It is perhaps not surprising that as a fellow doctor I have always had a soft spot for St Luke but it is only recently that I have learnt what a splendid multi-tasker he was. Doctor, historian, painter, iconographer, writer, orator, Greek scholar (believed to have translated the book of Hebrews from the language of Jerusalem Christians into the excellent Greek we now work from), travel companion and apostle. He puts us women, the so-called experts at multitasking, to shame!

Luke was probably born in Antioch, he was not a Jew but ‘Greek’ but he was very knowledgeable about Jewish matters either because he was a ‘proselyte’, which was the name given to Gentile who converted to Judaism, or as a result of becoming a Christian. He may have studied Medicine at the University of Tarsus, where he could have met Paul. There is also some evidence he may have worked as a ship doctor.  It is generally accepted that he accompanied Paul on some of his missionary journeys and visited him regularly in prison up until the time he was martyred.  Luke died at the age of 84 in Boeotia, in Greece, but it is unclear whether this was a martyr’s death.

The four Gospel writers were each writing for a different group of people and their ‘take’ on Jesus and his times is inevitably affected by their own interpretation for their specific readers. Richard Burridge, Dean of Kings College and speaker for next year’s Reynolds Sermon (!) in his book ‘Four Gospels, One Jesus?’ comments on how the symbol that is used for Luke, the ox, reveals much:           

The ox, as well as being the literal bearer of burdens, was also used by the ancient Israelites to bear the burden of sin as a sacrificial animal. Luke’s portrait of Jesus is supremely the bearer of burdens, caring for those who are burdened or suffering, and ultimately giving himself willingly as a sacrifice.

In Luke's Gospel, we find an emphasis on the human love of Christ, on his compassion for sinners and for suffering and unhappy persons, for outcasts such as the Samaritans, tax collectors, lepers, shepherds and for the poor. The role of women in Christ's ministry is more emphasized in Luke than in the other Gospel writings. Forgiveness and God's mercy to sinners is also of first importance to Luke.

Only in Luke do we hear the story of the Prodigal Son welcomed back by the overjoyed father. Only in Luke do we hear the story of the forgiven woman disrupting the feast with the Pharisee by washing Jesus' feet with her tears. It is in Luke’s Gospel that we hear Jesus pardoning one of the criminals who was crucified with him and where he says ‘Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.’ Throughout Luke's gospel, Jesus takes the side of the sinner who wants to return to God's mercy.

In Matthew’s Gospel the genealogy only goes as far as Abraham, the father of Israel; but in Luke Jesus’ genealogy goes right back to Adam, showing that he came for all of us. Finally Luke is the author who is responsible for the largest part of the New Testament beating Paul into second place. This is because in addition to the Gospel of Luke he is believed to be the author of the Acts of the Apostles, which tells us much about the early Church. So it would seem we have a lot to learn from Luke and perhaps a good place to start is today’s Gospel reading.

The passage from Luke’s Gospel that we heard today is a story that is unique to his Gospel. Commentaries make much about the symbolism of the ‘seventy’ as opposed to the ‘twelve’ and their relation to the seventy elders chosen by Moses from the twelve tribes. Others believe that the ‘seventy’ may refer to the ‘seventy’ nations descended from Noah. While this may all be true it is also possible to look at this passage as Jesus’ guidance for mission: the rules are simple, take nothing with you but go and knock on the doors of the houses and act accordingly.  Be prepared for difficulty (a lamb amongst wolves) but where welcomed you are to heal the sick and tell them that God’s kingdom has come close to them. If you are not welcomed, shake the dust from your sandals but warn the people of that town that when God’s kingdom comes, they must beware! We must always be willing to share the Good News of God’s love for us but we have to prepared for the fact that this may not always be received in a positive way and we must move on and not dwell on it. No doubt we may have lessons to learn from this but those are not to be used in a negative way.

If we had carried on the Gospel reading to the end of chapter 10 we would have heard the Parable of the Good Samaritan. This parable can be seen as an example of holistic care of a patient by a doctor but it also shows inclusion of an outsider; it demonstrates the problem of following the letter of the Jewish Law – the priest and Levite would have become ritually unclean had they helped the man who had been attacked but where was their compassion and love? That was shown by someone whom Jews would usually shun. It reminds us yet again how God’s love is shown in all sorts of unexpected ways and should be the example that we follow.

Throughout the books written by Luke we can see the attention to detail, probably because he had been trained to observe when studying to be a doctor.  Over and over again we see how he understands people. His Gospel is the only one to tell us of Jesus’ Presentation in the Temple and the elderly people who were there and spoke to Mary and Joseph. The only one too to speak of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem as a teenager – a very human story which also reminds us that Jesus was no ordinary teenager, even if some of his behaviour on that day speaks very much of his humanity! 

So what does today’s New Testament reading teach us about Luke?  This passage was written when Paul was in prison in Rome approaching the end of his life. The early verses suggest that he is coming to terms with this: 

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day.

But it is the words ‘only Luke is with me’ that really struck me. Demas, Crescens, Titus and Tychicus have been sent by Paul to various countries in the vicinity but Luke has stayed. We don’t know whether he chose to stay or whether Paul felt that he needed him but whatever the reason I am sure that Paul really valued Luke’s presence with him at this difficult time. When you are really ‘up against it’ to have someone who is prepared to listen, support and just ‘be there’ is so important.  Luke was there for Paul in a special way. Perhaps we can do the same for others.  In a world such as ours where everything can seem so frenetic and self-centred, people who can be there for others are important.  A couple of years ago James Dodd had a very special ministry in St John’s, sitting and waiting for people to come in to talk things through.  I am sure it would be helpful if sometimes there could be people just sitting in an empty church to be there for visitors who just want someone to listen to them, to be there.  As a GP I spend quite a lot of time listening to people who have no one else they can talk things through with but it doesn’t need a medical degree to do this. It just needs time and a care for others, loving one’s neighbour as oneself.

I watched a TV programme the other day which was looking at how parenting can make or break a child.  Two difficult teenagers were sent to a strict Christian family in Georgia for 8 days to see if they would change their behaviour.  To begin with they were very rebellious and were seriously unimpressed by their experience of a Southern Baptist Church.  However by the end of the week they were very different.  What made them difference was being loved and cherished and given space to be themselves.  After they had experienced this love they even wanted to know more about that ‘Jesus man’.  Being there for others is very important and as with these two children, just spending time can help people to know and love God. 

St Luke was a ‘people person’.  At a time when medical science was in its infancy often there was not much that a doctor could do other than listen.  No doubt at times Luke was also able to talk to his patients about God the Father and His Son Jesus, and of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, which Luke describes at the beginning of Acts. Luke could talk to them of God’s love for all people, that He can be with us in joy and in sorrow, and that in Him we can find wholeness and healing.  

Today’s collect talks about the ‘wholesome medicine of the gospel.’  We can be there for people just like Luke was and share this medicine with them.  Sometimes that will mean simply listening, at other times giving advice, but always listening to God and asking Him to help us and those whom we seek to serve.

Amen