THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014
Number 19:1–20:29
Luke 1:1–25
Psalm 56:1–13
Luke 1:1–25
“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. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me 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)
“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name…. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 20:30,31; 21:25)
“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings – what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:10–17)
Luke begins His Gospel by demonstrating a commitment to the words He has received and a rational consideration of the history described therein. Those who follow Christ may rely on the testimony of these early witnesses, who faithfully recorded and passed down the truth about His life, death, and resurrection. We are not abandoned to guessing about God’s nature and character, for the writers of Scripture have indeed passed along the details we require to become “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” The Word of truth equips God’s servants for righteous living and outpouring into others (“teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness”).
We may have confidence in God’s Word due to its historically valid compilation. The authors of Scripture gathered fairly complete versions of the New Testament before the end of the first century, and many New Testament books had become widely circulated within 25 years after Jesus’s death on the cross. We have far more manuscript evidence of the New Testament than any other ancient text. Intriguingly, while only six manuscripts of Julius Caesar’s biography remain, few doubt his authenticity or life story. Yet, despite the overwhelming manuscript evidence – both in terms of quantity and quality – many skeptics wish to doubt the historicity of the Biblical Jesus.
Over this week, I have reflected how deeply I long to look into Jesus’s eyes: to see His compassion and His heart for all people; to gaze into His majesty; to contemplate His awesome power; to receive assurances of His nearness; and to know Him. When we have opportunity to peer into another’s eyes, we sense his or her trustworthiness and learn something of his or her character. How amazing will it be to focus on His loving yet fiery eyes!
In a similar manner, the testimony of Scripture affords us a look into God’s heart and a means of viewing the world through His perspective. 2 Peter 1:19–21 teaches that all Scripture has come through the direction of the Holy Spirit, and not from human will. We may embrace the rationality of following God’s Word and the facts behind our faith. Praise God for this testimony!
How might a treasuring of God’s Word affect your life? One key area is decisionmaking. When we have hidden God’s Word in our hearts, living according to His Word becomes more possible. His Word will work within us, along with the power of the Holy Spirit, to guide us into truth and into choosing to serve Him: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” (John 16:13)
When we are faced with a difficult decision, we might reflect on the following questions (and seek answers through prayer or Scripture-searching):
- What does God’s Word have to say on this topic? (It may be helpful to find a Bible with a concordance or to make use of a Bible search tool on the Internet, such as at http://www.biblegateway.com.)
- What are the various options with this decision? Which ones would be most honoring to God? Which path is about living in fear? Pleasing others? Serving myself? (Given that our emotions and will may become torn in such a decision, it is important to seek after God’s wisdom and discernment in prayer.)
- How can I step forward in faith, given that the future is not clear? (Here, we may rely on God’s faithfulness [Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 23:4].)
QUESTIONS
- It appears that there are lasting benefits for following God’s Word. How can you actively “hide” the Word in your heart?
- How could you “meditate” more on God’s Word? How might this affect your decisionmaking?
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