We went to the movie version of the Broadway play, Wicked for my daughter’s birthday. It seems an odd place for a preacher to go. I’ve been a “doorkeeper in the house of the Lord” all the days of my adult life. In Psalm 84, the Psalmist says this is better than dwelling in the tents of the wicked. Nevertheless, there I was because it is “popular” to go. The story is the prequel to the Wizard of Oz. Prequels and sequels sometimes add little value. But if Acts is the sequel to Luke, then Luke must be the prequel to Acts. What does it teach us? The certainty of the story of Jesus!
Luke acknowledged at the outset that he was not alone in codifying the events which happened in the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth. Notice that he did not start the story with “Once upon a time . . .” This is no fairy tale or hagiographical account to whitewash or exaggerate the story. Luke recorded eyewitness accounts from the people who knew Jesus. As a physician, Luke examined and investigated everything carefully. Then he set out to write an orderly account.
Our author, Dr. Luke, addressed both of his volumes to Theophilus. Who was he? The name means one who loves God. Luke addresses him as most excellent, so he might have held a high rank. Perhaps, Luke wrote to someone with that name. Or perhaps he writes to all who claim to love God.
But why did Luke write? To end the guesswork. Other non-canonical gospels tell fanciful tales about Jesus. But Luke gets to the heart of the matter. He wants his readers to know, not just to guess. After famous scientist and skeptic Carl Sagan died, someone asked his wife what he wanted in life. She explained, “He did not want to believe. He wanted to know.” The scientist says, “seeing is believing.” But the scriptures say, “believing is seeing.” Do we believe what Luke wrote? Then we will see and know with certainty that it is true. God’s Son has come into the world. If we come to know him, we will be “changed for good.”
