Walk With God: An Exposition of Luke's Gospel

by R. C. Sproul

Publisher:

Christian Focus

, 1999

Overview

R. C. Sproul believes that Jesus is so prominent in history that no person can—or should—ignore his gentle but firm invitation to know him. And in his powerful commentary on Luke, Walk with God: An Exposition on Luke, Sproul shows readers why.

Luke, a first-century historian and doctor, was well aware of Jesus' importance to the world. Though Jesus was the son of a carpenter from an obscure Nazarene village, Luke realized how the Jewish Scriptures foretold his life, ministry, and mission centuries before his birth. Sproul sees how Luke painstakingly compiled eyewitness information to present a detailed, accurate account of this most important historical figure—and he unpacks it for modern readers in an easy-to-read way that shines a clear light on his subject. He divides Luke's account of the life of Jesus into devotional sections that help readers understand his impact and reevaluate their response to it.

"This book," wrote an Evangelical Times reviewer, "will help anyone get to grips with the Gospel of Luke and its wealth of information and detail" so that they will become familiar with Jesus' words and deads and "enjoy the company of Christ." Sproul's meditative telling of Luke's story of the Lord of the universe will introduce new and seasoned followers of Jesus to a Savior who is a friend to all who walk with him.

Contents

• Luke Chapter 1
  • 1. Introduction (Luke 1:1–4)
  • 2. Gabriel sent to Zechariah (1:5–25)
  • 3. Gabriel visits Mary (1:26–38)
  • 4. Mary visits Elizabeth (1:39–56)
  • 5. Birth of John (1:57–80)
• Luke Chapter 2
  • 6. The birth of Jesus (2:1–7)
  • 7. The shepherds (2:8–20)
  • 8. The presentation of Jesus in the temple (2:21–28) 9. Simeon and Anna (2:29–38) 10. The childhood of Jesus (2:39–52)
• Luke Chapter 3
  • 11. John the Baptist (3:1–6)
  • 12. John’s prophecy (3:7–15)
  • 13. Preparing the way for Christ (3:16–20)
  • 14. The baptism of Jesus (3:21–38)
• Luke Chapter 4
  • 15. The temptation of Jesus (4:1–13)
  • 16. Jesus’ public ministry begins (4:14–32)
  • 17. Jesus’ ministry of demon-exorcism (4:33–37) 18. Christ’s healing power (4:38–44)
• Luke Chapter 5
  • 19. Jesus calls the first disciples (5:1–11)
  • 20. Jesus heals a man with leprosy (5:12–16)
  • 21. Jesus heals the paralytic (5:17–26)
  • 22. Jesus calls Levi (5:27–39)
• Luke Chapter 6
  • 23. Lord of the Sabbath (6:1–11)
  • 24. The commissioning of the apostles (6:12–16)
  • 25. Jesus addresses his disciples (6:17–21)
  • 26. Christ’s value system (6:22–26)
  • 27. Love your enemies (6:27–36)
  • 28. A warning against judging others (6:37–42)
  • 29. A pattern for living (6:43–49)
• Luke Chapter 7
  • 30. The centurion’s display of faith (7:1–10)
  • 31. Jesus raises a widow’s son (7:11–16)
  • 32. Jesus and John the Baptist (7:17–30)
  • 33. Jesus describes the people of his generation (7:31–35)
  • 34. A sinful woman anoints Jesus (7:36–43)
  • 35. Jesus rebukes Simon the Pharisee (7:44–50)
• Luke Chapter 8
  • 36. Parables: he that has ears, let him hear (8:1–4)
  • 37. The parable of the sower (8:5–15)
  • 38. The parable of a candle in a vessel (8:16–18)
  • 39. Teaching and working miracles (8:19–25)
  • 40. Healing of a demon-possessed man (8:26–39)
  • 41. Jairus’ daughter and a sick woman (8:40–56)
• Luke Chapter 9
  • 42. Jesus commissions the twelve (9:1–11)
  • 43. The miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 (9:12–17)
  • 44. Peter’s confession of Christ (9:18–22)
  • 45. The cross that is made for every Christian (9:23–27)
  • 46. The glory of Christ (9:28–45)
  • 47. Who is the greatest? (9:46–50)
  • 48. The hostility of the Samaritans (9:51–56)
  • 49. Looking to the future (9:57–62)
• Luke Chapter 10
  • 50. Jesus sends out the seventy-two disciples (10:1–16)
  • 51. A time of rejoicing (10:17–24)
  • 52. The parable of the Good Samaritan (10:25–37)
  • 53. Jesus visits Martha and Mary (10:38–42)
