Luke/Acts for Beginners
The Beginning
Teaching Strategy
The focus of this lesson is to look at the purpose and structure of the gospel of Luke as an introduction to the life and teachings of Jesus. Teachers and students should review the relevant materials before class.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Know: Comprehend the purpose and structure of the Gospel of Luke.
- Feel: Value the unique insights into the teachings and life of Jesus as presented in the Gospel of Luke.
- Do: Develop the ability to tell the story of Jesus.
Body of the Lesson
Discussion Questions
Below are suggested questions to use during the guided discussion portion of the lesson. There are also suggested responses to questions to help students grasp the various concepts. These are provided to assist the discussion and are not considered as "right or wrong" responses.
Desired response: Luke was not an apostle yet was chosen by the Holy Spirit to offer an account of the life and teachings of Jesus.
Luke has the unique, analytical perspective of a historian. He uses this view to provide details as a foundation to the life and teachings of Jesus.
The intent of this question is two-fold. First, it is to acquaint students with the facts surrounding the birth of John and Jesus. Secondly, it is to see what Luke considers important from his perspective as a historian.
This question is designed to have students think about their conversion to Jesus and how He changed and continues to change their lives. Some Christians, especially new Christians, feel intimidated in sharing the story of Jesus because of their lack of in-depth knowledge of scripture. It is important for them to know that it is not necessary to have in-depth knowledge in order to tell the story of who Jesus is and how He changes lives. A good exercise to help in this is to have students write or present a short paragraph of their own conversion story. The value of this is that it helps them share the story of Jesus. The teacher can model this by telling his or her story of conversion to Jesus and how it changed their lives.
Look for responses that indicate an acceptance of concepts taught in this presentation and other resources. Other indicators may include responses that provide an understanding of the purpose and structure of the Gospel of Luke itself.
