START READING THE BIBLE

The Bible is an incredible book, or a small library of books, through which God speaks to us and reveals his love for us. In essence, the Bible is one long story of God’s love for the world that finds its resolution in Jesus. That’s why when starting to read the Bible it’s best to begin with Jesus.

Below we’ll help you get started reading the Bible. The goal is to meet Jesus in the pages of the Bible.

What to read

We recommend you start with reading these books of the Bible (remember the Bible is a library of books). Here they are and here’s why.

Mark’s Gospel - It is short and action packed and focuses on Jesus’ power, authority and death.
Colossians - Short but centred absolutely on Jesus. Paul the writer has the goal of making Jesus clear.
Luke’s Gospel - Luke interviews the eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life and writes this beautiful account so we might see Jesus as the Servant King.
Philippians - A short book all about the joy we can have in Jesus even in the midst of hardship.
Below there some info to help you dig into these bits of the Bible.

If you’d like help reading any part of the Bible see this blog post. Otherwise continue on below.

HOW TO READ MARK’S GOSPEL

Mark’s Gospel is short but punchy. It feels like the action version of the story of Jesus, with a kind of Bruce Willis, Die Hard feel, where events pile up on each other with barely a moment to spare.

But there is a structure to Mark’s Gospel. This structure helps the reader make sense of all the action. What’s it about? Where is it heading?

In summary here is the structure.

· First half: Reveals who Jesus is: his authority, his power and compassion. Chapters 1 to 7

· Turning point: Shows that the disciples understand who Jesus is – the Messiah. This is why he has such power and authority. Chapter 8 verses 27-30

· Second half: Jesus goes to his death, as the Messiah, to bring salvation to sinners. Chapters 8 to 13

· The end: Jesus’ death is the focus. It shows he died as the Messiah to bring salvation.

To summarise the summary here it is:

Who is Jesus? (what is his identity?), and
Why did he come? (what was his purpose?)

Below, I’ve laid out that structure with some passages so you can see it for yourself.

INTRODUCTION

‘The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God’

This is the first sentence. Mark is clear, Jesus is the Messianic king, the Son of God. (See reading Mark’s Gospel 1 for more on Jesus as the Messiah). As God’s king Jesus announces:

“The time has come,” Jesus said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15

Jesus announces that the rule of God is coming. And, the right response is to repent and believe. Repenting is changing your mind about God. Believing is trusting the good news about Jesus. Jesus is here, turn and trust him to return to God.

THE FIRST HALF: Chapters 1 to 7

REVEALS WHO JESUS IS: as God’s Messiah, HIS AUTHORITY, HIS POWER AND COMPASSION

The demons know Jesus is God’s Messiah, for they are from the spiritual realm.

“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 1v24, See also 1v34

Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 3v11.

The demons know, and the reader knows who Jesus is (remember Mark chapter 1v1-15). However, the people in the Gospel meeting Jesus don’t know who he is. They see his authority and power and are trying to understand who he is:

The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” Mark 1v27

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”4v41 See also Mark 5v42-43

People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” Mark 7v37

The crowds and the disciples are seeing Jesus’ power and authority over everything: sickness, death, demons, creation and even sin. And they are asking themselves, who can he be?

Jesus is in no doubt; he is God’s appointed ruler.

But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” … This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2v10

THE TURNING POINT: Chapter 8v27-30

JESUS IS THE CHRIST. THIS IS WHY HE HAS THE AUTHORITY HE DOES.

The turning point in the Gospel is when the disciples of Jesus understand that Jesus is the Christ (or Messiah), the one who will bring God’s kingdom. The Kingdom is near for the King is here.

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” Mark 8v27-29

THE SECOND HALF: Chapters 8 to 13

JESUS Teach about his death and GOES TO HIS DEATH, AS THE MESSIAH, TO BRING SALVATION TO SINNERS.

Immediately after the disciples understand who Jesus is, he tells them why he has come. Or, put another way he tells them how he will come into his kingship.

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. Mark 8v31-32

Jesus tells his disciples (and us) clearly that the agenda is to die. This agenda determines the rest of the gospel. It is a journey to Jerusalem.

Twice more Jesus tells his disciples he is going to Jerusalem to die.

“The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” v33 Mark 9:30-32

“We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. … Three days later he will rise.” Mark 9 v33 (31-34)

As Jesus’ heads to his death, he teaches his disciples what it means to follow him as their ruler.

