To have certainty
Luke • Sermon • Submitted
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· 2 viewsAll people should investigate the Christmas claims becuase of the IMPRINTS left behind.
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Introduction
Introduction
There have been some great disputes in the history of the church. The Reformation, Calvinism v. Armenianism, removing the organ, adding the drums just to name a few. There is one which has come to overshadow the rest. That being the great kiss debate of the 2000s. In 2002 John Mark McMillan wrote the song How He Loves in response to the loss of his closest friend in a car accident. In 2007 the song would be covered by artist David Crowder. Crowder would change one line which has divided churches ever since. In the original, there is a line, “When heaven meets Earth like a sloppy wet kiss”. Crowder found that many churches who encountered the song didn’t care for the word “sloppy” being in a worship song, he changed the lyric for his rendition to, “like an unforeseen kiss” to make it more palatable to the broader church market. The debate was born.
Though I have my thoughts on the issue, the thing that strikes me is how deeply this lyric affects people, enough that they will gladly go to battle for the version that has impacted them the most. It makes sense when you consider it. Think about the standard movie cliche where the nice but socially awkward kid gets a kiss on the cheek from the older girl on whom his affections lay. What does he do almost immediately? His hand will go to the location of the kiss as if to hold it in place. There is an impact to that kind of intimate touch.
In the book of Luke we see heaven touching earth time and time again. And each time there is an impact, a footprint, evidence left behind of the touch. Throughout the scripture we see the evidence of this touch, but no where this side of eternity does that evidence stand out so starkly than in the Nativity and the Resurrection. In Luke and Acts we will see these Imprints of heaven on earth. And like the cliched movie character where we see these kisses in our world we want to put our hands on them and take them in.
Footprints
We can learn about something by looking at the imprints it leaves behind.
Let’s get to the text
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
Imprint not Innovation
Imprint not Innovation
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us,
Many have undertaken: Not a criticism of those other writings, rather Luke wanted to fill out the details.
Compile a narrative: Luke wrote the story in manner that was both chronologically and thematically sensible
The things that have been accomplished: Something has happened that has made a tremendous change.
Historical Imprint
Historical Imprint
just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,
Luke 1:2
The elements of the story are faithful recordings of the events as they have been taught already.
Luke takes additional steps and digs to the eyewitnesses to get their accounts. Luke contains details no one else has.
An Orderly Imprint
An Orderly Imprint
it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
Luke chooses to create this account for the “Most excellent Theophilus”, there are a few possibilities as to the why:
Theophilus is a believer who was likely a man of title or status.
Theo was a term used to describe a group of believers.
Theo was the Apostle Paul’s representative in Rome.
The Imprint of Certainty
The Imprint of Certainty
that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
The bottom line, whichever of the above (or something entirely different) is true, the goal of both the book of Luke and Acts is to give Theo certainty about things which he has been taught.
In this series we will investigate the imprints of heaven on earth. We will search the footprints and examine each broken blade of grass to get a glimpse of what we mean when we say, “Our father…on earth as it is in heaven”
It’s beautiful that we begin at this season. Apart from creation itself, there are a few “imprints” which are far more significant than the others. The incarnation, when God became “Emmanuel” and the death and resurrection where Emmanuel took on the sin of the world and conquered sin and the grave. This morning we remember that sacrifice by coming around his table. Allow me to read from Luke’s account of that night:
Communion
Communion
Luke 22:
Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.