Luke – Prayer and the Holy Spirit

The Amazing Bible. Book Club

Luke wrote this gospel for the "most excellent Theophilus," so he could know for certain what he had been taught was true. Luke started with the birth of John the Baptist and then the birth of Jesus, and he made it clear it was an act of God through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was present with Jesus during His baptism and his temptation, and He came through "in the power of the Holy Spirit," (4:14). During Jesus' ministry, prayer was essential, and often Jesus went off to pray (5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 9:28). He taught His disciples to pray and not give up (18:1-14). In 19:46, He called "My house shall be a house of prayer." Jesus prayed for Simon Peter (22:31). He prayed "more earnestly" when on the Mount of Olives, and he told his disciples twice to "Pray that you will not fall into temptation," (22:40 & 46). Dr. Alan B. Stringfellow pointed out that in Luke's telling of Jesus on the cross, His first and last words were prayers, and then Jesus' last recorded words to his disciples said (24:49), "I am going to send you what My Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." What did the Father promise to send? Who did the Father promise to send after Jesus left them? The Holy Spirit.