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Scripture: Luke 1:1-4

Recently, while reading through Luke’s Gospel, I found myself appreciating something that I did not fully appreciate in my younger years—the unique beauty of each of the four Gospels.

For many years, if someone asked me which Gospel was my favorite, I would usually answer, “John.” Others might choose Matthew, Mark, or Luke. As I reflected on that, I thought about parents with several children.

A loving father does not love one child more than another. He loves them all deeply. Yet each child is unique, and each relationship has its own special qualities. One child may be especially thoughtful. Another may be adventurous. Another may be tender-hearted. Another may be full of energy. They are all loved equally, but each is appreciated for who they uniquely are.

In a similar way, God has given us four Gospels. Each tells the story of the same Savior, yet each presents Him from a different perspective.

Matthew presents Jesus as the King.

Writing primarily to a Jewish audience, Matthew repeatedly points to fulfilled prophecy and emphasizes Christ’s royal lineage. Again and again, Matthew shows that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the rightful King of Israel.

Mark presents Jesus as the Servant.

Mark moves quickly from one event to another. The word “immediately” appears repeatedly. There are fewer long discourses and more action. Mark shows us the Savior who came not to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many.

Luke presents Jesus as the Son of Man.

Luke highlights Christ’s humanity, compassion, and concern for ordinary people. More than any other Gospel, Luke records encounters with widows, outcasts, sinners, women, shepherds, and Gentiles. Some of Scripture’s most beloved stories appear only in Luke—the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, the Rich Man and Lazarus, Zacchaeus, the Pharisee and Tax Collector, the Emmaus Road, and many others. Luke reminds us that Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

John presents Jesus as the Son of God.

John writes with a clear purpose: “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). Rather than focusing on chronology, John carefully selects signs, conversations, and discourses that reveal Christ’s divine nature. Here we find the great “I Am” statements that magnify His glory and reveal His identity.

What a gift God has given us!

Matthew shows us the King.
Mark shows us the Servant.
Luke shows us the Son of Man.
John shows us the Son of God.

Four portraits.
One Savior.

Four witnesses.
One Christ.

Four perspectives.
One glorious Lord.

The more we study all four Gospels together, the more complete our picture of Jesus becomes. We see His authority, His service, His humanity, and His deity. We discover that no single portrait alone could fully capture His greatness.

Perhaps that is why God gave us four.

Prayer

Father, thank You for the gift of the four Gospels. Help me to see Christ more clearly through each one. May I marvel at Him as King, follow Him as Servant, trust Him as the Son of Man who understands my weaknesses, and worship Him as the eternal Son of God. Give me a growing appreciation for the richness of Your Word and the glory of Your Son. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture
“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” — Matthew 12:37 (NKJV)

Several years ago, a feature appeared on social media that fascinated many people. With a single click, it would scan a person’s posts and generate a summary of the words and themes that appeared most often. The result was often displayed as a “word cloud” in which the most frequently used words appeared largest. In a matter of seconds, people could see the subjects that dominated their online conversations.

While walking one morning, I found myself thinking about that feature and the words of Jesus in Matthew 12. Our Lord taught that our words reveal something deeper than mere speech. They reveal the condition of the heart.

Jesus said, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” In the context, He was speaking to religious leaders whose words exposed the unbelief and hardness of their hearts. The principle is clear: words do not create the heart’s condition, but they reveal it.

That led me to wonder: What if someone could gather every word I have spoken, written, posted, taught, or shared and create a word cloud of my life?

What words would appear largest?

Would they reveal a love for Christ, His Word, prayer, grace, and service? Or would they expose a life dominated by self-interest, complaint, worry, or trivial pursuits?

Of course, any human analysis would be incomplete. Modern artificial intelligence can examine patterns and summarize information, but it can only evaluate what is visible. It cannot see motives. It cannot discern intentions. It cannot understand the hidden reasons behind our words and actions.

God’s knowledge is altogether different.

Unlike artificial intelligence, God possesses perfect and complete knowledge. He is omniscient. He knows every word before it is spoken, every thought before it is formed, and every motive behind every action. Nothing escapes His notice.

