St. Luke 1: 1-4:
Since many have endeavored to reproduce a narrative concerning the events that have come to fulfillment among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and became ministers of the Word delivered these traditions to us, it seemed good to me also, after investigating from the beginning every tradition carefully, to compose systematically a narrative for your benefit, most excellent Theophilus, in order that you come to recognize completely the reliability concerning the words by which you have been catechized. (Dr. Arthur Just’s Translation)
Especially beloved in Luke’s Gospel are these texts unique in the Gospel: the parables of the Good Samaritan ( Luke 16:29-37), the prodigal son (Luke15:11-32), the rich man and Lazarus (Luke16:19-31), and the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). Only Luke provides a detailed account of Christ’s birth (Luke 2:1-20) and he records the canticles, or psalm of Mary (Luke 1:46-55), of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79),and,
the angel’s song at the Birth of Christ announced to shepherd and the song Simeon (Luke2:29-32).
To show how Christ continued His work in the Early Church through the apostles, Luke also penned the Acts of the Apostles. More than one-third of the New Testament comes from the hand of the evangelist Luke.
Luke wrote a bestseller that has been on the top of the charts for some 2,000 years. He wrote extensively reporting the birth of Jesus. His narrative of the Nativity are some of the verses that both believer and non-believer know about: And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. Luke reported a fact that in Christ Jesus’ birth is our new life. Our new life, our baptism is not founded in us, and our souls, our spiritual experiences, our values, our lives, even our faith but in His birth, His life, and His eternal life for our faith by His grace alone. As Sgt. Joe Friday would say, The facts, Ma’am. Charles Dicken’s David Copperfield, first chapter is entitled “I am born”. “I am born” is a fact that of us all, and is historically important, but Dickens wants to tell us the meaning of David Copperfield being born. A biographer will tell us the facts of a person’s life but in those facts will show us the meaning and significance of them. So did Luke.
Years ago in a pastors’ Bible study I led with very new and very liberal Lutheran pastors, the text was St. Luke’s intro to his Gospel. I pointed out that Luke, in his magnificent opening, tells us that he investigated this matter, he interviewed eyewitnesses, he systematically wrote the Gospel and then Luke tells us, based upon his interviews and investigation that Theophilus can be assured of the “certainty” of the account. The word in Greek for “certainty” has connotations of firmness and reliability of the words by which Theophilus was catechized. After my presentation, more than a few sniffed, Yeah, reliability, certainty, really? Such is the state of too much education in our day. “Question authority” has become the academic cliché but we can doubt the authority which dogmatically asserts “question authority”. St. Luke’s narrative has been with us for a long time, and if the Lord does not come in glory for another 2,000 years, the Gospel of St. Luke will still be guiding people to the Savior born of the Virgin Mary and singing with the angels: Glory to God in the highest.
The apostle Paul called Luke, “the beloved physician” (Colossians 4: 14). There was a 19th century British author and a physician. He studied at the University of Edinburgh and one of his most influential professors was Dr. Joseph Bell. Dr. Bell could keenly observe and remember the symptoms of a patient and putting the pieces together deducing the sickness with amazing accuracy. The British author was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dr. Bell was a basis of Sherlock Holmes. Dr. Luke had before him all sorts of narratives, with truth and fact, and falsehood and invention. A doctor knows how to observe. Dr. Luke put together all the pieces and connected them, all the facts of Christ Jesus and put them together to “compose systematically a narrative”, not for himself, but “for your benefit”. The Lord knows whom He chooses and He chose a doctor to write one of the Gospels. This narrative is certain and here are the ways we know that:
One: It is clear from Luke’s introduction, in flawless Greek, he wants to give Theophilus an accurate account of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke knew the people who were there and he interviewed the “eyewitnesses”. We were not there from the beginning, Luke was. He probably knew Mary, Mother of our Lord. He knew the apostles, including Paul. Luke tells us he did this carefully. He is also a brother in Christ. A brother in Christ is honest and trustworthy. It is clear Luke did not write his Gospel for personal financial gain at all. What did he stand to gain from writing a dishonest narrative? Nothing. He wanted Theophilus to know the certainty of the Way in which he had been “catechized”, taught the Way, because Jesus Christ is our Savior. Luke’s gain is only Christ’s gain: a baptized and saved Theophilus and you as well. “The ‘us’ among whom these ‘things which have been accomplished’ (1:1-4) would be all the Christians whose testimony is borne in the narrative.” (Dr. Just’s Commentary) “For us and our salvation He came down from heaven”.
