The Ambassador Group

Luke-- Jesus, Our Savior and Friend

00. An Introduction to the Book of Luke

Welcome to Our Savior and Friend, The Book of Luke by John M.

Edited for audio by The Ambassador Group.

But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him." Luke 15, verse 20.

It comes from 1 of the most well-known and beloved stories in all literature, sacred or mundane.

Astonishingly enough, we never would have heard it but for a simple missionary doctor who embedded that precious gem in a letter he wrote to his learned friend, Theophilus.

The doctor's name is Luke, a Gentile convert, and the letter is the Gospel according to Luke.

In addition to the gospel, Luke also wrote the book of Acts.

Having been a travel companion of Paul, Luke was a keen observer of, and participant in, the great Jesus movement sweeping the whole Roman Empire.

This close association with Paul led Luke not only to grasp the profound meaning of the Christian Church, which stood its ground against Caesar's demand to be honored as divine, but also to learn more deeply from credible sources about the man behind it all, Jesus Christ.

So, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Luke wrote a two-volume work on what could be called Origin and History of the Christian Church.

Part 1 of this work is the Gospel, written and delivered to Theophilus before Acts was written.

Many conservative scholars date Luke's Gospel to be about AD 61-63.

Theophilus was a Greek convert, and in addressing the letter to him, Luke was especially conscious of directing his gospel to the Greek and Gentile members of the community of faith, while not disregarding the Jewish roots of Jesus.

Matthew wrote primarily to the Jews, And so he emphasizes Jesus as the Messiah.

Mark wrote to the Romans, and we see Jesus marching across the land with the news about the kingdom.

John was a deep thinker, and in his gospel emerges Jesus, the Word, the Creator, the Son of God.

But Luke writes with an eye on the Gentiles.

To them, he presents Jesus as the Son of Man, the Savior of the world, and friend of humanity.

The universality of salvation is the underlying theme of his gospel.

So, his genealogy traces Jesus all the way to Adam and links him to God, while Matthew's genealogy stops with Abraham, the father of the Jews.

So all the generations from Abraham to David are 14 generations.

And from David until the carrying away into Babylon are 14 generations.

And from the carrying away into Babylon until Christ are 14 generations.

Luke's gospel is the largest in the New Testament.

Some miracles appear only in Luke, such as the raising of the widow of Nain's son, found in Luke chapter 7 verse 11 through 18.

And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain, and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

Now when he came nigh to this gate of the city, Behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and much people of the city was with her.

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

And he came and touched the bier, and they that bear him stood still.

And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak, and he delivered him to his mother.

And there came a great fear on all, and they glorified God, saying that a great prophet is risen up among us, and that God has visited his people.

And the rumor of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region and round about.

And the disciples of John showed him all these things.

And 1 of them smote the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.

And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far.

Luke also tells us 4 other miracles done by Jesus that are also reported in the other Gospels, but notice how he provides many details, event-wise and also into the emotions expressed by the people who experience the miracles.

Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing.

Nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net.

And when they had done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net break.

And they beckoned unto their partners, which were on the other ship, that they should come and help them.

And they came and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken.

And so was also James, and John the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon.

And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

And behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity 18 years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift herself up.

And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are 6 days in which men ought to work.

In them therefore come, and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.

The Lord then answered them, and said, Thou hypocrite, thou hypocrite, doth not each 1 of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to the watering?

And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo these 18 years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?

And when he had said all these things, all his adversaries were ashamed, and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

And it came to pass, as he went into the house of 1 of the chief Pharisees, to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

And behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

And he took him and healed him and let him go.

And answered them saying, which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit and will not straight away pull him out on the Sabbath day?

And they could not answer him again to these things.

And fourth, Luke chapter 17 verses 11 through 19.

And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

And as he entered into a certain village, there met him 10 men that were lepers, which stood afar off.

And they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

And when he saw them, He said unto them, Go, show yourself unto the priests.

And it came to pass, that as they went, they were cleansed.

And 1 of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks.