In a sense, God does not need databases, algorithms, or language models to evaluate our lives. He already knows perfectly.

One day, believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. This is not a judgment to determine our eternal destiny. That question was settled forever when we trusted Christ as Savior. Instead, it is an evaluation of our lives, service, faithfulness, and stewardship.

At that moment, the Lord will not simply review what we did. He will understand why we did it.

He will remember every prayer offered in faith.

Every word of encouragement spoken to a weary believer.

Every act of service performed for His glory.

Every lesson taught.

Every sacrifice made.

Every opportunity seized.

Every opportunity neglected.

Nothing will be overlooked.

The thought is both sobering and encouraging. Sobering because our words reveal far more about us than we sometimes realize. Encouraging because the Lord sees not only our failures but also every act of faithfulness that may have gone unnoticed by others.

Perhaps it would do us good from time to time to conduct our own “word cloud” examination.

If someone reviewed my conversations, emails, social media posts, prayers, and daily speech, what themes would emerge?

What would they reveal about my priorities?

What would they say about my affections?

What would they communicate about my relationship with Christ?

The goal is not perfection but reflection. The Lord desires that our words increasingly reflect hearts that are being transformed by His grace.

May our speech point others to Christ, encourage fellow believers, and bring glory to the One who hears every word and knows every motive. And may we live each day in anticipation of hearing the words every believer longs to hear:

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)

14 Best Comforting Prayers for Loss of a Loved One – ConnectUS
— Read on connectusfund.org/14-best-comforting-prayers-for-loss-of-a-loved-one

This prayers are some awesome!

Is Addiction a Disease or a Choice? An Addict’s Perspective.Posted on May 4, 2017

Brie GowenBrie Gowen

I have seen a lot of articles and conversations on social media lately asking the question if addiction is a disease or a choice. When I see this topic I typically put my guard up, and naturally I take it pretty personally. After all, I’m an addict. I would venture to guess that most people who just know me via social media or as an acquaintance (aka, Facebook friend) are not aware of this little fact. I certainly don’t look like an alcoholic. And my husband doesn’t look like a drug addict. In fact we look like the perfect couple who has it all together, and in many ways, thanks to God’s grace, we do. He healed us both.

I’m a working nurse and a homeschooling mom. I own my own small, skincare business, and my husband owns a local restaurant. We thrive in our businesses, our relationships with one another, and also as role models to our children, but it wasn’t always this way. Once upon a time our lives were ruled by addiction. I almost said even as writing this that we allowed our lives to be ruled by addiction, but that seemed to be putting more power in our hands than I think they may deserve.

I come from a long line of addicts. Alcoholism runs in the family, along with suicide and other mental health illnesses. Because of this fact I always knew that drinking would be a bad idea for me, but I made the choice to drink anyway. There’s that word. Choice.

Looking back I’m unsure of when choice ended and the disease of addiction took ahold of me, but it seems like the lines blurred. I don’t think I ever made the conscience decision to become so dependent on alcohol that I couldn’t go a day without it. I don’t recall growing up with dreams to sit in my garage inebriated and crying over how miserable my life had become. I don’t think I ever said, “I’m going to continue to indulge in this substance that puts my life and the life of others in danger.” I never wanted to put my nursing license or my patients at risk because I was too weak to not be hung over on a work day. I didn’t think I’d ever be stupid enough to put a five-year-old in my car and drive intoxicated to go get more beer, but I did. I didn’t desire to yell and fight with the people I loved. I didn’t want to blackout and not remember hour blocks of time. I didn’t make the choice to develop such ridiculous, dangerous, and self-destructive behaviors. By that point I felt without choice.

It had started with a choice, but somewhere along the way it became something I no longer controlled. It controlled me. In a sinful world I had fallen, and I couldn’t get back up no matter how much I wanted to. Every day I would wake up feeling like crap. I would say to myself, today is the day I stop. But then I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.

Substance addiction changes the chemical composition of your brain. I do believe the propensity to overindulge or to lean towards addiction is inherited. I think we all as human beings make an initial choice to use, but then the sin overtakes your heart. It becomes a battle, an anchor, chains binding you. No one chooses to hurt the people they love.

