Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 3:1-7 "KEEP "LOOKING UNTO JESUS" (Hebrews 12:2)"
Day 38 – Luke 3
Text: Luke 3:1-7
KEEP “LOOKING UNTO JESUS” (Hebrews 12:2)
Are you weary of setting aside time to study the Scriptures? Don’t let your spirit be overwhelmed. Let the words of the Lord in Hebrews encourage you.
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2
Never allow yourself to feel as if you are alone, running the race of life. Don’t allow discouragement and despair to set in. There are many who have succeeded. Let them encourage your heart. Keep running this race of life with endurance. Keep your eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus. Let your heart find new strength and encouragement, as we begin a new chapter in the Gospel of Luke.
ANOTHER HISTORICAL NOTATION
By now, you should be used to Luke’s style of writing. He makes little historical notation, so that his patron, Theophilus would be encouraged to know that the Gospel presented to him were not fanciful stories fabricated by a group of believers in Christ.
If Theophilus wanted to verify things, he could easily check out things through discreet channels. There were too many names mentioned in this passage, for this Gospel account to be anything less than authentic!
Tiberias Caesar was now the new emperor. In Luke 2, mention was made of the reign of Augustus Caesar. He had now passed on, and his son-in-law was the new emperor of Rome.
Pontius Pilate was introduced as the governor of Judea, and Herod was Tetrarch (one of four rulers) of Galilee. His brother Philip was tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis. Lysanias was tetrarch of Abiline. Luke’s grasp of the political situation in those days must have challenged and encouraged Theophilus in his perusal of the Gospel narrative written by Luke.
Luke made an interesting note concerning two high priests. Normally, there is only ONE high priest! At that point of time, Caiaphas was the ruling high priest. However, the research of Luke led him to conclude that Annas, the previous high priest, was a very influential person . He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Though he was not the appointed High Priest anymore, nevertheless his presence and influence could be felt significantly.
Luke’s historical notation is reminiscent of the way in which the Old Testament prophetic writers would pen down the time period in which they ministered as prophets of God. Isaiah for example noted that he ministered in the reigns of “Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah (Isaiah 1:1; Cf. Jeremiah 1:1-3).
“THE WORD OF GOD CAME TO JOHN…” Luke 3:2
Once again, Luke mimics the writing style of the Old Testament prophets when he used this phrase, “The Word of God came to John…” This phrase is a familiar one when we read the Old Testament prophetic books.
Examples of this style of writing may be found in the following:-
1. “Then the Word of the Lord came to me, saying…” Jeremiah1:4 (Cf. Jeremiah 1:13; 2:1)
2. “The Word of the Lord came expressively to Ezekiel the priest…” Ezekiel 1:3
3. “The Word of the Lord that came to Hosea…” Hosea 1:1
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PHRASE
There are a number of reasons why Luke used this phrase:-
1. He was trying to highlight the fact that John was just like the Old Testament prophets.
2. He was seeking to emphasize the fact that John was receiving a direct word from the Lord.
3. He was seeking to establish the fact that John had a singularly important ministry, and his commission came directly from the Lord Himself.
4. He was stating that which was believed among the believers – that John was indeed a man sent from God with full authority and power to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand.
5. He sought to show that John fulfilled the prophetic word of Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3-5); John was that “voice crying in the wilderness”(Luke 2:4).
“THOSE THINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN FULFILLED AMONG US” Luke 1:1
With great, bold strokes Luke wrote about the birth of John the Baptiser (Luke 1:13-17). With great carefulness, Luke tracked the life and ministry of John. With great confidence and joy, he wrote about how John lived up to the prophetic words of the angel Gabriel.
John was in close touch with God. On receiving the Word of God, John began a powerful public ministry. His ministry was so powerful that “multitudes came out to be baptized by him” (Luke 3:7: Cf. Matthew 3:5-6 “Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.”).
Let us be deeply encouraged by the fact that God is always involved in the affairs of the world. Amidst changing circumstances, God’s Word still comes through to man. He continues to empower His servants with His mighty word!