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Home , Acts 19, Apollos, Trophimus

The author of the in his name, and the book of Acts. Luke was a Greco-Syrian physician who lived in the Greek city of in Ancient . He is first noticed in Paul’s to Philemon vs 24. He is also mentioned in Colossians14:2 and :11, two that are ascribed to Paul. Luke a native of Antioch and was by profession a physician. He had become a of the apostle Paul and later journeyed with Paul until Paul's martyrdom. He was unmarried, and left no children. He served the Lord continuously was filled with the Holy Spirit he died at the age of 84 years. As far as we know Luke himself had never seen in the flesh. The ranks of living witnesses that had seen and heard Jesus was thinning fast and so Luke has no time to lose if he was to interview to interrogate those who had actually seen Him with their own eyes. Luke diligently sought them out to record their experiences before he set out to write his gospel account. , Mary, and Jesus brothers James, , Simon, Judas and His sisters some of whom were still alive are the motive by which Luke to set out to talk to them and record their dialogue of events that took place during those encounters. Mary opened up her heart to Luke in a way she had never done for anyone before. Things she had hidden and pondered in her heart; things that were known only to God and His Son, to Gabriele, to herself and Joseph. In Luke’s Gospel only do we read of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth’s salutation Luke 1: 41-45. Nowhere apart from Luke do we have “The Magnificate” vs 46-56 the mystery of God manifest in the flesh. The other leave us no record of these events. There are several hundred words in Luke’s gospel that are not recorded by the other three. Luke was a diligent and skilful writer; without his record we would be impoverished beyond measure. Please take time to read the following scriptural references. :24-28 at receives gospel truths from Aquila and Pricilla. In Paul encounters disciples of John who had not heard of the Holy Ghost since they believed. And he said to them, unto what then were you baptized? And they said, unto John's . Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of , saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve. (Acts 19:3-7) Paul had a great affection for Luke who was not only his disciple but his ever-present Physician. It was ry much by Luke’s constant ministrations to Paul’s badly beaten and battered body that he was able to travel as often and as far as he did. 2 Cor 6:5 in stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labours; in watchings and fastings and tossings to and fro. 2 Cor 11:24 Of the five times received I forty stripes save one. 2 Cor 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I [am] more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. :23 and when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison. Luke was in with the Paul at the end of Paul's life. This is attested by 2 Tim 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. In the last chapter of the Book of Acts which is attributed to Luke, we find this account in the first-person affirming Luke's presence in Rome :16: "And when we came to Rome". We have in the Luke’s gospel and The two most important books. To those who claim that Acts is not a book of doctrine I draw notice to 2 Tim 3:16 “all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”. Luke’s Gospel chronicles events not found in the other Gospels. It’s a goldmine of information. Luke gives us the hitherto hidden account of Mary’s espousal, ’s annunciation and Mary’s response. “Then said Mary unto the , how shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her Luke 1:34-38. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judea; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and

Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. Luke 1:39-45. The Magnificate: And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. Luke 1:46-49. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house Vs 56. From on the book becomes autobiographical of Luke and biographical of Paul in the same sense as when Ruth said to Naomi “entreat me not to leave thee, or return from following after thee, for whither thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge; and where thou diest I will die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me and more beside if aught but death part me and thee. Thus, Luke awaited Paul’s martyrdom in Rome. 2 Tim 4:1 22 the second epistle unto Timotheus was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time and eventually executed. “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, and have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Be diligent to come to me shortly for hath forsaken me, having loved this present world and is departed to Thessalonica; to , Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And have I sent to Ephesus. The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when you come bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments. the coppersmith did me much evil: The Lord reward him according to his works: beware of him for he hath greatly withstood our words. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Salute Prisca and Aquila, the household of . Erastus abode at : but have I left at Miletum sick. Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greets thee, and Pudens, and Linus, Claudia and all the brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

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God Bless

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