Luke - The Non-Invisible Man

I'm going to read from two passages of scripture for this lesson today. Begin in Luke chapter 1. Read a few verses there. And then we'll go to Acts chapter 1 and read a few verses there. Good to see everyone in the house of the Lord. Good to have guests with us this morning. We just welcome you and we ask that God would be upon this time today as we look into his word.

Luke chapter 1 beginning at verse one. Luke writes, "For as much as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word. Seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theopoulos, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed.

And from Acts chapter 1, beginning at verse one, we'll read the first four verses and then verse eight. The former traits have I made, O Theoples, of all that Jesus began to both do and to teach. until the day in which he was taken up. After that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen. To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them 40 days. And speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, being assembled together with them, he commanded them that they should not part from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the father, which saith he, you have heard of me. In verse eight, Jesus continues, "But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you. You shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, all Judea, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

We've been studying what I've termed minor characters from the book of Acts. So that would be every anyone except for Peter and Paul who get most of the press in the in the book of Acts. And so today's lesson takes a slightly different twist and that is because the person today that we are going to look at is unique because he's not mentioned in the book of Acts. You don't see his name anywhere there. However, without this person, we wouldn't know anything about any of the others that we have studied. That's because we're going to look at Acts. We're going to look at Luke, the author of the book of Acts. Also, he wrote the Gospel according to Luke. both of those of volume one and two if you will of the early church the ministry of Jesus and then what the church did following that he was also a faithful companion to the apostle Paul even though his name is never shown alongside him in the book of acts to be honest there's little known directly about this man in fact so little that I gave the t this title to the lesson Luke the not so invisible man because we see a ther of him all through the New Testament and through this book. But as I said, he is not mentioned. We know that he was present in the early church because the narrative in Acts will switch between first person where he is talking about himself or a group of people including him and then third person. So he will speak of they or them when he's not there, they went here, they did that. Power of God was upon them when he was not present. And then all of a sudden it would change and it would become we or us. And so we went here and we did this and God was with us. And so he doesn't place his name on any of his books. You look at the books that Paul wrote and he began him usually with Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ as his introduction. So he put his name on him. Luke does not do that in either of his books. His name is not in any of the books he wrote either. um only Paul mentions him and he mentions him in his epistles three different times usually in passing in a list or he he'll mention this po that Luke was with me or something like this. So all that we glean from looking at Luke comes from what we can discern from his writing and some of it conjecture or observation from where he is in the present in the narrative. But that's not going to stop us from trying today. We're going to get what we can out of Luke so what we can learn about him. So let's look at this man.

There is some tradition concerning Luke from uh writers who were contemporary writers that were early church writers. And while they're not gospel, uh much of it does seem to mesh with what we read from scripture. So take this portion of the lesson as just that. I'll just take a brief introduction here to Luke. It's a glimpse of this man from what we do have available from us. So when we look at the traditional elements from the early church and the scripture, some of it not quite as certain and put it with what we know for sure from the Bible, we are able to trace a little bit of a dim outline of Luke's life. According to Yubius, who was an early church historian, Luke was born in Antioch and Syria and that he was taught the science of medicine is apparent from Paul's epistle to the Colossians because Paul refers to him as the beloved physician. So we know he was a a doctor. Uh we also know he was not born a Jew for a couple of reasons. One is Paul list in Colossians 4 those that were with him and and he lists Luke uh and a couple of others. And then he lists another group of name and he said and they of the circumcision in other words those who are Jews were and he gives that list. So he separates them there. Um, and also because the name of Luke is a Greek name, not a Jewish name. So he was not only a physician, but the interesting thing was he was a gentile and that makes him the only gentile writer in the New Testament. His writings, you can tell if you read through Luke and Acts, he was obviously very intelligent. He was el ed educated. He was a refined man. He understood the culture. He understood politics, a lot of different things. Uh the interesting thing is the date of his conversion is not certain. We don't know when he was converted. By his own reckoning in Luke 1 that we read, he was not an eyewitness or minister of the word from the beginning. So he wasn't there right at the start. Still, uh history kind of points to the fact that he may have been a follower of Jesus himself sometime before the ascension. So during Jesus' life. In fact, some early writers, Epiphanus and others say that he was one of the 70 disciples, although the Bible doesn't say that, but and another writer says that he was one of the two that journeyed to Emmas. So whether that is true or not, take it for what it's worth from history. But it is also pro probable that he and Titus were brothers. Another interesting thought because Titus is never mentioned in the book of Acts. Of course, Paul wrote a letter to him later on. So, however, what we some some people think that perhaps he was a convert of Paul at Trrowass and Trrowaz and while things do become a bit more certain when we look at the book of Acts, nothing is said of Luke's conversion, what is certain is there is a narrative change in Acts chapter 16 from the they to the Wii.

