The Big Read: Luke
The Big Read is a church wide Bible reading plan that we follow at Banstead Community Church.
Each month we read together 1 (sometimes 2) books, which gets us through the whole Bible is 4 years. We’ve found it more manageable than a ‘Bible in one year’ plan and it has worked well for us as church.
For each book of the Bible, I’ve put together some resources to help people read the Bible. Here’s the ones for Luke.
Overview
At the beginning of each month, I introduce the book we are reading at our evening service by giving an overview. Below is the handout from an overview talk on Luke.
Reading Plan
Read Luke in 20 days
Weekly Read 1 – Luke 1-5
Daily Reads Mon: Luke 1:1-38 Tues: Luke 1:39-80 Wed: Luke 2 Thurs: Luke 3-4 Fri: Luke 5
Weekly Read 2 – Luke 6-11
Daily Reads Mon: Luke 6 Tues: Luke 7 Wed: Luke 8 Thurs: Luke 9 Fri: Luke 10-11
Weekly Read 3 – Luke 12-18
Daily Reads Mon: Luke 12 Tues: Luke 13-14 Wed: Luke 15 Thurs: Luke 16-17 Fri: Luke 18
Weekly Read 4 – Luke 19-24
Daily Reads Mon: Luke 19 Tues: Luke 20 Wed: Luke 21 Thurs: Luke 22-23 Fri: Luke 24
Daily Prayers
20 short prayers based on verses from the book of Luke.
Catechesis for the Church
At the start of the month, in our Catechesis for the Church slot in the morning service, I give a short talk to preview the overview of the book in the evening service. Here’s an outline of the talk I gave on Luke.
How would you describe the following people? [put pictures of each group up on the screen]
Poor/Homeless
Sick
Prisoner
Women
Children
Jews
Sikhs
In Luke’s Gospel people play a big part in the story. In fact, Luke is interested in all sorts of people.
The reason Luke is interested in all sorts of people is because he has good news for them.
This good news is announced right at the start of his book as he records a message an angel spoke to a group of shepherds the night of Jesus’ birth.
“But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)
That’s the big message the whole of Luke’s gospel is about – that Jesus is the Saviour of the World.
Jesus has come to rescue people of all ages, of all backgrounds, of all nationalities who are lost because of their sins and He does this by dying in the place of sinners.
Luke sums all this up later in his book when he records some words that Jesus said: “For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.”
Jesus came to rescue lost people and He will rescue you if you ask Him to.