Luke 1:1-4

Devotional

Day 1: An orderly account to know certain truth.

Luke carefully sets out an orderly, well-researched account so that in the midst of chaos there is something reliable to hold onto; this text invites you to be confident not in human reports but in the certainty of who Jesus is and what he has accomplished. [03:07]

Luke 1:1-4 (ESV)
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

Reflection: What one area of doubt or confusion about Jesus could you bring before God today and ask him to help you pursue trustworthy, orderly sources (scripture, prayer, conversations) so your confidence in Jesus grows this week?

Day 2: Jesus as the promised King and peace-bringer.

Isaiah’s prophecy names the coming child with four titles—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace—calling attention to a ruler whose governance brings lasting peace and rightly ordered relationships; lean into the particular name that brings you reassurance amid current turmoil. [23:01]

Isaiah 9:6-7 (ESV)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Reflection: Which of the four names (Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace) most directly meets your present need, and what is one concrete way you can remind yourself of that name today (a written note, a short prayer, a verse memorized)?

Day 3: Jesus invites the weary to rest beside Him.

Jesus’ invitation in Matthew is an open call to the exhausted: come to him, learn his unforced rhythms of grace, and discover real rest; this is not a productivity tip but a lifelong posture of walking, working, and resting with Jesus. [27:19]

Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.

Reflection: Identify one activity or obligation you can step back from tomorrow to create a 20–30 minute window of undistracted time to “walk with” Jesus (pray, read the Gospels slowly, sit in silence) and schedule it now.

Day 4: Guard the gospel against additions and distortions.

Paul’s warning in Galatians reminds the community to resist “gospel plus” teachings that dilute or distort the good news; faithful confidence comes from holding to the simple, liberating gospel that frees people from burden and confusion. [13:11]

Galatians 1:6-9 (ESV)
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Reflection: Consider one teaching, habit, or voice in your life that adds requirements to the gospel; what is one practical step you can take this week to test that influence against Scripture (read a supporting passage, ask a mature follower, or bring it to a small group)?

Day 5: God's promise to Abraham launches redemption plan.

God’s call to Abram begins the forward movement of redemption—one person's obedient step into unknown land becomes the conduit of blessing for all nations—reminding the church that God’s long story of restoration moves through faithful promises fulfilled in Christ. [19:04]

Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV)
Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Reflection: Who is one person or community you can intentionally bless this week (a note, a meal, listening time) as a tangible participation in God’s promise to make Abram a blessing?

Sermon Summary

Advent meets us right where we are—familiar, hurried, or heavy—and invites us to remember what is most deeply true: God is restoring and redeeming His creation and drawing us into right relationship with Himself. We opened Luke’s Gospel at 1:1–4, where Luke promises an orderly, carefully investigated account so that we may know the certainty of what we’ve been taught. That word “certainty” is not permission to stop thinking; it’s an invitation to confident trust in the living Jesus within a chaotic world. Luke writes into a world shaped by Caesar Augustus, the imperial cult, and the Pax Romana—a “peace” enforced by allegiance and taxes—and into a land ruled by the volatile Herod. Chaotic times aren’t new; they form the soil into which Jesus is born.

Against that backdrop, we remembered the larger story—creation, fall, redemption, restoration—and how it crescendos in the Messiah promised by the prophets. Isaiah 9 announces that the government will rest on His shoulders and gives us four names that anchor us: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. We chose to begin Advent with peace this year because our moment needs it. Peaceful confidence grows as we remember these names. Wonderful Counselor reorders our lives around God at the center, even as we wisely pursue mental health resources. Mighty God reminds us we are not at the mercy of our moment; the chaos does not get the last word. Everlasting Father tenderly redeems distorted pictures of fatherhood with faithful presence. And the Prince of Peace doesn’t coerce; He invites: “Come to me… learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”

Peace is more than the absence of conflict or stress; it is the abundance of shalom—rightly ordered relationships with God, one another, ourselves, and creation. We don’t manufacture this; God accomplishes it, and we learn to live in it. That’s why we come to the Table. At the cross, Jesus made peace—restoring relationship, securing redemption, and opening a way for us to live freely and lightly. As we enter Advent, we light the candle of peace and ask: which name of Jesus do you need to cling to today?