So, I want to read that just so you can get a kind of a flavor of how Luke would do this. And they were come to Ma they said they wanted to go into Bethnia that's talking about Paul and Silas but the spirit suffered them not or told them no don't go and they passed they passing by Maza came down to Trrowaz and a vision appeared to Paul in the night and there stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying come over into Macedonia and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately here it is, we endeavored to go to Macedonia. Assuredly gathering the the Lord had called us to preach the gospel unto them. So here's what I find interesting about that. It doesn't say how long Paul was in Trrowass. It said they came there and they had a vision and immediately they go over into Macedonia. So if Paul did convert him, he would have had to done it very quickly when he got there. However, it also doesn't seem that Luke would immediately be joined them in the preaching of the gospel. He surely gathered, called us to preach the gospel unto them. So, I'm thinking he was probably converted earlier on, although we don't know that. What we do know is he accomp accompanied Paul from Trrowass. And if you look at that, that is far on the western coast of where Turkey is today, right on uh on the sea. And they crossed there into Macedonia and then eventually into Greece. But uh they crossed there across the water into Philippi. And it is there that evidently Luke stayed. In fact, he stayed there for a while because on the next missionary journey that Paul did. He went back to Philippi and this was some seven years later. And again, he sees Luke. So many scholars think that it's very possible that he left Luke in Philippi to be the pastor and to take care of that church while Luke went on or while Paul went on on his evangelistic and missionary journeys. But once he came through the second time, Luke stayed with Paul for the remainder of the book of Acts. He was with him when he journeyed the rest the rest of his travels. He was with him when he went to Jerusalem. He was with him when he went to Cesaria when they left Jerusalem and then eventually to Rome as you follow the end of the book of acts. Evidently he stayed with him all the way to the end of the book of acts. Beyond that there is no further record. And so what we can learn from this man who played such a big role in preserving the early early church history uh we have to glean from his writings.

Sometimes we use the word renaissance man and that refers usually to a person that has a lot of interests and a lot of knowledge is skilled in many different areas. The idea of being very knowledgeable knowledgeable and proficient in a lot of different fields. We look at that person say wow they're a renaissance man. They can just do anything. They know everything about everything. And he lived Luke lived about a thousand and a half years before the renaissance. But he seems to fulfill this description. A very well-rounded, very knowledgeable person. It is well known that the four gospels were not written in the order that we have them in our Bible. Matthew didn't write the first one and then Mark, Luke, and John. It didn't necessarily come in that order. But we also know that each gospel was written for different audiences and for different purposes. So Mark wrote his first actually and he targeted the Romans in his writing, his account, the life of Jesus. Uh Matthew then addressed a Jewish audience and he quoted the Old Testament more than anyone else. So it was very specific looking at prophecies from the Old Testament and telling how Jesus fulfilled them. John was actually the last one wrote many years later and is does have some history but much less history in its purest sense. His purpose was to show who Jesus is. And Luke wrote his gospel to communicate the knowledge of Jesus to the Greeks. Being a Greek himself or being a a Gentile, he'd probably heard Paul preached that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone believes to the Jew and also to the Greek. So he probably thought, well, you know, Matthew, he's writing about all these prophecies and things from the Old Testament that most Greeks may not know. They need a gospel. And so he begins to write. As such, many consider Luke's gospel to be the gospel according to Paul, even though Luke wrote it. Many affirm that Luke recorded what the apostle preached. And Luke, the companion of Paul, one man said, put down the gospel that Paul preached. Uh Luke wrote it down. So his voice is important because he translated and he explained many Aramaic words that they use that the Jews would use and many Jewish customs and and things like that that might not be understood by the Greeks. And so he he explained those in his book. And no doubt his his education add enabled him to write with uh great precision and beauty. He's very knowledgeable man. But they consider Paul to be Luke's greatest influence. In fact, Paul called Luke the beloved physician saying that obviously he respected this man. Luke probably heard Paul unlock the mystery that Gentiles would be fellows of the same body and partakers of the promise of the gospel in Christ. And so understanding this relationship between Luke and Paul where Luke is hearing Paul talk and preach to the Gentiles and no doubt he could say that's me. One man said it this way. It's suggested that Luke might have even studied in Tarsus because there was a university there that had uh medical university but also philosophy and literature and since they were about the same age they could have been contemporary there. We don't know that. But what we do know is they obviously had a very long lifelong friendship. Luke does also, if you look at his writings, he emphasizes words that Paul would use often. He talks about faith and grace and repentance and mercy and forgiveness, concepts that Paul would develop in his letters. And so Luke also uses those. So I think there's a lot of lot of cross reference there between the two of them.

