Certainty Concerning the Gospel
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Opening Illustration
Opening Illustration
When we read the four Gospels, we notice that they contain just those little differences that prove the men to have been honest.
If you set four men to tell a story, they will all tell it differently even though each one of them speaks the truth, for each of them will look at the matter from a different standpoint.
If all four of them spoke in exactly the same words, and there were no apparent discrepancies between them, you would know that they had put their heads together and concocted the tale in order to deceive their hearers.
A judge in court would soon find them out, and he would say, “That is a trumped up story,” so none of them go an inch beyond the other for fear they should contradict one another, and so be found out.
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But the four Evangelists differ in their statements only as honest men must necessarily differ if they are independent witnesses;
And their agreement in the facts to which they testify helps to confirm their witness, and to make assurance doubly sure.
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So, please turn your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke.
We will be conducting our study in Chapter 1 and focusing on verses 1 through 4.
Our message this morning is called, “Certainty Concerning the Gospel”
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As you are finding your place in God’s Word...
I want to share that we will be discussing the background for one of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament...
But not only that...
We will have an opportunity to start digging into the text of Luke’s Gospel...
And go over his prologue to his first of two major works in the New Testament.
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Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Before we consider our text, please join me in prayer...
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For brothers and sisters around the world...
For ears to hear God’s truth in His Word...
For faithfulness to present God’s truth free of man’s wisdom...
For believers to have assurance in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ...
For unbelievers to repent, believe the Good News, and surrender to our Lord...
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Let’s turn to our text for today:
Reading of the Text
Reading of the Text
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us,
2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,
3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
So, let’s look at our first point...
1) The Background
1) The Background
As we are starting a new book in the Bible to study...
We need to consider the background of the Gospel of Luke.
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We need to cover who the author is...
When this book was written...
What writing format is this book written in...
Who the original audience was...
And what was the purpose of this writing.
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So, let’s start with who the author is.
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Author:
The author of the Gospel of Luke is...
Luke.
Hence the name.
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He is also the author of Acts.
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We know this by evidence of what it says in Acts when the author uses “we” to refer to himself in Paul’s company...
And based on Paul’s epistles we know who was with him during his travels and Luke is the only companion he had that makes sense as being the author of this Gospel and Acts.
Additionally, all of the early church knew Luke to be the author and his authorship was never questioned.
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He was a Gentile...
The reason we know this is due to the evidence found in one of the epistles written by the Apostle Paul…
Paul distinguishes Luke from the rest of his company.
After listing many individuals who are serving along him this is what he says in Colossians 4:11:
11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.
After this group of Jewish converts to Christianity...
He lists the Gentile converts to Christianity and just a few verses down in Colossians 4:14 he says:
14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.
So, that reality would make Luke the only Gentile, as we know, to write any of the books of Scripture...
The reason we say as we know is due to the fact that we don’t know who wrote Hebrews...
Many have different theories...
Some think Paul but stylistically is seems too different.
Some have even suggested Luke...
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However, from what we do know...
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Luke is responsible for writing the most significant portion (about 28%) of the New Testament...
He wrote both this Gospel we are studying and the book of Acts which will be our next book we study after the Gospel of Luke, Lord willing.
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Both Eusebius and Jerome from the early church identified Luke as a native of Antioch, which is in Syria...
This would make sense as many of the events recorded in the book of Acts centers on Antioch.
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Luke is also a frequent companion of the Apostle Paul and was with him right up until the time of Paul’s martyrdom...
We know this from what Paul wrote in 2 Timothy which is considered to be the last epistle Paul wrote before his death.
2 Timothy 4:11 says:
11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.
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Additionally, from Paul’s writings, when know that Luke was a physician as we saw earlier in the mention of Colossians 4:14.
Luke’s attention to Jesus’ healing ministry also makes sense given his medical background.
In Luke’s day...
In the 1st century...
Physicians did not have a unique vocabulary or technical medical terminology...
So, when Luke is recording the healings performed by Jesus and other medical issues...
He is not using different language from that of the other Gospel writers...
And that makes perfect sense.
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Next let’s look at the date of this work.
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Date:
Both the Gospel of Luke and Acts seem to have been written at the same time...
Together they make up a 2-volume work which is addressed to Theophilus.
Together this 2-volume set cover the events starting from the birth of Christ...
And going all the way to Paul’s imprisonment while he is under house arrest in Rome.
