Luke: The Gospel of Amazement

"His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about Him." Luke 2:33 "Everyone was amazed at all the things He was doing." Luke 9:43 "He went home, amazed at what had happened." Luke 24:12 From start to finish, the book of Luke is filled with amazement. Throughout the life and ministry of Jesus, those who met him were astonished by their encounter, from the shepherds at the nativity to the disciples at the empty tomb. With careful attention to detail, Michael Card embarks on an imaginative journey through the Gospel of Luke. He introduces us to Luke the historian and imagines his life as a Gentile, a doctor and a slave. Card explores Luke?s compelling account of this dynamic rabbi who astounded his hearers with parables and paradoxes. What might Luke have experienced as he interviewed eyewitnesses of Jesus? What leads Luke to focus on the marginalized and the unlikely? Why does Luke include certain details that the other Gospel writers omit? Join Michael Card in the work of opening heart and mind to the "Gospel of Amazement."



In a career that spans 30 years, Michael Card has recorded over 31 albums, authored or co-authored over 24 books, hosted a radio program, and written for a wide range of magazines. An award-winning musician and performing artist, he has penned such favorites as "El Shaddai," "Immanuel" and many other songs. He has branched his ministry beyond music and written numerous books, including A Sacred Sorrow, A Violent Grace, The Parable of Joy and Sleep Sound in Jesus (a children's book). He has also written the Biblical Imagination Series, with a book and accompanying music CD for each of the four gospels. A graduate of Western Kentucky University with a bachelor's and master's degree in biblical studies, Card also serves as mentor to many younger artists and musicians, teaching courses on the creative process and calling the Christian recording industry into deeper discipleship. Card lives in Tennessee with his wife and four children.



Preface: The Biblical Imagination

Introduction: Who Is Luke?



A Companion of Paul



Not an Eyewitness



A Doctor



Perhaps a Slave



A Gentile



Major Themes

Luke 1



A Self-Conscious Writer



Parallel Pre-Birth Stories



Mary Sings



Zechariah Sings

Luke 2



The King in a Cattle Trough



The Line Between Old and New



The Boy Who Would Be Messiah

Luke 3



The Doleful Days of Tiberius



The Voice of a Slave in the Wilderness



The Baptism of Jesus



The Genetics of Jesus

Luke 4



The Son in the Desert



Good News for the Poor



"Be Muzzled"



The Reluctant Healer

Luke 5



The First Miraculous Catch



A Practical Secret



The Healing Faith of Friends



Paradoxical Unorthodoxy



Wedding Guests and New Wine

Luke 6



Lord Over Orthodoxy



The Choice of the Twelve



The Shape of the New Community



The Impossible Command



How to Build Your House in the Kingdom

Luke 7



How to Amaze Jesus



A Meeting of the Crowds



A Most Remarkable Question



Moving from the Head to the Heart

Luke 8



The Women



The Parable of the Soils



A Demonic Storm



A Demonized Man



The Healing of Two Daughters

Luke 9



A First Foray



The Miracle Behind the Miracle



A Final Clarity: Who Jesus Is



Confirmation from the Father



The Impotence of Unbelief



The Final Journey Begins

Luke 10



The Sending of the Seventy



The Joy of Jesus



A Parable of Unexpected Mercy



A Monumental Shift

Luke 11



A Breath of a Prayer



The Finger of God



The Sign of the Son of Man



The Prophet at the Dinner Table

Luke 12



What to Fear and What Not to Fear



I?ll Say to Myself, "Self . . ."



The Treasure Chest of the Heart



The Slaving Savior



Fire on the Earth

Luke 13



A Commentary on the "Job Equation"



The Unexpectedly Closed Door



Three Days Out

Luke 14



A Not Unfriendly Dinner



The Heart of the Master of the Banquet



Faith Over Family

Luke 15



The Shepherd with the Lost Sheep



The Woman with the Lost Coin



The Father with the Lost Son(s)

Luke 16



The Parable of the Desperate Manager



The Line Has Been Crossed



A Parable of Radical Reversal

Luke 17



Simple, Trusting Obedience



The Perfect Prayer



The Coming(s) of the Kingdom

Luke 18



Persistence and Justice



The Perfect Prayer, 2



One Broken Link



The Perfect Prayer, 3

Luke 19



A Paradigm for a New Value System



A Blueprint for Centuries to Come



A Tearful Entry



The Second Temple Cleansing

Luke 20



Six Trick Questions



1 By Whose Authority?



2 John?s Baptism: From Heaven or Humans?



3 What Will the Owner Do?



4 Pay Taxes or Not?



5 Whose Wife Will She Be?



6 How Can Christ Be David?s Son?

Luke 21



A Widow Offers Her Life



Two Questions, Two Answers



A Lesson from the Leaves

Luke 22



For the Price of a Slave



The Servant Savior



The Sifting of Simon



An Unsuccessful Angel



The Traitor?s Kiss



The Gaze



The Early-Morning Hearing

Luke 23



The Innocence of Jesus: Pilate



The Innocence of Jesus: Herod



Barabbas!



The God-Forsaken God



The Death of Jesus



The Witnesses

Luke 24



No Expectations



Recognized by the Broken Bread



The Persistence of Doubt



"In its straightforwardness and simplicity of presentation . . . Card's exposition provides an uncomplicated guide to this gospel that well serves the novice reader."



"Though Card taps into the discoveries of scholars, his work is accessible to the lay reader. . . . He lives up to his goal of providing a fresh, rich approach to the biblical text."



"In honoring his mentor William Lane, Michael Card illumines a forgotten path of biblical imagination by a thorough examination of the book of Luke. I have been using this book as a meditation in my studio to live and create as an artist of the twenty-first century; I found every page to be eye-opening. This book is a feast for truth seekers and creators. Michael Card invites all of us to a magnificent journey of hesed (grace and mercy). This humble offering is a sweet aroma and an invaluable contribution to all those who desire to know the Bible and live creatively."



"Michael Card has taught hundreds of thousands of us to love Jesus more deeply. Now, with this new book, he teaches us to follow Jesus more closely. Thanks, Michael!"



"Many know Michael Card as a celebrated songwriter. I know Michael as an inspiring theologian who loves the Word of God! I am thus so thrilled that he is writing the Biblical Imagination Series starting with the Gospel of Luke. Luke and Michael Card have much in common, not the least of which is that they both love stories and songs. But most significantly, they both love Jesus. We're in for a most wonderful treat!"