THE CERTAINTY OF THOSE THINGS
Luke 1:1-4
Proposition: God wants us to be certain regarding spiritual matters and our salvation since our faith is rooted in history.
Objective: My purpose is to challenge people to be certain regarding their spiritual relationship and assurance of God’s revealed Word.
INTRODUCTION:
Is the Bible truth or myth? A truth-seeker asks this question about most everything in life, for their desire is for truth in all things. So, is the Bible truth, or is it a myth? When I think about the world we live in today, I realize how impossible it would be for my great-great-great-grandparents to comprehend it. Were I able to go back and share my life with them, they would think me the world’s wildest storyteller with an imagination out of control. Their love for me might prevent them from labeling me a liar, but I imagine they would seriously question my stability. My great-grandparents moved from Wythe County, Virginia, to Knox County, Indiana, while my 3 great grandfather Henry Steffy rode horseback at the age of 82. I am sure he would think that it was a myth, a fabrication or I was out of mind if I told him about trains, cars and jet airplanes. At the very least he couldn’t understand me and want me to share more. Because something is outside our field of experience, outside the catalogue of our knowledge, does not change it from truth to myth. Where my own family back then would find flight, space travel, vaccines, computers and e-mail easy to label mythical, it wouldn’t change the reality of the truth.
The same holds true for the Bible. Much of what we find within its pages may be difficult for us to grasp, remaining outside our personal experience or knowledge, but that difficulty doesn’t negate the truth of them. The Bible undergoes a great deal of scrutiny these days. Yet more and more, as it is placed under the scope of newer and ever-advancing technology, its veracity is finding confirmation. Be it archeological evidence or areas of science, the authentication of the Bible continues to grow. Its message is a living message because its author is the living God. We need to have a feeling of certainty in a world of uncertainty (wars, erratic stock market, etc.).
The opening paragraph is one sentence in good Greek style. Luke addresses the Gentile audience. Luke presents Jesus Christ as the compassionate Son of Man, who came to live among sinners, love them, help them and die for them. It is a message for everybody, because Luke emphasizes the universality of Jesus Christ and His salvation; “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” (2:10) The character and purpose of Jesus as Savior are the main theme of this book. The activity and teaching of Jesus in Luke are focused on lifting men out of their sins and bringing them back to life and hope. The miracles, the parables, the teachings and the acts of Jesus exemplify His redemptive power and will.
In the days of the first Christians, there were many writings about the life of Jesus. But some had special quality--they had been written by Jesus’ followers or their close friends. These gospels and letters were carefully copied by hand. Over the years, archaeologists have found thousands of manuscripts of bits of the New Testament and even some complete copies. By comparing these, we can get very close to what the New Testament writers originally wrote. Some of these copies are dated less than 100 years after the original gospel or letter was written.
The author of this gospel, Luke, also wrote another book in the New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles. He was the only NT writer who was not Jewish, and he was a doctor. Independent evidence confirms that he was a very careful and accurate historian. Luke is the only one of the Gospel writers who did not know the physical Jesus. He was not present during our Lord’s three-year ministry and did not witness His death and Resurrection. His sources for this Gospel are eyewit-nesses of these events. He visited the people who actually saw the physical Jesus: His family, His disciples, His friends. These are the sources of his information. Tradition says that Luke died at the age of 84. So he lived a long life and no doubt was immensely respected by people for this marvelous historical account that he provided of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. As well as the gospel, he wrote the book of Acts. Luke the physician, Luke the historian, Luke the theologian, he’s quite a guy, isn’t he? Lastly, Luke the pastor...Luke the pastor.
I. DECLARATION (v. 1) “Things which have been fulfilled among us”--We do not know who these writers were. Matthew & Mark may have been a-mong them but any others were obviously not inspired. (John wrote at a later date.)
1. Importance "Inasmuch as many have taken in hand"--This emphasizes the importance of a difficult undertaking. Certainly two or three have undertaken, like Mark. He makes it clear that he was not the first to write a narrative of the ministry of Jesus. He states that others preceded him in this endeavor. We do not know who these writers were. Matthew and Mark may have been among them but any others were obviously not inspired. (John wrote at a later date.)
2. Intention "to set in order (forth KJV)" "to draw up"—the task of the writer was “to line up” the materials in narratives that were disconnected parts of the whole—miracles performed, parables told, sayings on certain occasions, controversy with opponents & instruction to followers.
3. Information "those things"—God’s inspiration comes when the seeking mind of man joins with the revealing ‘Spirit of God.”
4. Insights "which have been fulfilled among us"—The teachings and actions were matters of past action. God was working out His plan in these events. Jesus is the awaited Messiah who by His life and death fulfilled the promises of the OT. The fulfillment of prophecy is a clear Lukan theme.
