For those of you who have preached through Luke's Gospel before, what were some of the resources you found most helpful?

__________________


http://www.villagecommunitychurch.org/


"Preparing a sermon is like cooking a meal. You need pots and pans and utensils, but you don't bring them out to the table where people are eating." Derek Thomas


Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Email Rev. Tom Morrison of the High Desert URC: High Desert United Reformed Church | Home and Rev. Adam Kaloostian of tne Ontario URC: Welcome! - Ontario United Reformed Church

__________________
Rev. Daniel R. Hyde
Pastor, Oceanside United Reformed Church, Carlsbad/Oceanside, California
Th.M. candidate, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary

This, Lectures on the Gospel according to Luke - Google Book Search, by a 19th century Free Church minister, is very useful for the practical element.

__________________
Yours sincerely,


"Illum oportet crescere me autem minui."

Interesting that you'd ask. I haven't preached through it yet, but am beginning preparations. I hope to start in April. Some of the commentaries I plan on getting are:

• Expositional
  Darrell L. Bock - Baker Exegetical Commentary on the NT (2 volumes) - recommended by Ligonier and my NT Survery professor

• English Interpretation
  Robert H. Stein - New American Commentary - recommended by Ligonier and my NT Survery professor - also may have come with your Logos package
  Leon Morris - Tyndale NT Commentaries - Ligonier recommended

• Exegetical
  John Nolland - Word Biblical Commentary (Three volumes) - Ligonier recommended
  I. Howard Marshal - NIGTC - by Ligonier and my NT Survery professor

Of course, these are in addition to the standbys - Calvin, Spurgeon sermons, and Hendricksen, among others.

Go here Ligonier recommendations on Luke.

__________________
For the Glory of our King,
Joe Johnson
Slave of Christ, husband, father, Preacherboy at Cornerstone Community Church, Escanaba, MI. and TMS graduate. Personal website - SoundLife.org

I do not know, and I do not say, that a person cannot believe in Revelation and in evolution, too, for a man may believe that which is infinitely wise and also that which is only asinine. ~ CHS

I found Bock very helpful, kind of lengthy but worth working thru for interpretation.

__________________
Bruce
PCUSA
Ocean City NJ

Kessinger has republished this as well if you prefer the book form. It is massive but very valuable. JC Ryle's Expository Thoughts (re)published by Banner of Truth is also a must have.

__________________
Rev. Adam King
Minister in the RPCNA
Pastor,Trinity Reformed Church
Wichita, KS

Tom Morrisom recommended Moessner's "Lord of the Banquet" which looks very interesting.

I would second the Ryle recommendation, as well as the Bock recommendation. R. Kent Hughes is often helpful at the preaching level. Obtain Bovon (in the Hermeneia series) if you can possibly afford it. Stein is excellent as well, and the old Geldenhuys is surprisingly good (despite some nay-sayers). Whatever you do, make all haste to obtain Ryken (in the REC) when it comes out (early next year). Rick Phillips says it will be one of the very best expository commentaries EVER on ANY book.

__________________
Rev. Lane Keister
Teaching Elder, PCA, North Dakota (working out of bounds in a CRC and an RCA church)
http://greenbaggins.wordpress.com
http://brahmsgreenglove.blogspot.com
http://accenttranslation.blogspot.com
Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

JC Ryle's Expository Thoughts. (Not just in Luke but any of the gospels)

__________________
Stuart
Elder, Lambeg Baptist, Northern Ireland, UK

In Him the fulness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form and in Him you are complete (Col 2.9-10)

The Christian is a person who makes it easy for others to believe in God. (RM M'Cheyne)

I am preaching through Luke right now. So far I have greatly enjoyed and benefited from:

1) J.C. Ryle's "Expository Thoughts"
2) Alfred Edersheim's "The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah" (for background)
3) William Hendriksen's commentary on Luke
4) Calvin's "Harmony of the Gospels"

__________________
Rev. Daniel Kok
Pastor of Grace Reformed Church (URCNA)
Leduc, Alberta CANADA

"What sort of pledge and how great is this of love towards us! Christ lives for us not for himself!"
John Calvin, Commentary on the Hebrews (7:25)

Bock is both massive, and a great resource.

