Luke's Orderliness

Have you ever wondered why Luke starts off by telling Theophilus that he’s writing his Gospel “in order” (Luke 1:3)? Was he just showing off his organizational skills, or was there a deeper pattern at play? Well, I got curious and decided to investigate this “orderly” business for myself. Turns out, Luke wasn’t just talking about neat paragraphs and tidy grammar. There’s an actual pattern in his writings that links what Jesus did and what He taught—and Luke wasn’t shy about it. He even hints at it again in Acts 1:1-2, referring to his Gospel as detailing “all that Jesus began both to do and teach.” So, here’s the fun part: Do first, teach faster! 😎


But don’t just take my word for it—let’s dig into Luke’s Gospel. If you look closely, you’ll see that before Jesus teaches, He does something first. It’s like He’s giving us a masterclass in how to live out the Word before we preach it. Luke mentions at least 11 times when Jesus was teaching (Luke 4:15, 4:31, 5:3, 5:17, 6:6, 6:20, 11:1, 13:10, 13:22, 19:47, 20:1)—but here’s the kicker: Before each teaching moment, Jesus pulls out the action card. Here are some gems:


1. Luke 4:31-37: Jesus kicks off by casting out a demon (doing), then teaches with authority in the synagogue (teaching). Talk about setting the stage!

   

2. Luke 5:1-11: A miracle of fish, then a call to discipleship. First, Jesus fills Peter’s nets (doing), then He fills Peter’s heart with a call to fish for people (teaching).


3. Luke 7:11-17: Jesus raises the widow’s son (doing), and the crowd instantly recognizes Him as a great prophet (teaching through action).


4. Luke 8:22-25: Jesus calms the storm (doing) and then schools the disciples on faith, asking, "Where is your faith?" (teaching).


5. Luke 9:10-17: Jesus feeds 5,000 people (doing) and then opens a deeper conversation about who He is and what it means to follow Him (teaching).


6. Luke 13:10-17: Healing a woman on the Sabbath (doing) is followed by a lesson on what the Sabbath is really about (teaching).


The evidence is crystal clear—“do and teach” is Luke’s order! He wasn’t just telling us about what Jesus said; he showed us what Jesus did and how His actions paved the way for the teaching to sink deeper. Jesus didn’t just preach about the Kingdom; He demonstrated its power. And here’s the cool part: Luke keeps this pattern going in Acts, showing how the apostles continued the "doing and teaching" mission, empowered by the Holy Spirit in their networks, neighborhood and all nations.


Would you agree that's the order Luke was talking about in verse 3? If you're of a different opinion, please reach out and sharpen another brother.

Now, here's a thought for us as we read through Luke: Are you living the Gospel you're proclaiming? Are your actions reflecting the words of Jesus, or are you all talk and no action? Luke gives us a challenge to do before we teach. So, are you ready to step up?


Let’s keep reading and learning from the Master—Jesus—whose actions spoke even louder than His words.

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