THE HOLY BIBLE- THE BOOK OF LUKE

The Book of Luke tells the entire story of Jesus’s life, from before his birth to his  death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.  It was reviewed in our Holidays 2003 Newsletter as a beautiful and appropriate reading for the holiday season.

     Luke begins telling the story of Jesus with the birth and ministry of John the Baptist, continues with the Angel Gabriel telling Mary that she would give birth to our Savior, tells us some details about Jesus’s childhood, teaches us about his ministry, and ends with his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. 

     In the Book of Luke, Jesus patiently teaches us, illustrating many of his teachings with parables, such as The Good Samaritan, The Rich Fool, and The Prodigal Son.  Luke tells us of the calling of the first disciples, and of the miracles that Jesus performed. 

     Jesus teaches us how to pray, by giving us the Lord’s prayer as a model.  He tells us details about the End Times, the Tribulation, Armageddon, and His Second Coming.  Jesus also refers to himself as our brother.  He warns us that our parents and siblings will turn against us and explains some of the reasons for this.

     Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you:  You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lyng in a manger.’  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying:  ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’…….Luke 2:10-14 NKJV

     Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give and it will be given to you: a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you….Luke 6:37-38 NKJV

     And he said,’ To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.”…..Luke 8:10 NKJV

     Now Jesus’s mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd.  Someone told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to see you.’  He replied,’ My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.’….Luke 8:19-21 NIV

     No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him……Luke 10:22NIV

     So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened…..Luke 11:9-10 NKJV

     I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God….Luke 12:8NIV

   Then He said to His disciples, ‘  Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on….Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?….Luke 12:22 & 24 NKJV

     From now on, there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.  They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law…..Luke 12:52-53 NIV

     Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it….Luke 17:33NIV

     So He said to them,’  Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life….Luke 18:29-30 NKJV

     When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened.  These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away….Luke 21:9  NIV

     But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.  For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.  You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.  All men will hate you because of me.  But not a hair of your head will perish.  By standing firm you will gain life……Luke 21:14-19 NIV

     This is what I told you when I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that was written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms….Luke 24:44 NIV

     In the Book of Luke, Jesus explains to us what we must do to follow him and to secure our salvation. During the Christmas season especially, as we rejoice over the birth of our Savior, we must remember what his ultimate purpose in being born was. 

     He willingly came to teach us the Word of God, and then to sacrifice himself on the cross for our sins, so that we might enter the Kingdom of Heaven and live forever in God’s holy presence.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends….John 15:13 NIV.   Hallelujah! How great is our God! 

     THANK YOU, JESUS!