September 3, 2025 • 20 mins
Dr. Schreck discusses some of the distinctive themes in the Gospel of St. Luke, especially as a "Gospel of mission" addressed to a Gentile (non-Jewish) audience.
St. Luke highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in this mission, providing both guidance and power. This explains the desire of "the heavenly Father [to] give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him" (Lk 11:13).
Listen to more The Spirit and The Bride episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources at Faith and Reason.
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(00:10):
Hello, this is Doctor Alan Schreck.
We're continuing our serieson the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.
And this podcast is going to be lookingat the Holy Spirit,
particularly in the Gospel of Saint Luke.
And we'll also even getto the second volume
of Luke'swritings, the acts of the apostles.
But beginning with the Gospel of Luke.
(00:32):
Now, we've noted that each gospel of we'velooked at the synoptic Gospels
last podcast, we looked at the Holy Spiritin Matthew and Mark,
and each gospel we know has a distinctemphasis and perspective.
Now, the Gospel of Luke has been calledmany things
that reflect Luke's, specific concernsand perspectives.
(00:54):
Just to give you some examples,
like they've called Luke's Gospelthe gospel of the poor.
For example, in his versionof the Beatitudes, he says in,
Luke 620, blessed are you poor, foryours is the kingdom of God.
Matthew's gospel says you were blessedare the poor in spirit.
But, Luke wants to make it very specific.
(01:16):
The kingdom is for the poor.
In, Luke 14, verse 13 and 14.
Jesus says, when you give a feast,invite the poor and the lame that
the maimed and the crippled.
And Jesus
also gives many parables about the poor.
For example, the parable of the rich man,Devis and Lazarus.
(01:37):
Who, of course, the poor manends up in the bosom of Abraham.
So those are just some examplesof Luke's emphasis on the poor.
It's also been called Luke's Gospel,the gospel of mercy.
In Luke 536, Jesus says, be merciful,even as your father is merciful.
And, Jesus reaching out to Zacchaeus,
(01:57):
you know, tax collector, a sinner.
And yet Jesus has mercy on himand invites himself
over to seek his houseso that salvation would come to him.
And we're going to see also how Jesus,this is also us, will see a gospel
emphasizing mission Jesus callsnot just the righteous,
as he says, but sinners to repentance.
(02:20):
Also regarding merciful, the mercy of God.
Just think of Jesus's parablesand Luke's gospel of the Good Samaritan.
You know, the Samaritan having mercyon this man beaten up by robbers.
And the parable of the prodigal son,where the father
has mercy on his son who goes astray.
Luke's gospelhas been called the gospel of prayer.
(02:42):
Besides givingmany examples of Jesus's own prayer.
Luke's Gospel includes, parables of the,the of Jesus's
parables of the Pharisee and the publican,how we should pray with humility.
And he gives parables about persistencein prayer, such as the widow
and the unjust judge who badger themtill she, the judge gives her her justice.
(03:05):
And also in, Luke chapter 11,the man, coming in the middle of the night
seeking bread from a friend.
And even though the and again,this is really in the midst of Luke 11,
which is Jesus's teaching on prayer,beginning with the Lord's Prayer
and talking againabout persistence in prayer.
And we'll get to a specific teachingabout prayer,
(03:26):
regarding the Holy Spiritin just a minute.
And this gospel is again,has many different emphases.
It's been called the Gospel of women.
But I would like to focusbecause this series is on, the Holy Spirit
that Luke's gospeland the acts of the apostles
have also often been called,the gospel of the Holy Spirit.
(03:49):
And and I think that's true.
And we're going to see illustrationsof Luke having
a special emphasis on the Holy Spirit.
I'm going to say that,as we look at the acts of the apostles,
I think his gospeland the acts are written in
what I call in the afterglow of Pentecost,
and it's just really on the forefront
(04:09):
of Luke's mind, the importance of the
the Holy Spirit given to the churchon the day of Pentecost.
But I really like to call, not that
to put this work of the Holy Spiritin the broader context.
