New/Old Testament in a Year: May 2013

Monday 27 May 2013

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge week 13

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 13: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year, reading just 5 chapters per week.

We are now onto Week 13 of our New Testament Bible Reading Challenge....

...which must mean we're 1/4 way through the whole challenge!!!!

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Top Tip!
To get the most out of this challenge, start each daily reading with a short, simple, sincere prayer asking God to guide your thinking as you read. Then open the Bible and read slowly, with the aim of learning something new. After the reading, consider how it may affect your life and relationship with Jesus, and allow your increased knowledge of the Scriptures to shape your character and strengthen your trust in God.

Take your time - enjoy this opportunity - and may God bless you as you embark upon this New Testament Bible Challenge.

Captain Phil Layton

Monday, May 27, 2013 --- Luke 17 --- Jesus talks about our service for God, and heals 10 lepers – only one of whom returns to say thanks

- v7-10, how would you interpret and apply these verses to your own life?

- v20-37, do we ever stop to read and understand these verses?...do they make sense?...and if not then do you think it would be worthwhile grappling with them to find out their meaning?

Tuesday, May 28, 2013 --- Luke 18 --- Jesus welcomes children, predicts His death, and warns how the love of temporary money/possessions can distract us from the things that last forever.

- v9-14 is a parable, and so what is its meaning and how can we apply it to ourselves?...What was the error of the Pharisee, to pray boldly? to exalt himself? or to compare himself with others?

- v17 is a verse which can easily be misunderstood or even abused, and yet seems basic to our faith....what does it mean? Is there a difference between a childish faith and a childlike one?

Wednesday, May 29, 2013 --- Luke 19 --- The story of Zacchaeus, and the parable of the 10 minas.

- v12-26, the parable of the 10 minas is told for the reasons given in v11 (which is interesting in itself!)....and so who is the king, who are the servants, and who are the subjects?

- v37-39, while Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem, who were the crowds praising God out loud, and how many do you think there were?

Thursday, May 30, 2013 --- Luke 20 --- Jesus silences His sceptics, and provides further teaching

- v9-19, the teachers of the law and chief priests understand this parable as speaking against them....but where do you and I fit into this story, if at all?

- v45-47, the chapter ends with a very stern warning 'Such men will be punished most severely'...should we take this at face value? what are we to make of it?

Friday, May 31, 2013 --- Luke 21 --- Jesus explains how our giving is relative to our circumstances

- v1-4, do we ever compare our giving (financial, time, abilities) with that of what we perceive being given by other people? Can we ever accurately guess or judge the value of what others give?

- v5-38, 'the signs of the end of the age'....do we understand these verses? do we want to understand them? does it matter if we understand them?

- what would be the pros and cons of trying to understand them?

Tuesday 21 May 2013

New Teatament Bible Reading Challenge week 12

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 12: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year, reading just 5 chapters per week.

We are now onto Week 12 of our New Testament Bible Reading Challenge....and halfway through Luke!

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Monday, May 20, 2013 --- Luke 12 --- Jesus teaches the parable of the rich fool, and the need to be ready for heaven!

- Right at the beginning of this chapter we are told that 'many thousands' were now flocking to see Jesus....could this be as a result of the ministry of the 72 in Luke 10?

- v4-5, we are told to 'fear' God...do we? …How?

- v 6-7, we are told not to be afraid?...is this compatible with the advice given in v4-5?

- v16-21, try re-telling this parable and its meaning imagining that the rich fool is living in the same context/environment as you are today. (e.g. that he is a teacher, housewife, shopkeeper, student, minister, builder, etc. etc.)

- 35-46, what is the general teaching of this passage?

- v47-48, how would you interpret the meaning of Jesus' words in these two verses?

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 --- Luke 13 --- Jesus tells more parables, and heals a crippled woman on the Sabbath

- v1-5, are we sometimes tempted into thinking that bad things only happen to bad people? If so, what do these verses suggest?

- v18-21, in what way can we recognise the Kingdom of God being like a mustard seed, or like yeast?

- v22-30, why do you think Jesus compared the way of salvation as a 'narrow door'?

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 --- Luke 14 --- Jesus interprets the Sabbath, and teaches through more parables

- v15-24, how do you interpret Jesus' parable of the 'Great Banquet'?