• Luke Chapter 11
  • 54. Lord, teach us to pray (11:1–2a)
  • 55. The priorities of prayer (11:2b–4)
  • 56. Perseverence in prayer (11:5–13)
  • 57. The lord of the flies (11:14–26)
  • 58. The sign of Jonah for an evil generation (11:27–36)
  • 59. Jesus pronounces woes on the Pharisees (11:37–54)
• Luke Chapter 12
  • 60. A warning against hypocrisy (12:1–7)
  • 61. A warning against blasphemy (12:8–12)
  • 62. A warning against covetousness (12:13–32)
  • 63. The importance of being found ready (12:33–50)
  • 64. Bringing division not peace (12:51–59)
• Luke Chapter 13
  • 65. Why does God allow suffering? (13:1–5)
  • 66. The parable of the fig tree (13:6–17)
  • 67. Jesus talks about the kingdom of God (13:18–30)
  • 68. Jesus laments over Jerusalem (13:31–35)
• Luke Chapter 14
  • 69. Jesus dines with the Pharisees (14:1–24)
  • 70. The cost of being a disciple (14:25–35)
• Luke Chapter 15
  • 71. The parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son (15:1–19)
  • 72. The father’s welcome (15:20–32)
• Luke Chapter 16
  • 73. The parable of the unjust steward (16:1–18)
  • 74. The rich man and Lazarus (16:19–31)
• Luke Chapter 17
  • 75. Jesus instructs his disciples (17:1–10)
  • 76. Ten men healed of leprosy (17:11–19)
  • 77. The coming of the kingdom of God (17:20–37)
• Luke Chapter 18
  • 78. The parable of the importunate widow (18:1–8)
  • 79. The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (18:9–17)
  • 80. The rich young ruler (18:18–30)
  • 81. Jesus predicts the future and heals a blind man (18:31–43)
• Luke Chapter 19
  • 82. Salvation for Zaccheus (19:1–10)
  • 83. The parable of the ten minas (19:11–27)
  • 84. Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (19:28–44)
• Luke Chapter 20
  • 85. Jesus in the temple (19:45–20:8)
  • 86. The parable of the vine-growers (20:9–18)
  • 87. Paying taxes to Caesar (Luke 20:19–26)
  • 88. Marriage and the resurrection (20:27–40)
  • 89. David’s Son and David’s Lord (20:41–44)
• Luke Chapter 21
  • 90. The hypocrisy of the scribes and a widow’s gift (20:45–21:4)
  • 91. Jesus predicts destruction of Jerusalem (21:5–22)
  • 92. Predictions concerning Jerusalem and the Gentiles (21:23–24)
  • 93. Signs of the return of Christ (21:25–38)
• Luke Chapter 22
  • 94. Preparing for the Passover (22:1–14)
  • 95. The Last Supper (22:15–23)
  • 96. The disciples argue who is the greatest (22:24–38)
  • 97. In the Garden of Gethsemane (22:39–53)
  • 98. The arrest of Jesus (22:54–65) Luke Chapter 23
  • 99. The trial of Jesus (22:66–23:12)
  • 100. Jesus is sentenced to death (23:13–31)
  • 101. The crucifixion (23:32–43)
  • 102. Jesus’ death and burial (23:44–56) Luke Chapter 24
  • 103. The resurrection (24:1–34)
  • 104. Resurrection appearances and the ascension (24:35–53) Subject index

Top Highlights

“Yet Mary says to God, ‘If that is your will, then I’ll do it.’ The beginning of Jesus’ life is marked by a mother who submits to the will of God. The end of Jesus’ life is marked by the words: ‘Not my will, but yours be done.’” (Page 21)

“indicates a manifestation that is so visible, that is so clear, that no-one could miss it.” (Page 38)

“God is seen as having absolute authority over his servant, Simeon, and Simeon addresses God as his despoteis, indicating his total allegiance and total submission to the authority of God.” (Page 38)

“ It is very likely that Luke’s source was Mary herself.” (Page 32)

“Nothing could be further from the tone of Mary’s words. Mary was not giving orders to the angel. She was saying, ‘If this is what God wants, then I will do it.’” (Page 21)

What You'll Read

R. C. Sproul writes that of the four gospels, Luke is his favorite. And in his work Walk with God: An Exposition of Luke, Sproul's enjoyment of the only gospel written by a doctor and historian comes through. It's refreshing yet profound and is presented in a way that leaves readers contemplating one overarching question:

Are you at home in the company of Jesus?

