The Gospel of Luke

Jesus encounters a funeral procession and a suffering widow woman who has lost her only son. Jesus comforts her with His word and then demonstrates authority over the kingdom of death by raising the son back to life. Jesus has compassion for this woman and provides for her in the midst of her hopelessness and despair...just as he has provided an atonement for our sin in the gospel.

A Roman Centurion demonstrates a heart of humble faith as he asks Jesus to heal his servant.

Jesus ends the sermon on the plain by giving a fearful warning to those who come and hear Christ's words but do not practice them. It is just like building a house without a foundation. The storm of God's judgment will one day sweep away every house not founded upon the rock

Jesus shows us the way that we examine ourselves so that we might remove the log from our eye and be able to help our brother remove his speck. The fruit we produce is the indicator of the status of our hearts. The gospel is the only solution to our problem.

Jesus continues to explain what it means to love one's enemies. He has shown us what this love does. It blesses those who curse us and prays for those who abuse us. Here Jesus shows us the kind of heart that loves enemies. It is a heart that is merciful, not condemning or hypocritical.

Jesus teaches believers how we are to respond to those who hate us. The context is personal persecution and mistreatment for Christ's sake. He commands that we do good, bless, and pray for those who hate and curse us. He gives examples and tells us the reason why we are to live this way as believers. It is because our God is merciful and we show the world who He is when we are merciful.

Jesus preaches the sermon on the level describing what a life in right relationship with God looks like. The "blessed" life is not what most people expect. Jesus is giving a description of what this life looks like - it is those who are poor, hungry, mournful, and hated. That is not what a "blessed" life looks like to the world.

Jesus, facing increasing opposition, chooses the 12 Apostles from among His disciples. He secludes Himself on a mountain and prays all night before making the choice. The choosing of the 12 is born from increasing opposition, communion with the Father, and a dependence upon His power. These are the same things that characterize the church and the Christian life.

Jesus demonstrates that empty ritual (especially man-made rituals) is not good enough to make man right with God. He seeks a heart devoted to Him which only comes through the new birth. The Pharisees object to Jesus' actions on the Sabbath, but He instructs them on the proper observance of God's commands.

Jesus answers the Pharisees' question about ritual fasting by showing that the gospel He proclaims is incompatible with all religions that work for righteousness. Jesus didn't come to be an accessory added to the religion of men. He came to save mankind and give men new hearts. The gospel is an all or nothing proposition.

Jesus calls an unlikely person to be His disciple. Levi (Matthew) is a tax collector. Tax collectors were thought to be the most wicked, vile, and hated people in Israel. Yet Jesus extends the call to this sinner. The call is to follow Jesus and Levi leaves all to do so. This is the same call made to us today.

Jesus demonstrates that He possesses the authority to forgive sin, as desperate men do whatever it takes to get their paralyzed companion to Jesus. At the same time, religious men sit satisfied, not recognizing their need for Christ.

A man full of leprosy desires Jesus to make him clean. The leper is unclean and shut out of the presence of God in the Temple, and the community of God. He must yell, "unclean, unclean" to warn those who come near. His uncleanness defiles everything he touches, but when Jesus touches him...

Jesus demonstrates authority over Peter's fishing and calls him to become a fisher of men. Jesus has authority over every area of our lives but that authority demands a response. Peter responds in repentance and faith, forsaking all to follow Jesus

Jesus begins demonstrating His authority as the kingdom of God begins breaking into creation. Jesus casts away the effects of the fall by healing diseases and casting out demons. His word has power to conquer the kingdom of darkness and He is compassionate toward those bound in its grip

Jesus returns to His hometown preaching the good news of the kingdom. The people of Nazareth turn on Him and try to kill Him because of His message. Jesus shows them the things that are keeping them from trusting in Him as Messiah...they are the same things that keep people from believing today, and these obstacles also keep believers from growing in Christ.

Jesus enters into the greatest fight for us. Just as Adam and Israel entered the ring to fight against Satan's temptations and lost, Jesus enters on our behalf and is victorious. Jesus shows us how to fight by wielding God's Word, the Sword of the Spirit, but more importantly, Jesus fights for us, proving He is the perfect God-Man who is able to atone for our sin.

John the Baptist testifies to the truth about the Messiah - His infinite worth, His Effective ministry, and His identity as judge. God the Father and God the Holy Spirit also Testify to the Identity of the Son.

John the Baptist emerges from the wilderness as the last Old Testament type prophet. He preaches a message of repentance to Israel as he prepares their hearts for the coming of the Messiah. Repentance is just as necessary for salvation today as it was then. Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin.

Luke presents both the humanity and the divinity of Jesus. The Hypostatic Union is the unity of both a complete human nature and a complete divine nature in the person of Jesus Christ. The Word became flesh to bring humanity into fellowship with the Triune God

The law, the Spirit, Simeon, and Anna testify to the reality of who Jesus is and what He came to do. He is Savior but He is also a divider of men

God announces the birth of the Savior to a group of shepherds. Here we see the depths of what God has done in salvation and the transformation salvation produces.

The story of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem shows us that God is Sovereignly in control of history but He often works in ways we don't expect. The King of kings is born in the most humble circumstances imaginable, yet God is working for our real problem...sin.

Zechariah breaks his silence with an overflow of praise and prophecy to God and to his newborn son, John. Zechariah foretells what God has done, how he has done it, and why God has done it. He also shows man what he must do to be right with God.

Zachariah and Elizabeth bring forth their promised son. The family and friends think his name should be called Zachariah after their father, but Zachariah and Elizabeth remember the command of Gabriel to call his name John. Will they obey in faith or will they go back to business as usual after God has blessed them?

Mary bursts forth in a heartfelt song of worship and praise to God. She focuses her reasons for magnifying God on who He is and What He has Done. God is owed our worship because of His grace, because of who he is, because of what he has done, and because of His faithfulness.

Gabriel comes to Mary in the backwoods of Nazareth to announce the birth of the Messiah. Mary demonstrates a heart of faith in God's grace, God's Son, God's Power, and God's Plan for her. She surrenders herself to the will of God to be His instrument in bearing the Lord

Zechariah the priest is given a divine message about his prayers for a child. Although Zechariah is described as faithful and righteous, he still battles with unbelief and is rebuked by the angel Gabriel. He is struck dumb until the prophecy is fulfilled.

Luke lays out the introduction and purpose to his gospel - so that Theophilus (and we) would have certainty about the things in which he was instructed