Dear Theophilus Books 1–5 E-Book

Peter DeHaan

• Herausgeber: Rock Rooster Books
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: 40-Day Bible Study Series
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 606

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

Do you desire a fresh take on the Bible? Are you looking for a daily reading that won’t bore you to tears? 

Your search is over. The Dear Theophilus series explores Scripture like you’ve never seen before. 

In Dear Theophilus Books 1–5: Exploring Luke, Acts, Isaiah, Job, and the Minor Prophets, lifetime student of the Bible and ABibleADay founder, Peter DeHaan, PhD., digs deep into the beloved Gospel of Luke to unearth 40 thought-provoking gems that can inform your beliefs and transform your life. 

Next, he builds on that foundation by exploring 40 more jewels from the book of Acts. 

Then, he examines Isaiah, the Minor Prophets, and the book of Job for 120 more nuggets of gold. 

Part devotional. Part Bible study. No fluff. Totally life changing. 

In this book, you’ll discover: 

 - The way Luke viewed God, and how his view might change your view 

 - How Jesus’s followers in Acts met daily in people’s homes and public spaces, which ignited church growth 

 - The parallels between the books of Isaiah and Revelation, about peace, woe, and salvation 

 - The Minor Prophets’ place in the biblical timeline—because the Bible doesn’t list them chronologically 

 - How the book of Job resembles a play and the way that can enlighten our understanding of suffering, Satan, and God’s sovereignty. 

Explore the powerful way the words of these books of the Bible can speak to you today, as you increase your understanding and grow in faith. 

In Dear Theophilus Books 1–5, you’ll encounter eye-opening insights from passages you thought were familiar. Find fresh truths as you gain a broader appreciation of what the Bible says and how that ancient book is still relevant for us today. 

Ideal for both individual and group study, these books includes Scripture references and questions inviting readers to go deeper. 

Get the Dear Theophilus Books 1–5 box set today to deepen your understanding of God.

Leseprobe

Dear Theophilus Series Books 1–5

Exploring Luke, Acts, Isaiah, The Minor Prophets, and Job

(Dear Theophilus, books 1–5 box set)

Peter DeHaan

Dear Theophilus Series Books 1–5: Exploring Luke, Acts, Isaiah, The Minor Prophets, and Job © 2018, 2022 by Peter DeHaan.

Books 1 through 5 in the Dear Theophilus series.

Second edition.

All rights reserved: No part of this book may be reproduced, disseminated, or transmitted in any form, by any means, or for any purpose without the express written consent of the author or his legal representatives. The only exception is short excerpts and the cover image for reviews or academic research. For permissions: peterdehaan.com/contact.

Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

ISBN: 978-1-948082-52-5 (ebook)

Published by Rock Rooster Books

Cover design by Taryn Nergaard

Contents

That You May Know

Tongues of Fire

For Unto Us

Return to Me

I Hope in Him

If You’re New to the Bible

For Small Groups, Sunday School, and Classrooms

About the Dear Theophilus Series

About Peter DeHaan

Books by Peter DeHaan

That You May Know

A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke

Peter DeHaan

That You May Know: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke Copyright © 2018, 2022 by Peter DeHaan.

Third edition. (First published as Dear Theophilus:A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke)

Book 1 in the Dear Theophilus series.

All rights reserved: No part of this book may be reproduced, disseminated, or transmitted in any form, by any means, or for any purpose without the express written consent of the author or his legal representatives. The only exception is short excerpts and the cover image for reviews or academic research. For permissions: peterdehaan.com/contact.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

ISBN:

978-1-948082-76-1 (ebook)

978-1-948082-77-8 (paperback)

978-1-948082-78-5 (hardcover)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021920598

Published by Rock Rooster Books, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Credits:

Developmental editor: Cathy Rueter

Copy editor/proofreader: Robyn Mulder

Cover design: Taryn Nergaard

Author photo: Chelsie Jensen Photography

To Laura Alexander

Let’s Get Started

Many people skip the introduction in books, but to get the most from this one, the next part is important. I’ll keep it short.

Here’s what I want to share:

Whenever you see quotation marks in the text, it’s dialogue, not quoted Scripture.

All dialogue is a paraphrase of what the speakers said or my thoughts of what they may have said.

I use the Bible to study the Bible and avoid consulting secondary sources. Mostly, I use the NIV, but I’m open to any version that gives clarity. Of course, the Holy Spirit guides me as I study.

The book of Luke is amazing. I couldn’t cover everything I wanted to, so I picked the forty passages I thought were the most intriguing. This is the first book in the “Dear Theophilus” series. If you keep reading, I’ll keep writing. My goal is to cover every book of the Bible.

The next book in this series is Tongues of Fire: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church from the Book of Acts. People on my email list will help decide what I’ll cover in future books. Be sure to sign up and help pick the topic for the next book in this series.

I pray that you enjoy this book and it helps you look at your spiritual journey in a new, bold, and fresh way.

Let’s get started.

Who Is Luke?

Paul is the most prolific writer in the New Testament. Who’s second? That would be Dr. Luke.

Luke wrote a biography of Jesus, called “The Gospel According to Luke” (or simply “Luke”). Later he reported on the activities of the early church in “The Acts of the Apostles” (or just “Acts”). These two books account for about 25 percent of the content in the New Testament and give us valuable historical information about Jesus and his followers. Luke’s writing provides a compelling two-book set that can inform our faith and enlighten the practices of our church community.

Luke was a doctor and the only non-Jewish writer in the New Testament. As such, his words are that of an outsider, which may more readily connect with those on the outside, that is, non-Jews. This includes me, and it may include you. Luke wrote with simple, yet captivating, language. He also gives us details not found in the other three biblical biographies of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, and John).

However, despite having penned two major books in the Bible—and the longest two in the New Testament—we don’t know much about Luke. He’s only mentioned three times in the Bible.

This is what we know:

First, we learn that Luke is a dear friend of Paul. Next, he’s a doctor. Third, he’s esteemed by Paul as a fellow worker. Last, in one of his darker hours, Paul laments that everyone is gone, and only Luke has stayed with him. As such, we see Luke as a faithful, persevering friend. Luke emerges as a man of noble character.

We also know that Luke is a firsthand observer in many of the events he records in the book of Acts. We see this through his first-person narratives in some passages when he uses the pronoun “we.” (Read more about Luke and the book of Acts in this book’s sequel, Tongues of Fire: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church from the Book of Acts.)

