THURSDAY, JANUARY 4
Luke 1:1-4
Luke 19:10

“For the Son of man is come
to seek and to save that which was lost.”

THE PURPOSE OF LUKE’S GOSPEL

Luke primarily wrote to the most excellent Theophilus. This could either be a person or an appellative name for those who are loved of God. However, as Barnes suggested, “significant names were very common, and there is no good reason to doubt that this was some individual known to Luke.” The title “most excellent” occurs only in three other places in the New Testament. It was given to men in office: Felix and Festus (Acts 23:26; 24:3; 26:25). It expressed not the quality of the men, but their office which suggests that Theophilus was an individual person.

Luke presented the perfect humanity of Christ. Christ is the Son of man, the God-man whose genealogy Luke traced back to Adam, the first man. The phrase “the Son of man” is used frequently in Luke. The key verse is in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” It was in many ways a gospel to a humanity that needed compassion, and sympathy towards the brokenhearted, the poor, the sick, the persecuted, and the bereaved. It presented Jesus as the Saviour of all mankind regardless of age, race and status. It encouraged the believers to live according to Jesus’ teachings, “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations …” (Luke 24:47).

This gospel presentation on the humanity of Christ buttressed the truth of God’s incarnation. Jesus became flesh and dwelt amongst sinful men. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil 2:6-8).

Do you realize how great a sacrifice the Lord Jesus has made for us?

THOUGHT: Do I appreciate the reasons God moved Luke to write this gospel?
PRAYER: Lord, help me to value Luke’s record by reading and meditating upon it that I may share it with others.