TITLE: An Orderly Account
DATE: Jan 3, 2016
SPEAKER: Josh King
LEADER NOTES
MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS CHECKED IN ON MYCHURCH.
OVERVIEW
Opener - If Luke were to be the only book of the Bible you had, would that be
sufficient? What would you learn about God, faith, and the Church? What would
be missing?
Text – Luke 1:1-4
Summary – We will begin a 'slow walk' with Luke. Our hope is to go back and realign our faith and work around the good story of Jesus. As we do this we pray the
Word of God will take root deep in our hearts causing us to shift more in line with
the person, message and mission of Jesus.
DISCUSS

In what ways has Christianity challenged the culture you were raised in?

What was the hardest faith milestone you reached as a believer (ie—trusting
finances to God, the inerrant/inspired Word of God, joy in pain…)?

What part(s) of the Jesus story do you doubt or struggle to believe?

In what ways does the idea of Luke’s story bring you hope or confidence?

List 3 ways you could foster an appreciation for Luke? What’s a unique way
our Small Group could appreciate Luke during this series?
ANNOUNCE
THE GIFT CARD COLLECTION | One of the ways we have found to best help Tornado victims is through gift cards. Donate a gift card to Walgreens, Walmart, Target, or Home Depot. Drop them in the offering plate or give them to any staff
members.
GARLAND GATHERING | There will be an information meeting on how to get
involved Wednesday, January 13th at 6p in room 16.
LITTLE MUSIC MAKERS | This is an one-of-a-kind mommy and me class on the
first and third Wednesdays mornings of each month. Register at
sachseschurch.org/lmm
LEADER NOTES
COMMENTARY | Holman New Testament
1:1. Luke did not innovate. He compiled and clarified. He readily saluted the work of his predecessors but saw the need to tell Jesus' story one more time to help his Gentile friend(s) understand
and accept it. He gladly used the work of Mark and other writers to show Theophilus how Jesus'
life, death, resurrection, and ascension fulfilled and completed what the Holy Scriptures of Israel
expected. The word fulfilled also means "convince fully," something Luke also wanted to accomplish. Luke used a classic literary form that his Greek-speaking audience would recognize to introduce these educated people to Jesus.
1:2. Luke claimed to be a good historian. He knew the value of accurate sources. They came from
the right time: the first, that is the very beginning of Jesus' ministry. They came from the right people: eyewitnesses, those who knew Jesus. They came through the right channels: those set up to
hand down tradition, handed down being a technical term for passing on oral tradition. They came
for the right reasons: service of the word. Luke's sources of information were not propagandists
seeking to twist the facts for their purposes. They were servants of the word. The message was of
prime importance. The messengers and their causes remained anonymous. The word was the tradition about Jesus. Luke used the same word that John used to speak of Jesus as "the Word" who
"became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14).
1:3. Luke's claim as a historian rested on more than just choosing the right sources. He did
firsthand research. He researched carefully, that is, he paid close attention and made sure everything was accurate. He researched everything so his readers could trust each part, not just the
sum of the whole. He researched from the beginning: he had the total story and not just the interesting parts or the climax. Where his sources such as Mark did not include Jesus' childhood years,
Luke included everything, even tracing the family tree back to make Jesus not just "the son of David" or "son of Abraham" but "the son of Adam, the son of God" (3:38).
Thus prepared, Luke carried out his writing task to produce an orderly account, that is, in a logical order a person could easily understand and in a chronological order a reader could easily follow. Luke's writing was directed to an honored friend who may or may not have held a high social
or political position. The friend was Theophilus. His name means "friend of God." He may have
been Luke's financial backer for publication of the work. He may have been Luke's channel for
getting into higher political and social circles with the gospel of Christ. He may have been no more
than a respected friend whom Luke honored by dedicating his Gospel to him. As with so many
important persons in Scripture, we have a name without a resume.
1:4. Theophilus knew the Christian story. Others, probably including Luke, had taught him. Still,
doubts remained. He needed reinforcement to believe. Luke wrote his Gospel and then the Book
of Acts to supply such reinforcement. Luke wanted certainty about Jesus so firm and secure that
we can trust its truth absolutely. Reading Luke, Theophilus should have had no more reason to
doubt who Jesus was and what Jesus had accomplished.
Small Group Suggested Outline
REMIND EVERYONE TO START CHECKING IN VIA THE APP OR KIOSK
Check In: (15 min) Have everyone share about their past week positive and negative.
Prayer: (5 min) Short but intentional prayer for each person in the group.
Discussion: (15 min) Use the Discussion Questions to talk about the previous Sermon.
God Plan: (5 min) Have a time of sharing what God is doing in the hearts of each person. Encourage those plans.
Announcements: (5 min) Let the group know about relevant events and occasions that are going
on with the church. An announcement sheet should be included in your tray if not use a bulletin.
Plan: (5 Min) Make sure to discuss the next fellowship activity as well as service project the
group is planning.