Devotional For Tuesday, December 3rd
Today’s Bible Reading: Luke 1:1-4
"What's your favorite Bible verse?"
I've always resisted answering that question. It seemed weird to me to rip one verse out of the Bible and claim it as a favorite. (And yet, I do this all the time with movies. I couldn't tell you a thing about the plot of The Terminator, but I'll quote "I'll be back.")
A couple of years ago, I realized that I did have a favorite Bible verse. It probably won't be found on any "Top 10 Favorite Bible Verses" list. And it may not be as comforting as Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." But it does give me confidence that the story of Jesus is true.
To be fair, my favorite Bible verse is actually four verses. These verses kick off the Christmas story, but most of the time, we skip over them to get to the "good stuff." Here they are, written by a man named Luke:
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. - Luke 1:1-4
There's not much "pazazz" in those verses. They are quite dull. And yet, they spark a feeling in me that I can't explain. A feeling of hope. A feeling of Christmas.
Luke was not one of Jesus' disciples. He was a Gentile doctor who launched a full investigation into the life of Jesus. He wrote a detailed report of his findings for his friend Theophilus. We don't really know who Theophilus was. Some people think he was a high-ranking Roman official. Whoever he was, he wanted to know more about Jesus, and Luke got to work drawing up "an orderly account."
Luke wants Theophilus to know that he's not the first person to write about the life of Jesus. Many other accounts are circling around, and Luke will draw from them. He'll also interview people who saw Jesus in action, including Mary, Jesus' mother. Next week, we'll look at a secret Mary told Luke. I'm thankful she did because it became one of the most beautiful verses in scripture.
But for now, we can begin the Christmas story with the full assurance that Luke has our backs. He doesn't start his story with, "Once upon a time…" He doesn't admonish us to "just have faith and believe." Luke wants us to know with certainty that the things we've heard about Jesus are true.
Questions to Ponder:
Are there any parts of the Christmas story that you have trouble believing?
If you could ask Dr. Luke one thing about his investigation into the life of Jesus, what would it be?
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