Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
Luke was the beloved physician who wrote the Gospel that bears his name, and with Demas he joined Paul in sending greeting to the believers at Colosse. Sought out by Paul for the special work entrusted to him, Luke traveled with him from place to place, was left at Philippi to labor for years in double service as physician and minister of the gospel, then accompanied him to Jerusalem, through his imprisonment at Caesarea, on the voyage to Rome, and remained with him there. He ministered to the sick and prayed for God's healing power upon them, and his skill and success as a physician opened hearts and doors for preaching Christ among the heathen. He is the pattern for combining the ministry of the Word with medical missionary work today, showing the divine plan that teaching and healing are never to be separated in the work of the gospel. Demas stood at that time as a converted Christian in full fellowship alongside Luke, before he afterward forsook Paul for love of this present world, warning that unless weakness is seen and faults remedied, love of the world and its ambitious plans makes shipwreck of faith.
Luke's Identity and Labors
Luke is the beloved physician named in the greeting, and he is the writer of the Gospel that bears his name. Paul had heard of Luke's skill as a physician and recognized him as one to whom the Lord had entrusted a special work. He sought Luke out and secured his cooperation, and Luke then accompanied him in his travels from place to place.
After a time Paul left Luke at Philippi in Macedonia. There Luke continued to labor for several years, doing double service as both a physician and a teacher and minister of the gospel. He labored together with Paul at Philippi before staying on after Paul departed, serving the people in both callings as a true medical missionary.
Luke afterward accompanied Paul on the journey to Jerusalem. He was with him during his two years of imprisonment at Caesarea and on the perilous voyage to Rome. He remained with Paul in Rome, where he is still identified as the beloved physician sending greeting with Demas.
As a physician Luke ministered to the sick and then prayed for the healing power of God to rest upon the afflicted ones. He did his part medically and then asked the Lord to let His healing power rest upon them. His skill and success as a physician opened the way for the gospel message to find access to hearts. That success gained for him many doors and opportunities for preaching Christ among the heathen.
Demas's Fellowship and Fall
Demas stands in the verse as a converted Christian received into full communion and fellowship with the church. He is placed alongside Luke, the beloved physician, in sending greetings to the Colossians while he was with Paul. That greeting shows him at a time of faithfulness before he later forsook Paul, choosing the world before Christ, having loved this present world.
His early association did not keep him from that choice. Unless weakness is seen and faults of character are remedied, love of the present world with its worldly projects and ambitious plans draws away from safe paths and makes shipwreck of faith.
Pattern for Medical Ministry
Luke is the pattern and example for combining the ministry of the Word with medical missionary work today, and those who do a work like his, joining medical care with service to the gospel, are living out the gospel. He did double service as both physician and gospel minister, indeed a medical missionary, and his skill and success opened doors and gave opportunity to preach Christ among the heathen by gaining access for the message to hearts. His example follows the way Christ combined healing the sick with preaching the gospel and never used His power to make His own life less taxing.
His life shows the divine plan that physical healing is bound up with the gospel commission and that in the work of the gospel teaching and healing are never to be separated. Godly physicians are needed to minister in their profession, there is much work to be done and there are none too many such physicians, and ministers and doctors are to work in perfect union.
That similar work uses its countless opportunities to warn the impenitent, cheer the disconsolate and hopeless, prescribe for health of mind and body, instruct in the principles of true temperance, and as guardians of souls advise those who are mentally and physically diseased. By this it acts its part in making ready a people prepared for the Lord, which is what medical missionary work is to accomplish in its relation to the third angel's message. Luke trusted the Lord to give him skill in applying remedies, showing that faith in God is consistent with using remedies to help the sick.
Luke was the beloved physician who wrote the Gospel that bears his name, and with Demas he joined Paul in sending greeting to the believers at Colosse. Sought out by Paul for the special work entrusted to him, Luke traveled with him from place to place, was left at Philippi to labor for years in double service as physician and minister of the gospel, then accompanied him to Jerusalem, through his imprisonment at Caesarea, on the voyage to Rome, and remained with him there. He ministered to the sick and prayed for God's healing power upon them, and his skill and success as a physician opened hearts and doors for preaching Christ among the heathen. He is the pattern for combining the ministry of the Word with medical missionary work today, showing the divine plan that teaching and healing are never to be separated in the work of the gospel. Demas stood at that time as a converted Christian in full fellowship alongside Luke, before he afterward forsook Paul for love of this present world, warning that unless weakness is seen and faults remedied, love of the world and its ambitious plans makes shipwreck of faith.
Luke's Identity and Labors
Luke is the beloved physician named in the greeting, and he is the writer of the Gospel that bears his name. Paul had heard of Luke's skill as a physician and recognized him as one to whom the Lord had entrusted a special work. He sought Luke out and secured his cooperation, and Luke then accompanied him in his travels from place to place.
After a time Paul left Luke at Philippi in Macedonia. There Luke continued to labor for several years, doing double service as both a physician and a teacher and minister of the gospel. He labored together with Paul at Philippi before staying on after Paul departed, serving the people in both callings as a true medical missionary.
Luke afterward accompanied Paul on the journey to Jerusalem. He was with him during his two years of imprisonment at Caesarea and on the perilous voyage to Rome. He remained with Paul in Rome, where he is still identified as the beloved physician sending greeting with Demas.
As a physician Luke ministered to the sick and then prayed for the healing power of God to rest upon the afflicted ones. He did his part medically and then asked the Lord to let His healing power rest upon them. His skill and success as a physician opened the way for the gospel message to find access to hearts. That success gained for him many doors and opportunities for preaching Christ among the heathen.
Demas's Fellowship and Fall
Demas stands in the verse as a converted Christian received into full communion and fellowship with the church. He is placed alongside Luke, the beloved physician, in sending greetings to the Colossians while he was with Paul. That greeting shows him at a time of faithfulness before he later forsook Paul, choosing the world before Christ, having loved this present world.
His early association did not keep him from that choice. Unless weakness is seen and faults of character are remedied, love of the present world with its worldly projects and ambitious plans draws away from safe paths and makes shipwreck of faith.
Pattern for Medical Ministry
Luke is the pattern and example for combining the ministry of the Word with medical missionary work today, and those who do a work like his, joining medical care with service to the gospel, are living out the gospel. He did double service as both physician and gospel minister, indeed a medical missionary, and his skill and success opened doors and gave opportunity to preach Christ among the heathen by gaining access for the message to hearts. His example follows the way Christ combined healing the sick with preaching the gospel and never used His power to make His own life less taxing.
His life shows the divine plan that physical healing is bound up with the gospel commission and that in the work of the gospel teaching and healing are never to be separated. Godly physicians are needed to minister in their profession, there is much work to be done and there are none too many such physicians, and ministers and doctors are to work in perfect union.
That similar work uses its countless opportunities to warn the impenitent, cheer the disconsolate and hopeless, prescribe for health of mind and body, instruct in the principles of true temperance, and as guardians of souls advise those who are mentally and physically diseased. By this it acts its part in making ready a people prepared for the Lord, which is what medical missionary work is to accomplish in its relation to the third angel's message. Luke trusted the Lord to give him skill in applying remedies, showing that faith in God is consistent with using remedies to help the sick.