2024_10_25 Insight Post- Karenna Rowenhorst
This week’s reading- Colossians 4:14, Acts 16:10-17, Acts 20:5-16, Acts 21:1-18, Acts 27:1-28, Luke 1:1-4
This has not been an easy post to write. It is hard to discern a lot about Luke, since as Rusty pointed out on Wednesday, he almost never refers to himself in the books he wrote. On Monday, Kim shared much of the historical information we know about Luke. I am thankful we have so much history told in great detail because of Luke’s care for preserving and sharing the life of Jesus.
Luke starts his gospel book by addressing his friend Theophilus, which means “friend of God.” Some biblical scholars have suggested that perhaps there was no one person named the Theophilus that Luke knew specifically, but that he was writing to anyone who would become a friend of God. Luke’s goal to record his account of Jesus for later Christ-followers demonstrates his deep level of care and compassion for all people who would seek after Jesus and want to know more about Him. Other scholars think that Theophilus was a patron of Luke’s or possibly his disciple. (Wright and Bird, 2019) Either way, this author, who lived so long ago, had a deep desire to record in detail the life of Jesus and the ministry and growth of the early church.
We see very little of Luke explaining who he was or what he was doing during these accounts. What Luke does do is lift up Jesus in all of his stories, and He focuses on the works of others. This attitude reminds me of John’s words when people were coming to him asking if he was the Messiah:
John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” John 3:27-30 NLT
I’ve thought a lot about how I tell stories of God’s work compared with how Luke shares his gospel story. Do I share stories hoping that I will be remembered for what I did or that God will be remembered because I’m giving Him the glory? Do I write myself as the hero of the story in the narratives I share? Am I doing things for praise from people or to make my heavenly Father proud of me, whether or not people know about it?
Let’s follow Luke’s example of care and right priorities by not demanding that we be in the spotlight. We can distract people away from God by our desire to be in the center of the story, but nothing escapes God’s notice. If we stop reaching for the main character role (which we could never fill anyway), we can follow God with a willing heart that is at peace. We can rest in His love. We have nothing to prove to Him. It reminds me of the phrase “When fears are stilled, when strivings cease” in the first verse of the song “In Christ Alone.” Striving means that I think it all comes down to me, that I need to solve the problem or deliver the solution. When we trust in God, we have peace and rest in our hearts.
“In Christ Alone”
By Townend & Getty
In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
Karenna Rowenhorst, MA
Senior Director of Education
Reference: Wright, N.T and Bird, M.F. 2019. The New Testament in It’s World. Zondervan Academic.