Q1 — Torah | Luke-Acts & Romans
Torah | Luke-Acts & Romans
Goal: Lay the Foundation
It's hard to grasp a book as hefty as the Bible, without first getting the "lay of the land," so this quarter we'll step back and try to see the big picture — Scripture's central ideas and main events.
New Testament: Luke-Acts & Romans
We’ll begin our New Testament journey with Dr. Luke's two-volume work, Luke-Acts, which takes us through Jesus’ life and the first few decades of the church. We’ll end with Romans, Paul's sweeping explanation of the gospel that details many of the fundamental doctrines, laying groundwork for ideas we'll read later.
Psalms: Book One
Like the Torah, the Psalms divides into five books, each ending with an "amen." Book One (Ps. 1-41) consists mostly of David's psalms. The first two psalms introduce the book, identifying its purpose (Ps. 1) and theme (Ps. 2).
Old Testament: Torah
We'll start the year setting up the story of humanity's rocky relationship with God, and God's plan to bless all people through one man's descendants. Jews call the first five books of the Bible the "Torah," a Hebrew word meaning "instruction" (often translated "law"). These books are the heart and soul of the Old Testament. They introduce the problems of sin, death, and broken fellowship. But they also begin to reveal a solution in God's covenant with Israel, with its sacrifices and emphasis on faithfulness to God.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS
What do you learn about God from the first five books of the Bible?
What do you learn about the gospel from the sermons Jesus and his apostles preach?
How does Luke’s gospel present the humanity of Jesus?