Although Luke wasn’t a church leader or an apostle, his contribution to our faith and our understanding of Jesus and his church is significant. Dr. Luke’s ministry function wasn’t leading or preaching. Instead, he played a silent and almost unnoticed supporting role.

Though his work was quiet, his legacy lives on, loudly influencing Jesus’s followers two millennia later.

What can we do to leave a faith legacy that will influence others after we die?

[Discover more in these passages about Luke in Colossians 4:14, Philemon 1:24, and 2 Timothy 4:11. Read Luke’s first-person accounts in Acts 16:10–17, 20:4–15, 21:1–18, 27:1–29, 27:37, and 28:1–16.]

1. So That You May Know

Luke 1:1–4

. . . so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Luke 1:4

It’s easy to miss the first four verses in the book of Luke. In many Bibles, this passage carries the heading of “Introduction.” Most people skip introductions. I know. I usually do.

Even if we read these first four verses, we typically read them fast. We want to get to the good stuff about John the Baptist that starts in verse five, so we can get to the really good stuff about Jesus that starts in chapter two.

We need to slow down.

Luke starts his book admitting that many others have undertaken the task of writing about the life of Jesus. We don’t know if they finished their works or what happened to their writings, but we do know Luke wants to write his own account—one thoroughly researched and backed by eyewitnesses to what Jesus said and did.

As a non-Jew, Luke carries with him the detached perspective of a religious outsider. And as a doctor he possesses the training to note details and create an accurate record. He confirms that he carefully investigated everything to write an orderly account about Jesus.

Why?

For Theophilus.

Who?

The Bible tells us nothing about Theophilus, but Luke addresses both his books to this mysterious person. The reason is significant. Luke wants Theophilus to know—for certain—the things he was taught.

Think about that.

People told Theophilus about Jesus. Perhaps Theophilus believes, but maybe he still isn’t convinced. He might carry a tinge of doubt about this Jesus, the man who changed religion into a relationship. It’s so countercultural that it’s revolutionary. Regardless, Luke feels it’s worth his time to help Theophilus know Jesus—for sure.

If you’ve ever had doubts—and, if we’re being honest, we all have at one time or another—wouldn’t it be amazing to know for sure? Who wouldn’t want to chase away lingering worries about our faith and replace them with confident conviction? That’s Luke’s goal. And that’s precisely why we should read the book of Luke.

This is a grand undertaking that Luke made. Not only did he spend time writing a book, but even more so, he did the required research.

Luke’s biography of Jesus is the longest book in the New Testament, at just under 20,000 words. His sequel, “The Book of Acts,” is the second longest. Together they’re almost the length of a short novel. That’s a lot of words, a lot of writing, and a lot of research.

Though Luke writes this book with one person in mind, Theophilus, it’s available for us two thousand years later. Like Theophilus, we too can read Luke’s account of Jesus so that we can know for certain the things we’ve been taught.

Would we be willing to research and write a book for just one person? What other things can we do to help others be sure of their faith?

[Discover more about Theophilus in Acts 1:1–2. Read why John wrote his biography about Jesus in John 20:31.]

PART 1: JESUS ARRIVES

Luke 1:5 to 4:13

2. John Will Point People to Jesus

Luke 1:5–25

Both of them were righteous in the sight of God.

Luke 1:6

Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth have no kids. They’re old. Seriously old. Their chance to have a baby has passed. From a human perspective it’s ridiculous, yet they pray for the improbable.

They’re a righteous pair, Zechariah and Elizabeth. They obey all God’s commands and fully follow his rules—all of them. They’re both descendants of Aaron. In addition, Zechariah’s a priest. He works for God.

Did you catch all that?

They’re good people. They’re obedient and do the right things. They have the ideal heritage, and Zechariah lives to serve God.

For all this devotion, doesn’t God owe them something in return? A kind of thank you gift? A reward? After all, they live right. In fact, Luke says they’re blameless. I’m sure this is a bit of an exaggeration, a little hyperbole to make his point, but we do get the point.

Yet year after year passes and still no baby. Despite not receiving what they yearn for, they don’t waver. They pray on.

Then something incredible happens.

One day the angel Gabriel shows up at Zechariah’s work, right when he’s supposed to burn the incense for the worship service. Talk about bad timing. The people are waiting for Zechariah to kick off their religious ceremony. Couldn’t Gabriel have waited a few minutes?

But Gabriel has good news. Zechariah and Elizabeth’s years of prayers are about to be answered. They’ll finally have a baby, a son, in fact. And he won’t be just any kid, but a special one. They’re to call him John.

Gabriel says baby John will bring them much joy, and others will celebrate his birth. They must set him apart for service to God. He’ll do amazing things. The Holy Spirit will empower him, and he’ll spark a nationwide revival. In the mold of Elijah, he’ll be super awesome. This baby boy will grow up to pave the way for the Messiah, the long-awaited Savior.

That’s a lot to take in. God’s people have waited for this for centuries.

And how does Zechariah respond? He says, “Really? My wife and I are too old.”

Frankly, I’d say that too.

Gabriel takes this as a sign of unbelief. To make his point, he removes Zechariah’s ability to talk, which makes it difficult for the poor guy to lead the people in worship. In what may be the world’s first game of charades, Zechariah makes gestures to let the people know he has seen a vision from God. Astonishing.

When his stint in the temple is over, Zechariah goes home. Take time to imagine what happens when he arrives, what he communicates, and what they do. Elizabeth gets pregnant. She’s overjoyed in God’s blessing and his favor for taking away her shame over her childless condition. God is good.

How long are we willing to wait for God to answer our prayers and give us what we yearn for? Do we have faith to believe in the improbable? The impossible?

[Discover more in the prophesies about John the Baptist in Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1, and Malachi 4:5–6 (see Matthew 11:13–14).]

Dig Deeper: New Names for a New Thing

“See, I am doing a new thing!”

Isaiah 43:19

Did you know that there’s no one in the Old Testament named John? The New Testament is the first time we read his name in the Bible. Also, did you know there’s no one in the Old Testament named Jesus? The New Testament is the first time we see his name too.

It’s as if God’s saying, “These are new names for a new thing.” Something exciting is brewing.

Do we like when God stirs up a new thing in us or is change frightening?

[Discover more about God’s new thing in Isaiah 42:9, Isaiah 43:18–19, and Isaiah 48:6.]