I found Marshall in the NIGTC to be rather pedantic, and one of the least useful to me from that series.

__________________
Adam J. Myer
Slated for the Jan. 10th Chaplains Basic Officer Leadership Course
Estacada Christian Church
Sandy, Oregon

Soli Deo Gloria

__________________
soli Deo gloria!
~Nicholas~ Ordained Pastor
Member, Fulton PCA; GPTS Student
Christians are like snow covered dung; it is the purity of the covering which the Father sees. -Luther-
There is nothing more ugly than a Christian orthodoxy without understanding or without compassion.
-Francis Schaeffer-

What is the PB convential wisdom on Terry's "Biblical Hermenutics"? If I remember correctly he dealt with several of the Lucan parables.

-----Added 1/31/2009 at 12:44:31 EST-----

According to this: Savoring Luke - Reformation21 Blog

it will be available in Feb.

Amazon is now saying that Ryken will not be available until April... Anyone heard anything?

You could ask John MacArthur. He just spent ten years preaching through Luke.

__________________
Richard T. Zuelch, M.Div
Ruling Elder, OPC (not currently serving)
Westminster Presbyterian Church, CA (OPC)
www.alexandermaclaren.wordpress.com
www.reiterations.wordpress.com
www.spurgeonswords.wordpress.com

Devout souls do not take offence at the depths and difficulties of God's Word, but are, thereby, drawn to intenser contemplation of them. - Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910)

That's the first I've heard anything. Last time I looked it up I couldn't find any info. Thanks. I guess I'll have to wait.

Just received the four volume Ryle set. The type is dark and easy to read for the most part. There are some places where it's a bit blurred, but not enough to cause any problems. Thanks for the tips. Other commentaries should be arriving throughout the week.

Amazon has a guaranteed pre-pub price of $37.79. Sounds good. Any one know of a better deal?

I just ordered my 2 vol set today from Amazon!

How exciting! Let us know if it lives up to the forecasts.

__________________
Paul Korte
OPC
Flint, MI

They who perceive in themselves discoveries of the divine goodness, so full and absolutely perfect, and who make them the subject of earnest meditation, will never embrace new doctrines, by which the very grace they feel so powerfully in themselves is thrown into the shade. --John Calvin

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Thanks Ken. I just ordered this set as well. I'm enjoying Bock, Hendriksen, Hughes and Ryle already, and have a few others. Hopefully this will be a good addition. In my preparation I have a preliminary outline done, and now am going to hone it over the next couple of weeks. Currently it's sort of a hybrid of several outlines that I've compiled and edited over the past couple of weeks. I've been reading it regularly too, attempting to get a grasp of the book as a whole. It's a large book to get a grasp of though.

Here are some of my preliminary thoughts.