testimony of the church fathers as uniform that Luke wrote the book of Luke even though his name is not on it and the book of acts Luke begins his first volume with the words we read in our o opening text he said I've set my hand forth I I've sat down in order to a declaration of those things to put forth those things which are most surely believed among us even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers is the word. It seemed good to me also having perfect understanding from the first to write these things down that you might know the certainty of those things where you've been instruction. So I think there's there's at least three things that we can learn from this passage that we read possibly four. First is his desire to accurately record history. Historians, I think, of any age, if you're a true historian, you try to preserve history as it happens and and you try to write it down in such a way that you tell truth and that you're fair and balanced if if you're a good historian and orderly records of things that happened. And so Luke had the instincts of a historian. He was not present, as we said early, at the beginning of the life of Jesus. We don't know when he he came to know him, but Luke interviewed he said eyewitnesses and ministers of the word. His record not only preserves them in order, it also offers personal testifionies, verifying those things which are believed among us because he references many secular rulers, many events in his books. Uh he he's very meticulous with dates and times and and places that he went and and the political outline of Rome and this person how they how it all fit. It's often observed that Luke's understanding of the politics of the Roman world serves to validate his role as a story. And so those who look to his letters understand that he's been tested over and over and yes, Luke was correct. That is how this was set up or this is where this was. This is how that that's the right time period. Uh very much the second thing we see is that Luke did not depend on hearsay, but he researched his books by speaking to those who who were there. So it wasn't just stories he had heard. It was personal interviews with the original apostles and other eyewitnesses. Greater than his knowledge was his understanding and importance of the scope of the message of Jesus Christ. He had seen it in action. He had seen uh walking alongside Paul. He had seen the miracles. He had seen the gospel what it would do as it would reach different cities. And so his concern for this impartation of knowledge and understanding of who Jesus was caused him to record very carefully the information about the life of Jesus uh that none of the other gospels contain. There are several things in there that Luke added that nobody else had. And it was because he was very meticulous in going through this. And so this is the kind of man he was. He wanted to preserve for believers the text and even many sermons of the apostles and the disciples in the book of acts. He said it seemed good to me having had perfect understanding of all things from the first. Perfect understanding. What does that mean? The literally translation of the original would say this. Having exactly traced everything from the first. I did my research. In other words, I went down and I looked at all. or or maybe having by diligent and careful investigation, I followed up everything to the source to attain an accurate account of the matter. I did what I had to do to make sure it was right. Luke didn't profess to have seen all those things, but he designed to show here's how I got it by looking diligently at every account. And Luke's thorough treatment and attention to detail are some of the most meticulous of the gospels. The book of Luke contains the most complete genealogy of Jesus. It starts with Jesus and goes backwards all the way to Adam. Some details in the book of Acts don't appear in the other gospels. The angel's announcement to Zachcharias and the birth of John the Baptist, the the songs of Elizabeth and Mary and uh the things that happened at his presentation to the temple, the birth of Jesus, the visits of the shepherds, even Mary's inner thoughts, Mary said things in her hearts. And in Matthew, the birth of Jesus is given from the standpoint of Joseph and Mary is kind of kept in the background. That was probably more according to the Jewish tradition. But in Luke, it's told from Mary's point of view. Indeed, he probably saw Mary herself and and got much of it because he he he actually wrote things like but Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. How would anybody know that unless you talk to the source? And so he had was very diligent. All those point to the research that Luke did when writing his gospel.