3. The Messiah is Coming

Luke 1:26–38

“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.”

Luke 1:31

Six months later the angel, Gabriel, makes a return visit to earth. This time it’s to see Mary, a young girl, a virgin. Luke makes sure we don’t miss her purity. He mentions her virgin status three times. Though engaged, she’s waiting until she’s married.

The exchange between Gabriel and Mary unfolds much like what happened between him and Zechariah. Gabriel’s arrival startles Mary—as it would any of us. Then he tells her not to freak out—yeah, like that’s possible when an angel shows up. Again, he shares news of a pregnancy, the name to give the baby, and all the remarkable things this child will grow up to do.

The virgin Mary will have a baby. This son, Jesus, is God’s Son too. A descendant of Judah, he’ll continue the rule of King David in a never-ending kingdom. This is what everyone’s been waiting for, what the Old Testament prophets talked about for centuries.

What’s Mary’s response? It’s almost the same as Zechariah’s. Whereas he says, “How? We’re old.” Mary says, “How? I’m a virgin.”

Gabriel saw Zechariah’s understandable question as a sign of doubt and struck him mute to teach him a lesson. However, Gabriel reacts differently to Mary. He explains: “The Holy Spirit will supernaturally impregnate you.” The result of this spiritual/physical union will produce a virgin birth. It’s the spiritual superseding the physical—what is unseen controlling what is seen.

Then he drops some more shocking news. Elderly Elizabeth, Elizabeth-too-old-to-have-a-baby, is pregnant. If God can work a miracle in Elizabeth’s aging body, he can certainly make a miracle in Mary’s pure body.

Frankly, Gabriel’s explanation of a supernatural conception and virgin birth doesn’t help a lot. Mary, like us, knows what it takes to make a baby. Never before—and never since—has a supernatural conception like this taken place.

Personally, I’d have more questions. But not Mary. With grace and faith, she accepts Gabriel’s astounding declaration as fact. She simply responds, “May it be so.”

When God throws us a curveball, how do we respond? Does logic or faith guide our reaction? Can it sometimes be both?

[Discover more in these prophesies about Jesus in Psalm 145:13 and Isaiah 9:7.]

Dig Deeper: Are We Highly Favored by God?

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Luke 1:28

Do you ever wonder what God thinks of you? I suppose that most people who consider this question reach the wrong conclusion. Some may think more highly of themselves than they should, while I suspect most embrace more shame than they ought. But what if an angel shows up and shares God’s perspective?

It’s happened: An angel tells Daniel he’s highly esteemed. This doesn’t happen once, but three times, on two occasions. Because of being highly esteemed, God reveals profound insight about the future to Daniel.

A few centuries later, an angel tells the young girl Mary she’s highly favored. Because of this favor, Jesus enters the world through her, and everything changes forever.

Although we can’t earn our salvation, God can esteem our faith and favor our character. Implicitly, the opposite must also be true.

While we may never have an angel tell us what God thinks of us, the Bible does reveal this truth of being highly esteemed and favored. But we must read it to find out. The Holy Spirit also tells us what is true. We must listen to learn more.

Do we ever think we’re highly favored by God?

[Discover more about being highly esteemed in Daniel 9:23, Daniel 10:11, and Daniel 10:19.]

4. Mary’s Road Trip

Luke 1:39–45

“As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.”

Luke 1:44

When the angel Gabriel leaves Mary, I’m sure he leaves her with thoughts of awe, astonishment, and amazement all swirling around in her young mind. Not only will her body undergo a supernatural miracle, but she is now aware that the same thing is already taking place in Elizabeth’s belly.

Setting out to see Elizabeth, Mary leaves Nazareth. Alone, she heads south to the hilly part of Judea. We don’t know exactly where this is, but it might have been a 30 to 50-mile trek for Mary. This would give her a lot of time to think.

Placing one foot in front of the other, the miles tick off as her journey unfolds. Aside from staying on the right road and avoiding danger, there’s not much else to occupy her mind. She may wonder what will happen inside her body, how Joseph will react to her unbelievable news, and what the people of Nazareth will say about her and her supposed virgin virtue. That’s a lot to ponder.

She’s also likely thinking about Elizabeth. Will Mary find her pregnant, just as Gabriel said? This would give credibility to the angel’s shocking message about Mary. But what if Elizabeth isn’t pregnant? What would that mean? As Mary nears her destination, it’s possible she struggles with a bit of doubt over Gabriel’s unbelievable announcement.

I imagine Mary also prays as she walks. She may cry too. As a young teenager she has a lot to deal with.

Finally she arrives at Zechariah and Elizabeth’s home. She calls out to Elizabeth. When she does, something astounding happens. The baby growing in Elizabeth’s tummy leaps at the sound of Mary’s voice. Though we know what it’s like—either through personal experience or observation—for an unborn baby to move inside his or her mother’s stomach, the idea of a baby leaping with excitement is hard to fathom. I wonder, did baby John’s zeal hurt his mother?

We may recall that Gabriel told Zechariah the Holy Spirit would fill John even before he was born. John’s prenatal leap gives credence to the Holy Spirit’s presence in him. Then the Holy Spirit moves to also fill Elizabeth.

Though Elizabeth doesn’t know about Gabriel’s visit to Mary or the young girl’s condition, through Holy Spirit intervention, Elizabeth boldly blesses Mary and the child she will bear. How this must comfort Mary. Not only is Elizabeth pregnant as Gabriel claimed, but she also supernaturally knows that God is at work in Mary’s womb.

Then Elizabeth confirms Mary’s faith, that the young girl believes God will fulfill the promises he made to her through Gabriel.

God gives his promises in the Bible. Do we believe his words in faith, like Mary, or doubt like Zechariah?

[Discover more about John the Baptist in Luke 1:13–17.]

Dig Deeper: Two New Testament Psalms

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.

Luke 1:67

Mary and Zechariah both share a poem, a song of sorts. These read much like the Old Testament Psalms. The definition of a psalm is a hymn or sacred song, one often sung in celebration.

Can we call these New Testament psalms? How many other psalms are there in the Bible?

[Discover more of the Bible’s songs—psalms—in Exodus 15:1–21, Judges 5, Revelation 4:8, and Revelation 5:9–10. Read what Mary said in Luke 1:46–55 and what Zechariah prophesized in Luke 1:67–79.]