Key Takeaways

1. Peaceful confidence in chaotic times Peace is not denial of difficulty; it is a deep-rooted confidence that Someone holds the center when everything feels uncentered. Advent teaches us to locate our calm not in circumstances but in God’s character and promises. Starting with peace this year is a spiritual act of defiance against anxiety’s rule. We remember who reigns, even here. [22:31]
2. Certainty aimed at a Person Luke isn’t inviting us to stop asking questions; he’s inviting us to place our weight on Jesus. Confidence in Christ steadies discernment and frees us from the insecurity that grabs for control. The goal is trust that endures ambiguity because it knows who is trustworthy. Faith matures when certainty becomes relational, not merely informational. [17:19]
3. Remember the four Advent names “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” are not slogans; they are doors into lived experience with God. Each name answers a different ache—confusion, powerlessness, abandonment, and weariness. Praying these names forms our imaginations and reorders our loves. In the remembering, our hearts find ballast for the storm. [23:01]
4. Peace is abundance, not absence Biblical shalom is the presence of wholeness, not simply the absence of conflict. It is relational alignment—God at the center, everything else in right proportion and place. That abundance grows as we consent to Jesus’ way, not as we white-knuckle calm. Resting in His completed work becomes our strongest participation in peace. [28:41]
5. The cross secures our shalom We don’t earn peace; we receive it from the One who made it with His own life. The Table is a weekly protest against self-salvation projects—we come empty-handed and are filled. The cross reconciles us to God and trains us to become makers of peace in every sphere we inhabit. His finished work is our freedom to live reconciled. [31:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:32] - Advent opening prayer
[01:48] - Real-ones Sunday; Advent begins
[02:33] - Turning to Luke 1:1–4
[04:50] - When Advent meets chaos
[06:25] - Caesar Augustus and Pax Romana
[10:09] - Herod’s volatile rule
[11:29] - Why Luke, why now
[13:43] - An orderly account you can trust
[16:33] - Certainty as confidence in Jesus
[19:04] - The Bible’s rescue storyline
[21:32] - Isaiah 9: names that anchor us
[24:40] - Four names, four invitations to peace
[30:50] - Communion: the cross makes peace
[33:50] - Closing prayer and sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
- Luke 1:1–4
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

Observation questions (3–4)

What reasons does Luke give for writing his account, and whom does he name as his primary reader? How might that shape the tone or purpose of the Gospel? [03:07]
The pastor described the political and social context of Luke’s day (Caesar Augustus, the Pax Romana, Herod). What specific features of that context were mentioned, and why does the pastor say that context matters for reading Luke? [08:16]
Luke uses the word “certainty.” In the sermon, how was that word explained—was it presented as a call to stop thinking or as something else? [16:04]
The sermon connects Luke’s orderly account to the larger Bible storyline (creation → fall → redemption → restoration). Which part of that storyline does Luke intend to confirm by his orderly account? [18:02]

Interpretation questions (3–4)
(Third-person, objective phrasing)

How does Luke’s desire to provide an “orderly account” function as pastoral care for a community living in political and cultural chaos? [03:07]
What does the pastor mean when he says Luke’s “certainty” is aimed at a Person rather than merely information, and how would that shift a reader’s trust from facts to relationship? [17:19]
The sermon highlights Isaiah’s four names for the coming king. How does remembering those names (Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace) interpret what “certainty” should look like in daily life? [21:32]
The sermon reframes peace as biblical shalom—an abundance and ordering of relationships. What implications does that definition have for how one evaluates whether they are experiencing “peace”? [28:41]

Application questions (5–7)
(Practical and personal; each references sermon material)

Which of the four names from Isaiah do you most need to hold onto right now (Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, or Prince of Peace)? Give a concrete example from this week where that name could change how you respond. [23:01]
The pastor affirmed pursuing mental health resources while also centering God on the throne of your life. What specific step will you take this month to care for your mental health (therapist, support group, medication review) while intentionally practicing one spiritual habit that re-centers God? [23:25]
“Certainty” was described as confidence amid chaos because of who Jesus is. Name one area of your life where anxiety tends to grab control. What is one small, practical thing you will do this week to remind yourself of Jesus’ trustworthiness in that specific area (a short prayer, Scripture memory, telling a friend)? [16:04]
The sermon said the Prince of Peace invites us to “learn the unforced rhythms of grace” (rest and relationship with Jesus). What is one calendar change you can make this month to create margin for rest and spiritual renewal? Be specific (e.g., one night off social media, one sabbath afternoon, one evening with family). [27:19]
The pastor described communion/the cross as the declaration that the work is done and peace has been made. How might approaching the Lord’s Table weekly change your habit of self-reliance? Name one practical practice you will try before the next communion (confession list, a brief silence, writing down what you’re laying down). [31:31]
The sermon began by noting how Luke writes into a chaotic world to give people something to hold onto. Think of one relationship or situation in your life that feels chaotic right now. What is one concrete act of peacemaking you can do this week to reflect God’s shalom in that situation (a phone call, a meeting, a humble apology, setting a boundary)? [06:25]

