WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IN?
Text: Luke 1:1
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand - to set forth in order a declaration…
of those things which are most surely believed among us,
So then, Are you sure about what you believe?
Spiritually speaking, when it comes to God – and His plan and purpose for your life,
Do you know what you believe?
This is my question to you today.
God wants us to be sure – and so He reveals the truth of things to us through His Word?
Year of Outreach
For the Lighthouse Baptist Church in New Zealand...
This year of 2021 is really only going to be about two things:
1) Preaching the Gospel to others...and...2) Learning More About What We Believe.
In fact, our Church has declared 2021 to be a “Year of Outreach”
By definition – “Outreach” is about “Reaching Out” to others.
Jesus said in the Great Commission that we are to “Go and teach all Nations” - Matthew 28
He didn’t say that we are to just come to Church and sit,
But that we are to in fact “go – and reach out to others with the truth”.
Matthew 24:14 says - And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached…
in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
How does the Gospel get preached to all nations?...
People like you and I reach out with the truth.
What Do We Believe?
You see, God wants us to be reaching out to share the reality of Jesus Christ with others,
But for us to effectively do that – something needs to happen first...
We need to be sure about what we believe.
And so this is the pivotal question... Do You Know what you believe?
As Children of God - what do we believe about the Gospel?
Because although the Bible declares there is only one true Gospel...
There are many different variations that others believe and practice - wrongly.
And on this note - What do we believe about God ...The Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ His son?
What do we believe about all aspects to our Faith...Baptism, and the Lord’s Churches?
Because there are many different thoughts, ideas and religions,
And they all like to have their say - about what they believe to be true.
But what about what God says is true – What is it that you believe?
Big Question – Many Answers
Now this is obviously a very broad question,
And so we are going to have to ask it of ourselves over and over again.
We will need to ask this question many, many times...
Across many, many lessons to really get a grasp of the answer.
In fact, becoming sure about what we believe – may take the rest of the year - maybe longer.
And that is why I want to have these weekly Bible Studies...
We are not going to rush things – we are going to take our time.
Every week through the Scriptures we will explore...
What God has to say about many topics through His Word - Chapter and Verse,
And we will do this to be certain of the truth – and to have surety in what we believe.
Now if 2021 is going to be a “Year of Outreach” for us all,
If are to be doing what God has called us to do...
By effectively be “reaching out” to share the Word of truth with others
We need to first be comfortable in knowing what it is we actually believe.
1 Peter 3:15 tells us to: ...be ready always to give an answer…
to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you.
Be ready to share the hope we have in Jesus Christ with anyone who asks – Peter says.
But How do we get ready? – We get familiar with what we believe
And with the message we will be sharing.
And guys this is what we believe (The Bible) – it’s all about chapter and verse.
This is God’s Word to us and it is all right here.
Text Verse Luke
So Let’s get back into our text here in Luke.
As a point of interest – we know Luke to be one of Jesus disciples.
He was not only used by God to Write the Gospel of Luke, but also of the book of Acts.
Furthermore, it is known to us that Luke accompanied the Apostle Paul at various times
As is recorded in 2 Timothy 4:11… And Paul even refers to Luke
As a “Beloved Physician” In Colossians 4:14.
The term Physican itself in the Greek means “to cure” and refers to “one wo heals”
So Luke was a Doctor by trade - and may well have even treated Paul
Caring for some of Paul’s physical ailments while on their missionary Journeys.
Now notice what Luke records for us here in Chapter 1 verse 1:
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand… to set forth in order a declaration…
of those things which are most surely believed among us,
Now there are several things for us to learn here.
Firstly, Luke talks about - …those things… most surely believed among us
Remember – we need to be sure about what we believe – this is what Luke is talking about.
And he says …many have taken in hand
Meaning “to take up”, or “to take hold with purpose”.
I think its also noteworthy that Luke says – “many” have done this.
Many have taken hold of the truth with purpose…
And many have taken up the Word of God and shared it!
Brothers we are not alone in this task – because many have done this before us.
And what exactly did they seek to do?
They, …set forth in order …[that means they set the Word of God in its proper place]
[Making] a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
That means they set about to openly declare or proclaim the things that we believe.
Do you know what You believe?
Luke says many have taken in hand the truth
In other words, many have openly declared to others the truth that we also now believe,
And by God’s Grace - they have set the Word of God in its proper order
The Truth – Is God Inspired
Now as we know – this is God’s Word and the truth that we now hold to, [The Bible]
This is what we still take in hand to declare.
But back in ancient times the full and completed Scriptures…
As we have them now - were not available in their entirety.
In fact, for a time, God chose to speak and to share His Word through the Prophets,
And they recorded these things for us in the OT.
