1. Portraits of Jesus A Lent Course at Aldridge Parish Church
6 Wednesday evenings 7.45pm – 9.30pm
14th Feb Jesus - the Trailblazer (Letter to Hebrews)
21st Feb Jesus - the History Maker (Luke and Acts)
28th Feb Jesus - the Hidden King (Mark’s Gospel)
7th Mar Jesus - the new Moses (Matthew’s Gospel)
14thMar Jesus - the Lord who Reigns Now (Paul’s letters)
21st Mar Jesus - the Meaning of Life (John’s Gospel) 1

2. Creating a Portrait A Portrait is ‘the Remembrance of a Friend’
Portraits attend to the inner life, character and importance of the subject and the artist builds that into how the ‘appearance’ is re-presented.
The artist ‘plays’ with the tension between the visual (literal) and the ‘significant’ - which is less tangible, harder to express and usually more important. 2

3. A Portrait of Jesus 3

4. The Tools of the Literary Portrait Painter
The shape of the Text – ‘editor at work’
The Interactions between different characters
The selection of language – ‘playing with words’
The adoption of a ‘Point of View’ in the text
The invitation to the Reader to be a detective
The Scriptural ‘Trinity’ – Text, Readers, Holy Spirit 4

5. Jesus - the History Maker
Portraits of Jesus
A Lent Course at Aldridge Parish Church
6 Wednesday evenings 7.45pm – 9.30pm
Jesus - the History Maker
a portrait of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke
and the Acts of the Apostles 5

6. 1. The Dedication of the Books
The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles
Why Luke – Acts?
1. The Dedication of the Books
Gospel of Luke
‘I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus… Lk 1.3
Acts of the Apostles
‘In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven…. Acts 1.2 6

7. The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles
Why Luke – Acts?
1. The Dedication of the Books
Gospel of Luke
‘I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus… Lk 1.3
Acts of the Apostles
‘In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven…. Acts 1.2
2. The Sequence of Luke and Acts
Jesus is ‘taken up’ to heaven
Book 1. Gospel of Luke
Book 2. Acts of the Apostles .. 7

8. The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles
Why Luke – Acts?
1. The Dedication of the Books
Gospel of Luke
‘I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus… Lk 1.3
Acts of the Apostles
‘In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven…. Acts 1.2
2. The Sequence of Luke and Acts
Jesus is ‘taken up’ to heaven
Book 1. Gospel of Luke
Book 2. Acts of the Apostles ..
3. The Literary Greek Style in each book
‘The language and style of (Luke-Acts) stand out in the New Testament and show… he was writing literature for an educated audience.’ I H Marshall, Tyndale NT Commentary, 1980 8

9. John the Baptist and Jesus
The ‘Shape’ of Luke and Acts
The Gospel of Luke
John the Baptist and Jesus
Ministry in Galilee
Journey to Jerusalem
Ministry in Jerusalem
Passion
Risen
Jesus
Preface
1.5 – 4.13
4.14 – 9.50
9.51 – 19.10 9

10. The ‘Shape’ of Luke and Acts
The Gospel of Luke
John the Baptist and Jesus
Ministry in Galilee
Journey to Jerusalem
Ministry in Jerusalem
Passion
Risen
Jesus
Preface
1.5 – 4.13
4.14 – 9.50
9.51 – 19.10
The Acts of the Apostles
Ministry of Peter
in Jerusalem and Caesarea
Conversion of Saul
Gentile Cornelius believes
Church planted at Antioch
Ministry of Paul
based in Antioch
Mission 1 – Asia Minor
Mission 2 – Macedonia
Mission 3 – Asia
Paul to Jerusalem
Arrested in Jerusalem
Prison in Caesarea
Travels to Rome
Taught about Lord Jesus
Birth of the Church
1.1 – 2.47
3.1 – 12.25
13.1 – 20.38 10

11. The ‘Shape’ of Luke - Acts
Jesus, ministry in Galilee
Jesus, journey to Jerusalem
Jesus,
ministry in Jerusalem,
death, resurrection
Birth of the Church – Peter,
Jerusalem,
Judea,
Samaria,
Mission to the Gentiles – Paul, Antioch,
Asia Minor,
Greece
Paul in Jerusalem,
Caesarea,
Malta,
Rome
Preface
Birth of the Church
Luke – Acts: History of Jesus and the Spirit
Historical Development – Events happened 11

12. The ‘Shape’ of Luke - Acts
Jesus, ministry in Galilee
Jesus, journey to Jerusalem
Jesus,
ministry in Jerusalem,
death, resurrection
Birth of the Church – Peter,
Jerusalem,
Judea,
Samaria,
Mission to the Gentiles – Paul, Antioch,
Asia Minor,
Greece
Paul in Jerusalem,
Caesarea,
Malta,
Rome
Preface
Birth of the Church
Luke – Acts: History of Jesus and the Spirit
Historical Development – Events happened
Geographical Movement – small rural province to Rome 12

