06.07.2026 Sunday Sermon By Rev. Jeungbok Lee
Text: Luke 1:1–4
Title: An Overview of the Gospel of Luke

Luke 1:1–4

«Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, 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.»

Beginning today, we will study God's Word through the Gospel of Luke.

The reason I have chosen Luke as the text for our preaching is that this Gospel was written with a missionary purpose toward the Gentiles. Above all, I am beginning this study with the hope that a passion for the gospel will once again come alive within our church.

Today, as our first message, before we begin an in-depth study of Luke, I would like us to examine why this Gospel was written, who wrote it, and for whom it was written. Through this, we will examine the foundation of our faith.

The purpose of this introductory sermon is not merely to satisfy intellectual curiosity about the Gospel of Luke. Rather, it is to help our faith stand upon a firm foundation and to lead us to live lives that proclaim the gospel with confidence.

1. God Has Given Us Four Gospels

1.1) We Have Four Gospels

We have four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Among them, Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the Synoptic Gospels. The term "synoptic" means "to see together" or "to view from the same perspective." These three Gospels are called Synoptic because they record Jesus' life, ministry, and teachings in a similar flow and structure.

Many of the same events and parables appear in these three Gospels. In particular, they contain many miracles and parables centered on Jesus' ministry in Galilee.

If we read these three Gospels side by side, we can be deeply moved by both their similarities and their distinct emphases. In printed Bibles, references to parallel passages in the other Gospels are usually provided at the beginning of each section, and these can be very helpful.

For reference, the population of the Galilee region at that time was approximately 150,000–200,000 people, which was significantly larger than the population of the Jerusalem region, estimated at about 30,000–50,000 people.

1.2) Each Gospel Has Its Own Emphasis

Although these three Gospels share a similar structure and flow, they differ in emphasis.

Matthew was written to prove to the Jews that Jesus is the promised Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. It particularly emphasizes Jesus as the King and descendant of David.

Mark was written for the Romans and presents Jesus as the suffering servant. Through an action-oriented narrative, Mark emphasizes Jesus' power and His atoning work. Mark is also the earliest Gospel to have been written.

Luke was written for Gentiles, especially Theophilus, and presents Jesus as the Son of Man and the Savior of all humanity. Luke gives special attention to the poor, sinners, women, and those who are socially marginalized.

On the other hand, John's Gospel differs from the Synoptic Gospels by emphasizing Jesus' divinity, namely that He is the Son of God.

Ultimately, all four Gospels were written so that people may clearly know Jesus Christ.

1.3) Why Four Gospels?

There is a reason God gave us four Gospels.

If the person and work of Jesus Christ had been recorded in only one Gospel, the picture would inevitably have been limited. Therefore, God used four different authors, writing to different audiences with different emphases, to reveal the rich and multifaceted portrait of Jesus Christ.

As a result, the church and believers are able to receive a fuller and richer measure of God's grace.

2. An Introduction to the Gospel of Luke

2.1) The Author of Luke

The author of Luke is Luke himself.

Luke was a physician and a co-worker of the Apostle Paul. However, he was not a Jew but a Gentile.

Luke was a highly intelligent and careful man who possessed exceptional gifts for gathering and organizing information.

Although he was a physician by profession, his lasting achievement was becoming an author of Scripture who communicated the truth of Jesus Christ to generations yet to come.

2.2) When Luke Was Written

The Gospel of Luke was written around A.D. 58–60, during the period when Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem and was imprisoned in Caesarea for approximately two years (Acts 21:27–36).

During Paul's imprisonment, Luke met and interviewed many witnesses. He also read and consulted written sources while composing his Gospel.

Then, one to three years later, around A.D. 60–62, he wrote the Book of Acts as the sequel to the Gospel of Luke.

Because Luke personally interviewed people and also recorded events that he himself experienced, both Luke and Acts vividly portray not only events but also the emotions and inner thoughts of those involved.

2.3) The Recipient of Luke

The recipient of the Gospel of Luke is "most excellent Theophilus."

The name Theophilus is Greek in origin, indicating that the recipient was a Gentile.

The name is a compound word. "Theo" means God, and "philus" means beloved or loving friend. Therefore, Theophilus means "one who loves God."

If we understand Theophilus as a symbolic name representing all Christians, then he represents all Gentile believers who love God and long for the gospel—including us.

However, if Theophilus refers to an actual historical person, he was likely a new believer among the Roman upper class who needed greater confidence in the gospel.

This is because many misunderstandings and prejudices about Christianity were widespread in Roman society.

Romans often misunderstood the teaching of the Kingdom of God and the proclamation that Jesus is King, suspecting Christianity of being a political revolutionary movement.

Because Christians refused to make images of God while rejecting the gods of other religions, they were sometimes accused of being atheists.

Because Christians preached about eating Christ's body and drinking His blood through the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper, they were falsely accused of cannibalism.

Since believers called one another brothers and sisters, Christians were even accused of practicing incest.

Luke sought to correct these false misunderstandings and prejudices so that new believers could become more confident in the gospel.

