One Gospel: Four ViewsSample

JESUS: THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD (PART 4)

The Gospel of Luke is actually part of a two-part series by Luke, called Luke-Acts. Together they show Jesus establishing His kingdom here for all of humanity and the early church living out and expanding that kingdom (Acts 1:6-8).

Luke emphasizes Jesus came for the lost—the poor, marginalized, oppressed, and hurting—both Jew and Gentile. Luke focuses on the justice and mercy of the gospel, illustrating that the kingdom of Jesus is upside-down: the oppressed are raised up, and those pridefully at the top of society are humbled.

Luke emphasizes this upside-down kingdom in a few ways. In chapter 3, he traces Jesus’s genealogy all the way back to Adam. This isn’t just because Luke felt like doing extra homework he did this on purpose to show Jesus came to save the whole world, not just Israel. Jesus is the fulfillment of the plan God has had since the very beginning of creation, long before Israel existed.

Throughout the rest of the book, we hear of Jesus eating with the outcasts— prostitutes, corrupt tax collectors, and people with leprosy and other diseases—and He wanted these people to become His kingdom citizens. On the other hand, Jesus consistently criticized the Pharisees (who needed Him too) for failing to extend mercy, grace, and justice to the hurting.

Then, Jesus demonstrated the ultimate picture of the upside-down kingdom: He, God in flesh, willingly died on the cross to make a way for us sinners and outcasts—to be reconciled with God. He rose from the dead, defeating sin and death on our behalf and promising to return to make all things new, free from sin and death forever. And He sent His Spirit to be in us now.

For Luke’s audience, this was exactly what they needed to hear. He wrote to the early church so that they could know with certainty that the gospel is true and be encouraged to spread the good news and pursue mercy for the oppressed. Luke’s “accurate account” (Luke 1:3) would equip the church to answer the questions inevitably raised by their upside-down lifestyle.

Because of Luke’s Gospel, when the early church was asked, “Why do you hang out with outcasts?” they could smile and say, “Let me tell you…”

— Taylor Eising

THINK ABOUT IT

In what ways might Jesus’s kingdom seem upside down? How was Jesus’s coming surprising?

Jesus came for lost ones—for us. We all need Him. When was a time you felt lost?

KEY VERSE

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Luke 19:10 (NLT)