Churches drift off to sleep. Small groups turn in on themselves. Bible studies and Sunday School classes tread predictable, time worn paths. Worship becomes routine. Witnessing becomes the work of specialists. And compassion? “Let’s see . . I have an hour open next Thursday.”

When familiarity breeds contentment and complacency, when good order calcifies into rigid regularity, then people who love Jesus sense that something is amiss. They know that it was not always this way, and they turn to the Book, to see again what is truly normal for Christ’s church. In particular, when our zeal flags and our focus blurs, we need to listen to Luke.