I didn’t drink my first six pack and say, “I’m going to become so dependent on alcohol that I have to ostracize myself from others. I want to drink so much that I get to a point where I can’t imagine how to live life without it.”

Addicted fathers don’t choose drugs over seeing their kids.

Addicted mothers don’t choose to steal from the people they love.

You don’t choose to destroy your life, self-esteem, health, and the trust of those people who care about you. Who would choose that?

And even when you choose to leave addiction behind it’s more powerful than your choices. I emphatically proclaim that I didn’t beat addiction. I believe the Lord gave me the strength to overcome it, but I think it’s still there like a lion sneaking in the brush. I realized that I was an addict, and as an addict I didn’t have the liberty to casually use alcohol like so many of my friends and loved ones do. I had to choose to leave it completely behind, but that’s not the end of it. It’s a choice I have to make every day because the power of addiction isn’t something as simple as saying “yes, I will,” or “no, I won’t.” It’s much more than that. To say otherwise is giving human weakness too much power, but to say addiction cannot be overcome is not giving God enough credit.

Addiction is no respecter of persons. It can take over the kindest young man from the best family, and it can affect the intelligent professional who carries herself with grace. Addiction may start with a choice, but the slippery slope it becomes that leads to certain destruction goes beyond any conscience decision any human being would ever make. I think to answer the question of whether something is a disease or a choice isn’t as simple as that. After all, life never is.

Bill (not his real name) spoke honestly and revealed to me over lunch that as he reads the Bible he is finding it difficult to believe some of the miracles he is reading about. I responded by asking him, “Do you mean things like the whale that swallowed Jonah, and Noah and the story of the Ark, with all the animals on board?” He said, “Yes, that is exactly what I am talking about!”

When I asked Bill if there are any miracles that he didn’t have any problem believing, he said, “Oh yeah, I believe the story of Jesus and how Jesus died, was buried and rose again. I believe Jesus died for my sins and that he has forgiven me.”

“That’s great, Bill. Do you believe the first miracle in the Bible? The miracle of God creating all the plants, the animals and sun, moon and stars and finally Adam and Eve?”

“Yes, I believe that too,” he affirmed.

A crucial truth that I presented to Bill was that if we don’t believe the Genesis account of creation, or stories about Noah and the Ark, we will have problems later on believing what Jesus has to say. Why? Because Jesus talked about Noah, and clearly believed in the story of Noah. Jesus, in fact said that before He returns again, the conditions on earth would be much like they were in Noah’s day. If Jesus didn’t get it right about Noah, then how can we trust anything he says?

That made sense to Bill, and he is beginning to start taking God at His Word. That is called faith. Faith begins by “hearing the Word of God” (Romans 10:17) and faith grows as we continue to look to God for everything, instead of trying to “lean on our own understanding” or natural reasoning (Proverbs 3:5-6).

After Bill confirmed to me that he already believed two of the most important miracles of the Bible, I explained to him that if he believes the first miracle of the Bible–that a powerful God created everything, and the miracle of Jesus dying for our sins, and rising from the dead, then it is quite logical to believe God can do anything. Bill agreed, and once again, like he has been in the habit of doing lately, he goes on his way wearing that great big smile.

