SATURDAY July 16, 2022
The Writer and His Recipient
The former account I [Luke] made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen....
Acts 1:1-2
Remember, Luke was the only writer who was not a Jew––he was a Greek. He wrote the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. Luke introduced to us the recipient of his letter––Theophilus. He was an honorable man who may have been a magistrate working for the Roman government. It is believed, through Luke’s witness, he was saved. Matthew Henry wrote:
St. Luke dedicates his gospel to his friend Theophilus, not as to his patron, though he was a man of honour, to protect it, but as to his pupil, to learn it, and hold it fast.
The name Luke in the Greek language is Lucania (a region in southern Italy); it means “a light,” or “bringer of light.” Interestingly, he became a light to Theophilus, showing him the light of the Gospel as described in 2 Corinthians 4:4, ...the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ....
Luke, as the writer, informed his recipient, Theophilus, of the continuing story, as if the book of Acts was part two to his Gospel of Luke. He first shared with Theophilus the life of Jesus Christ; then, in the book of Acts, he informed him of what happened after Jesus ascended and the Holy Spirit came.
The Church was born, and the Holy Spirit’s work has not ceased among believers today. We can all fit into the book of Acts, as the book does not have a conclusion. We are still a part of the story––a part of Christian history. Like Luke, do you have a friend with whom you can share the story of the Gospel? Study the Scriptures and be empowered to do so by God’s Spirit.
The gospel must be preached afresh and told in new ways to each generation, since every generation has its own unique questions. The gospel must constantly be forwarded to a new address, because the recipient is repeatedly changing his place of address.
~Helmut Thielicke~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