Next, we see the reason he wrote, "It seemed good to me, Theophilos, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein you've been instruction instructed." It's crucial that faith in Jesus Christ is based on indisputable facts and evidence. There are those that look and say, "Well, does he exist? Was he there?" I think there is enough testimony. There is enough not only word of God but other things that point to the fact that yes, Jesus lived on this earth. Yes, Jesus is real. And it is crucial that we base that on as as Peter would say in his epistle in in second Peter 1:16, we haven't followed cunningly devised fables. We didn't just sit down and make all this stuff up. But he made known unto you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We were eyewitnesses of his majesty. They saw him after he rose from the dead. They saw him as he ascended into heaven. They saw the power of God upon him at the mount of transfiguration. And he said, "So, we're not making this stuff up." They went back to the source. And so, Luke was concerned. Go to the source. Let's find out. Let's go to every detail. And so, his picture of Christ not only defended what Theophilles had been taught, but it perpetuated the truth of Jesus identity. I'm thankful for someone that would take the time to write it all down.

And Luke appealed to the Greeks desire. Now, we understand they were always, you know, the Greeks desired wisdom. They were desired knowledge. Paul talks about that in Corinthians. But as that as as a Greek himself, Luke viewed the world through a scholarly lens. And his book reflects this broad spectrum of knowledge. He he referenced secular history and customs and institutions and political leaders. He he was the most versatile of the gospel writers. He was a Greek. Yes. He was a Christian. He was a doctor. He was a man of travel. Said a renaissance man. A man of world outlook, culture, poetic, spiritual, artistic. His prologue that we wrote there in in the book or we read those first four verses of the book of Luke are some of the most exacting Greek in the whole Bible. Just a classic Greek literature. It is written like that. But when you read the rest of the chapter and chapter two, it's probably some of the most Hebrew writing in the whole Bible or in the whole New Testament, very very Hebrew in the way it is written. And so you can tell he had just this great knowledge of literary experiences. He he uses medical terms.

He uses uh when he when he was with Paul on the shipwreck, very versed in nautical terms. It shows he was probably traveled a lot and all these things. But it's interesting because his interest in the poor as he he talks about that wasn't due to a prejudice against the rich but there was a compassion in his life. He he his rich and varied vocabulary someone that read and obviously knew a lot poetic in in many places. the the hymns that is that the nativity some of his parables in chapters 10 and 15 through 18 very poetical all done so that theophilos and other readers could be confident in his account and then we come to chap his second volume the book of acts having established his purpose for writing in verse in volume one Luke's prologue in volume two is much more of a recap he said the former things I wrote about in the book of Luke all that Jesus began to do didn't teach. Notice he put those together, things Jesus did and things he taught. So he wrote about the miracles and he wrote about the teaching. He put down the places Jesus went, the things that he did, but he also put down the doctrines and things that Jesus taught about. He said, "So I wrote all those things until the day that he was taken up, which was after through the Holy Ghost." He had given commandments to the apostles and also that he had showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs. So he had shown himself to them after his resurrection. Speaking unto them things pertaining to the kingdom of God, being dissembled assembled together with them, he commanded them, "Don't part from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the father which you have heard of me." And so it's not quite the same kind of a prologue as he wrote here where he said, "I searched out this and I did that." Probably because Luke was such a part of all of that. He he was involved in it and so he had seen it and he didn't have to go to eyewitnesses since a lot of the times he was writing it was we and it was us.

