“ With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning , I too have decided to write an orderly account. “ Luke1:3
Luke is the third of the four writers in the Bible , who try to write their version of the story of Jesus. The others are called Matthew , Mark and John. They are written about the same man, but they are not all the same. John is most different, while the other three are similar , but they begin differently, and do not tell the end of Jesus’ life in the same way.
All four writers write their biographies about 20-30 years after Jesus lived and died. I wonder what stories that the writers tell about Jesus are most important to them. If they would name their top five, what would they be ? Matthew and Luke give different genealogies of Jesus. Mark and John tell no birth( Christmas ) story. Luke is the only one to tell those beloved parables of the The Lost( Prodigal) Son and the Good Samaritan . So , the writers have made decisions to tell the story of Jesus in a certain way. The early church was fine with it, and I am good with it. Luke seems good with telling the story as he has heard it from others.
What stories in my own life, shape who I am as a person and as a believer in Jesus. I have one that comes back to me. Whenever I go into a public washroom, and I have to lock the door, my mind goes back to kindergarten. One day, while in kindergarten , I got locked in the classroom washroom. My teacher had to put books under the door for me to look at, while they got the custodian to come and unlock the door. So, each time I lock the door, my mind goes back to that fear and trembling as a five-year old. It does not stay there long, but I do think about. I wonder if that small event has shaped my personality.
A second thing I think about is the second coming of Jesus. I feared for years that I was not ready, and I was raised in the church. When I was taught about Jesus’ return, there was a culture of fear around it. So, when I hear those biblical passages about earthquakes and floods, and Jesus’ return, I go back to that fear . I try not stay there either.
Then there is my heart attack. My body has scars from the bypass surgery. Those scars remind me that it all happened. I will celebrate 10 years on November 26, of my personal resurrection. It feels great to be alive. I know I have been saved by many people, and by God. I try not to think about why God has me still alive. Maybe it is just “ to be” here. I do not have to do any more good deeds; I am here to be here.
What events of your life do you consider to be most important to who you are as a person ? Can you name a few, and ponder what they mean for you today. The New Testament writers tell us hundreds of events of the life of Jesus, that shaped the world and us. Where do those events connect with who you are ? What are your top five life events ?
Fred Redekop
Ponder Anew 