Son of God.

What are these four creatures doing? Aren’t they doing precisely what the gospels are doing? They are praising God and directing us to look to the throne and the Lamb who stands alongside of it. Listen to them…
*Revelation 4:8b
8b “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”

So the four gospels, when taken together, give us a complete picture. Jesus Christ is King, He is Servant, He is the Son of Man, and He is the Son of the living God.

With that we embark on a verse-by-verse study of the Gospel of Luke. Why Luke? For one thing, it doesn’t require any previous knowledge of the OT on the part of the reader like Matthew does. Then it is far more detailed and thorough than Mark. Furthermore, it is very literary and historical. We’ll learn a great deal about the lifestyles, institutions and customs of Jesus’ day. Another reason for studying Luke is that whereas John focuses on Christ’s deity, Luke focuses on the man Jesus, God in human flesh.

On top of all that, Luke’s gospel is the most chronological of the four. It seems that Luke was what we might call a “linear thinker.” He was a man of science, a physician, so it is no surprise that he would be precise and detailed. And it is no surprise that he would be very careful to present the details of Christ’s life in the precise order in which they occurred. Does that mean the other gospel writers weren’t concerned about such things?

No, it certainly doesn’t. But sometimes a story-teller is more interested in concepts and ideas and not so concerned with the order of events through which those concepts and ideas are transmitted. Dr. Luke didn’t think like that. The opening verses tell us exactly what his intentions were when he sat down to write.
*Luke 1:4
4 …so that you might know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.

But in all of this we will not ignore the other gospels. While Luke will serve as our home port, we will travel all through the other gospels and all over the Bible as we use Scrip-ture to interpret Scripture and further enlighten ourselves to the truth of God’s Word. Our study of Romans took us into at least forty-five of the sixty-six books of the Bible, and I expect our foray into Luke will be the same.

One thing that should be made clear about Luke himself is this. Unlike Matthew and John, Luke was not an eyewitness of Jesus’ life and ministry. But then neither was Mark. Mark was a young protégé and companion of the Apostle Peter. So two of the gospels (Matthew and John) were written by direct eyewitnesses, and the other two (Mark and Luke) were written by friends, companions, and protégés of direct eyewitnesses. Paul actually mentions Luke on at least two occasions.
Colossians 4:14
14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings…
Philemon 24
24 …Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, (and) Luke, my fellow workers (greet you).

We do not know this, but it would not be unreasonable to speculate that Paul had led Luke to saving faith. The two men would have had a great deal in common. Both were highly educated and, as can readily be seen from their writings, both were brilliant men.
It seems likely that when Luke wrote his gospel, both Matthew’s and possibly Mark’s were already in existence.
*Luke 1:1-2
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,
2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word have handed them down to us…

Thus he would have had access to at least one of the earlier gospels and, as he studied the details that surrounded them, he would have learned of the customs and traditions of the Jews, and the geography of Israel, both of which would play a role in his gospel.

It is believed that very little time elapsed between the writing of Luke’s gospel and The Book of Acts. Jesus was crucified around 29-30 AD. The Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD but Acts makes no mention of it. Acts doesn’t mention Paul’s release from the Roman prison or his subsequent travels because Paul was still there. Acts doesn’t men-tion the death of James in 62, or the executions of Peter and Paul which we know took place in the mid-60’s. All of this strongly implies that Luke wrote his gospel in the year 60 or 61.

This early date lends further credibility to the narrative because so many people who had seen Jesus and witnessed some of His ministry would still be alive to corroborate or to dispute Luke’s claims, descriptions, and details. No such legitimate disputes are found.

The bottom line is this. Our study of The Gospel of Luke we bless us with an objective, thorough, trustworthy, and readable history of Christ’s life. We’ll get to know Him well.
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God’s love for the lost sinner stands out in Luke’s gospel. We see it throughout this book where Jesus repeatedly deals with those whom the mainstream society of the day either rejects or treats with some measure of disdain. For example, lepers, tax-gatherers, and women are drawn to Jesus because of His obvious love for them. In addition, other things like Jesus’ prayer life, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and people’s reactions to Him are all presented in some detail.

I. How will this study of the third gospel apply to us? What practical truths can we learn from it? There are at least four major areas.

The Gospel of Luke is a book of doctrine. It will show us what we are to believe. Think about it. Knowing what to believe is the most important thing you will ever learn.
Job knew that.
Job 9:2
2 “…how can a man be right before God?”

Luke answers that question in at least four ways.
(1) We must confess our sin.
Luke 18:13
13 “But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’”

(2) We must repent, that is, we must be willing to turn from our sin.
Luke 13:3
3 “I tell you…unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

(3) We must place our faith in Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ alone.
Luke 5:20
20 And seeing their faith, (Jesus) said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”

(4) We must understand that God has chosen us in Him.
Luke 12:32
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”

II. How will this study apply to us? The Gospel of Luke is a book of morals and ethics. It will show us how to live our lives.
We will learn humility before God.
Luke 9:48
48 …and (Jesus) said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for he who is least among you, this is the one who is great.”

We will learn gratitude before God.
Luke 17:17-19 (after Jesus healed ten lepers and only one stayed to thank Him)
17 And Jesus (said), “Were there not ten cleansed?
18 “Was no one found who turned back to give glory to God, except (you)?”
19 And He said to him, “Rise, and go your way; you faith has made you well.”

We will learn to praise God for his goodness even though we do not deserve it.
Luke 11:13
13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

We will learn to glorify God in all things.
Luke 2:14
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
III. How will this study apply to us? The Gospel of Luke is a book of comfort. It will show us how to rejoice.
Luke 10:20; 15:7, 10
20 “…do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
7 “I tell you that…there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in heaven in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

IV. How will this study apply to us? The Gospel of Luke is a book of prophecy. It will show us what we may expect in the future.
Luke 24:25
25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?”

Jesus was saying that the OT prophecies have all come true. He Himself is the proof. Therefore we know that the NT prophecies will all come true too.
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So there is a great deal for us in this book. In Luke we will see the universality of the gospel because Dr. Luke, more than any of the other three gospel writers, shows us Jesus, rejected by His own people, and offered to the whole world.

In Luke we’ll find much that is not found in either Matthew or Mark. We’ll be amazed by no less than twenty miracles, six of which are recorded nowhere else. We’ll delve into at least twenty-three of Jesus’ teaching parables, eighteen of which are recorded nowhere else. Among them are the stories of the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan.

In Luke there is more information about Jesus after His resurrection than the other gospel writers relate to us. It is here where we walk with Jesus on the road to Emmaus.

Finally, our approach to Luke’s gospel will be the same as it was with The Book of Romans. As I said earlier, we will go through the book verse-by-verse. When we come to a difficult or complicated passage, or a doctrine that needs to be expanded upon, we will stop and take the time to deal with it in a more topical format. Then we’ll pick up right where we left off in the text and return to the verse-by-verse expository format until we have worked through all twenty-four chapters.

Remember that fictional character I made up at the beginning of this message? You know the guy from ancient Antioch who was heading down to his local Barnabas’ and Nabal’s bookstore? Obviously that’s not how the The Gospel of Luke and The Acts of Apostles got into the hands of the locals.
Well, the plain fact is that no one really knows for sure how Luke’s books arrived in Antioch or who read them first.

But this we do know. They did arrive. They were read. They changed lives. They still do. As we read and study Luke together let us pray that the same supernatural power that saves lost sinners and gives wisdom and hope and joy to God’s children will inspire us right here at LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE CHURCH. We won’t even have to go to Antioch.

~ Pray ~