Bible

In the Bible room today, we begin reading the book of Luke. We will read these 24 chapters in several sessions beginning today with Session 1, the summaries of chapters 1 through 4.

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Luke

Session 1.

Introduction to Luke:

Writer: Luke. A physician, born in Greece, living in Rome, close associate of the Apostle Paul, Luke does not identify himself as the writer of this book, however, he can be seen in the writing style and other references indicated within the text. The book is addressed specifically to Theophilus, Luke’s good friend, and possibly the publisher of this writing somewhere around the year 60 a.d.

Chapter 1. Account

This is an orderly account of the things the writer believes:

• The things he has learned from eyewitnesses who were there;
• To help his good friend, Theophilus, to be certain of his beliefs;
• During the reign of Herod in Judea, Zacharias is a priest;
• He and Elizabeth, his wife, are elderly, have no children;
• The angel, Gabriel, tells him they will have a son;
• Zacharias doubts Gabriel, so the angel makes him mute;
• But he tells him their son shall be named John;
• John will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth;
• He will turn many to God, make the way for the Lord’s coming;
• Then Gabriel visits a woman in Nazareth named Mary;
• He tells her she is going to give birth to a son, call Him Jesus;
• She is a virgin, betrothed to a man named Joseph;
• Gabriel tells Mary she will conceive by the Holy Spirit;
• And her Son will be called the Son of God;
• Mary makes a visit to Elizabeth, wife of Zacharias;
• Elizabeth is suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit;
• She says Mary is blessed among women;
• And Mary says everyone in the future will call her blessed;
• Elizabeth’s son is born, Zacharias is no longer speechless;
• He decrees their newborn son shall be named John;
• He says his son will be called the prophet of the Highest;
• He will prepare the way of the Lord Who is to come;
• And to give knowledge of salvation to His people;
• John would stay in the deserts until he begins his ministry.

Chapter 2. Favor

The King’s decree requires Joseph and Mary to go to Bethlehem to register:

• Failing to find available lodging there, they stay in a stable;
• While there, Mary delivers, lays her firstborn son in a manger;
• Outside, the glory of the Lord falls on a group of shepherds;
• An angel tells them a Savior is born: He is Christ the Lord;
• And the angels sing ‘Glory to God in the highest;’
• The shepherds leave their flocks, go to Bethlehem;
• There, they find the Child, hear the story of His birth;
• They go back home spreading this miraculous news;
• At eight days of age, the Child is circumcised, named Jesus;
• Sometime later, they bring Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem;
• He is dedicated to the Lord, according to the law of the Lord;
• A man named Simeon sees Jesus, is filled with the Holy Spirit;
• He tells Mary and Joseph Jesus will bring light to the Gentiles;
• Every year after that they celebrate the Passover at Jerusalem;
• The year Jesus is twelve they are back in Jerusalem;
• After the Passover festivities they take their family home;
• On the return trip they learn Jesus is not among their company;
• They assume He has joined up with other family members;
• He is missing for three days so they go back to Jerusalem;
• They find Him in the temple with the elders, talking, listening;
• He explains to His family He was there doing God’s business;
• Jesus grows and gains favor with God and among men.

Chapter 3. Pleased

Tiberius Caesar is King, Pontius Pilate is governor, Herod rules in Galilea:

• John leaves the wilderness, begins his preaching ministry;
• His message: the baptism of repentance for remission of sins;
• Isaiah had prophesied of one ‘crying in the wilderness,
• Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight;’
• Many insincere people come to John to be baptized;
• He calls them ‘A brood of vipers;’
• They say they are all special: the children of Abraham;
• John scoffs, God can make children of Abraham from rocks;
• They ask John, “What shall we do?” He says they must change;
• He tells them to start by being honest with everyone;
• And show generosity, and be content with their wages;
• John says he can only baptize them in water;
• But the One Who is coming is far superior to John;
• He will baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire;
• And this will separate the wheat from the chaff;
• Jesus goes to be baptized by John;
• The Holy Spirit descends like a dove onto Jesus;
• A voice from heaven says “You are my beloved Son,
• In You I am well pleased;”
• John had been rebuking Herod for his evil behavior;
• So, Herod has placed John in prison;
• Jesus is about thirty years old when He begins ministry;
• He is the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, Matthat, Levi;
• Melchi, Janna, Joseph, Mattathiah, Amos, Nahum, Esli;
• Naggai, Maath, Mattathiah, Semei, Joseph, Judah;
• Joannas, Rhesa, Zerubbabel; Shealtiel, Neri, Melchi;
• Addi, Cosam, Elmodam, Er, Jose, Eliezer, Joram, Matthat;
• Levi, Simeon, Judah, Joseph, Jonan, Eliakim, Melea, Menan;
• Mettathah, Nathan, David, Jesse, Obed, Boaz, Salmon;
• Nahshon, Amminadab, Ram, Hezron, Perez, Judah, Jacob;
• Isaac, Abraham, Terah, Nahor, Serug, Reu, Peleg, Eber;
• Shelah, Cainan, Arphaxad, Shem, Noah, Lamech;
• Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Mahalalei, Cainan, Enos;
• Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.     

Chapter 4. Tempted

Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit Who leads Him into the wilderness:

• There, He will be tempted by the devil for forty days;
• Finally, the devil tempts Him to turn stones into bread;
• Jesus says ‘man shall not live by bread alone;’
• Then the devil offers to give Him control of the whole world;
• All Jesus has to do is fall down and worship Satan;
• Jesus tells Satan to get lost, we are to worship only God;
• The devil tries to tempt Jesus into jumping off the temple;
• And then expecting the angels to keep him from injury;
• Jesus says, “You shall not tempt the Lord, your God;”
• Then Jesus begins His ministry with great success in Galilee;
• When He gets to Nazareth, He makes a big announcement:
• In the synagogue, He reads from the book of Isaiah,
• Where it says the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him,
• And He is anointed to preach the acceptable year of the Lord;
• He tells the people they are hearing this scripture fulfilled;
• They say ‘this is Joseph’s son’ and they won’t listen to Him;
• Jesus says a prophet will not be accepted in his own country;
• The people are angry, take Jesus out of the synagogue;
• They attempt to bring harm to Him but He escapes;
• At Capernaum, Jesus confronts a man with an unclean demon;
• The people are amazed when Jesus removes the man’s demon;
• Later, at Simon’s house, his wife’s mother is healed by Jesus;
• In Galilee, Jesus heals all the sick who are brought to Him.

End of Session 1 of the book of Luke.