All right, back to Luke's gospel,
chapter 1. As I said beginning this morning,
we'll begin studying through Luke's gospel, and it's fitting. Luke deals with priesthood. And
I did not plan this. I love it when this happens.
I just felt impressed to do this, and as I began to read Luke,
the first thing he speaks of is a priest. And then he speaks of someone
who comes shortly thereafter. That's fitting, since we're going
through Hebrews concerning priesthood. All right, let me give you a
little bit of history concerning the book of Luke. Not only interesting,
but profitable. Some believe this may be the
first gospel which was recorded. Because there are very exacting
details. Concerning the time before Christ's
birth and his actual birth and certain miracles and so forth.
This was written by Luke who Paul called the beloved physician. Luke was a doctor. He was not
an apostle. Mark was not an apostle who wrote
the gospel. And this gospel was possibly
narrated to Luke by other apostles. Someone said this, since Luke
was Paul's close companion, you know how that Luke was with Paul
everywhere. Luke was in prison with Paul
at Rome voluntarily. Someone said that Paul himself
narrated this gospel to Luke and when Paul said in one place
according to my gospel. But this was the one he was talking
about saying gospel. But that's interesting. All right. It's addressed to someone in
particular. Look at verse three. Luke writes
and says, It seemed good to me also having had perfect or a
mature, knowledgeable understanding of all things from the very first.
what all has happened, to write unto thee in order, things systematically
are in order, most excellent Theophilus. Now who is this Theophilus
that he's dressing here? And he mentions him in Acts chapter
one. Who is this Theophilus? Nobody knows. He's a stranger. He's a stranger. But the name
means this, the name means a lover of God. So Luke is writing the
gospel to a lover of God who's a stranger to us. Does that sound
familiar? Peter wrote in his epistle, to
the strangers, elect those who know and love the true and living
God, that know Christ. So this is written to us. written
to all believers. All right, this gospel is written
to believers. All right, verse 4. Look at that
verse again. And this is his purpose. He says,
that thou and that we, that all believers, might know the certainty
of those things wherein thou hast been instructed. The certainty. of those things you've been taught,
the doctrine which you've been taught. This is why he's writing,
that you might know certainty of these things. These things
are certain. I love certainties. I love sure
things. I love certain things. All right.
And Luke says, what I'm about to write is a sure thing. It's
certain. Written to you, believer. All
right. Verse 1. Go back there. He says, for as much as many
have taken in hand to set forth in order, systematically, or
as they happen, a declaration of those things which are most
surely believed among us. Many have written down, he said.
Many have declared, set forth a declaration. They haven't put
these things up for debate, but they've declared them, these
things. Now look at the last line there,
verse 1. This is the title of this message.
Things which are most surely believed among us. Some have
written down, many have declared, things most surely believed among
us. among believers. Things most
surely believed. All right? Look over to Ephesians
1 with me. Ephesians 1. Now again, we're
talking to believers here. And he says us, doesn't he? Things
believed among us. And the scriptures all the way
through talk about us. Some would have us believe. That
means every son of Adam on the earth. such as 2 Peter 3, 9,
you know, God is long-suffering. God is not willing that any should
perish. He's long-suffering to us. Who's the us? Believers. That's who this is written to.
That's who the promises are to. Believers. These things which
are most surely believed among us. Believers. Who believes?
And why? Who believes? And why? Do men and women believe because
they make their decision to do so? Because they often one day
figure it out, logically figure it out, and they say, well, this
must be the way, therefore I believe. Oh, no. Oh, no. The natural man
receiveth not the things of God. It's foolishness, too. Look at
Ephesians 1, verse 19. We know what the exceeding greatness
of his power to usward who believe." Why do we believe? According
to the working of his mighty power. And over in chapter 2,
verse 8, he says, it's by faith, and that is not of yourselves.
If anyone believes these things, and most surely believes these
things they believe by the working of God's mighty power, by God's
grace. Faith is a gift. Faith is a gift. It's not of the will of the flesh. All right? Habakkuk said this.
He said, Now I'm going to do a work. God said this through
Habakkuk. He said, I will do a work in
your days which you will not believe though somebody tell
it to you. And many did not believe, did
they? Many did not believe, but some did. Why? By God's grace. It's the gift
of God. And so if you believe these things
that we're going to look at, most surely from your heart,
with the heart man believeth, not the head, with the heart
man believeth unto righteousness. If you believe these things from
the heart, thank God flesh and blood didn't reveal it to you. flesh and blood didn't figure
it out, but God revealed it to you. God gave this faith to you. So we're going to talk about
things most surely believed among us. All right? OK. Back to Mark 1. Now look
at verse 1. All right? He says, things most
surely believed. Things. Things. Now Luke says here, he says,
I'm not here to discuss doubtful disputations. Remember Paul warned
of that, he said avoid endless questions, genealogy and so forth. Luke is not going to write about
political causes, social issues, is he? He's going to write about
things most important, things most needful, things most needful. What thing? Look back at Mark's
gospel. Mark starts out this way, Mark
chapter 1. Look at chapter 1 of Mark's gospel.