Illus: Robert Morgan states, I said last Sunday night that the Bible gives powerful internal evidence of being a supernatural book. It was written over a period of 1400 years by over 40 authors in 3 languages on 3 continents covering 100s of difficult subjects; yet it all fits together like a brilliant novel with a cohesive plot written by a master-author. Only it isn’t a novel—it’s a story of truth & reality.
Luke was undeniably brilliant, possessing remarkable literary abilities and a deep knowledge of the Greek language. He was the only non-Jewish author of the Bible, yet he wrote more of the NT than anyone else—28% of it. He was a physic-cian & a scientist. He was a writer & a medical missionary. And he has proved himself a historian of first rank. Here he tells us that before writing his Gospel, he did the work of an investigative journalist, recording his findings in orderly manner based on careful investigation.
Illus: Men do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them. - Author unknown
II. DISCOVERY (v. 2) "eyewitnesses"—Luke himself does not claim to be an eyewitness but he had interviews with those who were. He describes these associates of our Lord as eyewitnesses & ministers of the Word. He knew the value of accurate sources.
1. Priority "Just as those who from the beginning"—These came from the right time: “the first,” those who knew Jesus. Luke takes us back to the ministry of John the Baptist and others.
2. Preparation "were eyewitnesses and ministers"—Frequent in medical writers, of a personal examination of disease or of the parts of the body. This indicates that Luke was not an eyewitness himself. His sources came from the right people, those who knew Jesus. They came through the right channels. This means “to see with one’s own eyes, self-sight.” These were people who knew Jesus.
3. Purpose "the Word delivered them to us"—They came for the right reasons; the services of the Word.
Illus: “I believe that the Bible is flawed for many reasons, mainly for the idea that it was not written by God, but by man, who is impf, as far as religion goes.”
Illus: The inspiration of the Bible depends on the ignorance of the gentleman who reads it. - R. G. Ingersoll
III. DEDICATION (v. 3) "most excellent Theophilus"—This Gospel is addressed like a dedication of a book to some honored person. Luke gives a brief statement of his motivation and of the method he used. On the human level, there was the quiet conviction that he should write the Gospel. We know, of course, that divine constraint was curiously mingled with this human decision.
1 Motivation "It seemed good to me"—To speak of Luke’s motivation is not to discount the movement of the Holy Spirit in inspiration; it is rather to include it. The Holy Spirit moved him that the wise, fitting or appropriate thing for him to do was to write a Gospel.
2. Manifestation "having had perfect understanding of all things"—Luke had done his investigation and done it with care. Luke investigated his topic and he did it with care. He did not claim to know everything about Jesus. “From the very first” can mean “from above” (John 3:31;19:11). This speaks of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit on the message that Luke wrote.
Illus: When Philip Brooks, author of “O, Little Town of Bethlehem,” was seriously ill, he requested no friends come to see him. But when an acquaintance of his named Robert Ingersoll, a famous anti-Christian propagandist, came to see him he allowed him to come in right away. Ingersoll said, “I appreciate this very much. Especially when you aren’t letting any of your close friends see you.” Phillip Brooks responded, “Oh, I’m confident of seeing them in the next world, but this may be my last chance to see you.”
3. Method "to write you an orderly account"—Luke wants him to have a fuller knowledge in addition to the knowledge he already possessed. Luke investigated recent accounts of the ministry of Jesus and traced these from the first.
Illus: The story is told about a man who was so intrigued by a Christian friend at work that he came to him one day and asked how he could find God. His friend said, "You need a theologian. You’d better talk to my pastor." When he talked to the pastor he was told, "I’m not a theologian, I’m just a poor preacher who learned some things in seminary. I suggest you see my seminary professor." Undaunted, the man made an appointment to see the seminary professor. At the start of the visit, he asked, "Are you a theologian?" "No, no," was the reply. "I am just a teacher. I get my material from all these theology books in my library. You’d better go and see some of the authors of these books." When he finally arranged an interview with one of the important authors, his first question again was, "Are you a theologian?" "No, no," answered the author. "I’m just a scientist who observes life and who writes about what I see. If you want a theologian, talk to somebody who is living out the faith day by day." I think this points up what Luke is implying. He got his story from the authentic theologians of his time. Beyond being eyewitnesses, they were living out their faith day by day.
4. Message "most excellent Theophilus"— Theophilus means "one who loves God." The book of Acts, also written by Luke, is likewise addressed to Theophilus. This preface may be a general dedication to all Christian readers. Theophilus may have been Luke’s patron, who helped to finance the book’s writing. More likely, Theophilus was a Roman acquaintance of Luke’s with a strong interest in the new Christian religion. Was he an Roman official charged with knowing the truth about the Christians? Was he an inquirer to the Christian faith? Was he a recent convert? Was he a friend of royalty needing further enlightenment in the Christian faith? He is called “most excellent” (Acts 23:26 “most excellent governor Felix”). It is a title of respect.