And Jesus answering said, Were there not 10 cleansed?

There are not found that returned to give glory to God save this stranger.

And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole.

Many parables are peculiar to Luke, including 6 famous ones.

The Good Samaritan, Luke 10, verses 30-37.

The Rich Foolish Man, Luke 12, verses 16-21.

The Prodigal Son, Luke 15, verses 11-32 The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16, verses 15-31 And The Pharisee and the Publican, Luke 18, verses 10-14 The Zacchaeus story, Luke 19, verses 10 is also Luke's unique contribution.

Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Luke claims to have surveyed the historical materials, interviewed the eyewitnesses, and then, with perfect understanding of all things, written an orderly account that the readers may know the certainty of Jesus and his good news.

When asked if he would recommend a good biography of Jesus, the great theologian James Denny replied, Have you ever tried the 1 that Luke wrote?

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01. Luke: The Coming of Jesus

Welcome to Our Savior and Friend, the Book of Luke by John M.

Fowler, edited for audio by the Ambassador Group.

The Gospel of Luke was written primarily to the Gentiles.

This detail is implied in Paul's letter to the Colossians.

He refers to Luke when listing the group of those sending greetings.

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, whom ye received commandments.

And Jesus, which is called Justice, who are of the circumcision, these only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

Epaphras, who is 1 of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

For I bear him record that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea and them in Heropolis.

Luke, the beloved physician and Demas, greets you.

Theophilus, to whom Luke's telling of the gospel is addressed, was also a Gentile.

In addition to being a physician, Luke was a meticulous historian.

In introducing the gospel, Luke places Jesus in real history.

He puts the story in the historical context of his times.

Augustus reigned over the Roman Empire, Luke 2 verse 1, and a priest by the name of Zacharias was exercising his turn in the temple in Jerusalem, Luke 1, 5, and verse 9.

In chapter 3, Luke mentions 6 contemporary dates related to the ministry of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus.

In this way, Luke places the story of Jesus in history, real people, real times, in order to dismiss any idea of mythology with His narrative.

His readers must stand in awe and wonder at the fact that Jesus is real and that through Him God has invaded history with, as Luke 2 11 says, who is Christ the Lord.

An Orderly Account Acts chapter 1 verse 1 tells us that before Acts was written, its author wrote a former account.

This, and the fact that both accounts were addressed to Theophilus helps lead us to conclude that 1 author was responsible for both books.

The 2 accounts can be viewed as part 1 and part 2 of Origin and history of the Christian Church.

Part 1 is the narrative of the life and work of Jesus, the Gospel of Luke, and Part 2, Acts of the Apostles, is an account of the spread of the message of Jesus and of the early Church.

1 of the 2 references is written by Luke, the Greek physician.

Let's listen to both biblical references.

Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things, from the very first, to write unto thee in order most excellent Theophilus.

And 2 Timothy 3.16, all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Luke was aware of many who had written about the events that have shaken the city of Jerusalem and beyond, the events concerning Jesus Christ.

The sources for such literary works included many eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, as Luke 1 verse 2 of the New King James Version tells us, a clear reference to the disciples and other contemporaries of Jesus.

Luke himself had an exposure to these witnesses and ministers, such as Paul and other apostolic leaders, and possibly also to the Gospels written by Mark and Matthew.

Luke obviously was not an eyewitness to the Jesus story.

The sources for such literary works included many eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word, as Luke 1, verse 2 of the NKJV tells us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us.

This is a clear reference to the disciples and other contemporaries of Jesus.

Luke obviously was not an eyewitness to the Jesus story, but he was a credible and authentic convert to Christ.

Matthew wrote to a Jewish audience, presenting Jesus as the great teacher, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the King of the Jews.

He often referred to Old Testament prophecies being fulfilled in Christ.

Mark wrote to a Roman audience about Jesus, the person of action.

Luke, a doctor and a Gentile, wrote to the Greeks and the Gentiles about the universal Jesus, the Savior of the world.