And so rather than restating the purpose, he gives us a synopsis of the contents in verse eight. And he said, "You will receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you. You will be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth. And that sentence there, if you will, gives the synopsis before it happens or maybe it gives the the index or it gives it gives the direction for the book of Acts. Talks about what's going to happen. First off, they're going to get the Holy Ghost, which happens in Acts chapter 2. They're going to be witnesses in Jerusalem, which happens almost immediately after they receive the spirit of God in their life and then in Judea, the rest of Israel as as they are spread abroad and they begin to go throughout then eventually to Samaria with the the ministry of Philip and then on to the uttermost parts or to the Greek world. And throughout the book of Acts, Luke demonstrated all that typical attention to detail that he had. The book of Acts is a historical narrative. Yes, it is in fact the only narrative we have of the early church. It's the only thing in our Bible that is actually in the in the New Testament that is written as history other than what history is in the gospels. But it is the only history we have of the church during that first generation. But it also has very significant theological significance. proclaimed in 1 Corinthians 15. He talks about the gospel of Jesus Christ being the death, the burial, and the resurrection. And Luke goes out of his way to talk about those things in his book. But not only the resurrection, but then the pouring out of God's spirit upon his people. Jesus had said that John recorded, he said, "I am with you, but I shall be in you." He said, "I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you." And how was he going to do that? Through the power of the Holy Ghost on their life that happened on the day of Pentecost. Aren't you thankful that power is still available for us today? And yes, we are a Pentecostal church. And why are we Pentecostal? Because we still believe in the power of the Holy Ghost. And that's what Luke wrote about. In fact, there is a phrase that is very often used in Luke. It's used in Luke in his gospel and it's used throughout the book of Acts. And that is signs and wonders and miracles, signs, wonders. He continually repeats those things because he wanted to show this isn't just history. This isn't just knowing that we went from here to there to there. But the power of God was with us. The power of God directed us. The power of God led us. The power of God sent just just as he did when they got to Trroas and and was going to go a different direction. And the spirit stopped and said, "No, go here." And so he wanted to make sure that they that we understood as we read this book of Luke and then on into Acts that it was the leading of the Holy Ghost that caused the early church to grow and to become what it is. If we're going to be what God wants us to be, it's only through the power of the Holy Ghost. Amen. We got to have it.

Fact, Paul would say it this way. If Jesus didn't rise again, then our faith and our hope are in vain. Well, why did he rise again? He said, "If I don't die, if I don't go away, and if I don't ascend, the Holy Ghost can't come." Doesn't happen. But since he did die, since he did raise again, rise again, since he did ascend to his father in heaven, the Holy Ghost has been poured out. I'm thankful it is for you today. It is for us today. It's for his church today. And really, it's for the world today. It's not just to come in here and experience. it to have it in our lives and take it beyond these doors. And so Luke wrote the book of Acts to assure believers your faith and your hopes founded in the fact that Christ rose from the dead. It's founded there. But because of that, ye shall receive power. And interesting what happens as soon as the power of the Holy Ghost gets on the disciples and they begin to spread this gospel. It kind of ruffled some feathers there in Jerusalem and they would bring Peter and John and others in before the council and say, "What are you doing? Why are you don't preach in this name?" And they said, "We have to." Right? There is no option. We're going to believe God rather than man. And we're going to obey God rather than man. And and they would pray, "Lord, let the power of the Holy Ghost work through us through signs and miracles and wonders. Let it happen so that we can be a witness and so the people will know you. Fact the import importance of all these details are seen throughout uh the book of acts.

