Luke 1:1-4
Luke's Research
1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Acts 1:1-5
Jesus Appeared to His Disciples for Forty Days After His Death
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
If you had lived in the Roman Empire and not been a dead Man by the name of Jesus, you might be surprised at His life and background...He grew up in a very poor family, and later became a Carpenter...Then He had a ministry for three short years...How Christianity became the Religion of the Roman Empire over a few hundred years, with Jesus as their Leader is truly a mystery...Many Romans may have wondered how a small group of followers were able to keep the teachings of Jesus alive and ongoing long after His death...It is truly remarkable how the Twelve Disciples were able to convince the entire Roman Empire and the world that Jesus was Divine and from heaven...Those living in the Roman Empire and not familiar with Israel and the Jewish culture, might have wondered how did the Jesus' teachings continue long after His death...I think one of the best things that a Roman unfamiliar with Jesus situation could have done would be to read the two books by the physician Luke...
Luke undertook the task to draw up an account of the things that had been fulfilled among the Israeli people about Jesus...Jesus was a Jew...And the ideas Luke heard were handed down to him and others by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word of Jesus...Luke went right to the eyewitnesses of Jesus to learn about Him...With this in mind, Luke carefully investigated everything from the beginning of Jesus' life...Luke, like others, decided to write an orderly account for us and to one known as Theophilus...And by Luke's writings we can know the certainty of the things about this most Remarkable Man...
In Luke's first book, he wrote about His birth and all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day He was taken up to heaven...He gave His instructions through the Holy Spirit to His Disciples and apostles He had chosen...After His suffering on the cross and after His death, He presented Himself to them and gave them many convincing proofs that He was somehow still alive...He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the Kingdom of God...On one occasion after His death, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about...For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”...Jesus would baptize them with the Holy Spirit on the Day of the Pentecost...And many more would realize that Jesus is LORD, after the Disciples received the Holy Spirit as promised...
His Disciples and apostles for some reason continued to follow His teachings after His death...This small group of Jewish men would spread the word and their word was believed by others and Jesus and His teachings spread...And this Man, who had been a Carpenter, would within a few hundred years have a world wide religion that remains with us to this day...It is an odd by true story, showing us the Power of God...