We’re
now going to work on our second reading for the “6+ Year Four Gospels Project”
and I hope you forgive me. There’s a great deal for us to glean, so I’m going
to jump right in and skip the niceties. Let’s get to the substance instead.
We’re
going to do this study over the course of three days, where we study the
passage of Luke 1:1-4 as a whole and verse by verse. I think you’re going to
see how each day, the 15 minute lesson will grow, where you’re doing a little
more, between the start of this project, and approximately Day Ten. Then, the
amount required for the 15 Minute Study will stay the same and the 30 Minute
will increase for about ten days, and so on, until we reach the 60+ Minute
Study—and that will continue to grow throughout this book and eight week study
session for this first book.
After
all, we need to learn to go deeper, no matter the time. We need to go deeper
longer and all day and night long. If we aren’t doing this, we’re missing
everything the Word of God says and how Jesus lived His life. The idea is to increase what we can do every
fifteen minutes so we’re able to absorb more and study more in any fifteen
minute period.
Then,
I won’t add a great deal more for each fifteen minute session. I just didn’t
want to jump in and have us working at a break-neck pace. I wanted us to work
into it. That being said, see the next section.
If,
at any given time, something really jumps out of you, and you need time to
prayer journal, ponder, think on, and prayer journal yet some more, by all
means do it. This is especially true if you are doing this on your own or with
a partner. If this happens, call your partner and let them know. They can then
do four days this week, rather than five as well.
If
you are doing this in a group, make sure to make note that you want to focus on
“X” (fill in the blank) more in your prayer journal. I would then finish the 15
Minute Study and then focus on “X” for however long you need. If you are able
to do it in a short amount of time, then do the 30, 45, 60+ Minute Study. If
not, then during your review and catch-up day, you can do more of this lesson.
Oh,
dear. I probably lost some of you just by writing that, but hang in there. This
might not be what you think. Others of you might be rubbing your hands together
with excitement. Again, this might not be what you think. So, what is this
section about then?
Find
your favorite chapter in the Four Gospels. Or, if you’re like me, I have
several. So, find the first one that pops into your mind. Look it up.
Mind
was Matthew 6.
What’s
yours? Write the reference in your prayer journal.
If
you don’t have a clue, here are a couple to consider: Matthew 6, Mark 13, Luke
6, John 10, or John 15. (Oh, but there are so many more. But, I would start
there.)
Pick
one chapter.
Read
it all the way through in your favorite translation of the Bible.
PRAYER
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
Answer each of these questions: 1 What jumped out at you? 2 What did you learn?
3 What can you apply to your life? 4 What did you say to God? 5 What did God
say to you? 6 What did you learn about Jesus, if anything? 7 Who is Jesus? 8
What did He do, think, feel, say? 8 What does He want us to do, think, feel,
say? 9 What does He not want us to do, think, feel, or say? 10 How can this passage
deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ? 11 What does this mean for me and my
life? 12 How can I apply these lessons learned, and answers received, to my
life? 13 How can all of this help me live a life of Jesus? 14 Write out a
summary prayer.
Now,
either copy your chapter out by hand into your journal or onto notecards—or cut
and paste over the internet into a blank document. Pick a format you can carry
around with you 24/7. Read the chapter while working out, while cooking or
cleaning, and read it when on hold with
a phone call. Read it before you get out of your car wherever you travel, read
it while in a line like at the grocery store, while you get ready in the
morning and when you get ready for bed, etc.
The
idea is to read it several times a day, from verse one to the end, so many
times throughout the day, you memorize it without even meaning to do so. Make
this your chapter for at least the eight weeks we are doing this book or blog
post series. Read it over and over and over and over.
And,
make sure to prayer journal about it constantly, several times a day, and write
out verses in your prayer journal that spoke to you the most at that moment and
the reasons why.
Prayer
journal the entire chapter at least twice a week. Write it out by hand, whether
with paper and pen or on the computer.
This
will help you learn more about what it is to live a life of Jesus. You’ll read
it so much it will become part of you.
Read
Luke 1:1-4 in your favorite version of the Bible.
PRAYER JOURNALING
PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS
Answer each of these questions: 1 What jumped out at you? 2 What did you learn?
3 What can you apply to your life? 4 What did you say to God? 5 What did God
say to you? 6 What did you learn about Jesus, if anything? 7 Who is Jesus? 8
What did He do, think, feel, say? 8 What does He want us to do, think, feel,
say? 9 What does He not want us to do, think, feel, or say? 10 How can this
passage deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ? 11 What does this mean for me
and my life? 12 How can I apply these lessons learned, and answers received, to
my life? 13 How can all of this help me live a life of Jesus? 14 Write out a
summary prayer.
Now,
let’s go deeper still. Let’s try to glean everything out of this we can. Read
this version and all of the cross-references listed after Luke 1:1-4.