Illus: “The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his telescope he sees worlds beyond; but if he looks at his telescope, he does not see anything but that. The Bible is a thing to be looked through to see that which is beyond; but most people only look at it and so they see only the dead letter.” - Phillip Brooks
IV. DISCERNMENT (v. 4) "that you may know"—Luke addressed himself to a situation in which Theophilus had been receiving instruction in matters relative to the Christian faith.
1. Acknowledgment "that you may know"—Whoever Theophilus was and whatever his interest in the Christian faith. Luke wanted him to have accurate & full knowledge about it. He wants him to see that the facts of Jesus’ life and ministry as the true basis of the Gospel of salvation.
Illus: There is a story taken from the sinking of the ship named Express of Ireland that illustrates the principle of having assurance. As the ship began to sink in the cold Atlantic Ocean it was discovered that there were not enough life belts on board for all the passengers. On that ship were 130 Salvation Army officers—109 were drowned and not one body that was picked up had on a life belt. The few survivors told how the Salvation Army Christians took off their own belts and strapped them even upon strong men, saying, “I can die better than you can” and from the deck of that ship was demonstrated what it means to live with this revelation in our hearts.
2. Assurance "the certainty of those things"—The word for “certainty” can also mean “reliability. He not only needed to know the truth and accuracy of what the church taught, but also needed to be reassured. This resulted in steadfastness, stability, security against error.
Illus: The story is told of the renowned conductor Reichel who was leading a orchestra and choir in the final rehearsal of preparations for the Messiah. They had come to the point where the soprano soloist takes up the refrain, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” With the chorus quiet, her elegant voice rang out. It was marked by perfect technique in breathing and enunciation. She sang every note just as it was written. As the final note faded into silence, the entire orchestra expected to see Reichel’s nod of approval. But instead, he stepped down from the podium and made his way to the singer. With a look of sorrow, he said, “My daughter, you do not really know that your Redeemer lives, do you?” “Why, yes,” she blushingly replied. “Then sing it ” cried Reichel. “Tell it to me so that I will know, and all who hear you will know that you know the joy and power of it ” Turning to the orchestra, he motioned to begin again. This time the soloist forgot about musical technicalities and sang the truth as she knew it in her own soul. The Messiah became more than a musical piece, it became a declaration of personal faith and experience.
3. Apprehension "you were instructed"—This speaks of oral instruction in the elements of religion. His name (1:35); His reaction (4:3, 9); His recognition (4:41); & His rejection (22:70)
1). That God loves everyone (10:30-37)
2). That salvation is for all (19:10)
Believers who make a difference want to share their faith but they also want to support others in their walk with God. Luke wrote to inform Theophilus, and others like him, and to establish them in the faith.
CONCLUSION:
The main impact of the Prologues is that Christianity is true and is capable of confirmation by appeal to what had happened.
1, He names the subject of his letter: “eyewitnesses & ministers of the Word.” That is his final name for Jesus (John states “In the beginning was the Word...”
2. Luke names the sources of his information as: “eyewitnesses and ministers.” These were those who had actually seen Jesus and served Him in the days of His flesh.
3. He describes the method of his information: traced things, guidance from above and put it in proper order.
4. He reveals the purpose of his writing. He wanted Theophilus to have more than intellectual conviction. He wanted him to have certainty, safety and security in his spiritual life.
Illus: There was a grandfather who gave his grandson and his new bride a new Bible for a wedding present. It was clearly an expensive gift, bound in white leather with their names and the date of their wedding on the cover, so they left it in its box and put it up in the bedroom closet. But for months afterward, every time they saw grandpa he would ask them how they liked the Bible. The wife had written the thank-you note, and they had even thanked him in person, but somehow he couldn’t let it lie, he’d always ask about it. Years later, long after the grandfather had died, the grandson was telling a friend about the story and the friend asked plainly, "Why don’t you take it down and read it?" So the grandson finally took the Bible out of the closet and found that the grandfather had placed a hundred dollar bill at the beginning of the Book of Genesis, and at the beginning of ever book of the whole Bible - some $6,600 dollars in all, quite a gift in those days!
It’s still quite a gift, and while I doubt you’ll find $100 dollar bills stuck in the
pages, I can promise you, you’ll find treasures even greater, stories we need to hear, stories we want to hear, stories to help up live, stories to help us die, and stories to help us believe we shall live again. Reading and listening to them, we recognize who we are and where we came from. Reading and listening we come to know God, are called into relationship with the One who tells them to us. Reading and listening we experience God’s Word, right here, right now and we are changed.
Prepared by: Gerald Steffy, 6206 N. Hamilton Rd.
Peoria, IL 61614, Phone: 309-691-3680,
E-Mail grsteffy@yahoo.com for MY SERMON NUGGETS