It is interesting e even in we talked about uh there's things that Jesus said that Luke wrote about and many of his teachings were there. In fact, there's a whole section, Luke's special section they call it, that that has stuff that none of the other gospels did because Luke wanted to record the teachings of Jesus. We see the same thing in the book of Acts. Yes, we hear about this happening and that happening and them going here and having a vi revival in here and God pouring out his spirit there. But all throughout that, there are 16 sermons in the book of Acts. Here's what was preached. the day of Pentecost. What can be going on here? Well, Peter preached, right? He began to preach the word of God. He goes before the council. He preaches in Acts chapter 3. He preaches to the Jews in Acts chapter 4. He does it again in Acts chapter 5. So, two, three, four, five. Peter preaching unto them. In Acts chapter 10, he preached to the God-fearers, those that like Cornelius that believed the Jewish way but needed to hear more. He preached to believers in Acts chapters 11 andif in chapter 15. Stephen preached to his persecutors. Paul preached to the Jews in Acts 13, 22, 26, 28. Uh Paul to pagans that didn't believe in in Acts 14 and 17 and 24 and to believers in Acts chapter 20. So, so we can see not only here is history, but what Luke was wanting to make sure you have to understand it's more than history. I want to tell you about the power of God and what he's doing in our life. And each message met a unique needs of specific audience. But I think here's what the central theme of it all was. Salvation is for everyone. Just as that prologue in Acts said it's going to start in Jerusalem and in Judea and the Samaria, the uttermost part of the earth, it is showing whether a Jew or a Samaritan or a Gentile. It is only through Jesus Christ that salvation comes. And 2,000 years later, I'm thankful those messages convey eternal truth that we continue to believe and can we continue to pre preach. It has not changed. day of Pentecost that Peter stood up and they asked and said, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" And he told them, "You need to repent. You need to be baptized in Jesus' name for the remission of sin. You need to be filled with the Holy Ghost." That message has not changed. I'm thankful that it is still alive and it is true today after 2,000 years. Truth commuted AC communicated accurately becomes that secure and eternal base. That is what we are built on, church. That's why we call ourselves apostolic Pentecostal church because we see what the apostles taught and what they believed. We see what they preached. We see that and and we're built on the Bible says that's foundation of the apostles prophet with Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Thank God for a seemingly obscure not so invisible man who wrote it all down for us. gave us the example, gave us the pattern, if you will, of what we need to do.

So, what are the applications for our lives? Can we glean for that? History, yes. Theology, yes. But how's that affect me? Number one, I think that it's very important, as Luke did, to say that you might know the certainty of the things wherein you've been instructed. Study this stuff out. Get it in your heart. Know the certainty. Build your life on a firm foundation. Say, "What is certain? What is true? What is real?" And you can look and and that's a question that's asked by so many people. Look to the word of God. If you don't believe the word of God, if you've never gone through it, go through the New Testament, read it, study it, and see what happens. And see how the word of God works. and then open your mind to faith in the word of God and build your life on it. Say this is the foundation. Bible says there is no other foundation that anyone can lay. So be certain about it. I I'm reminded as as I think of on that point as when Paul is going through and he's going to cities and some of them believe and some don't. But he gets to Berea and it said he preached to them and what did they do? He said they they looked diligently to see if these things were so. Okay, Paul, you said it. I'm going to check it out. And they got into the word of God to see if it's true. Read through the book of Acts. If you want to see what the early church did, read through it and and read those sermons. Read read through it and see is this really what the church was about. And you'll find that yes, it is true. So study it out. Number one, settle it in your heart. See what the word has and put it alive in your heart.

The other thing we need, another thing we need to glean from that is that God can use anyone. God can use anyone. And here's what he does. He uses the things that you have in your life to further his kingdom. And I believe beyond that, God leads our lives in such a way that when we come to him, it will make us profitable his work. even in ways that we don't understand. I think Luke's a good example of that. No doubt he thought as he he would began his education that I I want to be a doctor. That's what I want to do. But after an encounter with Jesus, things begin to change. And he doesn't cease becoming a doctor. He is still that beloved physician. Yet, we know nothing or very little about his medical practice. It's likely that they came in handy. There were times when Paul probably needed him after being stoned or being beaten or different things would happen. He probably needed that physician alongside to help him out. There were probably times that that they ministered in in different areas and his skills came. But the lesson is we should put our life experiences into the service of the gospel. God will use your life experiences for the furtherance of the kingdom of God. They're not mine and mine aren't yours. But God will work through what you have gone through. If we will put it in his hands, he will multiply it for his glory. What do you mean my life? From your upbringing, whether it was good, whether it was bad, to your education, whether it's a lot or little, to our victories in life when things seem to be good, even to our mistakes, they have fashioned us into a vessel that God can use. Think about Paul. had a great education, good upbringing. He was a Roman citizen. Had a lot going for him in those ways that allowed him to be a missionary. But he also persecuted the church. He looked at it and said, "You know what? I'm going to try to stamp this out. I'm going to try to kill it off." And yet God said, "I can use you." So don't look at your life and say, "Well, I can't work for God because of this or because of that and I was that and I did that and this." God will use you. Maybe it'll be to reach people that were right where you were. Maybe it will be to reach beyond what you ever imagined. Each of us have a work to do for God. And he has uniquely positioned you to fulfill a role that only you can. Luke doesn't even get mentioned in the book of Acts. Of course, he wrote it, but he didn't mention it. He never tells what he did other than to say, "We were there and we preached and we did that." Never see a miracle. Never hear anything. But obviously, he was very influential. I'm reminded of that song. Put your life into the master's hand. Put your life into his master plan. He has a work for you that nobody else can do. No one else. to put your life to that.