The
Dedication to Theophilus
1
Many have undertaken to compile a
narrative about the events that have been fulfilled[a]
among us,(A)
2 just as the original eyewitnesses(B)
and servants of the word(C)
handed them down to us. 3 It also seemed good to me, since I have
carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an
orderly sequence, most honorable(D)
Theophilus,(E)
4 so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have
been instructed.[b](F)
Footnotes:
1.
Luke
1:1 Or events that have been accomplished, or events most surely
believed
Cross
references:
-- HCSB: Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken
from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003,
2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard
Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman
Bible Publishers.
PRAYER
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
Answer
each of these questions for:
A
The first read-through of this version.
B
After each cross-reference.
1
What jumped out at you? 2 What did you learn? 3 What can you apply to your
life? 4 What did you say to God? 5 What did God say to you? 6 What did you
learn about Jesus, if anything? 7 Who is Jesus? 8 What did He do, think, feel,
say? 8 What does He want us to do, think, feel, say? 9 What does He not want us
to do, think, feel, or say? 10 How can this passage deepen your knowledge of
Jesus Christ? 11 What does this mean for me and my life? 12 How can I apply
these lessons learned, and answers received, to my life? 13 How can all of this
help me live a life of Jesus? 14 Write out a summary prayer.
Luke
Writes About Jesus’ Life
1
Many have ·tried to report on [set
out to compile an account/narrative of] the things that ·happened [have been
fulfilled/accomplished] among us [John
20:31; Acts
1:1–3; 2
Pet. 1:16–19]. 2 They have written the same things that ·we learned
from [L were handed down by] others—the ·people who saw those things [L eyewitnesses]
from the beginning and ·served God by telling people his message [L were
servants of the word; Acts
10:39–41; 1
John 1:1–3]. 3 Since I myself have ·studied [investigated; followed
closely] everything carefully from the beginning, most excellent [C a
designation for someone with high social or political status] Theophilus, it
seemed ·good [fitting] for me to write it out for you. I arranged it ·in order
[or in an orderly manner], 4 to help you know that what you have
been taught is ·true [certain; reliable; John
20:31].
--
EXB: Scripture taken from The Expanded Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Thomas
Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
PRAYER
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
Answer
each of these questions for:
A
The first read-through of this version.
B
After each cross-reference.
1
What jumped out at you? 2 What did you learn? 3 What can you apply to your
life? 4 What did you say to God? 5 What did God say to you? 6 What did you
learn about Jesus, if anything? 7 Who is Jesus? 8 What did He do, think, feel,
say? 8 What does He want us to do, think, feel, say? 9 What does He not want us
to do, think, feel, or say? 10 How can this passage deepen your knowledge of
Jesus Christ? 11 What does this mean for me and my life? 12 How can I apply
these lessons learned, and answers received, to my life? 13 How can all of this
help me live a life of Jesus? 14 Write out a summary prayer.
1
1-4 So many others have tried their
hand at putting together a story of the wonderful harvest of Scripture and
history that took place among us, using reports handed down by the original
eyewitnesses who served this Word with their very lives. Since I have
investigated all the reports in close detail, starting from the story’s beginning,
I decided to write it all out for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can
know beyond the shadow of a doubt the reliability of what you were taught.
--
MSG: Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995,
1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
PRAYER
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
Answer
each of these questions for:
A
The first read-through of this version.
B
After each cross-reference.
1
What jumped out at you? 2 What did you learn? 3 What can you apply to your
life? 4 What did you say to God? 5 What did God say to you? 6 What did you
learn about Jesus, if anything? 7 Who is Jesus? 8 What did He do, think, feel,
say? 8 What does He want us to do, think, feel, say? 9 What does He not want us
to do, think, feel, or say? 10 How can this passage deepen your knowledge of
Jesus Christ? 11 What does this mean for me and my life? 12 How can I apply
these lessons learned, and answers received, to my life? 13 How can all of this
help me live a life of Jesus? 14 Write out a summary prayer.
Luke 1:1-4 / New American Standard Bible
(NASB)
Introduction
1
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to
compile an account of the things [a](A)accomplished
among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who (B)from
the beginning [b]were
(C)eyewitnesses
and [c](D)servants
of(E)the
[d]word,
3 it seemed fitting for me as well, (F)having
[e]investigated
everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you (G)in
consecutive order, (H)most
excellent (I)Theophilus;
4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been [f](J)taught.