The Gospel Luke penned does not mention him once. It gives a clear historical account of the life and ministry of Jesus with no mention of the writer (not “author,” for God is the author). Acts, which he also wrote and in which he sometimes took part, fails to mention him as well. The main reason we know he was there with Paul during certain times, often very difficult times, is because he simply inserts “we” in the narrative. In all this we have much to learn from Luke. He did not put himself into the foreground. He did not promote himself, though his education and credentials would have allowed for it in any culture. He was content to keep in the shadows, only appearing when necessary.
Throughout Luke’s Gospel it is Christ who leaps forward off the pages. We come to know our precious Savior through Luke’s account in a way we could not have if there were only three books written of Jesus’ life. And it is apparent that Luke is content with that. Indeed, that appears to have been his purpose. In Acts we see more of Christ, but this time as His very body, the church He gave His life for, is established and built up. In the first few pages the focus is more on how Christ works through the apostles in general, and perhaps Peter specifically, in establishing His church in Jerusalem. But then that mighty persecutor of the church is crushed by the glory of Christ and converted unlike any man before. Paul recognizes his misguided zeal for God and turns that unbending drive to the glory of Jesus Christ and the building of His church among the Gentiles. And, though he is present for much of what he writes, Luke remains in the background still.
I am understanding Luke better, day by day. It's interesting how one can seem to get to know a man by studying his work. He was well educated. He was a historian, and his letter follows the form of respectable historians of his day. He was a doctor. But there is a loyalty and passion that bleeds between the lines of his writing. This is probably more apparent in Acts, but can be found in Luke as well. And his fierce loyalty shines through as he is the only one left with Paul at the end of his second imprisonment. I am coming to love the man, and look forward to studying him for years to come.
My question to myself is, “Is this how I live?” Does my life reflect one who is bent on men knowing Christ? Is my life spent writing, speaking and working in order that men would have a clearer vision of who Christ is? Do I bear His image in such a way that it is unmistakable Whose I am? Will those who know me and witness my life remember me, or Christ in me? Do I flash my credentials, or boast in the cross of Jesus Christ? Do I rely on my education, talents and experiences to accomplish my work, or am I resting in and finding my sufficiency in Christ? The answers to these questions tell on us, don’t they? We all would do well to answer these questions thoughtfully and honestly.

I just got this email from Amazon:

That's kind of frustrating...

Yea, I got the same thing. I was hoping you made the cut.

By the way, is frustration a sin?

I guess I shouldn't be frustrated. I should be thankful that God is providentially preventing me from sharing in Ryken's wisdom.

Not to get off track but every time a new part of this series comes out that seems to be the automatic tag line. "Best Expository Commentary EVER!". I am always a bit wary of almost uncritical and over-the-top praise. To quote Kip Dynamite, "Like anyone could even know that Napoleon"...

__________________
Benjamin P. Glaser, M. Div, Licentiate, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Member Fairmount ARP Church
Pittsburgh, PA

Deo Vindice

Forgot I made that comment...

Enjoying Ryken this morning. Each one of these commentaries has a special place in my efforts to understand Luke. Ryken and Hughes can join me for coffee anytime. Reading them is like sitting down with an old friend. Ryle is the same way. Bock is more technical, so is relegated mostly to reading with more intensity and focus on exegesis - same with Morris. So, for exposition I'd recommend Ryken, Ryle and Hughes, at this point. Fro exegesis I'd focus more on Bock and Morris, as well as a few others I have on Logos (WBC, NAC, Stein).

It is obvious from reading his commentary that Ryken has more preaching experience in his little finger than I have in my whole body!

Joe, where are you in your preaching through Luke? I will be preaching 4:31-41 this week.

Wow. You're bookin' along. "What have we to do with you, Jesus..." Powerful stuff!
Actually, I'm still trying to finish Ephesians. It's one of those series that took on a life of it's own the whole way through. I originally started in Eph 4.1 to teach on the church and then the family. Even when we came back from FL I thought I only had a couple more weeks. Well, I got more than I bargained for. The series from 5:22 through 6:4 ended up being 15 sermons, including this coming Sunday. So, I should be in Luke 1:1 next week, unless I decide to tackle the master and servant's roles in Eph. But I don't think I'm going to.

I may have been wrong. Today one of the elders asked if I'd consider preaching through the armor of God. So, Luke may have to wait for a while. I'm gonna ponder and maybe talk to them tomorrow. But I think they'll be in agreement and desire me to do so. They grant a great deal of freedom, and requested for good reasons. I really see no reason not to, and some good reason to do so. I suppose it's just that much more time to ponder Luke...

That's funny! I was preaching Luke 4 today and in discussing the power of the Word, ended up at, guess where, Eph 6!