CRATE DETAILS
- “Mothers” Chunkie Pen (MSRP $1.79)
- “Your Faithfulness Reaches to the Skies” Coupon Keeper (MSRP $11.99)
- “All the Names of the Bible: A to Z Series” Reference Book (MSRP $19.99)
- “Two Fat Camels: The Story of Two Rich Men from Luke 18-19” Children’s Book (MSRP $7.99)
- “Blessed, Luke 1:45” Badge Reel (MSRP $5.99)
- “He Has Risen” Dog Tag (MSRP $4.99)
- “If God Wrote Your Birthday Card” Gift Book (MSRP $5.99)
- “Mini Moments for Mothers” Inspirational Gift Book (MSRP $3.99)
Crate News
In 2017 we will highlight a book from the Bible each month.
This month we are highlighting
The Book of Luke
Luke
The Gospel of Luke is one of Four Gospels of the New Testament that contains Narrative History, Genealogy, Sermons, Parables, and some Prophetic Oracles. The emphasis of Luke is Parables and contains more of them than any other Gospel (19 total). It is the third of the synoptic gospels. The key word in Luke is “Son of Man” which is used 80 times. The key personalities of the book include Jesus Christ, His parents Mary and Joseph, the Twelve Disciples, John the Baptist, Herod the Great, Jewish religious leaders, and Pilate.
This book was written to record an accurate account “so that you may know the exact truth” (1:4), of the life of Jesus Christ as the perfect Savior of the world. Luke wrote to the Greeks to present Jesus in His perfect manhood as the “Son of Man,” the Savior of all men.
While Luke’s name never appears in this gospel, ancient Christian tradition unanimously ascribes the book to him. One ancient prologue written to introduce the gospel describes Luke as a Syrian from Antioch. With this piece of information, we can deduce that Luke was probably not Jewish. Paul also listed him with other Gentiles in his greetings to the Colossians (4:14). The ancient prologue goes on to state that Luke eventually settled in the Greek city of Thebes, where he died at age 84.
Luke’s own introduction to his gospel indicates that Luke composed the letter with the purpose of providing a careful rendering of the events of Christ’s life in chronological order. As a physician, Luke would have been trained as a careful observer, a quality that would have been invaluable in this project. The result was the first part of a two-volume work written to Theophilus. We know the subsequent volume as Acts.
• In chapters 1-4, Luke writes a very detailed account of the birth of Jesus, a common Christmas story, yet always fascinating. He then explains John the Baptist’s preparation of the coming Messiah, then Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River, which transitions into Jesus’ beginning ministry in Galilee.
• Chapters 5-21 consist of the ministry of Jesus. As Jesus travels, He teaches, preaches, heals the sick, and brings hope to the desperate and discouraged. He was also seeking those who were obedient and faithful, such as the Roman Centurion who sincerely pleads with Jesus to heal his servant from a far distance, “just say the word, and my servant will be healed” (7:7). Jesus met many religious leaders who relentlessly opposed Him and constantly tried to trick and kill Him.
• In chapters 22-24, one of His own (Judas) betrays Jesus. He was unlawfully convicted by a dishonest and hateful court, and sentenced to an excruciating death. However, death could not hold Him and after three days He resurrected and arose from the grave, just as He had miraculously raised others during His ministry.
Luke’s interest in people is undeniable. Much of the material unique to Luke’s gospel involves Jesus’s interactions with individuals, many of them on the fringes of “acceptable” society—sinners, women, and children among them. Luke’s portrayal of Jesus reveals in our Lord a man come to minister and show compassion to all people, no matter their station in life.
The richness of Luke’s portrayal of Jesus has profound implications for our relationship with God today. Jesus walks through Luke’s gospel illustrating His deep and abiding care for people, regardless of what they have done or their status in society.
Do you believe that God loves you no matter what you’ve done? The fact that the eternal Son of God condescended to lower Himself, take on human flesh, make Himself subject to human limitations, and seek out His people in bodily form shows us clearly how much God cares for us and, in turn, how we are to care for others.
This month’s Crate contains items referencing this month’s featured Book of the Bible, The Gospel of Luke.
With Mother’s Day approaching (May 14th), you will also find gifts in your Crate for the special mother you know.
And as if that weren’t enough!….There are a few items included that we hope you will find useful, for yourself or as a gift to someone else.
As always, you can certainly keep all of your Crate’s contents for yourself, but we also like to suggest that you think of someone who’s life you’d like to touch & give them a gift from your Crate this month.
We hope that you will enjoy all of the contents of your Crate, that we bring a smile to your face and that something in your Crate will inspire you to explore your relationship with God on a deeper level.
Until your next Crate arrives…we wish you many blessed days!
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