In reconsidering our thoughts on the Gospel of Luke we need to obviously bear in mind the Jesus Luke presents to us. Who is he? He is introduced to us by a lengthy discussion of the birth of John the Baptist. While John was in his mother’s womb, Mary became pregnant...

We have now covered the entire Gospel of Luke in short daily bursts. In some ways it is not the best way of dealing with the Gospel because the narrative flows along from one event into another. But in other ways it helps those of us who are not familiar with reading...

Luke 24 v 51. “While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.” Jesus led his disciples to the eastern slope of Mount Olivet. The last stage of the King’s journey is now complete, and he must now proceed to the goal that was always in view from...

  Luke 24 v 49. “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” These words refer in a special way to the eleven apostles (soon once again to become twelve), but also has great...

  Luke 24 v 45. “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Jesus reminded the disciples that everything that had happened to him was written in the Old Testament – the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. He had told them about...

Luke 24 v 36. “While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” It is Easter Sunday, late in the evening. Ten of the disciples are gathered in a house, somewhere in Jerusalem. The men from Emmaus were with...

Luke 24 v 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning…. At this point the disciples had still been kept from recognizing him. The question now was, how would Jesus reveal himself to them? Could not some imposter dress up like...

  Luke 24 verses 15 – 16 As they talked and discussed these things with each other Jesus himself came up and walked along with them, but they were kept from recognising him. In his kindness the Lord joined these two disconsolate disciples on the road from...

  Luke 24 verses 5-7. “In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he is risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee;...

  Luke 24 verses 2 & 3. “They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” The woman who accompanied Jesus brought spices with which to embalm his body. They were evidently not expecting him...

  Luke 23 verses 50-52. “Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate,...

  Luke 23 verse 47. “The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” Luke points out to us that in the providence of God, there were two events that occurred as Christ was dying, that vindicated his claims to be...

Luke 23 v 43. “Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise””. Christ went to the Cross as our Passover Lamb. And like the Passover lamb, he saved others, but could not save himself, so Christ could alleviate the misery of many...

  Luke 23 verse 35. “The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”” Christ hung on the Cross suspended between Heaven and earth. He was a spectacle to...

Luke 23 verse 34. “Jesus said, ‘Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.” The soldiers crucified Jesus without realising the full significance of what they were doing. To them he was just another...

  Luke 23 verses 30, 31. “Then they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” Notice how God gets his will done in a rebellion and hostile world. As...

Luke 23 verses 20, 21. “Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Herod found the charges against Jesus so ludicrous that he made a mockery of it and sent him back to Pilate. Pilate then reconvened the...

Luke 23 v 9. “He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.” The Herod to whom Pilate sent Jesus was Herod Antipas, who was Tetrarch of Galilee. Herod was called “King” but in reality a Tetrarch was only a governor of some sort. Galilee was always a...

  Luke 23 v 4. “Then Pilot announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” After Peter ran out into the night and wept in repentance and sorrow, Jesus was alone with his enemies for the remainder of the night. The...

  Luke 22 v 70. “They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” The members of the Sanhedrin, the rulers of the Jewish people now show their malice and cruelty by allowing the soldiers, the underclass, to assault Jesus. Think of it. He who did no harm, spoke no...

Luke 22 verses 61,62. “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the cock crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.” They now took Jesus away to face his...

  Luke 22 v 52. “Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs?” This was a dramatic moment in the history of salvation. This was...

  Luke 22 verses 47 & 48. “While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” The...

  Luke 22 verses 43 & 44. “An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” This account of an angel from heaven is most interesting. It...

Luke 22 v 44. “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” When the King knelt down to pray that day on the Mount of Olives, he did so not only on his own behalf, but also on behalf of disobedient...

Luke 22 verses 42-44. “Father, if you are wiling, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the...

  Luke 22 verse 37 It is written “And he was numbered with the transgressors, and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me, Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfilment.” The journey of Jesus Christ is nearing its end. He has told his disciples...

  Luke 22 v 34. “Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” Sometimes we are very slow to learn. Often we are filled with confidence, when we ought to be treading carefully. It was like that with...

  Luke 22 v 32. “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Believers are not to behave like the people of this world. For followers of Jesus the value system is different and it often...

  Luke 22 verses 26 & 27. “But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one...