Read more in the book Beyond Psalm 150: Discover More Sacred Songs of Praise, Petition, and Lament throughout the Bible.

5. Celebrate Jesus

Luke 2:1–20

“I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”

Luke 2:10

Joseph and his pregnant fiancée travel to Bethlehem for a mandatory census. Unable to find a place to stay, they hunker down in a barn. There, among the filth of livestock, Jesus is born. This is the first Christmas.

Each Christmas my attention focuses on Jesus, the real reason for our annual celebration. In considering the first Christmas, my thoughts are warm and cozy, happy and joyous, idyllic and serene. Angels sing, kings give gifts, and awed shepherds do their shepherding thing.

But all this misses that Jesus is born in someone else’s barn, amid unsanitary conditions, and with the stench of animal feces filling the air. It seems so unholy, so unworthy. There’s no medical team to monitor Mary’s condition or aid in the birth. It’s likely just Mary and Joseph trying to figure out what to do. Mary likely helped with the birth of other babies, but I wonder how much Joseph knows about the delivery process. Yet despite all this, Jesus is born.

Once the trauma of delivery passes and the messiness of birth is cleaned up, I envision an awestruck Mary gazing lovingly at this miracle that God produced in her. While nursing him, she strokes his cheek and whispers, “I love you,” as only a mother can do.

As Mary overflows with joy and basks in amazement over what God has done, out in the fields a bunch of shepherds are doing their job, unaware of what has happened. Suddenly an angel shows up. He begins by saying what most angels say when they appear before humans, “Don’t freak out.” Even so, understandably so, the shepherds tremble at his glory. Then the angel says, “Newsflash: A baby has just been born in Bethlehem. He’s the Savior. The Messiah you’ve been longing for.” He tells them what to look for: a baby swaddled, abed in a manger.

Then, to underscore the validity of the angel’s message, a grand angel choir appears. They chant their praise to God, giving him all glory and blessing the earth with the peace of his favor.

The shepherds rush to Bethlehem to check things out. Just as the angel said, they find the proud parents watching over the baby boy, Jesus, who’s sleeping in the animals’ feed trough. After confirming what the angel had told them, the shepherds leave and tell everyone they meet about the angel’s message and Jesus’s birth. Then the shepherds head back to their flocks in awe of God and what he has begun.

The shepherds believe what the angel told them, seek confirmation, and then tell everyone, praising God in the process. They’re the world’s first missionaries for Jesus. After they leave, Mary grows introspective, pondering and cherishing all these events in her heart.

What do we do with the good news of Jesus? Do we tell others or keep it to ourselves?

[Discover more about Jesus’s birth in Matthew 2:1–23.]

6. Two More Witnesses

Luke 2:21–38

“For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations.”

Luke 2:30–31

The angels serve as the first witnesses of Jesus. They proclaim him as a Savior, the Messiah, and the Christ, which means the Anointed One. This is what the Jewish people have been waiting for. The good news about Jesus is a joyous event. But it’s not just for Jews. The angel says this good news will cause immense joy for all people. This includes Jews and Gentiles. Such an idea surely shocks most Jews who assume the promised Messiah is just for them and not outsiders.

But in case we missed this first testimony about Jesus, there are two more.

A few days after Jesus’s birth, his parents take him to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to God. They must go through the purification rites according to Moses’s instructions, which the people have practiced for centuries. That’s when they receive two more startling surprises.

First is Simeon, a godly man with Holy Spirit power. He waits in expectation of the promised Savior. God assures him he will live long enough to meet the coming Messiah. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, Simeon goes to the temple. Simeon finds baby Jesus, takes him in his arms, and praises God for what this baby will grow up to do.

What he says would surely shock any Jew familiar with the Old Testament prophecies. Simeon proclaims Jesus as the salvation sent from God—for all nations, not just the Jews. Jesus will light the way for Gentiles and reveal himself to them. In the process, he will be the glory of Israel. Jesus isn’t here to save just the Jews, he’s here to save the entire world.

Next comes Anna, an elderly woman and prophetess. She was widowed after only seven years of marriage. Anna’s at least eighty-four years old when Mary and Joseph show up at the temple with Jesus.

A devout woman, she dedicates her life to God, spending as much time as possible in the temple. She fasts, prays, and worships him. Though the Bible says she never leaves the temple and stays there night and day, consider this as an exaggeration to make the point of just how dedicated she is.

Following behind Simeon, she walks up and thanks God for Jesus, confirming he is the fulfillment of prophecy.

She recognizes him as the Savior who will redeem Jerusalem, the Messiah whom the people have expected for centuries. She thanks God and then tells everyone.

Today, it’s no surprise that Jesus came to save the world, but this news would have shocked Jews 2,000 years ago. Thankfully, Jesus came to save everyone, not just a select group.

How often does God do something that challenges our expectations? When he confronts our religious assumptions, do we oppose what he’s doing or embrace it in faith?

[Discover more about this religious purification ritual of babies in Exodus 13:2 and Leviticus 12:8.]

Dig Deeper: No Need for Religious Credentials

Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.

Luke 2:27

Neither Simeon nor Anna are part of the religious elite. They lack the pedigree and the manmade credentials to do what they did. But they do have Holy Spirit wisdom. (What if Simeon had ignored God’s prompting and stayed home that day?)

Holy Spirit obedience is all God needs to use them—and us—to accomplish his purposes: no special training required; no insider connections needed.

God just wants people who put him first and focus on him.

Do we let our lack of education or position keep us from doing what God calls us to do?

[Discover more about godly courage in 1 Samuel 17:45–51 and Acts 4:13. Read about Simeon in Luke 2:25–27 and Anna in Luke 2:36–37.]

7. Tween Jesus

Luke 2:41–52

“Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

Luke 2:49

After Jesus’s miraculous conception, birth, and the testimonies from the angels—and later Simeon and Anna—we don’t hear anything more about Jesus until he’s twelve. We can only guess what his childhood might have been like. In most ways he was probably like other kids, getting into mischief and perplexing his parents. Yet in other ways, Jesus was unlike other children. He may have matured spiritually much faster than his peers. Also, Jesus didn’t sin, which would make him quite unlike every other kid.

This, of course, is speculation. But here’s what we do know.

Each year Mary and Joseph make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. When Jesus is twelve, he goes with them. This customary rite of passage shows Jesus moving from childhood into adulthood. The trip there and the Passover celebration go as expected. It’s on the trip home that things go awry.