The date this Gospel was written is estimated to be in 60 or 61 AD.
This note from the MacArthur Study Bible explains how we are able to determine that date:
“The book of Acts ends with Paul still in Rome, which leads to the conclusion that Luke wrote these books from Rome during Paul’s imprisonment there [in 60–62 AD].
Luke records Jesus’ prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD but makes no mention of the fulfillment of that prophecy, either here or in Acts.
Luke made it a point to record such prophetic fulfillments, so it is extremely unlikely he wrote these books after the Roman invasion of Jerusalem.
Acts also includes no mention of the great persecution that began under Nero in 64 AD.
In addition, many scholars set the date of James’ martyrdom at 62 AD, and if that was before Luke completed his history, he certainly would have mentioned it.
So, the most likely date for this gospel is 60 or 61 AD.”
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This also shows the reliability of the New Testament accounts...
For Luke to write his Gospel and Acts during this time would mean that any contradictions in his record of history would not only come up but not allow these writings to spread for they would be easily disproven.
However the fact that Luke’s Gospel and Acts was accepted by the early church is evident in its soundness in truthful accounts...
In order to get away with writing a false account or a myth...
A minimum of 100 years must pass from the time the events took place...
Only 30 years passed from the accounts recorded in the Gospels...
And with the events in Acts Luke was writing about events that just happened at the time of his writing.
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Next, lets look at the genre of this writing.
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Format of the Writing:
The format or genre of the Gospel of Luke is of a historical narrative.
Luke’s attention to detail make this account rich with wonderful information about the ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The main areas of Luke's narrative focus on the events leading up to and after the birth of Christ...
The ministry of Jesus in with His mighty deeds and divine words...
And a focus on Jesus’ travel toward Jerusalem which covers His suffering, death, and resurrection.
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Now lets look at the original audience of this Gospel account.
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Original Audience:
Again, as we mentioned above Luke dedicated both this Gospel account and Acts to “most excellent Theophilus.”
“Theophilus” literally means “lover of God”...
This may have been just a nickname but it is accompanied by a formal address when it says “most excellent”
So, many scholars believe that Theophilus may have been a well known Roman dignitary...
Some even suggesting that he was one of those who had turned to Christ in “Caesar’s household” that we see recorded in Philippians 4:22 which says:
22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.
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Additionally, many biblical scholars believe that Theophilus, due to his position and Luke’s address of him...
May have been Luke’s literary patron or publisher, as was the custom of the times.
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However, it should be understood that Luke envisioned a much broader audience for his work than just this one man.
This dedication that we see to Theophilus is considered very similar to our formal dedications we now see in a modern book.
So, This dedication is not like the address of an typical epistle as we see in other New Testament works.
This fact shows even more evidence that Theophilus was Luke’s publisher and that he wanted to see Luke’s Gospel spread to all churches and heard by all believers.
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Luke mentions that he uses the reports of eyewitnesses as a source for his Gospel account...
Consider this note from the MacArthur Study Bible on this fact as I believe it will be helpful:
“Luke expressly stated that his knowledge of the events recorded in his gospel came from the reports of those who were eyewitnesses—strongly implying that he himself was not an eyewitness.
It is clear from his prologue that his aim was to give an ordered account of the events of Jesus’ life, but this does not mean he always followed a strict chronological order in all instances.
By acknowledging that he had compiled his account from various extant sources, Luke was not disclaiming divine inspiration for his work.
The process of inspiration never bypasses or overrides the personalities, vocabularies, and styles of the human authors of Scripture.
The unique traits of the human authors are always indelibly stamped on all the books of Scripture.
Luke’s research is no exception to this rule.
The research itself was orchestrated by divine Providence.
And in his writing, Luke was moved by the Spirit of God.
Therefore, his account is infallibly true.”
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And finally lets look at the purpose of this writing.
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Purpose of Writing:
Luke makes it clear from the first sentence of his Gospel that the purpose of his writing is to provide an accurate...
And detailed...
And well-ordered account of the foundational Christian Gospel message...
And to enable his reader to have a total assurance of the things they have been previously taught.
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That is why no matter what someone tells you about God...
It must be backed up by the only authoritative source we as humans have...
The written Word of God!
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And with that let’s drive right into our text with verse 1 and our next point.
2) The Synoptic Gospels
2) The Synoptic Gospels
Verse 1: Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us,
In this prologue to his Gospel account...