Observation and interpretation questions are designed to help the group carefully read Luke 1:1–4, consider the sermon’s framing, and move toward concrete next steps for living in the peace Jesus brings.

Sermon Clips

How do we develop peaceful confidence in the midst of chaotic times? How do we develop peaceful confidence in the midst of chaotic times? We remember the names. We remember the names. Wonderful counselor. Now here at Discovery, we're very big on taking all measures to pursue mental health. Finding a good counselor, finding the right medication, all of this is super important. Too often, Christians ignore these very good tools and say things like, oh, you just need to pray more. [00:22:41] (44 seconds) #RememberTheNames

But that said, right relationship with God is a significant part of experiencing peace. Right relationship with God is not about solving our problems. It doesn't zap all the bad stuff and make it go away. It is about rightly ordering our life. We've talked about this many times, but just in your mind, imagine a throne at the center of all things. Too often, we put ourselves, we put other stuff on that throne. [00:23:32] (36 seconds) #RightlyOrderedLife

But when God is on that throne at the center of all things, it puts everything else in its proper order, oriented around the throne, centering our lives on our wonderful counselor. When you look at the chaos that you are trying to navigate right now, do you need to remember this good news? Do you need to hold on to this name, that God is a wonderful counselor who rightly orders our lives and meets our deepest needs? [00:24:08] (48 seconds) #GodAtTheCenter

The Prince of Peace is the one who comes with the great invitation. And I love the way that this invitation is translated in the message. Are you tired? Are you worn out? Are you burned out on religion? Come to me. Come to me, Jesus says. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me. Work with me. Watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. [00:27:13] (54 seconds) #RestInChrist

How does that sound? Does that sound like good news to you, living freely and lightly? We tend to think of peace as a feeling, a general sense of a lack of stress. But peace is not just a feeling, nor is it a lack. Peace is an abundance. It's a state of being. It is a reality that we can experience. It is shalom. The word most often translated peace in the Old Testament is this word shalom, which is a description of rightly ordered relationships. [00:28:24] (35 seconds) #ShalomIsAbundance

Peace. Peace. This is God's work. This is God's work, but we are invited to join Him, to participate in it, to yoke up with Him. When we rest, when we rest in the assurance that God has done the work, we find peace. Now, again, I said earlier, Advent does actually begin with hope. If you go into the Advent resource that we're sharing with you, you'll start tomorrow morning with some thoughts on hope, and then peace comes in week two. [00:29:04] (52 seconds) #JoinGodsWork

In tumultuous times, we can live with peace because of our confidence in God, our wonderful Counselor, our mighty God, our everlasting Father, and our Prince of Peace. And so each week in Advent, we will take a moment to light the candle. We cannot light an actual candle on the school district grounds. So here we go. Our magic button. Yes, you can clap for the candle of peace. That's great. [00:30:05] (34 seconds) #CandleOfPeace

``But we come now, having lit the candle of peace, we come now to the communion table, which really means we come now to the cross. The cross, all that it represents, what Jesus does for us on the cross is make peace. He makes it possible for us to live in peace with Him, with God, with each other, with ourselves, and with the rest of creation. The cross is our peace because it declares that the work has been done. [00:30:52] (46 seconds) #PeaceThroughTheCross

Relationship restored, redemption secured, peace available to anyone. We don't have to work for it. We don't have to earn it. We just get to live in it. We get to live in it. Of the greatness of His government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. [00:31:39] (40 seconds) #PeaceByGrace

Again, in the midst of your chaos, know that God has done the work for us and then hang on to the name that brings you peace. Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [00:32:52] (21 seconds) #NamesOfPeace

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