Jesus’s parents and the other pilgrims head for home, moving as a group. There’s safety in numbers, and camaraderie is part of the experience. Unlike today’s helicopter parents who know where their kid is at every moment, Jesus’s parents are much more laid-back. They assume he’s with friends in another part of the caravan. It’s not until the end of the first day’s journey that they even look for him. But they can’t find him.

In a panic, they retrace their path and rush back to Jerusalem. We don’t know whether they waited until morning light or left right away. But it must have been an anxious time for them, every parent’s nightmare. However, it’s worse for them. They lost the Son of God!

After three days—three gut-wrenching, agonizing days—they finally find Jesus. He’s in the temple’s meeting area. He sits with the religious teachers, listening to what they say and asking questions. He responds to their questions too. His answers amaze everyone. His level of understanding impresses them. This astonishes Mary and Joseph.

Mary rebukes her son, accusing him of being irresponsible, of not caring about them and how worried they were or of their frantic search for him.

He doesn’t say, “I’m sorry,” or even, “I guess I lost track of time.” Instead he says something shocking. He says, “Didn’t you know I had to hang out in Papa’s house?” Yes, he said he had to do this. This wasn’t a preference but more so a compulsion.

Mary and Joseph don’t get it. Did they forget what they heard twelve years earlier? It’s more likely they remember those things said about Jesus, but they don’t understand what it all meant.

Regardless, Jesus returns with them to Nazareth and obeys them. He continues to grow spiritually and physically, preparing for ministry.

Do we ever feel that we’ve lost Jesus? What do we do to find him? How do we react when we do?

[Discover more about lost things in Luke 15.]

8. The Real Message of John the Baptist

Luke 3:1–14

“Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

Luke 3:11

Our timeline jumps forward eighteen years, and we pick up the story with John the Baptist—John for short. This is the second time we hear about him. And there will be one more time that Luke weaves him into Jesus’s story.

We begin with a curious phrase that’s easy to overlook. Luke writes that word came from God to John. This is another case of the Holy Spirit providing God-given instruction to his people. Though we don’t know what this instruction is, we do know that John acts. He goes on a tour in the area, a circuit preacher of sorts. His message is simple. He baptizes people who are sorry for the wrong things they’ve done and want to turn their life around. The Bible uses the words sin and repentance to describe this.

John’s message spreads, and throngs flock to him so he can baptize them. However, instead of embracing this and seeing it as affirmation of his work, he challenges the people. “You’re a brood of snakes.” That’s no way to grow a ministry or amass a following.

But baptism isn’t enough. John wants to see changed lives too.

The people ask him to explain what they should do.

John starts by giving a general instruction for them to produce fruit—that is, do good things—to confirm they’ve changed. Then he gives two specific examples. He says anyone with two shirts (or two of anything, I suppose) should give one to someone who’s shirtless. Even more convicting, he says anyone with food should share with someone who’s hungry.

Next he gives some specific examples of two occupations, jobs that don’t command the respect of the Jewish people. One group is tax collectors—who historically exploited the people. The other group is soldiers—who often abused their power.

To the tax collectors John says, “Don’t collect more than what you’re supposed to.” And to the soldiers, presumably Roman soldiers, John gives three instructions. First, “Don’t extort money.” Next, “Don’t falsely accuse anyone.” Last, “Be content with your pay.”

This is quite a list. Let’s put these items into today’s context:

Give our extra possessions to those in need.

Share food with the hungry.

Be fair and honest in financial dealings.

Don’t use our position to wrongly increase our wealth.

Don’t accuse people without proof.

Don’t complain about our paychecks.

Though we think of John’s message as baptism, we miss the point. His real message is changing our behavior.

Baptism isn’t the end; it’s the beginning. What should we do to show others our baptism was real?

[Discover more about putting our faith into action in James 2:14–26. Read more about John the Baptist in Isaiah 40:3–5 and Luke 7:18–35.]

9. The Mystery of Jesus’s Baptism

Luke 3:15–22

“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Luke 3:22

When the people ask John if he’s the Messiah, whom the Old Testament prophets foretold, he tells them he’s not, but he’s indirect about it.

By way of an answer, John explains that he baptizes with water (to signify remorse for our mistakes), but someone much greater will soon come. This Messiah is more powerful than John. John says he’s unworthy to even bend down to tie the Savior’s shoelaces. Instead of water, this Messiah will baptize people with the Holy Spirit and fire. Whatever this means, it sounds extraordinary.

Though some attempt to connect New Testament baptism with Old Testament uses of water in religious ceremonies and rituals, any correlation seems weak.

Definitions of baptism use the words cleanse and purify, among others. This helps some, since the first few books of the Old Testament talk a lot about cleansing and purification. Yet pulling the ceremony of baptism from this seems a stretch.

The word baptize only occurs in the New Testament. Prior to John performing his water ceremony, it’s never mentioned. The Old Testament doesn’t talk about baptism, and there’s no biblical account of its origin. It seems to have just started on its own, beginning with John. Did he invent it? Perhaps God told him to do this new thing, pointing people to a new way—Jesus.

Further confusing the issue, in a curious passage in Corinthians, Paul talks about the Old Testament Israelites in the desert undergoing some sort of baptism into Moses. Yet the Old Testament doesn’t record this event. So we can assume this was a figurative baptism, not an actual one.

None of this, however, gets us any closer to understanding the basis behind baptism. But what’s important is that Jesus later tells us to do it.

John, by the way, baptizes Jesus.

Why?

Jesus’s baptism is mysterious—because he’s sinless and doesn’t need to repent of anything. It’s also awe-inspiring—because Papa shows up.

As part of his baptism, Jesus prays. When he prays, heaven opens, allowing a glimpse into the spiritual realm. The people see the Holy Spirit come down. He visually descends in a form that resembles a dove. Then, to underscore this extraordinary event, a voice booms from heaven. It’s Father God. He speaks to Jesus. He says, “You’re my boy. I so love you. I’m most pleased with you and what you’re doing.”

Jesus, the Son of God, comes to earth and pleases his Father in heaven. And this is just the beginning.

Why did Jesus, who didn’t sin, feel John should baptize him?

[Discover more about baptism in Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:1–4, and 1 Corinthians 10:1–2.]

