Act 1:1-3 “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:”
Luke is the acknowledged the writer of the gospel and is also the writer of the book of the Acts of the Apostles (most often referred to simply as “Acts”). He refers to his record of the gospel in his opening statement here (“the former treatise”). Like the gospel, this writing references a man named Theophilus. The name Theophilus means “friend of God.”
If we, by God’s grace, are a “friend of God,” then we have reason to find great encouragement in the words that Luke has recorded. He wrote as one who carefully examined eyewitness accounts to the life of Jesus (Luke 1:3). He documented the calling of the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12-16). Luke wrote about the miracles that Jesus did, the parables He taught, the Last Supper, and Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.
There was earnest effort put into recording all that Jesus began, both His words and His actions. Jesus gave us insight into both these aspects of His life. In John 12:49-50, He plainly tells us that He speaks the words that He received from God the Father, and in John 5:19 He tells us He only does the things He has seen the Father do. The Holy Spirit moved Luke to record those things that would assure us that if we see the Son, then we see the Father also.
We see the whole of God in Luke’s writing. We see both the things that Jesus said and did, which He received from the Father. Before He ascended (“was taken up”), he left instructions for the apostles through the Holy Ghost. Although they saw the Holy Ghost in a mighty way on the day of Pentecost, the apostles had already been exposed to His power through Jesus.
It was certainly wondrous in that day for the apostles to see Jesus alive after they had witnessed His suffering and death. He showed Himself to them by many undeniable experiences. It is just as wondrous today that He continues to show Himself alive by many undeniable experiences to those He calls into His service here. We should rejoice every day that He has set His sights on us to reveal Himself in us!
He spoke to His disciples at that time of things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and He did so through the Holy Ghost. He still today speaks to us by the power of the Holy Ghost and reveals to us the things that pertain to kingdom of God here. The same power that revealed to them His will and purpose for them continues to do so for us today. The kingdom of God that Jesus spoke to His chosen about in that day through the Holy Ghost manifests itself in us today by that same power!
May we always be a friend to God, and while we sing “What A Friend We Have In Jesus,” may we remember that He called us “friends” as well (John 15:14-15)!
