Bethel Morning Worship | 7th November 2021 | "That You May Know The Certainty of Those Things"

Theme: “That you may know the Certainty of those things” Luke 1:4 7 NOV 2021
Text: Luke 1:1-4; 4:17-20
Title: “Those things which have been fulfilled among us”

INTRODUCTION

1. Having certainty

a. A natural desire to have certainty in life

b. There is a sense of assurance with certainty

2. When there is a lack of certainty

a. Doubts arise

b. Anxiety

c. Fear

3. Having certainty in the knowledge of our faith in Christ

a. This is possible!

b. This was Luke’s goal in writing his gospel narrative account of Jesus Christ!
“That you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed” Luke 1:4

4. Goals for this new series of Pulpit messages

a. To learn how we can find certainty in our faith in Christ

b. To look forward to celebrating Christmas with renewed joy in the certainty of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF LUKE

1. He was a Gentile believer

2. He was not an Apostle nor an original disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ

3. He was regarded by the Apostle Paul as the beloved physician (Colossians 4:14)

4. He was a gospel writer / historian

a. The Gospel of Luke
A narrative account of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ

b. The Acts of the Apostle
Tracing how the early Church started and grew
HOW LUKE FOUND CERTAINTY IN HIS FAITH IN CHRIST

1. He acquired knowledge from all the sources that were available to him (Luke 1:1 – 2)

a. The many who have set in order a narrative of Christ

b. The eyewitnesses of Christ

c. The ministers of the word

2. He acquired “Perfect understanding” (Luke 1:3)

a. He investigated carefully

b. He followed closely the lives of those who found faith in Christ

c. He examined everything carefully from the beginning to the end

3. He puts together an “orderly account” (Luke 1:4)

a. As a result of his careful research into the life of Christ

b. As way to help others find certainty of faith in Christ too!

THE FULFILMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES

1. Many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative (Luke 1:1a)

a. Many took their faith in Christ seriously

b. They took it upon themselves to know their faith well

i. To be able to set in order their knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ

ii. To skillfully communicate that knowledge in a narrative (Story)

2. Those things which have been fulfilled among us (Luke 1:1b)

a. This was the focus of their narrative of the Lord Jesus Christ

b. The Lord Jesus came and fulfilled the Scriptures!

3. This seemed good to Luke too (Luke 1:3)

a. He took up a similar challenge to know his faith well!

b. He carefully studied the Scriptures that were fulfilled

c. He presented it in his narrative to help others be certain of their faith in Christ!

FAITH IN THE PERSON OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

1. From the Scriptures (Luke 4:17 – 20)

a. Jesus was handed the book from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1 – 2)

b. Jesus read from the Scriptures concerning the Person of the Messiah

i. The Spirit of God is upon Him

ii. God has anointed Him

iii. To preach the gospel to the poor

iv. God has sent Him to heal the broken-hearted

v. To proclaim liberty to the captives

vi. To recover sight to the blind

vii. To set at liberty those who are oppressed

viii. To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD

2. Fulfilment of the Scriptures (Luke 4:21)

a. The Lord Jesus understood this as God’s word to Him to be fulfilled

b. He is going to fulfil this Scripture!

GREAT CHALLENGES

1. To know our faith well

a. To have “Perfect understanding”

b. To be able to “set in order” our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ

2. To have certainty of faith

a. In the fulfilment of the Scriptures

b. In the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