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    Dear Theophilus: A 40 Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke: 40-Day Bible Study Series, #1
    Dear Theophilus: A 40 Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke: 40-Day Bible Study Series, #1
    Dear Theophilus: A 40 Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke: 40-Day Bible Study Series, #1
    Ebook148 pages2 hours

    Dear Theophilus: A 40 Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke: 40-Day Bible Study Series, #1

    By Peter DeHaan

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Explore the Gospel of Luke like never before. 

     

    Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk alongside Jesus during his time on earth? In this insightful Bible study, you will discover the heart of Christ and the profound impact he had on those around him. 

     

    Embark on a transformative 40-day journey through the book of Luke with DEAR THEOPHILUS, a captivating Bible study by Peter DeHaan. 

     

    Through 40 key passages, delve deep into the life of Jesus, gaining fresh perspectives and practical insights that will shape your faith and transform your daily walk with God. 

     

    From the moment of Jesus's arrival to his ultimate victory over death, each chapter of DEAR THEOPHILUS offers a thought-provoking exploration of Luke's biography of Jesus. You'll witness the miracles, teachings, and profound moments of Jesus's life in a whole new light. 

     

    Whether you're seeking to deepen your understanding of the Bible or longing for a closer relationship with Jesus, this Bible study is a must-read. 

     

    Embark on a spiritual journey that will renew your hope, strengthen your faith, and draw you closer to the heart of God. 

     

    Discover the certainty of Christ's love and sacrifice for you as you immerse yourself in DEAR THEOPHILUS. Get ready to experience the timeless truths of the Gospel of Luke in a way that will leave you forever changed. 

     

    This Bible study is perfect for both personal reflection and group study. Bonus sections enhance your understanding of key themes and passages in the book of Luke.

    Start your journey of discovery and embrace the life-transforming power of Jesus. 

     

    Get your copy of DEAR THEOPHILUS today. 

     

    [This book has also been published as That You May Know.]

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRock Rooster Books
    Release dateFeb 19, 2019
    ISBN9781948082099
    Dear Theophilus: A 40 Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke: 40-Day Bible Study Series, #1

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      Book preview

      Dear Theophilus - Peter DeHaan

      LET’S GET STARTED

      Many people skip the introduction in books, but to get the most from this one, the next part is important. I’ll keep it short.

      Here’s what I want to share:

      Whenever you see quotation marks in the text, it’s dialogue, not quoted Scripture.

      All dialogue is a paraphrase of what the speakers said or my thoughts of what they may have said.

      I use the Bible to study the Bible and avoid consulting secondary sources. Mostly, I use the NIV, but I’m open to any version that gives clarity. Of course, the HolySpirit guides me as I study.

      The book of Luke is amazing. I couldn’t cover everything I wanted to, so I picked the forty passages I thought were the most intriguing.

      This is the first book in the 40-Day Bible Study Series. If you keep reading, I’ll keep writing. My goal is to cover every book in the Bible. The next book in this series is Dear Theophilus, Acts: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church.

      Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to find out when future books come out.

      I pray that you enjoy this book and it helps you look at your spiritual journey in a new, bold, and fresh way.

      Let’s get started.

      WHO IS LUKE?

      Paul is the most prolific writer in the New Testament . Who’s second? That would be Dr . Luke .

      Luke wrote a biography of Jesus, called The Gospel According to Luke (or simply Luke). Later he reported on the activities of the early church in The Acts of the Apostles (or just Acts). These two books account for about 25 percent of the content in the New Testament and give us valuable historical information about Jesus and his followers. Luke’s writing provides a compelling two-book set that can inform our faith and enlighten the practices of our church community.

      Luke was a doctor and the only non-Jewish writer in the New Testament. As such, his words are that of an outsider, which may more readily connect with those on the outside, that is, non-Jews. This includes me, and it may include you. Luke wrote with simple, yet captivating, language. He also gives us details not found in the other three biblical biographies of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, and John).

      However, despite having penned two major books in the Bible—and the longest two in the New Testament—we don’t know much about Luke. He’s only mentioned three times in the Bible.

      This is what we know:

      First, we learn that Luke is a dear friend of Paul. Next, he’s a doctor. Third, he’s esteemed by Paul as a fellow worker. Last, in one of his darker hours, Paul laments that everyone is gone, and only Luke has stayed with him. As such, we see Luke as a faithful, persevering friend. Luke emerges as a man of noble character.