I like to look at the gospel of Lukeand acts
as being a gospel of mission,
(04:30):
a mission, and showing the mission of,look, really emphasizing
the mission of Jesus and,and the mission he's giving to the church.
And I think that is a mission of,calling people
to repentance, to faith, to conversion.
This gospel is written particularly,there are many indications
(04:50):
that this gospel is writtenparticularly to a Gentile audience.
And it'sand we can see this in a number of ways.
For example, even Luke himselfwas a companion of Saint Paul,
who is, of course,the great apostle to the Gentiles.
So Luke takes that seriouslyin writing his gospel,
and they actually emphasizesthis missionary aspect,
(05:13):
reaching out beyond the Jewish communitywho are the chosen people,
but reaching out to thosewho are outside of that community?
One, one really,
it's striking illustration to meof how you can see this
gospel is addressed to the Gentilesis, at the end of the gospel.
(05:36):
It it speaks about the, it speaks about,
Jesus during his,after his at the time of his death.
After his death.
Well, first of all, before his death,we know that Jesus was on the cross there.
And of course, on both sides of himwere two criminals or robbers.
(05:57):
In Mark and Luke'sand Mark in Matthew's gospel,
it simply says he was crucifiedbetween two others, and they reviled him.
Both of them reviled him.
But then Luke's Gospels, one of the,the robbers, reviled him.
But the other two quote Luke chapter
2340 and following.
(06:19):
But the other rebuked him, saying,do you not fear
God, since you are underthe same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed justly, for we are receivingthe due reward of our deeds.
But this man has done nothing wrong.
And of course,this is the good thief, where he says,
Jesus, remember mewhen you come into your kingly power.
(06:40):
But this here, he emphasizes this.
We're being justly punished.
This man has done nothing wrong.
And, to underscore that point,
after Jesus, diesin Matthew and Mark's gospel,
there's a centurion and the centurionat Jesus's death proclaims,
truly this man is the son of God.
(07:04):
in Luke's gospel, I'll quote againLuke 23, verse
46, and following verse 47.
Now when the centurion sawwhat had taken place,
he praised God and said,certainly this man was innocent.
Now isn't that unusual?
(07:24):
I mean, you'd think like Mark and Matthew,a profession of faith.
Why does the centurion in Luke'sgospel said
as praising God and saying,certainly this man was innocent?
Well, I think you can understandthat one of the biggest stumbling blocks
to, a Roman citizen or a non-Jew would,if you're going to proclaim that Jesus was
(07:47):
someone great, a great man who ought to,we have to have faith in him.
But they could say, wait a minute.
This man was was,tried by a Roman procurator.
He was given a trial.
He was sentenced to death.
Why should we follow him?
And so Luke is giving, a response to this.
First of all, the good thief saying,this man has done nothing wrong.
(08:11):
The centurion proclaiming,surely this man is innocent.
So these are just some in the collocationsof, of of that
this gospel has Lukeas a concern for the Gentiles.
And so if this is a gospel of mission,what is the mission?
Well, at the beginning of, Luke's gospel,
(08:32):
we have the revelationof the beginning of this
mission is with Johnthe Baptist in John in Luke chapter three,
it says, the word of God came to John,the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.
And he went into all the regionabout the Jordan,
preaching a baptism of repentancefor the forgiveness of sins.
(08:53):
And then he goes on and quotesIsaiah 43 through five years
the voice of one crying in the wilderness,prepare the way of the Lord,
but emphasize what was John preaching?
A baptism of repentancefor the forgiveness of sins.
That's part of the mission.
ThoughJesus, in Mark's gospel, his first words
are repent,for the kingdom of God is at hand.
(09:15):
But if we look at the end of Luke'sgospel,
we see the words of Jesusat the very last chapter of Luke's Gospel.
Chapter 24, Jesus is speaking to the 12and his actually
to all his disciples immediatelybefore his ascension into heaven.
And he it says, then he opened
(09:37):
this is verse 2445.