10. Strike Three

Luke 4:1–13

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Luke 4:13

With his baptism behind him and the Holy Spirit in him, Jesus leaves John the Baptist at the Jordan River. Instead of launching into his earthly ministry—seemingly the perfect time to do so—Jesus obeys the Holy Spirit who sends him into the wilderness.

What?

There aren’t any people there. How can Jesus save the world if he’s not with the people who need saving? Though this is counterintuitive, it’s part of God’s plan to prepare Jesus for ministry.

While in the desert, Jesus fasts. We don’t know if this is because the Holy Spirit told him to or because there’s no food in the desert. Regardless, he goes without eating for a long time, for forty days. That’s over five weeks with no food. Then Luke adds a detail we readily understand: Jesus is hungry.

The devil, who wants to thwart Jesus’s mission, jumps on this opportunity to derail a physically weak Jesus before he can start his work. The devil (Luke doesn’t call him Satan) tempts Jesus into using his godly power in ways he shouldn’t and to cut his journey short.

First, aware of how hungry Jesus is, the devil taunts him. Mocking him, the devil says, “If you’re really God, just make this stone turn into a loaf of bread.” What a clever idea. In an instant Jesus could have all the nourishment his food-deprived body craves. Why hadn’t he thought of this sooner?

But Jesus doesn’t give in to this easy solution. He quotes from the Law of Moses, “Bread isn’t enough. We need God’s word to truly live.”

That’s strike one against the devil.

Next, in an instant, the devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms and people in the world. The devil, who presently has authority over it all, promises to give everything to Jesus. But there’s one catch. Jesus must worship him. Though the payoff would be huge, the cost would be even greater.

Jesus again quotes from the Law. He reminds the devil, “Fear God and only serve him.”

Strike two.

In his third attempt, the devil throws some Scripture at Jesus, quoting from the book of Psalms. Here’s the setup: The devil baits Jesus, taunting him to take a high dive off the temple’s pinnacle. He reminds Jesus that God has angels watching us. “They’ll lift us up when we fall, so that we won’t even stub our toe.” By jumping, Jesus could show God’s power. And if the angels don’t rescue Jesus and he dies when he falls, that would serve the devil’s purpose.

Jesus’s comeback is succinct: “Don’t test God.”

Strike three.

Having struck out, the devil leaves to make a new plan to take Jesus down.

When we face temptation, do we attempt to resist it on our own or cite Scripture to put the devil in his place?

[Discover more in the Scripture Jesus quotes in Deuteronomy 6:13 & 16 and Deuteronomy 8:3. Read the passage Satan quotes in Psalm 91:11–12.]

PART 2: JESUS SERVES

Luke 4:14 to 19:27

11. People Try to Kill Jesus

Luke 4:14–30

The people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.

Luke 4:28

After the devil strikes out in his attempt to stop Jesus before he can even start his ministry, the Holy Spirit sends Jesus to Galilee. There he instructs the people in the synagogues, and they praise him. Then Jesus goes to Nazareth, his hometown, for the Sabbath.

He reads from the book of Isaiah to the people gathered there. The passage contains a future-focused prophecy about the coming Messiah. Here are the key points Jesus reads: God’s spirit is in me, and he’s anointed me to:

tell the poor about God’s good news,

let the prisoners know about freedom,

heal blind people,

free the oppressed, and

proclaim God’s favor.

Then Jesus sits. Everyone watches him. Next he says, “Yep, that text is about me and what I’m going to do.” They’re amazed at his words and speak highly of him.

If only Jesus had stopped. Instead he launches into a teaching.

These people know him. He grew up here. They’re his tribe. He’s blunt. “People never accept a hometown prophet.” Then he reminds them of two stories.

First, he mentions the prophet Elijah, who during a three-year drought leaves the country of Israel and travels to Zarephath, in Sidon. There he meets a poor widow, preparing a final meal for her and her son before they die of starvation.

Miraculously, God multiplies her meager supply of flour and oil to feed her, her son, and Elijah throughout the drought. Though there are many needy widows in Israel, God sent Elijah to help a foreigner.

Next, Jesus mentions Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army that has oppressed the nation of Israel. Naaman has leprosy, and the prophet Elisha heals him, even though many people in the nation of Israel also have leprosy. Not only does God direct Elisha to heal a foreigner, but this foreigner has oppressed God’s people.

These examples show God favoring those outside his chosen people—and doing so at their expense.

The people rage against Jesus for mentioning these two stories. Though everything he said is true, the people don’t care. His teaching insults them. A mob forms, they drive him out of town, and try to throw him off a cliff to kill him. But it’s not his time. Jesus just walks through the crowd and leaves, unscathed.

When we hear a message that offends us, do we attack the messenger even though it’s true?

[Discover more about Isaiah’s prophesy in Isaiah 61:1–2. Read the stories Jesus refers to in 1 Kings 17:7–16 and 2 Kings 5:1–14.]

12. Jesus’s First Miracles

Luke 4:31–44

And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.

Luke 4:37

After Jesus leaves Nazareth unharmed, he heads to Capernaum, another town in Galilee. At this point in Luke’s account, Jesus hasn’t performed any miracles. That’s about to change.

In the synagogue Jesus encounters a demon-possessed man. The guy has an evil or impure spirit in him. When the demon/man sees Jesus, he yells, “Hey, I know you! You’re Jesus, God’s holy one. Have you come to destroy us?”

Jesus doesn’t answer. Instead he bellows, “Silence!” Then he commands the demon to leave the man. The demon does, and the man is unharmed. Jesus’s authority and power to control a demon shocks the people. The news of this miracle spreads quickly.

Next Jesus goes to Simon’s home (who Matthew identifies as Peter, as in Simon Peter, one of the twelve disciples). His mother-in-law is sick with a high fever. Her family asks Jesus to help. He commands the fever to leave her body, and it does. Then she gets up and makes them a meal.

By the end of the day, people flock to Jesus with their various illnesses and demon possessions. He lays his hands on the sick and heals each one. As for the demons, he casts them out. Some shout, “You’re the Son of God!” But Jesus doesn’t appreciate their testimony and commands them to be quiet.

It takes Jesus all night to heal the sick and release the possessed. By daybreak Jesus heads out for some alone time to rest and pray, but the people seek him out and beg him to stay. However, he moves on. He must preach the good news of God’s kingdom in other towns.

Though he could have stayed and built a ministry in Capernaum, this isn’t what he came to earth to do. He continues his mission, leaving the people in Capernaum in awe over his supernatural power to heal and cast out demons.

