The Book of Luke takes us through the entire account of the birth, ministry, sacrifice on the cross, and resurrection of Jesus. I love that Luke decided to write us an “orderly account” of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the Savior of the world!
Fully embracing joy this Christmas, the “Luke Challenge” has been a study rooted in determination, renewed faith and JOY for me. As I close out my study, I am hopeful my insights from this study have ignited your relationship with Christ as it has mine.
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Luke 24: On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; HE HAS RISEN”!
Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again”. Then they remembered his words. ~ Luke 24:1-8
Here are two reasons we can find hope in the book of Luke:
Luke offers us the courage to keep on being like Jesus who cared for the human race, every last lost soul.
Luke is the voice of the marginalized describing the great reversal that is the kingdom of God, “Those who have been pushed down will rise up, and those who’ve done the pushing will be brought low”.
No matter how many others were speaking out to tell the story of Jesus the Messiah, the world needed Luke’s voice. And it is the same way today: we need each one of our voices and efforts.
The Christmas story is so beautiful. Jesus didn’t come to earth as a mighty, majestic King who would be intimidating and untouchable. He instead came as an innocent, needy, dependent baby born to parents who were poor and as simply normal as could be. Everything about the very beginnings of his life on earth was humble and unassuming, giving us a Savior we can easily relate to and understand, not one who is distant or on a lofty throne. This is such a comforting truth. We don’t have to have prestigious job titles or well-stocked bank accounts or fame to be used by God, because not even His Son required those things.
The Book Of Luke is not just for the Christmas story, but to hear one man’s view on Jesus that will provide us hope in a season of exhaustion.
Rise up, Stand tall, Seek peace, Serve others, Believe, Come Home to Christ. Let your souls be energized in HOPE.
Wake up on Christmas day knowing WHO and WHY we celebrate!
Merry Christmas!
