December 6, 2010

Luke’s Christmas Story
Luke 1:1-38

The Main Reason to Believe in Christianity is Because It is True
Luke 1:1-4 (NIV)

"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 (NIV)

Pastor’s Thoughts

Theophilus is the name of the man for whom Luke wrote this account of the life of Jesus. Of course Luke hoped for a wide readership as well.

Luke starts out his Gospel by making it clear that he did his homework and that what he has written was well researched, accurate and factual. In other words he is saying that everything he wrote happened as he described it. The birth, death and resurrection of Jesus are a true story.

I cannot overstate how important this is. It seems to me that if this true, if Jesus really is and was God, then the only sane thing to do with this fact is to re-orient your life around Jesus. Anything less, especially in light of the overwhelming promises of riches and joy he offers to believers as recorded in scripture, is irrational.

It’s so amazing when one thinks about it, that somehow we humans seem to think that we can just go about our lives as if we are neither in need of nor accountable to God as he is revealed in Jesus. One day each of us will meet Him face to face. There will be a day of reckoning. Our lives will be examined. And none of us will look back with anything but regret on those times when we’ve chosen live independently of God.