Last time we considered Luke as a historian this week we will see him as a theologian and evangelist. What is his message? It is that Jesus is the Saviour of the world, the reaching out to everybody, irrespective of race, nationality, rank, age or sex. So Luke deliberately places near the beginning of each of his volumes a statement of universality. Quoting OT prophets he says.
Luke 3:6 'And all mankind will see God's Salvation'
Acts 2:17 'I will pour out my Spirit on all people'
And throughout his Gospel he goes out of his way to show Jesus including those whom society often excludes.
Being a doctor it is understandable that Luke should emphasize Jesus's compassion for the sick and suffering. But he also cared for women and children, the poor and the needy, tax collectors and sinneres, and especially Samaritans and Gentiles. In each case Luke's emphasis is stronger than that of the other evangelists.
Being a Gentile himself Luke was a man of wide horizons. He never calls the water of Galilee a sea, for he himself has sailed on the Great Sea ( the Mediterranean) and by comparison he calls Galilee only a lake.
In the Acts Luke chronicles the three pioneer missionary journeys undertaken by his hero Paul, indicating the occasions when he himself was present as Paul's companion. The Acts records a triumphal progression from Jerusalem, the capital of Jewry, to Rome the capital of the world .
Wherever they went they proclaimed salvation (comprising forgiveness and the Spirit) as available in Christ to all people. And Luke records the apostle Peter's affirmation.
'Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved'. Acts 4:12
Yours Aye
Roy
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