Seeing Jesus Through Luke

At a conference in Paris, a young law student once said to me, “You talk about Jesus as if He’s fascinating. How can I see Him that way?” His question lingers because it exposes something many of us feel but rarely admit: we respect Jesus, yet we struggle to be captivated by Him.

Scripture invites us not merely to admire Jesus, but to follow Him. Almost every reference to following Jesus speaks of Him walking among us as a man—teaching, healing, loving, suffering. Revelation reminds us of the ultimate goal:

“They have followed the Lamb wherever he goes.”
Revelation 14:4 (NLT)

To follow Jesus faithfully, we must know Him truly. That means paying close attention to His earthly life. The first disciples did not understand Him instantly. Their expectations were corrected over time as they watched Him live, love, and obey the Father. Gradually, they came to know Him as the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

Luke’s Gospel was written to help us do the same.

Luke gives us the most complete portrait of Jesus’ life. He shows us Jesus as fully divine and fully human—deeply compassionate, attentive to outsiders, and present with people others overlook. Luke introduces us to the forgotten and the marginalized: women, children, the poor, foreigners, sinners, and the socially invisible. Through these encounters, we see the heart of God made visible.

Luke himself was a Gentile and an outsider. Perhaps that is why he noticed so clearly how Jesus welcomed those on the edges. His Gospel reminds us that no one is beyond God’s notice, and no life is too small for grace.

Luke writes carefully and intentionally. He tells us that he investigated everything thoroughly so that his reader might be confident in what they had been taught:

“I have decided to write an accurate account for you… so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.”
Luke 1:3–4 (NLT)

This is not abstract theology. It is lived truth, rooted in real places, real people, and real encounters with Jesus.

Luke’s Gospel is filled with prayer, worship, joy, and hope. It begins in the temple with faithful people waiting for God’s promise, and it ends in the temple with joyful believers celebrating resurrection hope. Along the way, Jesus meets people from every walk of life—young and old, rich and poor, powerful and powerless.

Again and again, Luke shows us Jesus doing what He says He must do. Jesus speaks of a divine necessity—a life surrendered to the Father’s will:

“Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
Luke 2:49 (NLT)

“I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too.”
Luke 4:43 (NLT)

“The Son of Man must suffer terribly… and be rejected.”
Luke 17:25 (NLT)

“Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then enter into his glory?”
Luke 24:26 (NLT)

Luke’s portrait of Jesus is strong yet tender, holy yet approachable. As we sit with his Gospel, we are invited to move beyond respectful familiarity into genuine wonder.

Prayer

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13 (NLT)

Lord, help me not merely to know about You, but to know You.
Teach me to see Jesus—not as distant or ordinary—but as truly fascinating, worthy of my full attention and my whole life.