Then he opened their mindsto understand the scriptures
by the way that phrase is usedjust before that.
And when he is speaking
to the two disciples on the roadto obedience, he says, they open their he.
He open their mindsto understand the scriptures.
And here it says, and he said to them,this is to all of the disciples.
(09:59):
Thus it is writtenthat the Christ should suffer,
and on the third day rise from the dead,
and that repentanceand forgiveness of sins
should be preached in his nameto all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
So and
you are witnesses of these things,and it goes on.
(10:19):
And I'll get back to what he saysafter that.
But, the mission of Jesus is,part of the core,
beginning with John the Baptist,repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
And, those who receivethis are to proclaim
that repentancefor the forgiveness of sins, will be,
this will be preachedin Jesus's name to all the nations.
(10:40):
Now, so that's the mission.
But what does the Holy Spirit providein this mission?
This is what I'd like to focus onfor the rest of this.
Podcast.
What is the Holy Spiritdoing in the mission of Jesus?
Let's go back to the beginningof Jesus's ministry.
Remember that, after Jesus's baptism,
(11:03):
it says in Luke four, chapterone of our chapter four, verse one,
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returnedfrom the Jordan where he was baptized
and was led by the spiritfor 40 days in the wilderness.
Now, I would like to say that one thingthat we're going to see, Luke emphasizes
(11:23):
is that for the mission,the Holy Spirit provides guidance.
Jesus is led by the spiritinto the wilderness to confront Satan.
The Holy Spirit is, is is a guide.
And we'll see thisas we go in our next podcast,
especially the acts of the apostles, wherethe Holy Spirit is guiding the apostles
(11:45):
and where they are to proclaim the gospeland even what they are to say.
the other thing that the Holy Spiritprovides, and this is clear
in the ministry of Jesus, and we've talkedabout this is power in Luke 414,
after Jesus has been tempted by the devil
and renounces him, his temptations,it says,
(12:06):
Jesus returnedand the power of the spirit into Galilee.
I think that's a summary.
Jesus's ministry is donein the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a source of powerfor mission.
So those are the two things.
If we look at Luke and the actsof the apostles as a gospel of mission,
(12:27):
the Holy Spirit in this regard providesthese two things guidance for the mission
where you're where, Jesus is to go,where the disciples are to go
and to empower them, to doeverything that God has sent them to do.
Now, of course, we've already lookedin our previous podcast and,
in Luke chapter 425 through 30,well, in in Luke chapter four,
(12:50):
when Jesus goes into the,
into his hometownand declares, we talked about this,
this is actually,Luke 417 you where he opens
the scroll of Isaiah and, and says,the Spirit of the Lord is upon me
because he has anointed meto preach the good news to the poor.
(13:10):
So, again, this emphasizes things.
Luke's words to say, the Spirit of theLord is the source of Jesus's anointing.
And he's preaching the good news tothe poor, proclaiming liberty to captives.
And and then, after that, of course, he
he we've gone over this,he closes the book and says,
this scripturehas been fulfilled in your hearing.
(13:31):
But then, then there's a following this.
Jesus confronts them.
They're sort of skeptical.
They're saying, you know,why isn't Jesus doing mighty works here?
And Jesus says in, look for 23,
doubtless you will me this proverb,physician heal yourself.
(13:51):
What we have heard you did at Capernaum,do here in your own country.
And Jesus said that he said, trulyI say to you, no prophet
is acceptable in his own country,but in truth I tell you.
And then he goes on and says,there are many.
I'm a paraphrase here.
There are many widows, in Israel,that the days
in the days of Elijah,when heaven is shut up.
(14:13):
But Elijah was sent to none of them, butonly to Zarephath in the land of Sidon,
which is Gentile territory,to a widow who a woman who was a widow.
And he said, there's many.
Jesus says there are many lepers in Israelin the time of the prophet Elisha.
And none of them was cleansed,but only named the Syrian.
And at that it says, in Luke 428,when they heard this,
(14:38):
all in the synagoguewere filled with wrath,
and they rose upand put him out of the city
and led him to the brow,
the hill on which the city was built,and they might throw him down.