- v26, this may strike you as a difficult sentence....but in a Jewish context it is argued that 'hate' simply means to 'love less'...is this a helpful interpretation?

(see http://jewsforjesus.org/answers/jesus/family)

Thursday, May 23, 2013 --- Luke 15 --- Jesus uses three more parables to describe the importance of every lost soul

- v1-10, have you ever stopped to seriously consider that the angels in heaven truly rejoice at your salvation?

- v1-10, how much priority do we give to helping others become saved too? (finding the 'lost sheep/coins' of this world)

- v1-10, once a sheep/coin has been found, is it possible for that sheep/coin to become lost again?

- v11-32, in the parable of the lost son...who do you think the Father and the two sons represent?

Friday, May 24, 2013 --- Luke 16 --- Jesus uses another parable, and tells the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

- The parable of the shrewd manager can be difficult to understand - how do you interpret it? (A good suggestion can be found here: http://www.annerobertson.com/2004/10/shrewd-manager-in-luke-16.html)

- v19-31, the story of the Rich man and Lazarus is about what we do with what we have during our lifetime...but does it also tell us anything about life beyond the grave? How much detail do you think Jesus intended His listeners to attach to these stories?

Useful resources to help promote this challenge and the reading of Scripture at your church/centre/devotions

Friday 10 May 2013

New Teatament Bible Reading Challenge week 11

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 11: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year, reading just 5 chapters per week.

We are now onto Week 11 of our New Testament Bible Reading Challenge....

Keep persevering and setting aside a few minutes each day to read a chapter,

and it'll all be worth it both for the things we'll see along the journey, and for the achievement of reaching our destination.

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Top Tip!To get the most out of this challenge, start each daily reading with a short, simple, sincere prayer asking God to guide your thinking as you read. Then open the Bible and read slowly, with the aim of learning something new. After the reading, consider how it may affect your life and relationship with Jesus, and allow your increased knowledge of the Scriptures to shape your character and strengthen your trust in God.Take your time - enjoy this opportunity - and may God bless you as you embark upon this New Testament Bible Challenge.
Captain Phil Layton

Monday, May 13, 2013 --- Luke 7 --- a centurion demonstrates amazing faith in Jesus, and a dead man is brought back to life- v15, do you think Jesus raised the dead man out of compassion for the mother, as a sign to the onlookers, both of these, or some other reason?

- v19, Why do you think John asked this question?

Tuesday, May 14, 2013 --- Luke 8 --- Jesus tells parables, controls nature, and raises yet another dead person back to life!

- according to v10, why did Jesus often use parables?

- v39, you may spot the inference to the deity of Jesus within this verse.

- v47 do you think they had not heard about Jesus' miracle in raising the dead man (previous chapter), or that they had been sceptical about it and so dismissed it, or is there another reason for this lack of faith in Jesus' power.

- v56, how easy would it have been to be Jairus and not tell anyone what had happened?

Wednesday, May 15, 2013 --- Luke 9 --- Jesus sends His disciples on a mission, and describes the cost of following Him

- v5, is it feasible that there may come a point when it is time to shift the target of Gospel ministry if it is not being accepted? If so, how can we know when that time has arrived?

- given the close proximity between Jesus' words in v27 and the following miracle of the transfiguration, is it plausible that v27 indeed is referring to the transfiguration itself and to the witness of Peter, James, and John?

- how would you interpret and apply for yourself v62?

Thursday, May 16, 2013 --- Luke 10 --- Jesus sends out seventy-two more, and emphasises the priority of salvation

- Is it tempting to sometimes imagine Jesus only had a hard-core of about 12 followers?...If so, do these additional 72 help us to imagine the impact His ministry was having?

- v20, how can this verse be understood and applied within our lives and ministry today?

- v38-42, is it possible to become so busy serving the Lord that we neglect to actually spend time with Him today?

Friday, May 17, 2013 --- Luke 11 --- Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, and opposes the established religious leaders

- v5-10 may lead us to assume that God will give us whatever we ask (through persistence if nothing else!)....but does verse 13 remind us that the priority of the Christian should be to ask for the indwelling guidance of the Holy Spirit?....and is this what these verses are really talking about?

- v37-54, Jesus seemed to show little fear of tackling the established religious leaders head-on in their hypocrisy and false teaching...are we as fearless? If not, is this a result of our culture or lack of knowledge/confidence?