All of the writers wrote the same things. And Paul said that,
didn't he, in Philippians. He said to write the same things
to you, to me. is not grievous, but this is
salvation. These are the things needful.
There's one thing needful. And Mark begins the first verse
by telling us what these things are. Look at verse 1, the beginning
of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. So Luke says,
these are the things that I'm going to write about. The things
concerning Jesus Christ, the gospel concerning Jesus Christ,
things of Christ. Luke says, I'm going to set these
things in order before you. Who Christ is, why he came, what
he did, where he is now, what he's going to do in the future.
I'm going to set these things in order before you. Things most surely
believed among us. among believers. All these things,
everything concerning who Christ is, what he did, where he is
now, and what he's going to do, are most surely believed among
all believers. They all believe the same things
concerning Christ. They all believe the same thing,
because they all have the same Christ. The same gospel. Paul said, one Lord and one faith. Things most surely believed by
everyone who is most surely a believer, because they have the same pride.
They have one gospel. All right? OK, now look at verse
2. He says, Now there were many
who took in hand to set these things in order. Verse 2, Even
as they delivered them unto us, We heard these things from them.
They, the other apostles, declared them, the things of Christ, unto
us, those who were eyewitnesses and ministers or servants of
the word. Eyewitnesses and ministers or
servants of what? The word. They were eyewitnesses,
Luke said. These others who we heard this
from, these things from, were eyewitnesses. Of what? What did
they see? Look at 2 Peter chapter 1 with
us. 2 Peter chapter 1. Turn over
there quickly. He says that some saw these things
and they bore witness or declared them unto us. What things? Miracles, signs, wonders? Is that the thing? Look at 2
Peter 1, verse 16. Peter says, We have not followed
cunningly devised fables or man-made stories, when we made known unto
you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We were eyewitnesses
of what? Not of what. They weren't talking about miracles
and signs and wonders. They were talking about a person,
a person. We saw him. In another place,
Peter said, we can't help but speak the things that seem. What
did you see? Peter said, we saw him. John,
what did you see, John? Life, that which was from the
beginning, life. the word of life. We held him,
we touched him, we handled him. Him. They all tell the same story. They were all eyewitnesses. Same
things. Same one. His majesty. His majesty. And look at verse 17 there in
2 Peter 1. He says, He received from God
the Father honor and glory as well he should. He deserves it. when there came such a voice
to him from the excellent glory. And we heard it, he said, when
God said, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were
with him in the holy mountain." So Peter said, we were eyewitnesses
of a person. We saw him. And we heard some
things. We heard him. We heard him. And so this is what Luke is saying.
He says, I'm going to set forth the things I've heard and seen,
too. What's that, Luke? Him. Him. You remember Queen of Sheba,
when she went to see Solomon? You remember when she first went
there, it says she came to prove him with hard questions. She
was religious. And she went to Israel, to Jerusalem,
to ask some questions. She was saved and she had all
of her, you know, her religion, but yet she heard there was somebody
in Jerusalem. What do you reckon she went away
talking about? Huh? After she saw him. That's what the whole story is
about. When she saw him, the scripture says, when she saw
his ascension of the throne, when she heard his wisdom, there's
no more spirit left in him. And from that day forward, that's
all she wanted to talk about, Solomon. Somebody probably asked
her, what did you see in Jerusalem? Did you see the temple? Yes,
but I saw him. I saw Solomon. And so it is with
all of God's people who see him. who hear him. He is who they're
taken up with from that day forward. Why don't preachers preach him? They haven't seen him. Why aren't
the people hearing messages of him? Because the messengers haven't
received the message from him. But all who have Christ is their
theme. And Luke says, Now I'm going
to set in order the things which I have received also, him. Things I've seen and heard, him.
All right, back to the text. Back to the text in Luke 1. And
things most surely believed among us. And he's going to give an
account of who Christ is. As I said, this is just a preface,
an introduction of the gospel of Luke. which is the good news
of Jesus Christ, concerning Jesus Christ. That's what all the scriptures
concern, Jesus Christ. And Luke says, I'm going to set
in order things concerning him, who Christ is. And he's going
to go on to tell us who he is. He's God manifesting the flesh. Not just a man, God manifesting
the flesh, the God-man. Not a powerful person. but power
personified, the one who has all power in heaven and earth,
and not just in creation but in salvation, God, God our salvation. That's who he is, God with all
power over all things and all souls. He decides who and what
and when and where and why and how. He decides it. Luke's going to talk about him. He came. John said in 1 John
4, He that believeth that Christ is come in the flesh, Jesus is
come in the flesh. That means he came with a purpose,
and he was sent by someone to do something. And Luke says,
I'm going to set an order for you. Why he came? Why did he
come? Because God sent him, that's
why. God sent him with an express job to do. God had to elect people. And he gave them to Christ and
sent Christ to save them. And that's exactly what he did.
He didn't try to save them. He saved them. That's the reason
God said, we'll call his name Jesus. That's what it means,
Savior. He's going to be the Redeemer.
