Lessons From Luke

So, this month, in the L3 journal we've begun going through the book of Luke. This is probably my favorite gospel. And, since I've gone through it before, and grown up with it's familiarity, I've been prayerfully asking God to show me new things each day. And He has. So here's what He's been teaching me.

Luke 1:2-4
"...just as those who were from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also...that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught."
This is the dedication of the book of Luke but also the purpose. And that purpose--"that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught"--still stands strong today, as others, including myself, are reading through Luke this month. The reason we read and study the Word is because it is the foundation of our belief system (this book--The Word of God--is full of "teachings" aka doctrine aka belief system), and it is from where we can draw our certainty of believing from--not from anywhere or anyone else.

Luke 2:11
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

I don't think the shepherds fully understood what was been said here. A Savior, the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Lord has finally come! After 400 years of silence, God has sent His only son, who will save the world. But there are 3 descriptives:
1) a Savior--He has come to save.
2) the Christ--the Messiah; the One we've all been waiting for!
3) the Lord--He is not just here to save, but to seek out, as the OT stated it, "a people for His own possession."

And remember what happened after they heard this? They left their sheep behind and went to worship the Savior. What do you need to leave behind today?

Luke 3:4-6
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
"Prepare the way of the LORD, make His paths straight. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

We are living in wilderness. The LORD is coming back, to gather those who have died to themselves and are living for Him, to separate the sheep from the goats. And until then, as John the Baptist did for the first time Jesus came, we are to be the voice, crying. What do we need to cry? Jesus' love, poured out for us, while we were still enemies of God. We are to not be ashamed of the gospel, because it has the power to save those who are perishing in the muck and mire of their sin (and they don't even know it). And in the end, if we continue crying out to make God's glory known..."all flesh shall see the salvation of God." I don't know about you, but I desire for Revelation 7:9-10 come true.

We'll save last night's teaching (4:39) for tomorrow. I'm still seeking Him about it.

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