Luke and the work of the Cross...

It is finished!

By grace, through FAITH, we believe that Jesus Christ took on the sins of the world and ended our separation from the Godhead. 

Faith + nothing = Salvation

Matthew 1:21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

God's forgiveness is always His gracious response when we humbly confess to Him in prayer. He forgives because His actions always reflect who He is. God's name reflects God's character, and even great guilt is forgiven because of our great God (Psalm 25:11).

This means we, too, can approach God in prayers of repentance on the basis of His name! We can receive forgiveness and live in restored relationship every day through the salvation provided in Jesus. We can learn from the Holy Spirit what is right, enabling us to walk in God's ways by the power of His Word. First5 

Yes, there is something about the tempting lure of life in “boxes”—you know, the comfort of tidiness, neatness. And perceived control.
In a national magazine, an ad for the Humane Society minced no words. Above an adorable puppy and kitten, the ad read, “It’s who owns them that makes them important.”

Our wellbeing, is about who or what, owns us. The good news is this; when we lose our way, our authentic self is not gone.

Remembering that assuredness (groundedness) is not about knowing all “answers” (getting rid of problems), but about knowing in whose arms we dwell. Sabbath Moments 

For Luke, Jesus is the promised Messiah (1:31–35), the Son of God (9:35), the Servant through whom God works (4:16–18), and the Lord who is called to sit at God’s right hand exerting His authority and giving the Spirit to those who believe. Though aspects of God’s plan are fulfilled in Jesus’ First Coming, other parts of the plan remain to be fulfilled when Jesus returns (21:5–36; Acts 3:14–26). The NKJV Study Bible

Luke

1:31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

9:35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”

4:16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

21:5 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6 “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.” 7 So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them. 9 But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”

21:34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Acts 3:14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

2 Samuel 7:13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

2 Samuel 7:16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

Isaiah 9:7 

Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.