They wanted to killJesus because Jesus is saying,
you know, the prophets, went to thosewho are Gentiles.
So look, again, is emphasizingthe mission of Jesus isn't just to,
(14:59):
the people of Israel, but the mission ofJesus is to reach out to others.
And he says, even in the Old Testament,the great prophets Elijah and Elisha,
were sent to, minister to those who arewho are not among the chosen people.
So it just shows the universalityof the mission of Jesus.
(15:19):
And, the other point we're making is Jesusis doing this in the power of the spirit
in Luke 619, it says, power
came forth from himand he healed them all.
So of course, Luke's Gospel,like all the Gospels, talk about
the mighty works of Jesuswhich are accomplished in power.
And that power is, the Holy Spirit.
(15:42):
Now, I'd like to talk about, just,a little point about,
the Luke's gospel I said is also knownas a gospel of prayer.
And there's one notable, thing.
Go back to Luke chapter 11,which is I chapter devoted to prayer.
Jesus teaches the Lord's Prayer,and then he, Yeah,
he gives a parableabout persistence in prayer.
(16:04):
But then that very important, sectionwhere Jesus is giving
further instructionabout what they are to pray for.
And, so he he says to them,
ask and I tell you,
ask and I and it will be given to
you seek and you will find knockand it will be opened to you.
(16:25):
And he says, you know, he'she goes on and says, what father is going
to give, his childwho asks for a good thing, something bad?
And then his conclusion in Luke 11. 13.
Yeah. Luke 1113.
If you then who are evil, knowhow to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Heavenly Fathergive the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?
(16:50):
Now, in Matthew's gospelit says, how much more will
the Heavenly Fathergive good gifts to those who ask him?
Why is Luke emphasizing herethe Holy Spirit?
And I think that Luke understandsthat the greatest thing to ask for,
the greatest giftthat one could desire from God
(17:11):
is the Holy Spirit himself.
And I'm reminded here of,the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah,
when Elijah knows thathe is going to be brought into heaven,
he is going along and Elisha,his disciple, is walking along with him
and, and and,Elijah keeps telling Elisha, stay here.
(17:33):
I'm going on ahead. But Elisha refuses.
He keeps going.
Finally, Elijah knows,he's going to be taken up to heaven.
So, Elijah says,ask for anything that you want.
I'm going to depart.Ask for what you want.
And what is Elisha ask for?
He says,I want a double portion of your spirit.
(17:53):
And Elijah says, well, that's, that'sthat's a hard one.
That's a that's a big ask.
But if you see me taken up,it will be done for you.
But the point here is that,Elisha knows that the best thing
he could receive from his masteris a double portion of his spirit.
Now, we as Christians, we don't just wantthe spirit of a prophet.
(18:17):
We want Jesus is saying,what you really should ask for
is the Holy Spirit the Spirit of God.
Just sort of following the exampleof Elisha, ask for the big gift.
Ask for what's really most important.
Because if you're going to go on a missionand carry out my ministry,
you're going to ask,you need the Holy Spirit.
(18:39):
So how much more will the heavenly Fathergive the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?
And this will be really to carry out
the mission of of Jesus?
Well,I was hoping we'd get a little further in
in the Gospel of Luke,but we've really covered a lot.
I'm going to close this podcastwith a prayer.
But, join us again in the next podcastI want to talk about,
(19:03):
what Luke says about the Holy Spiritas being the promise of the father
that this this gift, the spiritwhich is given for,
the mission of the church in Lukeand in the acts of the apostles,
how this comes aboutand that this is something that Jesus
is promisingto provide to those who ask him.
So let's ask right now for the Holy Spiritto come to us as we pray.
(19:27):
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the heartsof your faithful in kindle in us
the fire of your love.
Send forth your spirit,
and they shall be created,and you shall renew the face of the earth.
