The Gospel of Luke is my favorite Gospel to read. The author— often believed to be Paul- told us a more complete story than the other three. Thankfully, he fills gaps the other gospels miss. In the first three chapters alone, Luke details the birth of John the Baptist, provides the only details for Jesus’ birth and several visits to Jerusalem. It’s not Shakespeare, but it’s easier to read than the other Gospels.

I read it like a movie script. The elderly parents of John the Baptist (Zacharias and Elizabeth) were barren until the proper moment. Then the Lord used them to prepare the way for the Messiah. Their eccentric son’s preaching and calls for repentance trained the hearts of the people toward Heaven. Not only that, shepherds receive a visit from “an angel of the Lord”, old servants (Simeon and Anna) see promises fulfilled, and 12-year-old Jesus decided he was gonna stay in the temple rather than go back to Nazareth (or where ever Jesus grew up.) These details and people give us color and context to the world Jesus entered.

They also help us gain a more clear understanding of how the Lord works.

The birth, life, and resurrection of Jesus are not about a superhero God. It’s the story of our Father God, working through us, to bring His family together. That’s what I love about the first few chapters of Luke. While the other gospel jump into the life of Jesus, the Gospel of Luke shows us what other people experienced in the life and time of Jesus.

Think about this statement from Elizabeth:

“This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.”

- Luke 1:25 NASB

It’s sad to think about Elizabeth, her barren condition prior to this moment. She was a disgrace…for no good reason. She wasn’t a jerk or menace. She was infertile until she wasn’t. How human is that? How often do we feel ashamed about life beyond our control? The most important aspect of this statement is where it came from. Either the author of Luke imagined it…or Elizabeth told her story to at least one other person. (Given the details about Mary in Luke, I think it’s Mary or someone super close to Mary.)

What I was drawn to today was what the gospels don’t say about any of these people. None of them were called talented, smart, or gifted. None of them were from prestigious families, held positions of power or status. What they were was faithful and dedicated. The goodness and joy of the Lord are in the dedication to Him, to His kingdom. It’s a truth I forget while I’m trying to prove my worth to the world. Thank God for Luke, and his inclusion of regular people.