January 12 | Luke 1:1-4
- Elaine Pierce
- Jan 12
- 2 min read
DAILY READING
It's All About Jesus
By Elaine Pierce
How many biographies have been written about George Washington? Abraham Lincoln? Princess Diana? We are fascinated by the lives of famous people. We can't seem to get enough 'behind the scenes' details about their lives. 'Tell all' books about celebrities sell hundreds of thousands of copies.
In the first verse of the book of Luke, he tells us that 'many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us.' So Luke is not the first person to write about the life of Jesus. But he wants his audience to 'know the certainty of the things you have been taught (v.4).' As those who were contemporaries of Jesus were passing on, it was important to have a fact-based record of his life. We don't know much about Luke, the author, but most scholars agree that he was a gentile (the only non-Jewish author of the 4 gospels).
Like the overwhelming majority of the readers of this blog post, I'm also a gentile, so perhaps I am drawn to Luke for that very reason. Luke is offering his readers faith founded on facts. This is not a hazy, mystical religion. This is an account of Jesus, the man who was born of a woman, who lived among us, who did not sin, and who paid the price for our disobedience on the cross. He was fully human and fully divine, and what a privilege it is to follow him.
Over these next few months we will be studying the gospel of Luke. These first 4 verses are rather formal, and yet they are straightforward: Luke will introduce us chronologically to the life and times of our Lord. He has done careful research. This biography is most certainly authorized, and we can trust the source.
Paul tells his disciple, Timothy, that God's word is true: All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16). Let's begin 2025 with our eyes on Jesus, thankful for what he has done and what he will do in our lives.
PRAYER
Lord, your Word is a light unto our feet and a lamp unto our path, as the psalmist says, thank you for the opportunity to study, to pray, and to follow you. Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ELAINE PIERCE
It is a delight and joy to write Sunday's UALC Blog post. I have been a UALC member for 20+ years and I value our community of believers. I draw strength from God's Word, and it is my hope that you join me in seeking to grow closer to Him as we read, study, and pray together. I've been married to Gene for 47 years, and we have four grown children and nine grandchildren. It is an exciting time to be alive, and I count it all joy to serve him, even in the midst of challenges. To God be the glory, for the great things he is doing!
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