Oh God,who by the light of the Holy Spirit
didn't strike the hearts of your faithful,grant that by that same Holy Spirit
we may be truly wise and ever rejoice inhis consolations through Christ our Lord.
(19:51):
Amen.
Thank you and join us again for our nextpodcast on the Holy Spirit in Luke.
Hello, this is Doctor Alan Schreck.
We're continuing our serieson the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.
And this podcast is going to be lookingat the Holy Spirit,
particularly in the Gospel of Saint Luke.
And we'll also even getto the second volume
of Luke'swritings, the acts of the apostles.
But beginning with the Gospel of Luke.
(00:32):
Now, we've noted that each gospel of we'velooked at the synoptic Gospels
last podcast, we looked at the Holy Spiritin Matthew and Mark,
and each gospel we know has a distinctemphasis and perspective.
Now, the Gospel of Luke has been calledmany things
that reflect Luke's, specific concernsand perspectives.
(00:54):
Just to give you some examples,
like they've called Luke's Gospelthe gospel of the poor.
For example, in his versionof the Beatitudes, he says in,
Luke 620, blessed are you poor, foryours is the kingdom of God.
Matthew's gospel says you were blessedare the poor in spirit.
But, Luke wants to make it very specific.
(01:16):
The kingdom is for the poor.
In, Luke 14, verse 13 and 14.
Jesus says, when you give a feast,invite the poor and the lame that
the maimed and the crippled.
And Jesus
also gives many parables about the poor.
For example, the parable of the rich man,Devis and Lazarus.
(01:37):
Who, of course, the poor manends up in the bosom of Abraham.
So those are just some examplesof Luke's emphasis on the poor.
It's also been called Luke's Gospel,the gospel of mercy.
In Luke 536, Jesus says, be merciful,even as your father is merciful.
And, Jesus reaching out to Zacchaeus,
(01:57):
you know, tax collector, a sinner.
And yet Jesus has mercy on himand invites himself
over to seek his houseso that salvation would come to him.
And we're going to see also how Jesus,this is also us, will see a gospel
emphasizing mission Jesus callsnot just the righteous,
as he says, but sinners to repentance.
(02:20):
Also regarding merciful, the mercy of God.
Just think of Jesus's parablesand Luke's gospel of the Good Samaritan.
You know, the Samaritan having mercyon this man beaten up by robbers.
And the parable of the prodigal son,where the father
has mercy on his son who goes astray.
Luke's gospelhas been called the gospel of prayer.
(02:42):
Besides givingmany examples of Jesus's own prayer.
Luke's Gospel includes, parables of the,the of Jesus's
parables of the Pharisee and the publican,how we should pray with humility.
And he gives parables about persistencein prayer, such as the widow
and the unjust judge who badger themtill she, the judge gives her her justice.
(03:05):
And also in, Luke chapter 11,the man, coming in the middle of the night
seeking bread from a friend.
And even though the and again,this is really in the midst of Luke 11,
which is Jesus's teaching on prayer,beginning with the Lord's Prayer
and talking againabout persistence in prayer.
And we'll get to a specific teachingabout prayer,
(03:26):
regarding the Holy Spiritin just a minute.
And this gospel is again,has many different emphases.
It's been called the Gospel of women.
But I would like to focusbecause this series is on, the Holy Spirit
that Luke's gospeland the acts of the apostles
have also often been called,the gospel of the Holy Spirit.
(03:49):
And and I think that's true.
And we're going to see illustrationsof Luke having
a special emphasis on the Holy Spirit.
I'm going to say that,as we look at the acts of the apostles,
I think his gospeland the acts are written in
what I call in the afterglow of Pentecost,
and it's just really on the forefront
(04:09):
of Luke's mind, the importance of the
the Holy Spirit given to the churchon the day of Pentecost.
But I really like to call, not that
to put this work of the Holy Spiritin the broader context.
I like to look at the gospel of Lukeand acts
as being a gospel of mission,
(04:30):
a mission, and showing the mission of,look, really emphasizing
the mission of Jesus and,and the mission he's giving to the church.