13. The ‘Shape’ of Luke - Acts
Jesus, ministry in Galilee
Jesus, journey to Jerusalem
Jesus,
ministry in Jerusalem,
death, resurrection
Birth of the Church – Peter,
Jerusalem,
Judea,
Samaria,
Mission to the Gentiles – Paul, Antioch,
Asia Minor,
Greece
Paul in Jerusalem,
Caesarea,
Malta,
Rome
Preface
Birth of the Church
Luke – Acts: History of Jesus and the Spirit
Historical Development – Events happened
Geographical Movement – small rural province to Rome
Growth of the early church across the Roman Empire 13

14. The ‘Shape’ of Luke - Acts
Jesus, ministry in Galilee
Jesus, journey to Jerusalem
Jesus,
ministry in Jerusalem,
death, resurrection
Birth of the Church – Peter,
Jerusalem,
Judea,
Samaria,
Mission to the Gentiles – Paul, Antioch,
Asia Minor,
Greece
Paul in Jerusalem,
Caesarea,
Malta,
Rome
Preface
Birth of the Church
Luke – Acts: History of Jesus and the Spirit
Historical Development – Events happened
Geographical Movement – small rural province to Rome
Growth of the early church across the Roman Empire
Narrative is the ‘historical’ expression of Jesus’ vision 14

15. Jesus - the History Maker in Luke - Acts
Jesus, ministry in Galilee
Jesus, journey to Jerusalem
Jesus in Jerusalem,
death, resurrection
Birth of the Church – Peter,
Jerusalem,
Judea,
Samaria,
Mission to the Gentiles – Paul, Antioch,
Asia Minor,
Greece
Paul in Jerusalem,
Caesarea,
Malta,
Rome
Birth of the Church
Preface 15

16. Jesus - the History Maker in Luke - Acts
Jesus, ministry in Galilee
Jesus, journey to Jerusalem
Jesus in Jerusalem,
death, resurrection
Birth of the Church – Peter,
Jerusalem,
Judea,
Samaria,
Mission to the Gentiles – Paul, Antioch,
Asia Minor,
Greece
Paul in Jerusalem,
Caesarea,
Malta,
Rome
Birth of the Church
Preface 16

17. Jesus - the History Maker in Luke - Acts
Jesus, ministry in Galilee
Jesus, journey to Jerusalem
Jesus in Jerusalem,
death, resurrection
Birth of the Church – Peter,
Jerusalem,
Judea,
Samaria,
Mission to the Gentiles – Paul, Antioch,
Asia Minor,
Greece
Paul in Jerusalem,
Caesarea,
Malta,
Rome
Birth of the Church
Preface 17

18. Jesus - the History Maker in Luke - Acts
Jesus, ministry in Galilee 1.
Jesus, journey to Jerusalem 2.
Jesus in Jerusalem,
death, resurrection 3.
Birth of the Church – Peter,
Jerusalem,
Judea,
Samaria. 4, 5.
Mission to the Gentiles – Paul, Antioch,
Asia Minor,
Greece. 6.
Paul in Jerusalem,
Caesarea,
Malta,
Rome. 7.
Birth of the Church
Preface
Jesus Makes History at each stage by his words in the power of the Spirit
Nazareth – the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. Lk
The Journey to Jerusalem. Lk
The commitment to ‘yet not my will, but yours be done’. Lk 22.42
The Instructions to wait for the Holy Spirit and then ‘be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.’ Acts 1.8
5. The Instructions to Peter to welcome the Gentiles. Acts
The commissioning of Paul and Barnabas for mission. Acts
Paul’s journey to Jerusalem and on to Rome. Acts 20.23 18

19. ‘the good news proclaimed to the poor’
The Mission of Jesus the History Maker
Counter-cultural History
The Spirit of the Lord is on me
because
1. He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor’
2. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and
3. recovery of sight for the blind
4. To set the oppressed free
5. To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour Lk
Jesus replied to the messengers: ‘Go back and report to John (the Baptist) what you have seen and heard:
1. The blind receive their sight
2. The lame walk
3. Those who have leprosy are cleansed
4. The deaf hear
5. The dead are raised and 6. the good news is proclaimed to the poor’ Lk 7.22
Note to Theophilus
to find out more about
‘the good news proclaimed to the poor’
please read
Lk 4.20 – 7.17 19

20. Jesus the ‘History’ Maker
1. Jesus’s ministry was anointed and led by the Holy
Spirit and so was the ministry of the early church.
2. Jesus’ Ministry made a public and well evidenced ‘difference’ – which all could see.
3. Jesus’ introduced the Kingdom of God in his day which will be experienced fully at the End time.
4. Jesus introduced his radical ‘counter-cultural’ history which prioritised the poor and marginalised and he met them where they were. 20