      We also know that Luke is a firsthand observer in many of the events he records in the book of Acts. We see this through his first-person narratives in some passages when he uses the pronoun we. (Read more about Luke and the book of Acts in this book’s sequel, Dear Theophilus, Acts: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church.)

      Although Luke wasn’t a church leader or an apostle, his contribution to our faith and our understanding of Jesus and his church is significant. Dr. Luke’s ministry function wasn’t leading or preaching. Instead, he played a silent and almost unnoticed supporting role.

      Though his work was quiet, his legacy lives on, loudly influencing Jesus’s followers two millennia later.

      What can we do to leave a faith legacy that will influence others after we die?

      [Discover more in these passages about Luke in Colossians 4:14, Philemon 1:24, and 2 Timothy 4:11. Read Luke’s first-person accounts in Acts 16:10–17, 20:4–15, 21:1–18, 27:1–29, 27:37, and 28:1–16.]

      DAY 1: SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW

      LUKE 1:1–4

      . . . so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:4)

      It’s easy to miss the first four verses in the book of Luke . In many Bibles , this passage carries the heading of Introduction . Most people skip introductions. I know. I usually do.

      Even if we read these first four verses, we typically read them fast. We want to get to the good stuff about John the Baptist that starts in verse five, so we can get to the really good stuff about Jesus that starts in chapter two.

      We need to slow down.

      Luke starts his book admitting that many others have undertaken the task of writing about the life of Jesus. We don’t know if they finished their works or what happened to their writings, but we do know Luke wants to write his own account—one thoroughly researched and backed by eyewitnesses to what Jesus said and did.

      As a non-Jew, Luke carries with him the detached perspective of a religious outsider. And as a doctor he possesses the training to note details and create an accurate record. He confirms that he carefully investigated everything to write an orderly account about Jesus.

      Why?

      For Theophilus.

      Who?

      The Bible tells us nothing about Theophilus, but Luke addresses both his books to this mysterious person. The reason is significant. Luke wants Theophilus to know—for certain—the things he was taught.

      Think about that.

      People told Theophilus about Jesus. Perhaps Theophilus believes, but maybe he still isn’t convinced. He might carry a tinge of doubt about this Jesus, the man who changed religion into a relationship. It’s so countercultural that it’s revolutionary. Regardless, Luke feels it’s worth his time to help Theophilus know Jesus—for sure.

      If you’ve ever had doubts—and, if we’re being honest, we all have at one time or another—wouldn’t it be amazing to know for sure? Who wouldn’t want to chase away lingering worries about our faith and replace them with confident conviction? That’s Luke’s goal. And that’s precisely why we should read the book of Luke.

      This is a grand undertaking that Luke made. Not only did he spend time writing a book, but even more so, he did the required research.

      Luke’s biography of Jesus is the longest book in the New Testament, at just under 20,000 words. His sequel, The Book of Acts, is the second longest. Together they’re almost the length of a short novel. That’s a lot of words, a lot of writing, and a lot of research.

      Though Luke writes this book with one person in mind, Theophilus, it’s available for us two thousand years later. Like Theophilus, we too can read Luke’s account of Jesus so that we can know for certain the things we’ve been taught.

      Would we be willing to research and write a book for just one person? What other things can we do to help others be sure of their faith?

      [Discover more about Theophilus in Acts 1:1–2. Read why John wrote his biography about Jesus in John 20:31.]

      PART 1: JESUS ARRIVES

      Luke 1:5 to 4:13

      DAY 2: JOHN WILL POINT PEOPLE TO JESUS

      LUKE 1:5–25

      Both of them were righteous in the sight of God. (Luke 1:6)

      Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth have no kids. They’re old. Seriously old. Their chance to have a baby has passed. From a human perspective it’s ridiculous, yet they pray for the improbable.

      They’re a righteous pair, Zechariah and Elizabeth. They obey all God’s commands and fully follow his rules—all of them. They’re both descendants of Aaron. In addition, Zechariah’s a priest. He works for God.

      Did you catch all that?

      They’re good people. They’re obedient and do the right things. They have the ideal heritage, and Zechariah lives to serve God.

      For all this devotion, doesn’t God owe them something in return? A kind of thank you gift? A reward? After all, they live right. In fact, Luke says they’re blameless. I’m sure this is a bit of an exaggeration, a little hyperbole to make

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