3. Luke Desired to Give Assurance of Faith to Those Who Love God

3.1) Christian Assurance Is Grounded in the Fulfillment of Scripture

Luke teaches that a believer's assurance rests upon the fulfillment of God's Word.

Luke 1:1 speaks of "the things accomplished among us." The phrase "accomplished" means that God's promises have been fulfilled.

The coming of Jesus Christ, His death on the cross, and His resurrection were not random events that happened by chance. They were the fulfillment of God's promises spoken through the prophets in the Old Testament.

If the Old Testament contains the promises given, the New Testament contains the promises fulfilled.

The Old Testament looked forward to the fulfillment of God's promises, while the New Testament, including the Gospel of Luke, explains how those promises were fulfilled.

Luke 24:44–45 says:

«Then He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.»

The fulfillment of the promises recorded in Scripture becomes the foundation for certainty in the faith of Theophilus—that is, all who love God.

It also strengthens the faith of God's people.

Furthermore, those who possess such certainty become active witnesses who proclaim Jesus Christ.

3.2) Christian Faith Is Grounded in Historical Facts

Luke 1:2 says:

«Just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.»

Christian faith does not depend only upon the internal testimony of Scripture regarding fulfilled promises.

Believers can also be strengthened through external evidence.

The external evidence for the Christian faith includes the many witnesses to Jesus' miracles, His death on the cross, His resurrection, and His ascension.

When Luke wrote his Gospel, he personally met eyewitnesses.

He did not write down rumors or secondhand stories.

That is why Luke carefully recorded the names of those who actually experienced the events he described in Luke and Acts.

As we know, eyewitness testimony carries legal authority.

Therefore, the testimony of those who witnessed Jesus Christ makes our faith more certain.

Although there are no living eyewitnesses who personally saw Jesus with their own eyes today, there are still many witnesses who have experienced the work of God.

Not every testimony should be accepted uncritically, but the testimonies of those who sincerely glorify God can strengthen our faith.

3.3) The Difference Between the Testimony of Scripture and Other Religions

We can become even more confident in our faith by observing the difference between the testimony of Scripture and the claims of other religions.

The Bible records multiple witnesses to Jesus' ascension and even provides the names of those who testified to it.

In contrast, there are no witnesses to the ascension of Muhammad, the founder of Islam, known as the Mi'raj.

According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad was miraculously transported at night from Mecca to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and then ascended to heaven riding a special creature called Buraq.

However, there were no eyewitnesses to this event.

Even the Quran refers to it only indirectly.

There is not a single witness.

Yet Muslims believe it despite the absence of eyewitness testimony.

Therefore, such belief cannot be established upon verifiable historical facts.

By contrast, Scripture clearly presents multiple witnesses to the ascension of Jesus Christ.

For this reason, we can be certain that Jesus Christ truly ascended into heaven.

Furthermore, we can confidently believe that the promise He made at His ascension will also be fulfilled.

Acts 1:11 says:

«"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."»

3.4) Luke Provides Reliability Through Careful Investigation

Luke 1:3 says:

«It seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus.»

Luke tells us that he carefully examined the available accounts concerning Jesus' life and ministry and wrote his Gospel in an orderly fashion.

First, Luke says that he wrote "in consecutive order."

This does not mean that Luke followed a strictly chronological sequence in every detail. Rather, he arranged the material in a generally chronological manner so that readers could understand it more easily.

As a result, Luke is often easier to read chronologically than the other Gospels.

Luke chapters 1–2 begin with events before Jesus' birth and continue through His childhood up to age twelve.

Luke chapters 3–9 describe the beginning of Jesus' public ministry.

Luke chapters 10–19 focus on the training of the disciples and Jesus' teaching concerning the Kingdom of God.

Luke chapters 20–24 record Judas' betrayal, Jesus' crucifixion, and His resurrection in Jerusalem.

Second, Luke says that he investigated everything carefully.

His purpose was to strengthen the faith of Theophilus and all those who love God.

It is said that many writings claiming to be gospels circulated within the early church.

Some of these contained false information about Jesus Christ.

Reading such writings would not strengthen faith but could instead weaken it.

Even today we know that the so-called Gospel of Thomas, written in the second century, is sometimes used to shake the faith of believers.

Allow me to briefly explain why the Gospel of Thomas is not Scripture.

The Gospel of Thomas portrays Jesus not primarily as the Savior but as a teacher of secret knowledge.

It contains no account of the cross or the resurrection.

Most strangely, it teaches that women must become men in order to receive life.

In summary, Luke did not record just any story. He carefully documented information that had been thoroughly verified.

His purpose in doing so was to strengthen the faith of Gentile believers.

4. Conclusion

The Gospel of Luke was written so that the faith of those who love God would not be shaken but would instead be firmly established in confidence.

Our faith is not based upon vague feelings. It stands upon the fulfillment of God's promises, upon historical facts, and upon the carefully recorded Word of God.

Therefore, as we listen to the message of the Gospel of Luke, I pray that each of you will grow in a stronger and more certain faith.

And may we, filled with this assurance, boldly proclaim the gospel to others.

I ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us pray.

(End)