Getting Ready: Advent Reflections, Luke 1:3-4

‘With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided 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 1:3-4


I said earlier that I love how Luke gets to the point in his introduction. But something I love even more about the beginning of his gospel is how personable it is.

Many people have written similar gospels, Luke says, so what makes his any different? The difference is his audience and purpose: Luke is writing so that his most excellent friend Theophilus would trust what he’s already learned about Jesus.

It seems Theophilus has heard some things about Jesus – the man who did amazing things, who died and was raised to new life, who was called the Son of God.

How can Theophilus know that these things he’s learned are true? According to Luke, the answer is through Luke’s friendship, expressed through his gospel dedicated to Theophilus.

Gospel communications abound in our part of the world today, whether in the form of popular preachers or YouTube videos or writings like this one. But how did you or I come to know the certainty of the things we had been taught about Jesus? Was it not largely through receiving the message from people we trusted? Was it not through seeing God working in the lives of people we knew, and through God working in our own lives?

Like Luke, let’s carefully investigate those places in our hearts and world where God is working, even today. And when we find them, like Luke, let’s share this good news with the Theophiluses in our lives so that they too may trust in Jesus.