I was asked this very question the other day. I was sitting across the table from an eager young man that I recently had the privilege of leading to Christ. We met at a restaurant at his request. He had questions… and lots of them! It’s thrilling to see him so hungry to understand the Bible. In fact he was more interested in discussing the Bible than he was eating.
When my friend Bill (not his real name) asked me this question, it took a moment to understand where he was coming from. Then I recalled the New Testament I gave him right after leading him to Christ, and the instruction I gave him about reading it. I failed to mention to him that there are four gospels, and that each writer is presenting Jesus Christ to the world through their writings under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
This is what was puzzling to him. He would read Matthew and then begin to read Mark, only to discover that Mark was starting over and telling about the beginning of the story of Jesus all over again. He found the same thing happened when he got to Luke.
I then explained to Bill, that each writer was writing with the guidance of God to tell the story of Jesus. They were not giving us four different gospels, because there is only one gospel, but these are four independent witnesses sharing with the world, the truth about Jesus Christ. There are many things that each writer says that are similar, but if we read carefully we will find some distinct differences as well. I explained to Bill that the differences in their testimonies are COMPLIMENTARY and not CONTRADICTORY.
Bill was like a sponge as I explained that the four gospel writers were telling the story of Jesus, giving their unique perspective and it seems with a unique audience in mind too. It seems Matthew had the Jewish people in mind, Mark had the Romans in mind, Luke had the Gentile (anybody not a Jew) in mind, and John wanted the whole world to embrace what He had to say about Christ.
There is a lot more to tell, but I wanted to make sure Bill didn’t get stumped by reading these accounts and wondering why in one place two blind men are mentioned while another account only mentions one. To illustrate this, I asked Bill to imagine being one of four people that witnessed an accident. The policeman arriving on the scene asks him and the other three to write out what they saw. In those four accounts there would probably be many things similar, yet there would be distinct differences too. One might have only seen two cars crashing into one another, while another saw that a third car failed to brake when the first two cars crashed and included that in their report too. Another may have seen all three cars were damaged but because that person arrived on the scene a few seconds after the fact, he was not able to report anything about who hit who.
The fact that the reports of each person varied some doesn’t mean that somebody wasn’t telling the truth. In fact, whenever four witnesses give a report on the same crime and they all tell the exact same story the exact same way it sends up a flag to the detective interviewing the individuals that they must have gotten together to collaborate about their stories. This is called collusion. When this happens, witnesses are usually not considered reliable, and may in fact be trying to cover something up.
Satisfied with the answers I gave to his concerns, this inquisitive young man grinned widely. It is always a delight and blessing to see new converts with such a fervor to know Christ and grow in faith and understanding!

TO THE ARCHITECT HE IS THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.

TO THE ARTIST HE IS THE ONE ALTOGETHER LOVELY.

TO THE ASTRONOMER HE IS THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR.

TO THE BAKER HE IS THE BREAD OF LIFE.

TO THE BANKER HE IS THE REDEEMER.

TO THE BIOLOGIST HE IS THE LIFE.

TO THE BUILDER HE IS THE SURE FOUNDATION.

TO THE CARPENTER HE IS THE DOOR.

TO THE EDUCATOR HE IS THE GREAT TEACHER.

TO THE FARMER HE IS THE LORD OF THE HARVEST.

TO THE FLORIST HE IS THE LILY OF THE VALLEY.

TO THE GEOLOGIST HE IS THE ROCK OF AGES.

TO THE LAWYER HE IS THE LAWGIVER.

TO THE NEWSPAPERMAN HE IS THE GLAD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY.

TO THE ORPHAN HE IS THE EVERLASTING FATHER.

TO THE PHARMACIST HE IS THE ONLY GUARANTEED PRESCRIPTION.

TO THE PHILANTHROPIST HE IS THE UNSPEAKABLE GIFT.

TO THE PHILOSOPHER HE IS THE WISDOM OF GOD.

TO THE PREACHER HE IS THE WORD OF GOD.

TO THE RANCHER HE IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

TO THE SERVANT HE IS THE GOOD MASTER.

TO THE SICK HE IS THE ONLY CURE.

TO THE STUDENT HE IS THE INCARNATE TRUTH.

TO THE TOURIST HE IS THE MAP TO HEAVEN.

TO THE TRAVELER HE IS THE WAY.

TO THE WEARY HE IS THE GIVER OF REST.
BUT JESUS IS MORE THAN WHAT IS IN THESE DESCRIPTIONS. TO SIMON PETER HE WAS “THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.” TO THE SINNER HE IS “SAVIOR, COUNSELOR, AND MEDIATOR.”

TO HIS DISCIPLES TODAY HE IS THE “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

TO THE CHURCH MEMBER HE IS THE ROCK ON WHICH THE CHURCH IS FOUNDED!
WHO IS JESUS TO YOU?