THE END:

THE FOCUS IS JESUS’ DEATH. IT SHOWS HE DIED AS THE MESSIAH TO BRING SALVATION. HIS DEATH OPENS THE WAY TO GOD.

In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Mark 14v31-32

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. 38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,[c] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” Mark 14v 37-39.

The curtain is ripped open showing the way to God is open through Jesus’ death. The Kingdom of God is here.

(You can listen to some talks on Mark’s Gospel on our Youtube channel)

HOW TO READ COLOSSIANS

The book of Colossians is centred on Jesus Christ. It has only 4 short chapters. You could read a chapter or half a chapter at time. Below is a short summary of each chapter.

In chapters 1 & 2 after you’ve read a section ask yourself, ‘What do I learn about Jesus?’

In chapters 3 & 4 after you’ve read a section ask yourself, ‘What difference should trusting Jesus make to my life?’

Chapter 1: Shows the salvation that Christians have in Jesus.

Those who trusted Jesus have been rescued from the kingdom of darkness and are in Jesus kingdom, under his saving rule. (Chapter 1 verse 13)

Jesus is shown to be the image of God and the ruler of all creation, both the heavens and the author. He holds all power over every ruler. They answer to him. And he is the ruler and king of the new creation because of his resurrection from the dead. (Chapter 1 verses 15-19)

Every person that trusts Jesus is no longer an enemy of God. They are now appear before God as holy and blameless. And, they are friends with God - reconciled to him. And all of this happened because of Jesus’ death on the cross for sinners. We are reconciled by his blood (Chapter 1 verse 20-23).

Chapter 2: Warns and encourages Christians to stick with Jesus.

Jesus is fully God and so every spiritual truth that we need to know is found by understanding who Jesus is and what he is done for us.

Christians are warned not to be kidnapped by other ideas that offer false spirituality or false solutions to the good life. These things will lead people away from Christ and their relationship with God.

Instead Christians are to continue with Jesus as their Lord

“ So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude.” Colossians 2:6-7

Chapter 3: Deals with a changed life.

A person isn’t saved by living differently. No. Rather, when a person trusts Jesus they are united to him and his death and resurrection.

All that Jesus has done is now theirs. This is where salvation comes from.

It is this salvation that means Christians now want to live a changed life. Not because it saves them but because they have been saved already! So, they will want to:

Put sin to death (3v6-8)
Throw off the old way of treating people (3v9-11)
Put on kindness, compassion, mercy and gentleness. Learn to deeply love their Christian brothers and the sisters in the church. (3v12-17)
Have every relationship changed by Christ (3v18-4v1)

Chapter 4: Christians are called to mission

Praying for themselves.

Praying for the great news of Jesus to go out.

Sharing Jesus with others.

Partnering with other Christians to grow people in Jesus.

HOW TO READ LUKE’S GOSPEL

Read a Summary of Luke's Gospel

Luke’s Gospel is a beautiful piece of writing. It reveals Jesus as the suffering servant king who comes to fulfil God’s promises. We, humanity, are revealed to be lost and far from God, oppressed by spiritual forces of evil and captive to our own sinfulness. Jesus comes to free us - to bring forgiveness. He comes to rescue us and bring us back to God. He achieves this rescue by his death on the cross. He the innocent one, the perfect one, is put to death so that the captive, guilty and wicked may be saved.

Luke’s gospel is not a book of moral instructions. Luke is not trying to teach us moral standards that we should meet. We will be baffled and confused if we ask at the end of each event – what rule or law of God is being revealed here? Or, what must I do? Rather, Luke’s goal is to show us who Jesus is, as the great saving King, in all his greatness and love so that we might come to him for salvation. In Jesus, we find the forgiveness needed to save us from our sin sickness.

In this way we do find out what we ought to do. We ought come to Jesus with trust, love and obedience. The question we should keep asking is not ‘what should I do?’, but ‘what should I do about Jesus?’

So, as you read Luke the two most important questions you can ask are:

1. What do I learn about Jesus?

2. How does God want me to respond to Jesus?

With these two questions you could leap into Luke’s Gospel.

If you’d like to do that here is a Summary of Luke’s Gospel

However, if you’d like a little more help to get more gold from Luke’s gospel, keep reading.