And I think that is a mission of,calling people
to repentance, to faith, to conversion.
This gospel is written particularly,there are many indications
(04:50):
that this gospel is writtenparticularly to a Gentile audience.
And it'sand we can see this in a number of ways.
For example, even Luke himselfwas a companion of Saint Paul,
who is, of course,the great apostle to the Gentiles.
So Luke takes that seriouslyin writing his gospel,
and they actually emphasizesthis missionary aspect,
(05:13):
reaching out beyond the Jewish communitywho are the chosen people,
but reaching out to thosewho are outside of that community?
One, one really,
it's striking illustration to meof how you can see this
gospel is addressed to the Gentilesis, at the end of the gospel.
(05:36):
It it speaks about the, it speaks about,
Jesus during his,after his at the time of his death.
After his death.
Well, first of all, before his death,we know that Jesus was on the cross there.
And of course, on both sides of himwere two criminals or robbers.
(05:57):
In Mark and Luke'sand Mark in Matthew's gospel,
it simply says he was crucifiedbetween two others, and they reviled him.
Both of them reviled him.
But then Luke's Gospels, one of the,the robbers, reviled him.
But the other two quote Luke chapter
2340 and following.
(06:19):
But the other rebuked him, saying,do you not fear
God, since you are underthe same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed justly, for we are receivingthe due reward of our deeds.
But this man has done nothing wrong.
And of course,this is the good thief, where he says,
Jesus, remember mewhen you come into your kingly power.
(06:40):
But this here, he emphasizes this.
We're being justly punished.
This man has done nothing wrong.
And, to underscore that point,
after Jesus, diesin Matthew and Mark's gospel,
there's a centurion and the centurionat Jesus's death proclaims,
truly this man is the son of God.
(07:04):
in Luke's gospel, I'll quote againLuke 23, verse
46, and following verse 47.
Now when the centurion sawwhat had taken place,
he praised God and said,certainly this man was innocent.
Now isn't that unusual?
(07:24):
I mean, you'd think like Mark and Matthew,a profession of faith.
Why does the centurion in Luke'sgospel said
as praising God and saying,certainly this man was innocent?
Well, I think you can understandthat one of the biggest stumbling blocks
to, a Roman citizen or a non-Jew would,if you're going to proclaim that Jesus was
(07:47):
someone great, a great man who ought to,we have to have faith in him.
But they could say, wait a minute.
This man was was,tried by a Roman procurator.
He was given a trial.
He was sentenced to death.
Why should we follow him?
And so Luke is giving, a response to this.
First of all, the good thief saying,this man has done nothing wrong.
(08:11):
The centurion proclaiming,surely this man is innocent.
So these are just some in the collocationsof, of of that
this gospel has Lukeas a concern for the Gentiles.
And so if this is a gospel of mission,what is the mission?
Well, at the beginning of, Luke's gospel,
(08:32):
we have the revelationof the beginning of this
mission is with Johnthe Baptist in John in Luke chapter three,
it says, the word of God came to John,the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.
And he went into all the regionabout the Jordan,
preaching a baptism of repentancefor the forgiveness of sins.
(08:53):
And then he goes on and quotesIsaiah 43 through five years
the voice of one crying in the wilderness,prepare the way of the Lord,
but emphasize what was John preaching?
A baptism of repentancefor the forgiveness of sins.
That's part of the mission.
ThoughJesus, in Mark's gospel, his first words
are repent,for the kingdom of God is at hand.
(09:15):
But if we look at the end of Luke'sgospel,
we see the words of Jesusat the very last chapter of Luke's Gospel.
Chapter 24, Jesus is speaking to the 12and his actually
to all his disciples immediatelybefore his ascension into heaven.
And he it says, then he opened
(09:37):
this is verse 2445.
Then he opened their mindsto understand the scriptures
by the way that phrase is usedjust before that.
And when he is speaking
to the two disciples on the roadto obedience, he says, they open their he.
He open their mindsto understand the scriptures.
And here it says, and he said to them,this is to all of the disciples.