The final thing we can learn from Paul or from Luke is faithfulness. 1 Corinthians 4:1 and2 Paul gives us some profound insight into living for God. He said, "Let a man account of us. We're ministers of Christ. We are stewards of the mystery of God." God has placed this gospel in our hands for you to steward it, to protect it, to use it, to implement it. The mysteries of God, the things of God. We know the gospel. We know that he has put his spirit in our life. He has given it to that to be good stewards over. But then he turns around immediately and said, "Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man must be found faithful." So he's given it to to steward it, his spirit in our life, the gospel message. But you got to be faithful. Notice he said required. He didn't say hopes you are. He requires it of us. We need to be faithful. Look how Luke modeled faithfulness for us. We already mentioned Luke's travels with Paul, particularly from that third missionary journey all the way to the end of the book. Luke accompanied Paul back to Jerusalem. This is at the end of his last missionary journey. And Paul had gone around to all the churches that he did. And he had make got a big collection together that he wanted to take back to the Jerusalem church to show them that the Greeks support you and that they and they understand that you are the mother church, if you will, and we want to bring an offering to help you out. uh because that church was starting to face some persecutions and other things and nothing a lot is said of the Gentiles that went with Paul. But we do know that Luke was with them. We don't know what happened to the collection. It doesn't Bible never tells us what happened when Paul brought the money. It's not even mentioned. But what we do know is the church in Jerusalem gave Paul little or no support. Now whether why, we don't know. He came into the city. First they were rejoicing what's happening. and he goes beforeh the leaders of the church and they say, "Well, here it is, Paul." There's a whole bunch of us. We're still Jews and we're zealous for the law. So, we are living just like we always did. We're Christians. We got the Holy Ghost. We're still living in Judaism. We're still following the law. We're still following everything that and Paul ends up facing a riot almost facing certain death and you don't hear anything from the troops of Jerusalem trying to bail him out. In fact, it takes the Roman soldiers to grab Paul at the night, middle of the in the nighttime hours and take him out of Jerusalem to Cesaria to get him away from the Jews that wanted to kill him. But you know who was by his side? Luke. In fact, Luke was with him all the way. Remained with him till he went to Rome, his imprisonment in Rome. He remained until the author Roman for authorities freed him. And during his second imprisonment, we know that Luke remained faithful to the end. Luke was loyal. He stayed with Paul in his greatest times of rejection. He was a true friend. And we live in an age where a friend means you get on Facebook or some other social media and say, "Yeah, will you friend?" I got 873 friends. And then they begin posting things and you say, "I'm going to hide them. They won't know it." Or maybe ghost them just kind of disappear because we get tired of having to like everything that gets posted. You know, we could learn a lot from somebody like Luke. He was a true friend literally to the end and we would be do well to develop those kind of relationships with each other, especially with our brother and sisters in Christ. But above all, we need to develop that kind of faithfulness to God. faithfulness to God, faithfulness to the things of God, faithfulness to the word of God, faithfulness to God's church, to God's people. Perhaps it's only then that we'll be able to answer Jesus' question in Luke 18. When the Son of Man comes, shall he find faith on the earth? I pray that you can say yes right here faithful to the Lord and to his church. Let's stand. A lot to admire and a lot to see in the life of Luke. But it comes down to what does that do for me? I want to be faithful. I want to know the things that I have believed. I want to stand on that. and I want to be used of God.

Why don't you make that a prayer right now? Lord, in your name, we see this example from your word of a man that was used of you, a man that put his talents to your work, a man that was faithful all the way to the very end and someone that would search out and found his life on something that is real and that is true. Help each and every one of us that we will do that even from this day forward, God, to base our lives on what you're going to be faithful to you and your call in Jesus name. In Jesus name. Amen.