A Reason

Luke’s words aren’t powerful just because he carefully investigated what happened by speaking with eyewitnesses of Jesus and then wrote it down in an orderly account.  Some of the power comes from the stories he chooses to share and the words he chooses to use.

...so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught…(Luke 1:4 NIV)

Luke wanted to build our confidence in the truth of these stories.  He worked hard to get the facts correct.  He tried very hard to get the story straight.  He labored over putting the events in the right order.  All of this was for our benefit: that we may be certain of what happened, even two millennia later.

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her. (Acts 16:16-18 NIV)

The power of God was shown as demons were cast out, people were healed, thousands were fed, and people were raised from the dead. 

When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. (Acts 16:19, 23 NIV)

A paralyzed man on a mat, a woman with a jar of perfume, a model prayer, Jesus’ teachings, Jesus’ death, and even the day of Pentecost all teach us that our sins can be forgiven. 

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" (Acts 16:25-28 NIV)

A sorcerer named Simon teaches us that we can be set free from the captivity of sin.

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. (Acts 16:29-33 NIV)

And story after story reminds us that a life walking with God is far better than any time lived without or against Him.

The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole household. (Acts 16:34 NIV)

All of these accounts come from Luke and they were written so we will be certain that they happened.

When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: "Release those men." (Acts 16:35 NIV)

How about you?  When you share stories about God, do they build peoples’ confidence in the truth?  Do your words help people walk together with God?