Introduction to the Gospel:
If you want to read a gospel that truly sums up the life of Jesus Christ and gives a good account of just how radical and unorthodox the teachings and life of Jesus really were to the first century world, then Luke is the gospel to read. Luke shows us a Jesus who was rejected both at his birth and at his death. In the writings of the third gospel, we see a prophet, a teacher, a Messiah who turned the status quo of the world upside down.

In a Roman dominated world where "might made right," where slaves, women, and children were nothing more than pieces of property, Jesus came, offering a totally different view of righteousness and justice. In the Roman occupied territory of Judea where dreams of Jewish nationalism ran high, where Jewish people waited for a Messiah who would save them from Roman oppression, where a relationship with God depended on nationality and slavery to the law, Jesus came to free people from their real oppressors: sin and death.

The gospel of Luke is the first of two books that a man named Luke wrote sometime between 75 and 85 a.d. The second book is the book of Acts. Together, these two books make up 25% of the New Testament. The gospel of Luke tells the story of Jesus, and the book of Acts tells how the life of Jesus changed the course of the world.

Study Questions

When writing a newspaper story, the first question any good journalist should ask is 'WHO?' Just WHO is Luke? Actually, we know very little about this man. But the book of Colossians tells us two important things about Luke.

1. Read Colossians 4:14, Acts 16:10-17, & 20:5-6. What do these verses tell us about Luke's profession, and what does it tell us about those with whom Luke traveled?
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The next question a journalist would ask is 'WHY?' WHY did Luke write his gospel? It is important to remember that when Luke wrote his gospel, Christianity was a religion that was outlawed by the Roman government. The Romans believed that the only king was Caesar and that the only person worthy of the title Lord was the Roman Emperor. Anyone else addressed as King or Lord would be seen as a threat to Roman rule and stability.

Yet there were some within the Roman government who wondered just how dangerous Christianity really was. Was Jesus a threat to the Emperor? Did Jesus preach the overthrow of the Roman Empire? Did Jesus come to establish an earthly kingdom?

2. Read Luke 1:1-4. To whom was Luke writing? What position do you think this person held? What was Luke's purpose in writing his gospel?
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The next question a reporter would ask is 'WHAT?' WHAT happened and WHAT point is being made? Each of the gospels has a different symbol which tells us WHAT point the gospel writer is trying to make. (For those of you from Highland Park Lutheran Church: If you want to know the symbol for each gospel, take a walk to the back of the sanctuary and take a look at the four windows in the south end .)

3. What are the symbols for each gospel? (*See note below.) What point do you think the symbol for the gospel of Luke is trying to make? (Hint: What was the symbol for Luke's gospel used for in the Jewish religion?)
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The gospel of Luke has some very important highlights or themes that are different from the highlights or themes of the other gospels. What are the themes or highlights that Luke points to?

4. Read Luke 3:2, 5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 9:29, and 22:32. What theme is mentioned in all of these passages?
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Does this say something about our own lives?
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5. Read Luke 1:46-55, 1:68-79, and 2:29-32. What theme unites these three passages?
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What does this theme say about the way we should live our lives?
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6. Read Luke 2:24, 4:25-27, 7:2, 9 & 36-50,9:51-56, 10:30-37, 17:11-19. What do these passages say about who the message of the gospel is for?
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What do these passages say about the work of the church?
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7. Read Luke 1:15, 35, 41, 2:25-27, 3:16,10:21, & 11:13. What is the main emphasis in these passages?
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8. For yourself. What new thing did you learn about the Gospel of Luke that you did not know before?
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** Note: The symbols for the Gospels are: John = Eagle, Luke = Bull, Matthew = Man, Mark = Lion.

OUTLINE OF LUKE:
I. Prologue 1:1-4
II. Birth, infancy, and childhood narratives 1:5-2:52
III. Preparation for Public Ministry
  A. John the Baptist 3:1-20
  B. Baptism of Jesus 3:21-22
  C. Genealogy of Jesus 3:23-38
  D. Temptation of Jesus 4:1-13
IV. Galilean Ministry
  A. Jesus at Nazareth and Capernaum 4:14-44
  B. Call of the Apostles 5:1 - 6:16
  C. The Ministry 6:17 - 9:9
  D. Climax of Ministry 9:10-50
V. Travel Narrative 9:51 - 19:28
VI. Jerusalem Ministry
  A. Entry to Jerusalem 19:29-48
  B. Controversies 20:1 - 21:
  C. Discourse on the Fall of Jerusalem 21:5-38
VII. Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension
  A. Upper Room 22:1-38
  B. Passion, Crucifixion, and Burial 22:39 - 23:56
  C. Resurrection and Ascension 24:1-53

PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father,
The word gospel literally means "good news." Help me to understand that while getting a new job is good news, that while winning the lottery is good news, in reality the "good news" is that you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to show me how to live as your child, to give his life as payment for my sin, and to give me eternal life. That is the "good news" I know. I ask you, Father, to pour out your Holy Spirit on me that I may be empowered to share the real "good news" with others. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

For next time: Read Luke, chapters one and two.

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