(09:59):
Thus it is writtenthat the Christ should suffer,
and on the third day rise from the dead,
and that repentanceand forgiveness of sins
should be preached in his nameto all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
So and
you are witnesses of these things,and it goes on.
(10:19):
And I'll get back to what he saysafter that.
But, the mission of Jesus is,part of the core,
beginning with John the Baptist,repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
And, those who receivethis are to proclaim
that repentancefor the forgiveness of sins, will be,
this will be preachedin Jesus's name to all the nations.
(10:40):
Now, so that's the mission.
But what does the Holy Spirit providein this mission?
This is what I'd like to focus onfor the rest of this.
Podcast.
What is the Holy Spiritdoing in the mission of Jesus?
Let's go back to the beginningof Jesus's ministry.
Remember that, after Jesus's baptism,
(11:03):
it says in Luke four, chapterone of our chapter four, verse one,
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returnedfrom the Jordan where he was baptized
and was led by the spiritfor 40 days in the wilderness.
Now, I would like to say that one thingthat we're going to see, Luke emphasizes
(11:23):
is that for the mission,the Holy Spirit provides guidance.
Jesus is led by the spiritinto the wilderness to confront Satan.
The Holy Spirit is, is is a guide.
And we'll see thisas we go in our next podcast,
especially the acts of the apostles, wherethe Holy Spirit is guiding the apostles
(11:45):
and where they are to proclaim the gospeland even what they are to say.
the other thing that the Holy Spiritprovides, and this is clear
in the ministry of Jesus, and we've talkedabout this is power in Luke 414,
after Jesus has been tempted by the devil
and renounces him, his temptations,it says,
(12:06):
Jesus returnedand the power of the spirit into Galilee.
I think that's a summary.
Jesus's ministry is donein the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a source of powerfor mission.
So those are the two things.
If we look at Luke and the actsof the apostles as a gospel of mission,
(12:27):
the Holy Spirit in this regard providesthese two things guidance for the mission
where you're where, Jesus is to go,where the disciples are to go
and to empower them, to doeverything that God has sent them to do.
Now, of course, we've already lookedin our previous podcast and,
in Luke chapter 425 through 30,well, in in Luke chapter four,
(12:50):
when Jesus goes into the,
into his hometownand declares, we talked about this,
this is actually,Luke 417 you where he opens
the scroll of Isaiah and, and says,the Spirit of the Lord is upon me
because he has anointed meto preach the good news to the poor.
(13:10):
So, again, this emphasizes things.
Luke's words to say, the Spirit of theLord is the source of Jesus's anointing.
And he's preaching the good news tothe poor, proclaiming liberty to captives.
And and then, after that, of course, he
he we've gone over this,he closes the book and says,
this scripturehas been fulfilled in your hearing.
(13:31):
But then, then there's a following this.
Jesus confronts them.
They're sort of skeptical.
They're saying, you know,why isn't Jesus doing mighty works here?
And Jesus says in, look for 23,
doubtless you will me this proverb,physician heal yourself.
(13:51):
What we have heard you did at Capernaum,do here in your own country.
And Jesus said that he said, trulyI say to you, no prophet
is acceptable in his own country,but in truth I tell you.
And then he goes on and says,there are many.
I'm a paraphrase here.
There are many widows, in Israel,that the days
in the days of Elijah,when heaven is shut up.
(14:13):
But Elijah was sent to none of them, butonly to Zarephath in the land of Sidon,
which is Gentile territory,to a widow who a woman who was a widow.
And he said, there's many.
Jesus says there are many lepers in Israelin the time of the prophet Elisha.
And none of them was cleansed,but only named the Syrian.
And at that it says, in Luke 428,when they heard this,
(14:38):
all in the synagoguewere filled with wrath,
and they rose upand put him out of the city
and led him to the brow,
the hill on which the city was built,and they might throw him down.
They wanted to killJesus because Jesus is saying,
you know, the prophets, went to thosewho are Gentiles.
