Day 1: Read Luke 1: 1 – 4

LUKE’S PURPOSE IN WRITING
Luke tells Jesus’ story from Luke’s unique perspective as a gentile, a physician, and the first historian of the early church. Though not an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry, Luke is concerned that eyewitness accounts be preserved accurately and that the foundations of Christian belief be transmitted intact to the next generation. In Luke’s Gospel are many of Jesus’ parables. More than the other gospels, Luke gives specific instances of Jesus’ concern for women.
There was a lot of interest in Jesus, and many people had written first hand accounts about Him. Luke may have used several of those accounts and all other available resources as material for an accurate and complete account of Jesus’ life, teachings, and ministry. Because truth was important to Luke, he relied heavily on eyewitness accounts. Christianity doesn’t say, “Close your eyes and believe,” but rather, “Check it out for yourself.” The Bible encourages you to investigate its claims thoroughly, because your conclusion about Jesus is a life and death matter.
Theophilus means, “one who loves God.” This preface may be a general dedication to all Christian readers. Theophilus may have been Luke’s patron, who helped to finance the book’s writing. More likely, Theophilus was a Roman acquaintance of Luke’s with a strong interest in the Christian religion.
As a medical doctor, Luke knew the importance of being thorough. He used his skills in observation and analysis to thoroughly investigate the stories about Jesus. His diagnosis: Jesus Christ is true! You can read Luke’s account of Jesus’ life with confidence that it was written by a clear thinker and a thoughtful researcher. Because the Good News is founded on historical truth, your spiritual growth must involve careful, disciplined, and thorough investigation of God’s Word, so that you can understand how God has acted in history. If this kind of study is not part of your life, find a pastor, teacher, or even a good study Bible to help you get started and to guide you in this part of Christian growth.