The people beg Jesus to stay because of what he can do for them. Is that enough of a reason for us to seek Jesus?

[Discover more about Peter’s mother-in-law in Matthew 8:14–17 and Mark 1:30–31.]

Dig Deeper: Evil Spirits and Demon Possession

At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind.

Luke 7:21

In the Bible we run across the phrase “evil spirit.” (Alternate phrases are “impure spirit,” “unclean spirit,” and “corrupting spirit.”) Evil spirit occurs twelve times in the Bible, six in Luke’s writing. Demon-possessed occurs twenty-one times in the Bible, five in Luke’s writing.

What is an evil spirit anyway? Is it the same as being demon-possessed? Probably so.

Consider these four ideas about understanding evil spirits and demon possession.

As a teenager, I thought an evil spirit and demon possession were merely ancient man’s way of understanding mental illness.

As a young adult, my perspective flipped. I thought mental illness was merely modern man’s logical attempt to explain evil spirits and demon possession.

Later I began to consider that both mental illness and evil spirits/demon possession existed but as different phenomena.

Now I wonder if these are just two ways of looking at the same thing—one from a spiritual perspective and the other from a physical perspective.

Although debating the meaning of evil spirits and demon possession may be stimulating to discuss, the main point is that Jesus makes these people’s lives better—and he gives his followers the authority to do the same.

How should we understand evil spirits and demon possession today?

[Discover more about evil spirits in 1 Samuel 16:14–23, 1 Samuel 18:10, 1 Samuel 19:9, Luke 8:2, and Acts 19:11–16. Read more about demon possession in Luke 8:26–38, Luke 9:37–42, and Acts 19:13.]

13. Fishing for People

Luke 5:1–11

“Don’t be afraid, from now on you will fish for people.”

Luke 5:10

At this time in our story, Jesus and Simon (as in Simon Peter or just Peter) have already met. Remember, Jesus went to Simon’s home, healed his mother-in-law, and stayed for dinner. However, Jesus hasn’t yet picked his main twelve disciples.

The next time we see Jesus and Simon together, Jesus stands at the edge of a lake, instructing the people. Anxious to hear better and be closer to him, they crowd in. This threatens to push Jesus into the water. There are a couple of boats nearby and Jesus climbs into one of them. He asks the owner, Simon, to push out into the lake.

Sound carries well across water, so with Jesus speaking from a boat, the people can hear him better. When Jesus finishes teaching, he turns to Simon and says, “Push out further. Drop your nets, and let’s catch some fish.” Though Simon may assume Jesus is hungry and wants fish for lunch, Jesus has something else in mind.

Simon tells Jesus that they fished all night and didn’t catch a thing.

Now, Simon knows how to fish. This is his trade, his livelihood. When it comes to fishing, he’s an expert. Jesus, however, isn’t a fisherman. He’s a carpenter. He knows how to make things with his hands. He’s an expert at woodworking.

So when the professional fisherman hasn’t caught a thing, it seems strange for the experienced carpenter to offer fishing tips. But that’s exactly what Jesus does to Simon. The novice tells the expert what to do.

Logically, it would have been reasonable for Simon to ignore Jesus’s rookie advice. After all, Simon has been fishing his entire life. Jesus hasn’t.

Yet Simon sets aside his pride and disregards his experience. He agrees to do what Jesus asked, “just because you say so.”

The results astound Simon. His nets fill with fish; they’re about to break. He calls his partners in the other boat to help. Soon both boats are full of fish, so full that they could sink. This huge catch astonishes the fishermen.

It also defies logic and all that Simon knows is true. The only explanation is that he’s seen a miracle. He falls before Jesus and says, “I’m a sinful man. I don’t deserve to be in your presence.

Jesus doesn’t leave, however. Instead he says, “Don’t be afraid.” Jesus prepares to change Simon’s life forever. “From now on you will fish for people.”

Simon and his fishing partners bring their boats to shore and leave everything behind to follow Jesus.

Sometimes what God tells us to do seems foolish. We may think we know better and ignore him. But we should do it anyway, just because he says so.

[Discover more about the disciples fishing in Luke 5:4–11 and John 21:3–14.]

14. To Forgive and to Heal

Luke 5:17–26

“Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’”?

Luke 5:23

Jesus specializes in doing the unexpected. This story is no exception.

It seems Jesus will teach people anyplace he can, anywhere people gather. This time he’s teaching in a home. There are lots of religious people there. Though we don’t know their motives—whether to hear Jesus or to criticize him—the important thing is that they are there.

Knowing of Jesus’s reputation to heal people, some guys carry their paralyzed friend to him. They try to take him into the house, but they can’t because there are too many people. Desperate, they climb up onto the roof, open some tiles, and lower their paralyzed friend into the room, right in front of Jesus.

The visual image seems incredible.

First, I don’t know the construction of homes 2,000 years ago, but could they do this without damaging the house? At the very least they disrupt Jesus’s teaching as they work to lower their friend. And I often wonder why they didn’t try a little harder to push their way through the crowd or simply wait for Jesus to leave the house after he finished teaching. Apparently, they see a rooftop entry as their best option.

The man’s problem is obvious. He can’t walk. Everyone can see that. But Jesus doesn’t heal this man—at least not at first. Instead, he does the unexpected. He says, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Jesus realizes this man’s greatest need isn’t physical but spiritual. So it is with God. Sometimes we don’t get what we expect, but we always get what we need.

The religious teachers are aghast at Jesus. They charge him with blasphemy. Only God can forgive sins, they think.

Jesus knows their thoughts and asks them a challenging question. “What’s easier, to forgive someone’s sins or to heal them?”

Knowing that it’s easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven” than to make a lame man walk, Jesus heals the man too. This addresses the man’s second greatest need. In doing this, Jesus proves he has the power to forgive sins, as well.

Jesus shows that he came not only to save us (forgive our sins), but he also came to heal us. Jesus often does or says the unexpected. Perhaps that’s one reason why the crowds flocked to him two thousand years ago and why we’re drawn to him today.

Unexpected Jesus may surprise us, and at times perplex us, but he’s still our Savior and our healer. All we need to do is accept him for his saving power and his healing power.

What do we expect from Jesus: forgiveness, healing, or both?

[Discover more about this account in Matthew 9:2–8 and Mark 2:2–12.]