Luke refers to other narrative accounts of the Gospel which seem to have certainly included Mark’s Gospel (the earliest of the Gospels written in the mid-to-late 50s AD)...
And possibly Matthew’s Gospel as both where written beforehand.
In fact, about 60% of the material covered in the Gospel of Mark is repeated in Luke...
Additionally, Luke seems to follow Mark’s order of events very closely showing it was one of his main sources.
Mark’s account is considered by most scholar’s to be the earliest of the Gospels and Mark’s account is most-likely based on Peter’s eyewitness account as Mark was a disciple of Peter.
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Luke’s style in the prologue, which is the first four verses that we are covering today, is a single sentence in the ancient Greek...
And was written in the polished style of a Greek literary classic.
This type of prologue in this style is very common for ancient Greek historical works...
So, Luke is making it clear that his narrative is documenting historical facts.
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Following this introduction...
Luke reverts to the more common style of ancient Greek as used in the Septuagint...
The Septuagint is the Greek version of the Hebrew Old Testament.
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So, Luke is making it clear that others have compiled narratives about Christ...
The reason for so many doing this is due to the amazing life changing message of salvation found in the Good News of Jesus Christ...
As Hebrews 2:3 says:
3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,
Notice that last part of the verse...
“Attested by those who heard”
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What gives us confidence about the Good News of Christ...
Is that the message Jesus preached and taught...
Was witnessed by many and those witnesses offered up their reliable accounts to people like Luke who took on the responsibility of compiling it up all together...
And this takes us to our next point.
3) Eyewitness Accounts
3) Eyewitness Accounts
Verse 2: Just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,
All of Luke’s primary sources were the apostles themselves...
We know this when our text says, “eyewitnesses and minister of the word”...
This is not talking about two groups but one group.
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Luke relied on the apostles as the primary source due to the fact that they where the ones who preached and taught all the facts about Jesus’ life and His teachings...
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In fact, we see all throughout Scripture the apostles appealing to the fact that they are eye witnesses to what they are preaching and teaching.
For example...
Jesus tells his disciples that not only does the Holy Spirit bear witness about Him...
By they will be the ones to bear witness of all He has done too.
Just look at what it says in John 15:26-27:
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
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The Apostle Peter makes it clear that he and the rest of the apostles are not just teaching a myth like so many false teachers...
But he has see all this with his own eyes...
2 Peter 1:16–19 says:
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,”
18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
What makes what Peter say so powerful is that the truth he preached as an eyewitness was a truth he was willing to die for...
Some people will die for a lie if they are tricked...
But Peter was not told about Jesus...
Peter served with Jesus during His earthy ministry...
Peter first hand say the miracles he preached about Christ...
If he was lying then the moment his head was put under the sword he would have recanted...
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Sure, when Jesus was arrested...
And he was confused about Jesus’ mission on this earth...
He denied even knowing Christ...
Yet, after Peter saw the risen Lord...
After Peter had the Holy Spirit living in him after Pentecost...
He was a man who would never deny Christ again.
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Peters last moment on this earth was being crucified...
And not just that but crucified upside down at his request for he did not feel worthy to die in the same manner as His Lord and Savior...
If Peter was preaching a myth then that would have been the moment to recant...
But he didn’t...
In fact...
Not a single apostle that was martyred recanted.
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That fact along makes their eye witness accounts undeniably true...
For no one dies for something they know is a lie...
Let alone see this as the pattern with every single apostle...
That is why many atheists have become believers once they came to understand this fact.
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We just finished our study of 1 John last week...
Do you remember how the Beloved Disciple...
The one Whom Jesus Loved...
Opened his epistle?
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Let me remind you....
1 John 1:1–3 says:
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—
2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—
3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
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In fact...
When the apostles desired to replace Judas...
They knew they needed someone who was an eyewitness from the beginning of Jesus’ earthy ministry...
As Acts 1:21-26 says:
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”
23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen
25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”
26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
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As we just read that verse...
I want you to realize it was from Acts...
The other book Luke wrote.
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Remember, in Acts...
Luke was an eye witness to those events as he uses the phrase “we” when he was present.
So, he had many opportunities in his travel to speak with the apostles...
And not just speak with them...
But to see their unshakable faith as seem in Acts 4:18-20 which says:
18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,
20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
Luke had access to and utilized the accounts of the apostles but that was not all.
Luke had other other sources too that he compiles all together to present an orderly account...
And this takes us to our next point.