Author Unknown

CREATION
(1) The eternal God
(2) Creation of Angels
(3) Creation of the Universe
(4) Creation of Mankind
(5) Life in Paradise

“FALL”
(6) Fall of a Powerful Angel
(7) Beginning of Human Sin
(8) The origin of Death
(9) Promise of a Satan Conqueror
(10) Sin’s Extensive Effects
(11) Provision of Covering
(12) Banishment from the Garden
(13) Cain and Abel
(14) Seth and His Descendants

“FLOOD”
(15) The Great Flood

“BABEL”
(16) The Tower of Babel

“PATRIARCHS”
(17) Promises to Abram
(18) Destruction of Sodom
(19) Abram’s Son Ismael
(20) Abram’s Son Isaac
(21) Isaac’s Son Jacob
(22) Israel’s Family to Egypt
(23) Israelites in Egypt

“MOSES”
(24) Moses’ Call to Leadership
(25) Plagues in Egypt
(26) The Passover
(27) The Exodus from Egypt
(28) The Mosaic Covenant
(29) The Golden Calf Rebellion
(30) Tabernacle in the Wilderness
(31) God’s Provision for Forgiveness
(32) The Day of Atonement
(33) Unbelief at Kadesh
(34) The Bronze Serpent
(35) Preparation for Canaan
“JOSHUA”
(36) Conquest of the Promised Land

“JUDGES”
(37) The Judges, an Era of Spiritual Darkness
(38) Some Bright Lights in an Era of Darkness

“MONARCHY”
(39) Saul, Israel’s First King
(40) King David, a Special King for Israel
(41) David’s Messianic Psalms
(42) King Solomon, David’s Son

“DIVISION”
(43) The Kingdom of Israel Divided
(44) God’s Prophets Elijah & Elisha
(45) Pre-Exilic Prophecies of Israel & Judah

“EXILE”
(46) The Exiles of Israel & Judah
(47) Exilic Prophecies from Judah
(48) Exilic Prophecies from Babylon

“RETURN”
(49) Jews Return to Jerusalem
(50) The Walls Rebuilt & the People Revived

“ANTICIPATION”
(1) Four Hundred Years of Anticipation

“ARRIVAL”
(2) Birth of Jesus, the Christ
(3) Family History of Jesus
(4) Early Events in Jesus’ Life

“SECLUSION”
(5) Temptations by Satan
(6) John the Baptist’s Testimony
(7) The Selection of Jesus’s Disciples
(8) Encounter with a Religious Leader
(9) Encounter with a Samaritan Woman

“POPULARITY”
(10) Spread of Jesus’s Fame
(11) Jesus’ Power over as Stormy Sea
(12) Jesus’s Power over a Legion of Demons

“OPPOSITION”
(13) Jesus’s Claims of Oneness with God
(14) Jesus’ Power over Blindness
(15) Stories of God’s Love and Forgiveness
(16) Jesus’ Teaching about Hell
(17) Jesus’ Power over Death

“SUFFERING”
(18) Jesus’ Triumphal Entry
(19) A Prophetic Discourse on the Mount of Olives
(20) Jesus’ Last Supper with His Disciples
(21) Betrayal of Jesus
(22) Jesus’s Appearances before Unjust Judges
(23) The Crucifixion of Jesus, His Humiliation & Suffering
(24) Jesus’ Death & it’s Provision for Mankind

“VICTORY”
(25) The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
(26) Appearances & Impact of the Resurrected Jesus
(27) Great Commission
(28) Ascension of Jesus

“APOSTLES”
(29) The Gospel & Jews in Jerusalem
(30) Life & Ministry in the Early Church
(31) The Gospel to the Fringe of Judaism
(32) Conversion of Saul of Tarsus
(33) Conversion of Cornelius
(34) The Church in Syrian Antioch
(35) Paul’s First Missionary Journey
(36) The Jerusalem Council
(37) Paul’s Second Missionary Journey
(38) Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
(39) Paul before Roman Judges
(40) Final Years of the First Century A.D.

