EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
2/15/2026 9:10 PM
My
Worship Time Focus:
PT-3 “Luke
The Theologian and Pastor”
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference: Luke
1:3b-4
Message of the verses: “to write it out for you in consecutive
order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about
the things you have been taught.” (NASB)
It is my desire to finish looking at the verses from
above this evening, which will actually finish the very first chapter in John
MacArthur’s first commentary book on the gospel of Luke, and all I can say that
this may be as much as a five year time period to get through what is the
longest of the four Gospels in the Word of God from the New Testament. I know that I have been quoting many of the
verses that MacArthur has in his commentary, but I think for the book of Luke I
will have to pick and choose which ones that I want to quote.
I will begin with a quotation from
MacArthur’s commentary “Though the main doctrinal emphasis in his gospel is the
person and work of Jesus Christ, Luke did not neglect other important
realities. Luke not only revealed God’s
sovereign control over history, but also
described His tender, compassionate concern for lost sinners.” You can see this compassion that he has for
lost sinners in the many different parables that are found in the book of Luke,
and I believe that Luke has more parables than any other of the four
gospels. Now that is not to say that the
doctrine of salvation is not critical in Luke’s gospel, for it most certainly
is. MacArthur writes “his is the gospel
that refers most specifically to the doctrine of justification.” Here is a list
of verses which helps make that point, and I may pick a few of them to quote
(Luke 18:14; cf. 7:36-50; 15:11-21; 19:1-10).
(Luke 18:14; cf. 7:36-50; 15:11-21;
19:1-10).
Luke
18:14 “14 I tell you, this man went down
to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself
will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’”
Luke
19:1-10 “ 1 ¶ He entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 And behold, there was a man named
Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but
on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a
sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked
up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your
house today.” 6 So he hurried and came
down and received him joyfully. 7 And
when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man
who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood
and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor.
And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation
has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save
the lost.’”
MacArthur
goes on “In fact, the cross is the focus of more than half of his gospel, from
9:53 to the end of chapter 23. Luke also
focused more on the ministry of the Holy Spirit than the other gospel writers,
and recorded the Lord’s teaching on His second coming. Now in addition, Luke the theologian
addressed several areas of practical theology, such as worship, forgiveness,
mercy, thanksgiving, and prayer.
Profiles of discipleship are presented.”
“Finally, Luke’s prologue reveals
his pastor’s heart. He addressed this
massive work to a single, individual, a man whom he called most excellent
Theophilus. No personal details are
known about him, but the title most excellent suggests that he was
likely from the upper level of society.”
If one looks at Luke’s other writing, the book of Acts we will see that
he used the same phrase to write about the governors Felix and Festus.
“Theophilus had already been
taught certain things about Jesus.
But some of that teaching had been unclear or incomplete and Luke wanted
him to know the exact truth.”
Theophilus was somebody that we do not really know a lot about, but I
suppose that there are many people we read about in the Word of God that we
don’t know a lot about, and that includes some of the apostles, but I suppose
that is one of the things that we may find out more about when we as believers
get to heaven.
Let’s take a look at the word that
is translated exact, means which can be similar to “reliable,” certain,”
or “accurate.” So we can be assured that
Luke will make that clear while writing this book that was actually penned for
Theophilus, and we also get the benefit of it too. What we will be reading is the same letter
that Theophilus read, and that is the truth as Luke pens this letter because it
and the book of Acts are the two letters that Luke sent to him, and they are
both in the Word of God. As stated we do
not know much about this man, but can believe that he must have been a very
wealthy man, and perhaps because of Luke being a doctor that may be how they
were knew each other.
MacArthur concludes that chapter by
writing “In the remarkable providence of God, the Holy Spirit ensured that the
book of Luke wrote initially to one man would be disseminated about the
world. The beloved physician, historian,
the theologian, and pastor had the privilege of becoming the instrument God
used for the salvation and edification of millions throughout history (cf.
24:44-53).”
(cf. 24:44-53)
“44 Then he said to them, “These are my words
that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about
me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the
Scriptures, 46 and said to them,
"Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day
rise from the dead, 47 and that
repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all
nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48
You are witnesses of these things. 49
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in
the city until you are clothed with power from on high." 50 ¶
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he
blessed them. 51 While he blessed them,
he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to
Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were
continually in the temple blessing God.”
These are the ending verses in the
book of Luke.
2/15/2026
9:47 PM
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