Q1 — Torah | Luke-Acts & Romans
Luke 1-5; Gen. 1-15; Psalm 1-3
FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT
Luke 1-5
Meet the Son of the Most High
Movie previews remind me of the tiny foods they pass around at a wedding: They’re fun because they’re mini versions of a main course, and they whet your appetite for the real thing. But sometimes my wife and I will watch a preview — maybe even laughing and enjoying it — but at the end we say, “Well, don’t need to see that movie!” Why? Because the preview already showed us the whole plot. So a good preview needs to prepare you for what you’ll see (is this a rom-com or a thriller) and build some anticipation, without spoiling the whole thing.
That’s what we hope to do with our Monday videos this year. We invite each of you to read the New Testament with us in a reading plan we designed to help us all grow in the word. Each week you’ll find an “Into the Book” Daily Download, previewing the five chapters we’ll read that week. To download a reading plan, go to biblegeeks.fm/intothebook
With that out of the way, here’s your preview for Luke 1-5, packed with three things you don’t want to miss, three warnings, and a cliffhanger. But let’s start by setting the stage for the story.
“In a World ...”
Luke’s story begins in a world waiting for a promised king, where we find an old priest in the temple burning incense. An otherworldly messenger meets him there with a strange promise, and we’re off!
This book is the first of Luke’s two volumes on Christ and the church, both written to an official named Theophilus.
3 Things You Don’t Want to Miss
- Jesus’ Mic Drop. He announces himself as the Messiah by reading Isaiah 60 in his hometown synagogue. Bold move.
- The Magnificat. Mary’s famous song about the magnificence of a God who turns the tables on the strong and the weak. There’s a reason it’s a favorite of song composers (it’s beautiful!).
- The Temple Encounters. Like celebrity cameos, these chapters contain intriguing, brief brushes with fascinating characters like Simeon and Anna. And how I’d love to be a fly on the temple wall, listening to a pre-teen Jesus’ talk with the teachers!
3 Warnings
This preview is approved for all audiences, but we will warn you about a couple things.
- The words of John the Baptist have been known to prick sensitive hearts. If you own two coats, you might find yourself doing some closet sorting soon!
- Luke is the longest book in the New Testament, but it only has 24 chapters … so some of these are looong chapters. Hang in there, it’s worth it!
- And chapter 3 features every modern reader’s most daunting nemesis in these reading plans: a genealogy! But pay attention to the way it differs from Matthew’s genealogy, the way it works backwards, and goes all the way back to Adam, “the son of God.” What do you think that’s about?
3 Cliffhangers
Since no good trailer gives it all away, let’s close with a couple questions you’ll have to read to answer.
- Where do all these nativity scenes around town and the carols on the radio get the story right? Where have they missed the point?
- What did Peter — shockingly — tell Jesus to do when he figured out who he was?
- What do you notice about Jesus’ call for Simon and Levi to follow him, that might affect our own call to discipleship today?
So, grab your Bible and dive into Luke 1-5 with us this week!
FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT
Monday’s reading (Gen. 1-3) introduces the problem. The rest of the Bible will tell the story of God solution.
At the end of the week we seem to go from an epic about everything to one family’s saga (Gen. 12). But notice how Abraham (or Abram) kicks off the next phase of God’s plan. Through his family, God will bless everyone.
BIG TAKEAWAYS
You never catch everything in one reading but watch how themes introduced this week echo down through the rest of the year.
Though written to an ancient audience in an unfamiliar style, the subject matter of Genesis remains forever relevant. What do you learn about big questions like: Who am I? Why am I here? Why is the universe ordered like it is? Why has so much gone wrong in the world? And most importantly: Who is God?
Gen. 1-15
REFLECTING ON THE PSALMS
The first two psalms introduce this songbook, crystallizing its purpose (Ps. 1) and theme (Ps. 2).
On Monday, we’ll enter the psalter at a thriving, riverside tree. Before we move forward into the book, we need to know that meditating on these words can nourish the tree of your life. How do you soak in the Psalms, letting them water your roots and grow fruit?
The second Psalm reminds us that our God reigns, a thread that runs through the Psalms. We serve a God who deserves reverent awe and absolute devotion. Even as we sing to him, we “rejoice with trembling” (Ps. 2:11). Look for hints of the coming Messiah throughout Psalms, beginning with these references to Lord’s “Anointed” king, the “Son” (Ps. 2:2,6-9,12). How is the message different for those who oppose the Lord and those who take refuge in him?
Then Friday, we get into Book One with the first Psalm labeled as David’s — a man on the run from his own son! It’s heartache and trouble right from the start, grounding our praise and anchoring our faith in the God who meets us in whatever real life issues we’re facing as we read and pray today. The word “Selah” seems to indicate a musical pause, and I like to use those moments to pause for contemplation. Do you find refuge in God the warrior, God the shield?