Luke mentions 2 purposes of his writing, To present an orderly account, Luke 1, verse 3, New King James Version, and to provide certainty to the great teachings of the new era.

Certainty about truth, as in Jesus, is 1 goal of his gospel.

Luke, an inspired author of scripture, used other material in his writings.

Obviously, that use of the other sources doesn't negate the inspiration or authority of what he wrote.

What does this teach you about how inspiration, either canonical or non-canonical, works on inspired writers?

For nearly 400 years after Malachi, divine silence marked the history of Israel.

With the birth announcements of John the Baptist and Jesus, the divine silence was about to be broken.

The birth stories of John and Jesus have parallels.

In the case of John, Elizabeth had gone well past the childbearing age.

In the case of Jesus, a virgin was to bear the child.

The angel Gabriel announced both birth promises.

Both announcements were received in a spirit of wonder, joy, and surrender to God's will.

Both babies were to grow and become strong in the Spirit.

Luke describes John the Baptist's early years in Luke 1, verse 80.

And the child grew and waxed strong in the Spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

And of Jesus, Luke 2, verse 40, And the child grew and waxed strong in the Spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

But the mission and the ministry of the 2 miracle babies were distinct and different.

John was to be a preparer of the way to Jesus.

These are Luke's words in Luke chapter 1 verses 13-17.

But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth.

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

And he shall go before them in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Jesus is called the Son of God in Luke 1, verse 35.

Let's take a look at Luke 1, verses 31 through 35 to get the full picture.

"'And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus.

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest.

And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.

And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.

Then Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I do not know a man?

And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come over you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you.

Therefore also that the Holy 1, who is to be born, will be called the Son of God.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abiah.

And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

And they had no child, because that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were now well-stricken in years.

And it came to pass that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

And When Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

And many of the children of Israel shall ye turn to the Lord their God.

And ye shall go before them in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make a people ready, prepared for the Lord.

02. Luke: Baptism and the Temptations

Exploration 2, Baptism and the temptations.

Luke provides a list of great historical dignitaries to help show that his account of Jesus and John is as real and as historical as these powerful men.

But there's another important reason to mention these mighty men of power and influence.

It is to contrast them with John the Baptist, God's chosen messenger, who is to prepare the way for the most significant event in all human history so far, the coming of Jesus, the world's Redeemer.

How interesting that God chose not 1 of the world's great men to herald the Messiah, but 1 of the lowlier ones instead.

Scholars put all these historical personalities together and give us a date close to AD 27 or 28 for the start of the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus.

It is within this historical time frame of these Roman Empire luminaries that Jesus was baptized and received the benediction of heaven that he is God's beloved son.

Luke chapter 3 verse 22 gives all the details.

And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven which said, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased.

Luke establishes this fact right at the outset, even before he presents to his readers the orderly account of the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ.

In Luke 3, John appears in his unique and crucial role in salvation history.

Whatever else 1 could say about John's preaching, he was not sugarcoating his words in order to please the crowd.

Let's listen to Luke chapter 3 verses 1-14.

Notice how Luke prefaces his words with several historical markers.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Aeturia, and of the region of Trachonitis, and Licinius the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

And he came unto all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of 1 crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his path straight.

Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him.

O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father.

For I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees.

Every tree therefore which bringeth forth not good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

He answereth, and saith unto them, He that hath 2 coats, let him impart to him that hath none, and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

And he said unto them, exact no more than what is appointed you." And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do?

And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages.

John the Baptist's words are filled with important truths, not just for those who were within earshot, but for all of us.

Can you imagine what he would say to you?

Jettison the way that you live according to this world's paradigm.

Don't huddle around behind your heritage.

Repentance is not just a theoretical notion.

The word comes from the Greek metanoia, which means a change of mind, and this leads to a new life.

To baptize means to dip or immerse fully in water.

Even before the time of John, the Jews had attached meaning to baptism by immersion.

It was a common practice when Gentile proselytes chose to join the Jewish faith.

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Luke-- Jesus, Our Savior and Friend

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