Luke 1-12 For You

Luke Wrote So You Could Be Certain. Are You?

Luke tells us exactly why he wrote his Gospel. He wanted his reader — Theophilus, and every reader after him — to have certainty. Certainty that the things they had been taught about Jesus are true. Certainty that the promises of God, made across centuries of Scripture, have been kept. Certainty that the King has come.

Luke 1–12 For You by Mike McKinley is an applied expository guide through the first half of Luke's Gospel, written for the God's Word For You series from The Good Book Company. It takes readers — whether new to Luke or deeply familiar with it — into fresh, close, and genuinely compelling engagement with twelve chapters that contain some of the most important and beloved material in the entire New Testament.

And it does what Luke himself intended: it brings readers face to face with Jesus. Not a Jesus of vague religious sentiment or cultural assumption. The Jesus of the text — the one who heals lepers and forgives sinners, who astonishes crowds and confounds Pharisees, who declares that the kingdom of God has come near, and whose identity is slowly, breathtakingly revealed across every chapter of this Gospel.

What Luke Is Doing — and Why It Matters

Mike McKinley is a careful reader of Luke who understands not just what the individual passages say but what Luke is doing with them. Luke is a master narrator, a careful historian, and a profound theologian — and his Gospel has a shape and a direction that rewards close attention.

The first twelve chapters move from the extraordinary circumstances of Jesus's birth — announced by angels, celebrated by shepherds, recognised by Simeon and Anna — through his baptism and temptation, the beginning of his public ministry, the calling of his disciples, the Sermon on the Plain, a series of increasingly dramatic miracles, and a collection of parables that redefine what the kingdom of God looks like. And running through all of it is a single question that builds with every chapter: Who is this man?

McKinley guides readers through this question with the twin commitments that define the God's Word For You series: close attention to the text and a genuine focus on real-life application. He does not simply explain what happened. He shows why it matters — for faith, for discipleship, for the way we read the rest of the Bible, and for the ordinary realities of everyday Christian life.

Fresh and Compelling — For Every Kind of Reader

One of the great strengths of Luke 1–12 For You is the breadth of its usefulness. McKinley writes in a way that is genuinely fresh for experienced Bible readers who know these chapters well — and genuinely accessible for those who are newer to Luke and approaching the text with open curiosity.

This is not a commentary that speaks only to scholars or only to beginners. It speaks to both — and to every reader in between. The person who has heard the parable of the Good Samaritan a hundred times will encounter something new here. The person who is reading it for the first time will understand it clearly. This dual accessibility, rare and valuable in a Bible commentary, makes it an outstanding resource for a wide range of contexts and readers.

Three Books in One — Uniquely Flexible

Like every volume in the God's Word For You series, Luke 1–12 For You is designed for multiple uses:

• Read it as a book — work through it chapter by chapter as an engaging, applicatory exploration of Luke 1–12
• Use it as a daily devotional — work through it section by section, slowly and prayerfully, with reflection questions for personal application and spiritual formation
• Use it for teaching and preaching — a rich resource for small group leaders wanting to understand the text deeply and for preachers wanting clear explanation and compelling ways of connecting Luke's Gospel to the world their congregation lives in today

What This Book Covers

• Luke 1 — The annunciation to Zechariah and Mary; the Magnificat; the birth of John the Baptist; the theological prologue
• Luke 2 — The birth of Jesus; the shepherds and the angels; the presentation at the temple; Simeon and Anna; the boy Jesus in Jerusalem
• Luke 3 — The ministry of John the Baptist; the baptism of Jesus; the genealogy
• Luke 4 — The temptation of Jesus; the rejection at Nazareth; the beginning of Jesus's public ministry; exorcism and healing
• Luke 5 — The call of the disciples; the healing of the leper; the paralysed man; the call of Levi; the question of fasting
• Luke 6 — Sabbath controversies; the choosing of the Twelve; the Sermon on the Plain; love for enemies; wise and foolish builders
• Luke 7 — The centurion's servant; the widow's son at Nain; John the Baptist's question; the sinful woman who anointed Jesus
• Luke 8 — The parable of the sower; the true family of Jesus; the calming of the storm; the Gerasene demoniac; Jairus's daughter; the bleeding woman
• Luke 9 — The sending of the Twelve; the feeding of the five thousand; Peter's confession; the Transfiguration; the cost of discipleship
• Luke 10 — The sending of the seventy-two; the Good Samaritan; Mary and Martha
• Luke 11 — The Lord's Prayer; persistent prayer; Jesus and Beelzebul; the sign of Jonah; woes against the Pharisees
• Luke 12 — Warnings about hypocrisy and anxiety; the rich fool; treasures in heaven; watchfulness; division and discernment

What Readers Will Gain

• A fresh, close, and applicatory engagement with Luke 1–12 — seeing familiar and unfamiliar passages with new clarity
• Certainty about who Jesus is and why it matters — the confidence Luke himself wrote to produce
• A deeper understanding of the kingdom of God as Jesus announced and embodied it in Luke's Gospel
• Real-life application drawn carefully and honestly from the text — for personal faith, discipleship, and Christian community
• A richer reading of the parables, miracles, and discourses of Jesus in their narrative and theological context
• A flexible resource equally useful for personal devotion, small group preparation, and sermon development
• Pastoral and theological insight from a trusted Bible teacher and pastor

Who Should Read This Book

• Christians wanting a rich, accessible, and gospel-centred guide through the first half of Luke's Gospel
• New believers wanting a warm, clear, and applicatory introduction to the life and ministry of Jesus
• Small group leaders wanting a reliable expository guide to prepare for leading others through Luke
• Preachers and teachers wanting deep textual understanding and compelling application for sermon preparation
• Individual Christians wanting to work through Luke 1–12 in a careful, devotional way
• Pastors wanting a resource to recommend or use for congregational study or discipleship
• Theology students and seminary candidates studying the Synoptic Gospels
• Christians in India wanting to encounter Jesus in Luke's Gospel with fresh eyes and renewed certainty
• Readers who have worked through Luke 13–24 For You and want to complete their journey through the whole Gospel

About the Author

Mike McKinley is the senior pastor of Sterling Park Baptist Church in Sterling, Virginia, and a respected author and Bible teacher in the Reformed evangelical tradition. He is the author of several widely-read books including Am I Really a Christian?, Church Planting Is for Wimps, and Passion — and his Bible study and commentary writing is used in churches and small groups around the world. He is known for combining careful attention to the biblical text with pastoral warmth, genuine accessibility, and a gift for helping ordinary readers see the Jesus of the Gospels with fresh eyes. His two volumes in the God's Word For You series — Luke 1–12 For You and Luke 13–24 For You — represent his most sustained and celebrated contribution to applied Bible exposition.

About the God's Word For You Series

Luke 1–12 For You is part of the God's Word For You series — a library of applied Bible commentaries published by The Good Book Company, written by trusted pastors and scholars for ordinary readers. Each volume in the series is designed to work as a book, a devotional, and a teaching resource — making them among the most versatile and widely used Bible study tools available for individuals, small groups, and churches. Other volumes available through For The Truth include Galatians For You and Romans 8–16 For You by Timothy Keller, and Nehemiah For You by Eric Mason.