Thank You Theo

"So many others have tried their hand at putting together a story of the wonderful harvest of Scripture and history that took place among us, using reports handed down by the original eyewitnesses who served this Word with their very lives. Since I have investigated all the reports in close detail, starting from the story’s beginning, I decided to write it all out for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt the reliability of what you were taught." Luke 1:1-4

This is now the 4th message in this Thanksgiving Series*, which was originally written as no more than a single (stand alone) message.

It is just amazing how things work so much more than you intended them to be, and they do so, effortlessly and without trouble.

Advent

Today as we start the Advent Season and as we begin to read the Book of Luke, as recommended by the previous message, let us pause not only to thank Luke but also this unknown person he named Theophilus.

Theorized

Nobody really knows who this person is. Some "theo"rized that it could be a title or a generic term for a group of people and was not really a single person.

Others believed it was a very high Roman official, Luke's benefactor, Apostle Paul's Legal Counsel, Judge, a rich man, or a high Jewish official. Whoever it was, does not really matter.

Man Named Jesus

What matters is because of his interest to study about this man named Jesus, Luke wrote two books for him, that we now know as the Book or the Gospel According to Luke and Volume 2, the Book of Acts.

Both books have served Luke's intentions (to write an accurate account) and Theo's purpose (know beyond the shadow of a doubt the reliability of what he has been taught).

Both books have been preserved up to this day and have served to be an invaluable resource for countless other seekers of tbe truth, like Theo, you, me and others who will come after us.

Dr. Luke

Luke was a doctor, a man of science. He was an educated man. Theo would have been educated himself, and as such both would not easily believe something without studying, researching, verifying, checking or investigating them.

Luke was one of the companions of the Apostle Paul on their missionary trips. He was an eyewitness to the accounts he wrote in the Book of Acts. He was thought to be a Gentile, he was not Jewish, he was born, studied and raised in Europe. For those which happened before he came into the scene, he did his research with those who witnessed them first hand, as we read in the passage above.

Thank You

To Dr. Luke, Apostle Paul, their team of missionaries and the first followers of Jesus, we give thanks as well, as we start to read these books and study and learn about your eye witness accounts and about Jesus -- the Reason for the Season.

Advent

*Giving Thanks Series:

Give Thanks

Gave Thanks

Giving Thanks