Jesus. : Trusting Jesus First, Only, Now, and AlwaysSample

The Bible contains four Gospels (books of the Bible that focus on the life of Jesus): Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Only two of these Gospels were written by apostles of Jesus: Matthew and John. Mark got most of his information from Peter (one of the Twelve), and Luke got his information from many reliable sources. Luke was probably the only Gentile (non-Jew) to write any part of the New Testament.

Luke researched the life of Jesus thoroughly just to find out the facts for himself. He then decided to share what he learned with his friend Theophilus even though other records of Jesus’s life already existed. Luke wanted his friend to know for sure what he himself knew for sure: Jesus really was the Son of God and really had rescued the world through His death and resurrection.

It must have taken Luke a long time to write his gospel account. He could have used the existence of other gospel accounts as an excuse not to write his own, but it’s a good thing for us he didn’t. Luke’s Gospel is the only one that includes the story of Jesus’s birth and the shepherds adoring Him, the story of John the Baptist’s family and birth, the conversation between Jesus’s mother Mary and the angel, the conversation between John’s mother Elizabeth and Mary, the story of Simeon, and the story of twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple. If Luke had chosen not to write his gospel account, we wouldn’t have these precious glimpses into Jesus’s life. We would have had to learn the lessons they teach another way that might not have been as direct.

When God gives us an assignment, it’s important for us to complete that assignment even if we can think of a lot of reasons not to. God uses our obedience to bless others, and we never know how many people will be affected by it.