4) An Orderly Account
4) An Orderly Account
Verse 3: It seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
So, in addition to the apostle’s eyewitness accounts...
Luke did use other sources and other witness testimonies too.
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One of those sources Luke seemed to use was Mary, the mother of Jesus and her eye witness account...
That is the reason why his account of Jesus’ birth and its lead up is so detailed and some of those events he records are only recorded in his Gospel.
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Luke, due to his travels with Paul, had many opportunities to interact with eyewitnesses and investigate claims to see that they where true...
He spent more than two years at Caesarea based on the records we have in Acts...
During that time he would have been able to meet with individuals like Philip, who was more than likely one of Luke’s sources.
Other people he would have most likely come across include the Apostle John...
And Joanna, wife of Herod’s steward.
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Luke, after compiling all these accounts and verifying the truth fullness of the claims...
Thorough the inspiration of the Holy Spirit...
Put together an orderly account.
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This orderly account was dedicated to Theophilus...
And as we mentioned before...
The title for Theophilus which Luke uses...
Is “Most excellent” and this title was used to address Roman dignitary or governors.
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This dedication is found again in the opening sentence of Acts too.
Luke says in Acts 1:1–2:
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,
2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
When Luke wrote to Theophilus...
And in turn anyone else who would read this Gospel...
He wanted to give the reader assurance of the truth contained in this work...
For unless it is found in the Word of God...
We can’t know if it is true...
And this takes us to our final point.
5) Certainty of the Gospels
5) Certainty of the Gospels
Verse 4: That you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
The phrase “that you may have certainty concerning” is rendered in other translations as “so that you may know the exact truth about”...
This was to show that although Luke used eye witness accounts...
This did not take away from the divine authority found in God’s Word...
Luke’s Gospel account is just as inspired and inerrant and infallible as all of Scripture...
And Luke wanted to make sure Theophilus and all other future readers understood this.
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The word “taught” in Koine Greek is the source of our English word for “catechism”...
So, although Theophilus had been schooled and received introductory instruction in the Christian Gospel as seem in Luke’s phrase “things you have been taught”...
It was not enough to go on any man’s words or instructions...
In fact, some scholars believe that Theophilus may have even been taught by the Apostle Paul himself...
Yet, Luke stressed the point as is seen throughout Scripture...
The written Word of God is our supreme and ultimate authority....
By means of this Gospel that Luke wrote inspired by the Holy Spirit...
It sealed the certainty of what Theophilus and others had heard taught to them in the past.
Remember what the Bereans did when they heard Paul preaching the Gospel...
Acts 17:10–12 says:
10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.
11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.
Remember this sound advice church...
Be a Berean!
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The note from the New International Commentary on the New Testament on the Gospel According to Luke is excellent and should be considered along with all we have already covered in our study:
“In his preface Luke expressly declares that he himself guarantees the truth of the Gospel narrative.
It is, indeed, the unique characteristic of the Christian religion that it is based on definite historical facts and not on speculations or theories.
Spiritually we cannot live on uncertainties or half-truths.
All other religions and philosophic systems rest on human speculations and figments.
That is why they contradict each other so radically in practically every important matter and afford no true satisfaction for the deepest yearning of the human heart.
In Christianity, however, we see how God throughout many centuries has dealt effectively with man and has spoken to him—at first to prepare him for the coming of Christ and finally in and through the Lord Jesus Himself.
While all other religions are thus only a manifestation of the struggle of humanity in its deep longing to know and enjoy divinity, we find in the Word of God the history of how the living God in His saving grace entered into the life of mankind, seeking to save those that are lost.
Luke, therefore, justly emphasises the historical trustworthiness of the data of the Gospel narrative.”
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As Luke opens his Gospel...
We see the same goal of sharing a saving knowledge with all who have ears to listen...
As in other books of Scripture like the Gospel of John...
John 20:30-31 says:
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Closing Illustration
Closing Illustration
As this message comes to a close, I would like to share this short prayer:
Almighty God,...
You called Luke the physician,...
Who is honored in Scripture,...
To be one of the Gospel writers and a physician of the soul.
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Grant that by the health-giving medicines of the doctrine he has passed on to us,...
All the diseases of the souls may be healed,...
Through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Amen!
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May your faith be strengthened by the truth we will be covering in our study on the Gospel of Luke.
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To God be all the glory.
Amen.
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Please join us for one more song from the Praise Band.
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