So look, again, is emphasizingthe mission of Jesus isn't just to,
(14:59):
the people of Israel, but the mission ofJesus is to reach out to others.
And he says, even in the Old Testament,the great prophets Elijah and Elisha,
were sent to, minister to those who arewho are not among the chosen people.
So it just shows the universalityof the mission of Jesus.
(15:19):
And, the other point we're making is Jesusis doing this in the power of the spirit
in Luke 619, it says, power
came forth from himand he healed them all.
So of course, Luke's Gospel,like all the Gospels, talk about
the mighty works of Jesuswhich are accomplished in power.
And that power is, the Holy Spirit.
(15:42):
Now, I'd like to talk about, just,a little point about,
the Luke's gospel I said is also knownas a gospel of prayer.
And there's one notable, thing.
Go back to Luke chapter 11,which is I chapter devoted to prayer.
Jesus teaches the Lord's Prayer,and then he, Yeah,
he gives a parableabout persistence in prayer.
(16:04):
But then that very important, sectionwhere Jesus is giving
further instructionabout what they are to pray for.
And, so he he says to them,
ask and I tell you,
ask and I and it will be given to
you seek and you will find knockand it will be opened to you.
(16:25):
And he says, you know, he'she goes on and says, what father is going
to give, his childwho asks for a good thing, something bad?
And then his conclusion in Luke 11. 13.
Yeah. Luke 1113.
If you then who are evil, knowhow to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Heavenly Fathergive the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?
(16:50):
Now, in Matthew's gospelit says, how much more will
the Heavenly Fathergive good gifts to those who ask him?
Why is Luke emphasizing herethe Holy Spirit?
And I think that Luke understandsthat the greatest thing to ask for,
the greatest giftthat one could desire from God
(17:11):
is the Holy Spirit himself.
And I'm reminded here of,the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah,
when Elijah knows thathe is going to be brought into heaven,
he is going along and Elisha,his disciple, is walking along with him
and, and and,Elijah keeps telling Elisha, stay here.
(17:33):
I'm going on ahead. But Elisha refuses.
He keeps going.
Finally, Elijah knows,he's going to be taken up to heaven.
So, Elijah says,ask for anything that you want.
I'm going to depart.Ask for what you want.
And what is Elisha ask for?
He says,I want a double portion of your spirit.
(17:53):
And Elijah says, well, that's, that'sthat's a hard one.
That's a that's a big ask.
But if you see me taken up,it will be done for you.
But the point here is that,Elisha knows that the best thing
he could receive from his masteris a double portion of his spirit.
Now, we as Christians, we don't just wantthe spirit of a prophet.
(18:17):
We want Jesus is saying,what you really should ask for
is the Holy Spirit the Spirit of God.
Just sort of following the exampleof Elisha, ask for the big gift.
Ask for what's really most important.
Because if you're going to go on a missionand carry out my ministry,
you're going to ask,you need the Holy Spirit.
(18:39):
So how much more will the heavenly Fathergive the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?
And this will be really to carry out
the mission of of Jesus?
Well,I was hoping we'd get a little further in
in the Gospel of Luke,but we've really covered a lot.
I'm going to close this podcastwith a prayer.
But, join us again in the next podcastI want to talk about,
(19:03):
what Luke says about the Holy Spiritas being the promise of the father
that this this gift, the spiritwhich is given for,
the mission of the church in Lukeand in the acts of the apostles,
how this comes aboutand that this is something that Jesus
is promisingto provide to those who ask him.
So let's ask right now for the Holy Spiritto come to us as we pray.
(19:27):
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the heartsof your faithful in kindle in us
the fire of your love.
Send forth your spirit,
and they shall be created,and you shall renew the face of the earth.
Oh God,who by the light of the Holy Spirit
didn't strike the hearts of your faithful,grant that by that same Holy Spirit
we may be truly wise and ever rejoice inhis consolations through Christ our Lord.
(19:51):
Amen.
Thank you and join us again for our nextpodcast on the Holy Spirit in Luke.
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