Fortner Don – Discovering Christ in Luke

Foreword

The purpose of Luke’s Gospel is supplied in the first verse of the first chapter of the book. Luke tells his friend, Theophilus, of his plan to “set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us”. Pause for a moment and reflect on this. Luke is telling Theophilus that if he wants to know what Christians believe he can read it in this book. Furthermore, he is telling us, too, that all who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ must also believe these things. For these things of Jesus Christ “are most surely believed among us”.

We live in days when many people claim to be Christians. They say they are followers of Jesus, yet they definitely do not believe the things which Luke says were once “most surely believed” by the apostles and disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. This should not be the case. Christian teaching is not a hotchpotch of ideas or a jumbled bag of doctrines where followers pick and mix what they choose to believe.

Brown The Devil's Mission of Amusement 7 page article from 1889. Hollywood in the church and her ministries. Brown was a student of C.H Spurgeon.
Excerpts:
Different days demand their own special testimony. The watchman who would be faithful to his Lord and to the city of his God needs to carefully note the signs of the times and to emphasize his witness accordingly. Concerning the testimony needed now, there can be little if any doubt. An evil is in the professed camp of the Lord, that is so gross, so brazen in its impudence, that the most shortsighted of spiritual men can hardly fail to notice it.... Amusement for the people is the leading article advertised by each... until the hideous fact has been proved up to the hilt, that "amusement" is ousting "the preaching of the Gospel" as the great attraction... The Concert is fast becoming as much a recognized part of church life as the Prayer Meeting; and it is already, in most places, far better attended.

"Providing recreation for the people" will soon be looked upon as a necessary part of Christian work, and as binding upon the Church of God, as though it were a Divine command, unless some strong voices are raised which will make themselves heard.
Read the 7-page article: Brown, The Devil's Mission of Amusement.

On the contrary, Luke clearly states these are the things “most surely believed”, and in twenty-four chapters of holy scripture Luke sets out the beliefs of the Apostolic church concerning the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. He gives no quarter to doubts, disbelief or duplicity. Luke will not allow us to identify with the Lord Jesus and claim to be his followers while denying what he did and taught.

We also encounter others who tell us it is not helpful to be dogmatic about what we believe. They tell us it is not possible to clearly establish what one has to believe to be a Christian. They say things such as “God knows the heart” or “There are different views upon this matter” or “It is not necessary to be overly emphatic on these points.” Well, to such we repeat what Luke says. Here, in his gospel, are “those things which are most surely believed among us”.

Let us take some examples: Luke tells us:

1. The grace of God is sovereign: in chapter 4:25–27 Luke shows that God’s goodness is directed only to certain individuals and it is discriminating. It had been so in the past in the times of Elijah and Elisha, it was now, in the time of Christ. The people of Nazareth wanted a miracle but would receive none. Those in the synagogue to whom Christ spoke understood precisely what the Master was saying. God is not at the beck and call of man. The favors of God, and the grace of God, are dispensed sovereignly according to the will of God and not the will of man. This simple fact of God’s sovereignty so angered the people of Nazareth that they tried to kill the Son of God almost before his ministry was begun. Yet sovereign grace was one of the things most surely believed.

2. Salvation is to be found in Christ alone: speaking of Simeon’s testimony of Christ in chapter 2:30 Luke tells us how this old saint of the Lord looked for the “consolation of Israel”. He was waiting for the Messiah to be revealed. Then one day he held in his arms the child Jesus. Full of the Holy Spirit he blessed God and declared, “Mine eyes have seen your salvation.” Our Lord tells Zacchaeus, “This day is salvation come to this house”. Christ is Salvation. This was another of those things most surely believed.

3. Eternal election: when the Lord sent out seventy preachers in Luk_10:1 they appear to have stormed Satan’s citadel with the gospel message. They saw amazing things “and returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through your name.” However, the Lord’s reply directed them to rejoice in their election; God’s choice of them from everlasting. This shows that God’s election to eternal life is of particular Luk_10:1 known by name; that it is sure, and certain, and irreversible. It was one of those things most surely believed.

4. Salvation is God’s work alone: when a rich young ruler met Jesus in Luk_18:1-43 it became clear that obtaining salvation was eluding, naturally speaking, this most eligible of men. The disciples were astonished and asked if not this man “Who then can be saved?” The Lord Jesus answered, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” Salvation in the life of any sinner requires an act of divine proportions to change the heaLuk_18:1-43 us the desire of the soul upon Christ overthrow all human self-righteousness. That only a spiritual work of God will bring a man to deny himself, take up the cross and follow Christ was another of those things most surely believed.

Download

Download “Fortner Discovering Christ in Luke Vol 1-2” Fortner-Don-Discovering-Christ-in-Luke-Volume-1-2.gbk.twm – Downloaded 188 times – 6.30 MB

More Commentaries on Genesis

...

Post Views: 819

In this class, Treasury of Scripture Knowledge we show you what is and how to use TSK, Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. This work is simply a commentary of all the verses in the Bible where the author has gone through hundreds if not thousands of English study Bibles, and he has added whatever Bible references each of those Bibles had on that particular verse. As a pastor making sermons, this excellent reference tool within theWord can help you generate a very excellent sermon in a minimum of time and effort. This will leave you with a lot of extra time to pursue illustrations, commentary explanations, making structure and outline of the sermon, etc. It is a God send for preachers, really! Pastor David Cox

Tags: catlist christ discover dn fortner gadsr Luke

open all | close all

pc10 Sexual Purityis an exhortation to purity in sexual matters for the Christian. We look at various aspects of the issue.
Topics: It is not an impossible fight! | The Biblical Model | Homosexuality and Prostitution | Nudity and the Mind | Self-Stimulation | Resisting the Temptation.
Excerpts: Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? Job understood that sexual sin begins with the sight, and the seeing before desiring. Job made a covenant with himself, a commitment that he would not look on young women to desire them or to let his imagination run wild with them even their image or in his thoughts. Equally, Jesus taught us in Mat. 5:28 that even thinking sinful thoughts without doing them is as sinful as actually doing them. This is an amplification of Exo 20:17 “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife”. David saw before taking (2Sam 11:2).
Fasting is to teach us that the body does not control over us, and this is exactly what is necessary for people with this problem. This sin is pinned to the thoughts, “for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” Pro 23:7. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” Phil 4:13.
Read the Tract: pc10 Sexual Purity.

Missionary on Furlough Spiritual Needs is an article by David Cox (veteran missionary) to help pastors and missionaries understand missionary needs.
Excerpt: When a pastor "takes in a missionary on deputation or furlough", he ministers to that missionary.... Pastors also need this encouragement as much as missionaries need it. When they get together to fellowship, they are able to encourage one another. But every pastor ministering to a returning missionary should encourage them along these lines of faithfulness and reward in eternity.
Topics: Introduction | Unfit Missionaries that should not be missionaries at all | Stop the Merry-go-round, I want to get off | Some Tips for Pastors Encouraging Missionaries | 1. Do not undermine their way of leading or doing the ministry | 2. The two essential elements are talk and prayer. | 3. Get more than just the pastor involved in praying for the missionary. | Remind your missionary by asking for an update if it has been a while. | Effectively disseminate prayer requests.
Read the Article: Missionary on Furlough Spiritual Needs.