The more than 100 meditation passages read more like devotions than commentary. Yet they bring a depth of understanding to Scripture by unpacking the original context in which Luke wrote his gospel.

For example, consider Sproul's commentary in Luke 4:30–32, just after Jesus reads from the scroll of Isaiah 61 about a future prophecy Isaiah had recorded centuries earlier, looking forward to the coming of the Messiah:

The word "Messiah," messiach in Hebrew, is translated by the Greek word Christos, which comes across into English as the word "Christ." So often when we think of the name of Jesus, we think that his name is Jesus Christ, but properly speaking his name would be Jesus of Nazareth, or Jesus bar Joseph—Jesus son of Joseph. The word "Christ" is actually a title that means "Messiah," which in turn means "One anointed by God for a special task." Therefore, anybody in the Old Testament who had a special anointing of God for a prophetic ministry or a priestly ministry or even a king who was anointed was, in a certain sense, a messiah, an anointed one. But in Jewish theology, the prophets taught of the coming day when not just a messiah would come but the Messiah. One who was ultimately and uniquely endowed by the Holy Spirit and anointed of God for the special task of redeeming his people. It is that Messiah, that Christ, that is being described in this scroll of Isaiah. Jesus outlined the agenda of the Messiah, ending with, "To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." In Jewish terminology, the "year of the Lord's favor" meant the age of the Messiah.

Though broken down according to the chapters of Luke's gospel, Sproul's commentary reads as a cohesive story, encouraging readers from all walks of life to spend quality time with Jesus—the preeminent character in history whom Sproul says invites those who follow him to be both his disciple and friend. For Sproul, living with Jesus at the center of the world is the secret to a meaningful life—and friendship with the Savior will lead to the believer feeling "comfortable in the company of Jesus."

What You'll Learn

R. C. Sproul's Walk with God: An Exposition of Luke does more than most commentaries on the subject. Like many Luke commentaries on the market, you'll learn who Luke was, why he wrote his gospel, and to whom Luke wrote. But you'll also glean some unique characteristics of his gospel, like:

• Why Luke wrote it primarily for those outside the Jewish community
• Why archaeology affirms Luke's historical accuracy
• Why Luke had great concern for people—particularly women
• Why Luke has been called the "theologian of the Holy Spirit"
• And more

In addition, through Sproul's easy-to-read-and-follow reflective writing, you'll learn about the culture and context behind Luke's writing that will bring new understanding to what the gospel writer was communicating—like:

• How at the time Luke wrote his gospel, Israel had not heard from God through a prophet for 400 years
• The meaning behind people's names—like how Zechariah means "the Lord remembers"—and why this is so profound
• The historical and cultural context behind Jesus' birth, the appearance of John the Baptist, his time in Jerusalem, and more
• How Jesus' temptation in the wilderness compares to that of Adam in the garden
• Jesus' teaching style and what his first-century followers would have picked up on that modern-day Bible readers often miss
• And more

Ultimately, you'll come away with a more profound knowledge of Luke and the Bible as a whole—and a fresh understanding of Jesus as a friend.

Product Details

• Title: A Walk with God: Luke
• Author: R. C. Sproul
• Series: R. C. Sproul Exposition Collection
• Publisher: Christian Focus
• Print Publication Date: 1999
• Logos Release Date: 2010
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Bible. N.T. Luke › Commentaries
• ISBNs: 9781845500948, 1845500946
• Resource ID: LLS:WALKWGODLK
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T03:40:57Z

About R. C. Sproul

R. C. Sproul (1939– 2017) was a respected teacher, theologian, pastor. He was the founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries where he served as executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.

Sproul held degrees from Westminster College, Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary, Free University of Amsterdam, and Whitefield Theological Seminary. He taught at several colleges and seminaries including Reformed Theological Seminary and Knox Theological Seminary. He served as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew’s Chapel, in Sanford, Florida. Sproul’s teaching can be heard daily on the ‘Renewing Your Mind’ radio broadcast which plays in over 40 countries.

Sproul wrote over 70 books and articles including the classic The Holiness of God and several theological articles in Tabletalk magazine.