Seven Certainties from the Gospel According to Luke

1. Certainty For Our Faith.

In the beginning of his Gospel Luke identifies the reason for his writing.  He tells his friend Theophilus that he writes, “That you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” (Luke 1:4)  Most of us struggle at times with doubt and uncertainty regarding our faith.  Immersing ourselves again in the Gospels refreshes our faith as we walk with Jesus and witness again his life, teachings and miracles.

2. Certainty Regarding the Historicity of the Bible.

As he describes the birth of Jesus Luke writes in a way that clearly identifies he is writing about a real king (Caesar Augustus), a real governor (Quirinius), a real couple (Mary and Joseph), a real town (Bethlehem), and a real baby (Jesus).  Luke writes not only as an evangelist and theologian but also as a historian.

3. Certainty that God Approves of His Son.

At Jesus baptism in Luke 3 the Holy Spirit descends and the Father speaks from heaven saying, “You are my beloved son, with you I am well pleased.” As followers of Jesus we are not following a religious teacher that is a mere man, or even an angel but the very Son of God who is pleasing to the Father God.  It follows then that as we follow Jesus in faith then we too can be pleasing to God.

4. Certainty That Jesus Has Been Tempted Like Us Yet Has Not Sinned.

In chapter 4 of his Gospel Luke recounts the temptation of Christ.  In each of the 3 temptations Jesus relies on the Word of God to combat the temptations of Satan. We can have certainty in our walk that we not only have the written word of God, the scriptures, but we have the very Word of God, the Logos, Jesus Christ who intercedes for us in our daily struggles with the world, the flesh and the Devil.

5. Certainty That Jesus Is God.

Jesus has authority over the natural world; He heals diseases and calms storms. Jesus has authority over the supernatural world; He cast out demons. Jesus forgives sin.  Jesus is Lord over the Sabbath.  Jesus rises from the dead. God alone has the power to do all of these.

6. Certainty That Jesus Is Risen

Luke recounts witnesses of the empty tomb and the risen Christ.  In Luke 24 Jesus appears to two disciples on the Road to Emmaus and later to all the disciples gathered together. This certainty emboldens us to proclaim with the early Church, “He is risen.  He is risen indeed!”

7. Certainty That Our Sins Are Forgiven

Before Jesus ascends into heaven he tells his disciples in Luke 24:46-47 “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”  We can praise God that all our sins, past, present and future are all forgiven.