Don’t Miss the Forest for the Trees

The Gospel of Luke is an amazing orderly written account of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. I so appreciate my brother, and fellow physician, Luke for his careful investigation of the faith he and his fellow believer, and likely commissioner, Theophilus had placed in the gospel message that was handed down to them. This message was passed down to them from those who were the “first eyewitnesses and servants of the word“ (Luke 1:1-3). As Luke wraps up the first of his two-volume work (The Book of Acts being the second), I want to offer my impressions of his closing chapter by way of the acronym W-O-R-D to describe the actions (and hearts) of these first eyewitnesses and servants of Jesus (who was the “Word Incarnate”):

1. They were Witnesses to his resurrection (verses 1-7, 22-24, 33-34, 48).

2. They Observed his words (verses 8-18, 25, 27-32, 45-47).

3. They Recalled what was promised (verses 19-21, 26, 44, 49).

4. They Dedicated themselves to worship (verses 50-53).

Oftentimes it is helpful to me when reading a gospel account of Jesus the Christ to keep an overarching theme in mind so that I don’t miss the forest for the trees. For example, here are some suggested themes from the Gospel of Luke that I have used in the past:

1. God loves the gentiles (a.k.a. “The Sequoia Forests”).

2. God loves the sinners (a.k.a. “The Dark Forest”).

3. God loves the poor (a.k.a. “Sherwood Forest”).

4. God loves all people (a.k.a. “The Amazon Rainforest”).

Today I wish to focus on one verse from Luke’s last chapter of his gospel (verse 49):

49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

For the readers of this blog post, I want to encourage you to please not lose sight of the forest Luke has been describing – the work of The Holy Spirit – all along in Volume 1 of his gospel* and how Luke continues on to detail in Volume 2 of his testament the fulfillment of Jesus’s promise: that God the Father will ultimately gift the indwelling Holy Spirit to all his disciples.

My prayer today: Abba Father, thank you for those – your servants you sent into my life over the years – who have taught me your Word to provide me with certainty of the things I have come to believe in. Brother Jesus, thank you for your incredible love in laying down your life for me: a gentile sinner. Counselor Holy Spirit, thank you for saving me: you are an incredible gift!

*See the following verses in Luke’s Gospel that depict how our humanly brother Jesus relied upon the working and power of the Holy Spirit: 1:15-17, 35, 41, 67, 80; 2:26-27; 3:16, 22; 4:1, 14, 18, 36; 5:17; 6:19; 8:46; 9:1; 10:21; 11:13; 12:10. 12.