And then latter for a time, God spoke directly through His Son Jesus,
Of whom other men like Luke and Paul also testified too and wrote about in the NT.
And it is these writings – making up the OT and the NT…
That make up the whole and complete Word of God we follow today.
Turn with me to Hebrews 1:1-2 says:
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners [that means at different times and through various means] spake in time past unto the fathers by the Prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds;
In order for us to have the complete Word of God that we follow today,
God spoke for a time through the Prophets,
And He spoke for a time through His Son…
And He inspired various men across these times…
To record His Word of truth and the Holy Scriptures for us to now follow.
This is God’s Word, this is God’s truth – and this is what we hold to and believe today.
2 Timothy 3:16 says - All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
…all of the Scripture is Inspired directly by God.
Literally in the Greek that comes out that “All Scripture was God breathed”
It came from His mouth - because this is His Word.
God is the ultimate Author of the Bible and everything in it.
And we will cover this in further detail in later lessons,
Please turn back with me in our opening text - Luke chapter 1…
Because here Luke simply acknowledges and sets forward this fact.
Many have taken in hand - to set forth in order a declaration…
Of those things which are most surely believed among us,
What do we believe – we believe God’s Word – as is recorded right here.
Luke Continues
Now notice with me how Luke continues to expand upon this in verse 2
2 Even as they [referring to the many that have declared the truth before]
…delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the Word;
I think its interesting that God didn’t just use anyone
To record His Word and to preserve His truth.
They were “Eyewitnesses” to the things which happened…
And “Ministers” – or rather those already serving faithfully under will and Word of the Lord.
And now notice what Luke says next – verse 3:
3 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,
So Luke says - I also have a detailed knowledge and understanding of spiritual truth
Having been with Christ, having been taught by Christ…
Having been a first hand witness to things that Christ did,
I too am going to write “in order”…
Placing the truth within its proper context – Most excellent Theophilus.
Theophilus?
Now the first and most pressing question I had upon reading this was,
“Who is this most excellent Theophilus?”
Of course, the true identity of Theophilus is unknown,
What we do know is that Theophilus means “friend of God”...
Or “(be)loved by God” in the Greek language.
And it wasn’t uncommon for various books written in the NT
To have been initially addressed and entrusted to specific individuals.
Paul did this with Timothy for example in the books of 1st and 2nd Timothy.
And this is what is so neat – because even though the Word of God
Was initially written or directed to an individual...
Its fundamental truth still remains relevant to all of our lives even today.
Remember – God delivered His Word at different times and in different ways,
As He has spoke through Prophets for a time under the OT,
And as He spoke directly through Jesus Christ for a time under the NT…
And as we now see here through Luke - according to God’s greater plan and purpose,
How He also choose to speak through men that He inspired,
Who were both eyewitnesses and servants to Christ - to record His Word.
3 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,
No More Need
Today we now stand with God’s inspired work in the Bible
The perfect and complete revelation of God’s Word for us to live our lives by.
This includes the complete works of both the OT and the NT
Including both the prophecy of the promised Messiah,
And the fulfillment of those prophecies through Jesus Christ.
We are even given future prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled through Jesus
As is laid down and revealed to us through the book of Revelation.
Point is – we don’t need more prophets today to tell us God’s Word,
And we don’t need Jesus here with us to declare what the Word is,
Because we have the Perfect Word of the Lord right here – and this is what we believe.
And guys we have to know what we believe…
Because there are some who are still advocating that there are new prophecies
Revealing the true Word of God.
There are even some religions that are advocating further doctrines
Which add to and enhance the Word of God.
The Scriptures say in Proverbs 30:6:
Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Things like the Karahan, or the book of Mormon – exist outside of God’s Word.
Those words are added by man – not God.
Things like this often give rise to False Gospels,
And lead people into thinking that salvation exists outside of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said – I am the way, the truth and the life – no man cometh to the father but by me.
Acts 4:12 says – Neither is there salvation in any other.
So is it God’s truth that we hold too - or is it something else?
Is it God’s Word that we believe – or is it in mans words?
What Do You Believe?
Now back to what Luke says here in our text,
He openly declares that like so many others who came before
He too was going to Set in order the Word of the Lord,
Having been both an eyewitness and minister to the truth.
And then he gives us all an extraordinary reason why – verse 4:
4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things,
wherein thou hast been instructed. You need to be certain of what you believe.
Conclusion
So then – has God called us to reach out to others with the truth in 2021?
Are we here to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and…
…those things which are most surely believed among us.
Then this what we believe…
Nothing more and nothing less than whole and complete Word of God.
And now having established this simple foundation
We will now begin to add more surety to our beliefs.
Every week, as we open the Scriptures we will let God teach us through His Word.
We will build upon what we have learnt today in future weeks.
1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand - to set forth in order a declaration…
of those