“CHURCH”
(41) Two Thousand Years of Church History
(42) Jesus’ Return for Believers
(43) Future Judgment of Believer’s Works

“TRIBULATION”
(44) Future Period of Tribulation
(45) The Return of Jesus Christ

“KINGDOM”
(46) The Future Earthly Kingdom of Jesus Christ

“JUDGMENT”
(47) Satan’s Final Doom
(48) The Great White Throne Judgment
(49) The Destruction of the Heavens & Earth

“RESTORATION”
(50) The New Heavens & New Earth

Disciplemaking Strategies: Bible Storying
The Bible Storying method is an excellent disciplemaking strategy. It’s based on the reality that “even if people like learning through reading, reading by itself is not the best way to move information from the head to the heart.” (Real Life Discipleship, p 156)

One of the best things about Bible Storying is that it keeps the Bible central to the process of making disciples who make disciples. Jim Putman, pastor of Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho, notes, “We believe that the Bible is the best curriculum available, but we also believe that having trained leaders with the Bible in their hands is God’s best way of making disciples.” (p. 157)
If you are looking for a simple, reproducible method of disciplemaking that places a high value on the authority of Scripture, utilizes the Bible as the curriculum, and affects people at a heart level, consider Bible Storying.

Here’s how it works…
1. Choose a story set from the Bible that is relevant (OT to the Cross, The Gospels, Book of Acts, etc.)

2. The group leader learns one of the stories or assigns someone to learn the story. (Learn so the story is told without reading it, but not word for word.)

3. While the storyteller tells the story, the group reads along to see if the storyteller has missed anything.
4. When finished, the storyteller or leader will rebuild the story, pointing out anything that was missed.
5. The leader often asks someone to tell the story back to everyone without reading. (No one knows who will be asked, so everyone pays attention.)

6. Once the story has been told, rebuilt, and told again, the group leader asks questions to draw out the important truths in the story. For example:
a. What new things did you discover in the story that you did not know before?
b. What did you learn about God?
c. What did you learn about people?
d. Which person is most like you in the story?
e. What will you take away from this discussion?
f. What will you do with what you have learned?
7. Each person identifies application points for their own life.

Bible Storying gives every believer an opportunity to engage in the disciplemaking process. You will quickly discover that you don’t have to be an expert to tell a story. By simply telling the story, asking questions, and committing to this process – you can reproduce disciplemakers!
8 Benefits of Storying
1. It helps people know the Bible.
2. It helps recruit leaders. (Storytelling is part of the human experience.)

3. It is better for real learning.
4. It better arms people for service.
5. It helps people disciple their kids.
6. It helps leaders assess where people are spiritually.
7. It keeps small groups from being boring.
8. People get to know each other.

TODAY’S MISSIONAL CHALLENGE

Use Bible Storying with a small group of friends. Discuss the benefits of this strategy for disciplemaking!
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Author
Dave DeVries
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Dr. Dave DeVries is a coach, trainer and strategist – and founder of Missional Challenge. He is passionate about coaching and training church planters and missional leaders. His training skills have been used to mobilize church planters, pastors and ministry leaders across the country and around the world. Missional Challenge partners together with churches, networks and denominations to advance disciplemaking movements globally.With 25+ years of church planting and leadership development experience, Dave brings his passion and encouragement to those he trains and coaches. He created The Multiplication Cycle™ to assist church planters to start churches by making disciples. He has trained and coached hundreds of coaches and church planters across the United States and internationally.Dave has been coaching pastors and church planters for more than ten years. His experience in church multiplication led to his doctorate in transformational leadership at Bakke Graduate University. He also received a Master of Divinity from The Master’s Seminary and graduated from Biola University with a B.S. in Business Administration.

General Bible study questions

These questions can help you better understand the word and help it come alive in you.
What do you think is the key message of this chapter?
What did you learn from this chapter?
Which point in this chapter spoke to you the most?
Why do you think God included this chapter in the Bible? What’’s the point?
Do any of these truths written thousands of years ago apply today? If so, which ones? How do they apply?
Are there truths in this chapter that contradict the ideas we hear in the world? If so, what are they?
Is there something in this chapter that surprised you? If so, how were you surprised?
Are there any verses in this chapter that confuse you or that seem to contradict other parts of the Bible?
In view of what we have read, what changes do you think God would want you to make in your attitude, words, or actions?