Getting more gold from Luke’s gospel

When reading a gospel, Luke, or any other gospel, the two questions above will make a huge difference.

It is also useful to think of the gospel as an unfolding journey. And so, the following framework will help us get more gold.

1. The start and end of the journey

2. What is the reason for the journey? (Or what does Jesus think is going on?)

3. Where are we in the journey?

4. Characters we meet along the way

5. Significant turning points

6. Repeated themes

1. THE START AND END OF THE JOURNEY

The start and end of the gospel give you the framework. Ideas or themes are introduced in the first one or two chapters, setting up the journey and these reoccur in the final chapters as resolution.

In Luke the themes of promise and fulfilment, reversal and raising up, and salvation and redemption for God’s people are at the start and end. These function as bookends telling you how to think about the whole gospel. It is the world changing story of God’s promises fulfilled in Jesus to rescue humanity. It is a story of redemption, reversal sacrifice and rescue.

2. THE REASON FOR THE JOURNEY

Throughout Luke’s gospel Jesus tells us why he has come. They are Jesus’ mission or purpose statements. Or, using the journey metaphor these are the reason(s) Jesus came and made the choices that he did.

In Luke these are

Luke 4:16-18

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” (v16) Jesus from the prophet Isaiah identifies himself as the suffering servant come to bring freedom, fulfilling the Old Testament. It’s worth taking the time to read these couple of verses in full. They will be fulfilled in extraordinary ways.

Luke 5:31-52

Jesus responds below to the religious leaders.

Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 9: 21-22

Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

3. WHERE ARE WE IN THE JOURNEY?

As above, we are on a journey. Which means a plot is unfolding. There is a start and an end. Read Luke as a plot.

When reading a book or watching a movie we almost instinctively follow the plot. Often because we watch or read in big slabs. But unfortunately, we often read the Bible differently, in bits and pieces. Luke’s Gospel ought to be read as one flowing story in which each event connects and links in someway with what has gone before.

So, try to read Luke as a plot unfolding. Ask yourself questions like:

Where are we in the plot? Is it early on when Jesus’ identity is being established? Is it later as Jesus heads to Jerusalem?
How does this event contribute to the plot moving toward a resolution?
How does this event add to our understanding of Jesus?
And is there as connection with the events just before and after this event? (is there a subplot unfolding?)

4. CHARACTERS WE MEET ALONG THE WAY

Through Luke’s Gospel every person is in need but not everyone realises it. We see people come to Jesus, some in need and some for other reasons. Luke, the author, wants us to identify with some characters and be surprised or shocked by others.

In Luke there are four groups of characters

· Faithful Jews looking forward to the promises of God being fulfilled

· Those in desperate need

· Those who are opposed to Jesus

· Those who follow Jesus

Here are four main questions you can use to dig deep into a character.

· Who are they?

· What is their need?

· How are they reacting to Jesus?

· How does Jesus respond to them?

It isn’t always obvious on the first read. But as you keep thinking about the characters you’ll see how their stories reveal who they are.

5. SIGNIFICANT TURNING POINTS

In Luke’s gospel, as in all the other gospels, there is one vital turning point. It is so vital it is the hinge of the whole story. In Luke’s gospel it is when the identity of Jesus is understood by the disciples.

Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” 19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” 20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” Luke 9:18-20

Straight after this, Jesus tells his disciples that as God’s messiah he must suffer, be rejected, killed and raised to life again. The disciples now understand Jesu’s identity, but the plan of Jesus, Jesus giving up his life to rescue them, will leave them confused and bewildered until the final chapter.

6. REPEATED IDEAS OR THEMES

Keep an eye out for repitition. It means the writer is trying to reinforce an idea in your mind. He is driving at an idea and trying to get you to understand it. Luke does this across his whole gospel but he also does it within particular events and conversations between characters. Noticing repeated themes, words or ideas will repay a rich reward.

One to notice is the idea of forgiveness. Across the whole gospel forgive or forgiveness are used around 20 times in just 24 chapters.

Putting it all together

I know that seems like a lot to think about and it is! This is what makes reading Luke such a wonderfully rich and life changing experience. A wonderful experience in which you are aiming to answer just two questions:

1. What do I learn about Jesus?

2. How does God want me to respond to Jesus?

I pray that as you explore Jesus in Luke’s gospel you’ll see the wonder and radical saving love of Jesus, the suffering servant king.