Two: Luke uses the word “catechized”. The Gospels are history and as the history of our lives, there is meaning. Theophilus was catechized, taught in the Way, as a “follower of the Way”, the meaning of the Word and Work of Jesus Christ. Theophilus was taught God’s Word and many were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word. The fruit of faith is shown in works of love. “Theophilus” means “love of God”. Many have asked, Who was Theophilus? One answer: all of us, the love of God. We are all Theophilus. Luke writes, most excellent Theophilus. “Excellent” was term of respect for a high, noble official. God’s Word is for the poorest of the poor and the most elite of the elite! God’s love in Christ had taught Theophilus and now Luke connects the dots for him and us. This history of Jesus is the good news, the Gospel which not only informs but forms us in His Word, sinners who are simultaneously saints by faith, given through grace.
“Paul says that in the Christian assembly, he prefers rational words, “five words of knowledge” than a thousand in tongues, so that he may “catechize” those present (1 Cor 14:19)…” (Dr. Just)
This faith comes through the gospel’s additional catechesis that assures of certainty of the facts narrated regarding Jesus. “Catecheo” (“to catechize, instruct, inform”) occurs four times in Luke-Acts (Lk 1:4; Acts 18:25; 21:21, 24) and three times in Paul (Rom 2:18; 1 Cor 14:19; Gal 6:6). Acts 18:25 has the same meaning as here: Apollos “had been catechized in the way of the Lord.” We can know the facts of the way a bike works, which is important, but the way we learn a bike is to learn to ride it, catechized in the way of the Lord and His heart towards us, for us, with us.
Third: We understand the truthfulness of Holy Scripture by Luke’s phrase, regarding the ministers of the Word, “delivered these traditions to us…” The use of the verb “delivered” is used by Paul (Luke was his companion on some of the Paul’s missionary journeys) for handing over the Words of Institution of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23) and the eyewitness accounts of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3) Traditions here are not man-made traditions, but rabbinic traditions precisely delivered: verbatim. These were tools for memory but also pointing out that without all our information technologies, the mind can remember a lot. These brothers had the highest regard for the written and spoken Word of God and were not going to mess around with it, because man does not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In Dr. Luke’s second book, Acts of the Apostles, there are the “we”sections, in which Luke was with the apostle Paul. Paul refers in his letters to “my gospel”. Paul’s Gospel sure well have been Luke’s. Both Paul and Luke knew the other apostles, Mary, James, brother of the Lord, the 70 Jesus had sent out.
Dr. Luke wrote the Scripture that proclaims, catechizes and informs and forms us in, with and under Christ in the communion of the Holy 
Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Behind me, toward your right, is a copy of a medieval manuscript of Luke chapters 1 and 2, the Magnificat and the Nativity, pointing us to Christ and Him crucified, so that in the icon on the left is of the saints of whom Luke knew so many, who 
proclaimed in word and deed Christ Jesus, may live and move in Him, in His forgiveness which He serves us in this Holy Communion. As Luke tells us in the Institution of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus said, “But I am among you as one who serves”. He gives us the fruit of His Cross for us. The icon on the left and all pointing us to the center:
Crucifix behind the Altar at Concordia Lutheran Mission
All of Luke and Acts is a journey, a sojourning, as our lives. The Lord knows when we are lost, gone the wrong way, like the prodigal son. He knows when we are hurt, even laying on the side of the road like the man in the parable of the Good Samaritan. He knows when I am haughty and thinking I am spiritually better than anyone else like the Pharisee in the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. He gives us the song of salvation to unlikely characters to find the Way, be healed, and pray:
Mary, a virgin,
Zechariah, an old man and his barren wife, Elizabeth that they would have a child, John the Baptist,
the angels singing to hard-working shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night,
and to the elderly Simeon…
and you. In the Word that Luke penned, Jesus stands behind those Words to once again point us to Himself. In the Name of the Father, and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today is also the 7th Sunday of Easter, the Sunday always in between Ascension and Pentecost. The Gospel reading is St. John 17:11b–19 and these verses were the basis of the sermon I wrote and preached:
Concordia and Koinonia 