Footnotes:
- Luke
1:1 Or on which there is full conviction
- Luke
1:2 Lit became
- Luke
1:2 Or ministers
- Luke
1:2 I.e. gospel
- Luke
1:3 Or followed
- Luke
1:4 Or orally instructed in
Cross
references:
- Luke
1:1 : Rom
4:21; 14:5; Col 2:2; 4:12; 1 Thess 1:5; 2 Tim 4:17; Heb 6:11; 10:22
- Luke
1:2 : John
15:27; Acts 1:21f
- Luke
1:2 : 2
Pet 1:16; 1 John 1:1
- Luke
1:2 : Acts
26:16; 1 Cor 4:1; Heb 2:3
- Luke
1:2 : Mark
4:14; 16:20; Acts 8:4; 14:25; 16:6; 17:11
- Luke
1:3 : 1
Tim 4:6
- Luke
1:3 : Acts
11:4; 18:23
- Luke
1:3 : Acts
23:26; 24:3; 26:25
- Luke
1:3 : Acts
1:1
- Luke
1:4 : Acts
18:25; Rom 2:18; 1 Cor 14:19; Gal 6:6
--
NASB: Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright ©
1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
Used by permission.
PRAYER
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
Answer
each of these questions for:
A
The first read-through of this version.
B
After each cross-reference.
1
What jumped out at you? 2 What did you learn? 3 What can you apply to your
life? 4 What did you say to God? 5 What did God say to you? 6 What did you
learn about Jesus, if anything? 7 Who is Jesus? 8 What did He do, think, feel,
say? 8 What does He want us to do, think, feel, say? 9 What does He not want us
to do, think, feel, or say? 10 How can this passage deepen your knowledge of
Jesus Christ? 11 What does this mean for me and my life? 12 How can I apply
these lessons learned, and answers received, to my life? 13 How can all of this
help me live a life of Jesus? 14 Write out a summary prayer.
Write
out at least four of your memory verses in your prayer journal—and do so at
least four times each. Then, prayer journal about them:
PRAYER
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
Answer
each of these questions: 1 What jumped out at you? 2 What did you learn? 3 What
can you apply to your life? 4 What did you say to God? 5 What did God say to
you? 6 What did you learn about Jesus, if anything? 7 Who is Jesus? 8 What did
He do, think, feel, say? 8 What does He want us to do, think, feel, say? 9 What
does He not want us to do, think, feel, or say? 10 How can this passage deepen
your knowledge of Jesus Christ? 11 What does this mean for me and my life? 12
How can I apply these lessons learned, and answers received, to my life? 13 How
can all of this help me live a life of Jesus? 14 Write out a summary prayer.
Look
up one reference or commentary for Luke 1:1 from here:
Then,
answer these questions:
PRAYER
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
Answer
each of these questions:
1
What jumped out at you?
2
What did you learn?
3
What can you apply to your life?
4
What did you say to God?
5
What did God say to you?
6
What did you learn about Jesus, if anything?
7
Who is Jesus? 8 What did He do, think, feel, say?
8
What does He want us to do, think, feel, say?
9
What does He not want us to do, think, feel, or say?
10
How can this passage deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ?
11
What does this mean for me and my life?
12
How can I apply these lessons learned, and answers received, to my life?
13
How can all of this help me live a life of Jesus?
14
Write out a summary prayer.
Now,
do the same for Luke 1:2:
PRAYER
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
Answer
each of these questions:
1
What jumped out at you?
2
What did you learn?
3
What can you apply to your life?
4
What did you say to God?
5
What did God say to you?
6
What did you learn about Jesus, if anything?
7
Who is Jesus? 8 What did He do, think, feel, say?
8
What does He want us to do, think, feel, say?
9
What does He not want us to do, think, feel, or say?
10
How can this passage deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ?
11
What does this mean for me and my life?
12
How can I apply these lessons learned, and answers received, to my life?
13
How can all of this help me live a life of Jesus?
14
Write out a summary prayer.
Now,
do the same for Luke 1:3:
PRAYER
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
Answer
each of these questions:
1
What jumped out at you?
2
What did you learn?
3
What can you apply to your life?
4
What did you say to God?
5
What did God say to you?
6
What did you learn about Jesus, if anything?
7
Who is Jesus? 8 What did He do, think, feel, say?
8
What does He want us to do, think, feel, say?
9
What does He not want us to do, think, feel, or say?
10
How can this passage deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ?
11
What does this mean for me and my life?
12
How can I apply these lessons learned, and answers received, to my life?
13
How can all of this help me live a life of Jesus?
14
Write out a summary prayer.
Now,
do this for Luke 1:4:
PRAYER
JOURNALING QUESTIONS
Answer
each of these questions:
1
What jumped out at you?
2
What did you learn?
3
What can you apply to your life?
4
What did you say to God?
5
What did God say to you?
6
What did you learn about Jesus, if anything?
7
Who is Jesus? 8 What did He do, think, feel, say?
8
What does He want us to do, think, feel, say?
9
What does He not want us to do, think, feel, or say?
10
How can this passage deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ?
11
What does this mean for me and my life?
12
How can I apply these lessons learned, and answers received, to my life?
13
How can all of this help me live a life of Jesus?
14
Write out a summary prayer.
