BC & AD Scripture: Luke 1:46-55
Luke sets out to write a letter to a God-friend so they can have confidence in what they have heard. He
uses every source he can find, from Mark to Matthew to many eyewitnesses, almost certainly including
Paul. Luke’s two part Gospel series makes up 1/8th of the New Testament. He is considered by
historians to be one of the great historical writers of the ancient world. But it’s more than history…it’s a
document that shows how the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus has completely changed our world
forever. It changes who is included/excluded. It changes how we think about money, forgiveness, grace,
obedience, life, death and everything in between. We are beginning a 13 week study of Luke's
masterpiece, the only record we have of the story of Jesus from a non-Jew who was a doctor by trade
and who managed to write a book that changed the world by telling the story of the man who left
heaven to change the world. In our first week we have the prophecies from Mary and Zechariah and
Gabriel’s instruction to name the boys John (God is gracious) and Jesus (God is salvation). Before they
were born, their names proclaimed the Gospel was coming!