I told you what that young girl up in the Bible school, her definition
of Redeemer. It's a good one. Out of the mouths of babes. Her
teacher asked this four-year-old girl who a Redeemer was, what
a Redeemer is, and she said, very simply, one who redeems. And I said that, you know, the
average preacher in the average so-called church doesn't know
that. They say Christ came to try to
redeem. And he did all that he could
do, and he didn't get the job done, and now the rest is left
up to people. No, he's a redeemer. Why? Because he redeemed. His name's
Jesus. Why? Because that's what he did,
saved his people from the sin. His name's Christ. Why? Because
he's the only mediator between God and men, the only anointed,
the only accepted one by God the Father. That's his name.
He's Lord. Why? Because men made him so.
No, because he always has been so. That's why he came. He came to save God's elect people,
to pay the penalty for their sins, to establish the righteousness
they need to be accepted by God. And he did just that. And these
are things most surely believed among us, all of us. There are none who are of us
if they don't believe these things. Is that right? Why? How can I say that? Because there are things concerning
him. There are things which were down
to his glory, to his honor. They are the person and the work
of Jesus Christ. You can't know Christ and be
confused about who he is. You can't know Christ and be
confused about what he did. You can't have faith in Christ
if you are confused about what he did. How are you going to believe
in him who is not heard? All right. He came to save his
people. That's exactly what he did. Where
is he now? Where is he now? Luke says, I'm
going to set these things in order before you. I'm going to
tell you where he is right now. Where is he? Some would have
us believe that he's knocking at some door, you know, that
he's roaming around. all over town, knocking on people's
hearts' doors, and they won't let him in. Is that where he
is? Tell us where he is, writer of Hebrews. It says, when he
had by himself purged our sins, he sat down. Peter said he's seated right
now at the right hand of the majesty on high. Paul said that.
He's seated right now. The high priest is seated. He
hasn't gotten up since he went up there and sat down. You know,
he's been seated ever since he finished the work, and he hasn't
gotten up, not one time. Except when Stephen was stoned. He stood up perhaps in honor
of that son of his. But he's not knocking at any
harsh door, he's not leaning over the banisters of heaven,
he's seated. Wow, what's he doing? Well, he's
got his feet propped up. It's on the world. The earth
is his footstool. It's on the world. He's seated
on the circle of the earth, the scripture says. And he's seated,
the work complete, finished, and he's satisfied, and he's
expecting. When you're expecting something, you just have your
arms crossed. You're not worried. You're not hoping. You're not
wishing. you're expecting. Expecting all things to be done
as he purposed them. Expecting all his people to be
saved. Expecting the Holy Spirit whom
he sent to round them all up to bring every last one up to
it. And then the scripture says one of these days he's going
to get up. He's going to get up from his
throne and he's going to come to this earth. and receive to
himself all who are still on this planet at that time, and
then he's going to destroy this whole ball of dirt, fold it up
like a vesture, Scripture says, and put it away. He's got a new
heaven and a new earth prepared, wherein he himself will reign
with his people. That's where he is, and that's
what he's going to do in the future. And Luke says, and these are
the things most surely believe in one day. Aren't they? All God's people most surely
believe these things. Look at verse 4. He says, most excellent Theopolis,
he says, I'm writing these things that thou mightest know, that
you might know the certainty of those things wherein thou
hast been instructed. that you might know the certainty
of those things. John said this. John talks about
knowing all the way through his epistle, doesn't he? John said,
these things are written unto you that you sin not. Now, and
if any man sin, we have an advocate. These things
are written that you might know the certainty that you have an
advocate, that every sinner has an advocate. We're going to sin
till the day we die, aren't we? Well, these things are written,
this gospel is written, this is the good news that we have
an advocate with the Father. Who is it? He's Jesus Christ,
the righteous one, the accepted one, the Messiah, the Redeemer,
the representative of sinners, the substitute for sinners. These
things are written. You might know the certainty
of it. There's a certain one who is most certainly seated
at the right hand of God for a certain individual, and their
names are sinners. These things are written that
you might know the certainty of that. You've got an advocate,
John. You've got an advocate. You always will have an advocate,
that's certain. Isn't that good news? Glad Luke wrote this, aren't
you? And John said in another place, he said, These things
are written that you might know that you have eternal life. He
said, This is the record. This is what is written. He that
hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son hath
not life. And these things are written that you might know that
you have eternal life. And this life is where? Well,
it's a sure thing, because it's in a sure thing. It's a certain
thing, because it's in a certain form. These things are written
that you might know that you have eternal life. You think,
can a man know, can a woman, can a young person know that
they have eternal life? John said, that's why I'm writing. And Luke says, and I'm going
to write the same thing. Same thing. The things of Christ. There's a theme of this book.
The theme of this book, Christ, is the theme of this book. He
said, They are they which testify of me. A declaration of who Christ
is and what he's done. Things most surely believed among
us, and these things are written that you might know the certainty
of those things. He came, he lived, he died, he arose, he's
seated, he's satisfied. The work's finished, he's coming
again to fulfill it all, all his purpose and all things, and
he's going to take us with him. These things are written, it's
not done. Faith most surely believes among
us. Do you believe? All right. I saw them picked out. What's that number? 223? 223. I am not skilled, is
that it? 223.