15. What’s the Deal with Sunday?

Luke 6:1–11

“I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?

Luke 6:9

Most Christians uphold Sunday as their special day to focus on God, a day of rest. They go to church to worship and serve him. They may also do special activities and avoid doing other things, all because it’s Sunday.

The Bible never tells us to set Sunday aside. Instead, it focuses on the Sabbath, the last day of the week from a Jewish perspective. Traditionally that would be Saturday. The Old Testament gives a lot of instructions about what the people can and cannot do on the Sabbath. For the people of Jesus’s day, these instructions had expanded into a voluminous collection of specific, manmade details covering what’s allowed and what’s not. The people, especially religious ones, pursue these rules with a legalistic zeal.

Again, doing the unexpected, Jesus confronts the people and their religious practices.

One Sabbath, Jesus and his disciples walk through a field. This likely pushes religious boundaries, as Sabbath travel is limited. Then Jesus allows his disciples to pick some grain, rub off the husk, and eat the seeds. Though the Old Testament Law doesn’t prohibit eating on the Sabbath, it does prohibit work. The disciples, in their small act of feeding themselves, harvest grain and prepare food on the Sabbath.

That is a no-no for the religious zealots. They criticize Jesus for his disciples’ unlawful action on the Sabbath.

He reminds them of King David, running for his life. He goes to a priest and asks for food. The only thing available is the special bread, reserved for the priests. The priest gives it to David even though the Law prohibits it.

On another Sabbath, Jesus goes to the synagogue and teaches the people. A man with a deformed hand is there. The religious leaders watch to see what Jesus will do. They’re looking for a reason to criticize him. Jesus knows what they’re thinking.

He calls the man with the deformed hand to stand before them. Then he asks, “Should we do good things on the Sabbath or evil?” That gets their attention. Then he tells the man to stretch out his hand. As the man does, his hand is fully restored.

Though the religious teachers should be happy for this man, who regained the full use of his hand, instead they’re furious at Jesus for “working” on the Sabbath. Instead of praising God’s healing power, they criticize God’s Son.

What does the Sabbath mean to us? Are we open to skip church to help someone?

[Discover more about Sabbath behavior in Matthew 12:1–14, Mark 2:23–28, Luke 13:10–16, and Luke 14:1–6. Read about King David’s plight in 1 Samuel 21:1–6.]

Dig Deeper: The Twelve Disciples

When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.

Luke 6:13

We know that Jesus had twelve disciples, right? This number occurs repeatedly in all four gospels. And the first three list them by name. Unfortunately, the lists don’t completely match.

Matthew and Mark list Simon Peter, Andrew, James (son of Zebedee), John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot.

Luke matches eleven of these names, but he includes Judas (the son of James) and omits Thaddaeus.

John doesn’t provide a list but does mention some disciples by name: Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip, Judas Iscariot, and Thomas. Indirectly included are John and James (“the sons of Zebedee”). However, John implies Nathanael is a disciple too. Jesus tells Nathanael, “follow me” and he does, but he’s not even mentioned in the other three gospels.

So that ups the count of disciples to fourteen. How can this be? Here are some possible explanations:

They Use Nicknames: If we assume that Thaddaeus was also known as Judas (the son of James), as well as Nathanael, that explains everything, but this is quite a stretch.

Some Lists Are Wrong: Matthew and Mark completely agree, so their lists must be right while Luke and John must have each made a mistake.

The Group Was Dynamic: Though Jesus only had twelve disciples, there was an ebb and flow over his three years of ministry as disciples came and went.

Twelve Is Not an Absolute Number: We live in a culture that assumes precision. If we say twelve, we mean twelve. No more and no less. We don’t mean about twelve or twelve, give or take a couple; we mean twelve.

While Jesus’s disciples might have changed over time, it’s more likely that the label of “The Twelve” was an approximate number for the sake of convenience.

Jesus’s twelve fourteen disciples are:

Andrew

Bartholomew

James (son of Alphaeus)

James (son of Zebedee)

John

Judas Iscariot

Judas (son of James)

Matthew

Nathanael

Philip

Simon Peter

Simon the Zealot

Thaddaeus

Thomas

Are we concerned that Jesus may not have actually had twelve disciples?

[Discover more about the names of Jesus’s disciples in Matthew 10:2–4, Mark 3:16–19, Luke 6:13–16, John 1:43–51, and John 21:1–2.]

16. The Sermon on the Plain

Luke 6:17–49

He went down with them and stood on a level place.

Luke 6:17

You may have heard of Jesus’s best-known sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, which Matthew records in his biography of Jesus. The sermon gets its name because it happens on the side of a mountain—a mount, if you will. That’s why we call it the Sermon on the Mount.

Luke also records a lengthy sermon, but this one doesn’t occur on the side of a mountain. Instead it happens on a level place, a plain or possibly a plateau. To distinguish this sermon from the one Matthew records, let’s call this one the Sermon on the Plain.

Before Jesus delivers his Sermon on the Plain, something significant happens. The people flock to Jesus, not only to hear him, but also for him to heal them from their diseases and cure them from their evil spirits. And here’s the interesting part, Luke says all the people try to touch him, because power flows from him, the power to heal.

After Jesus meets the physical needs of the people, he’s ready to teach them—and they’re ready to listen.

Jesus begins with a series of encouragements to those who struggle. He starts each one saying, “Blessed are you . . . ,” which he follows up with a promise of provision.

He moves to a series of warnings to people who seem to have it good. He starts each one of these saying, “Woe to you . . . ,” which he follows up with a somber look into their future. Through these two series, Jesus lifts the downtrodden and warns the prosperous.

Next, he talks about loving our enemies and showing mercy, just as God shows us mercy. Then Jesus warns against judging others and the importance of forgiving. To the degree we forgive, we will receive forgiveness.

Don’t rush past this.

To receive full forgiveness from God, we must forgive others fully. To be forgiven, we must forgive first.

Then he slips in a parable about the foolishness of a blind person trying to lead another blind person. A second parable considers the hypocrisy of trying to help someone overcome a minor problem when the first person’s dilemma is greater.

Jesus moves from this into another example. We can identify a tree by the fruit that grows on its branches. So too, good people do good things, but evil comes from those with evil hearts.

To wrap up his Sermon on the Plain, Jesus contrasts wise builders with foolish ones. The wise ones build a solid foundation, which is what we do when we put Jesus’s words into practice.