All of 2024 was spent looking at the Big Picture of the Old Testament. This week begins the continuation and ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament. The readings will continue with a chronological path through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Each book’s author wrote with a different style or goal, and as any eyewitness recorded what they felt was important to the main point. The question becomes, what is the main point of their writings, and how do you know it is true? In short, these are eye witness accounts either first hand or second hand verified by the eye witnesses written down within their lifetime. It has been over 20 years since 9/11, but anyone high school age or older can testify to what happened thousands of miles away and how it altered the country’s history until today. The main point is to describe or tell about Jesus. This is the ‘Gospel,’ or good news of Jesus. The Big Picture for this week is the beginning, the beginning of creation, Jesus’ earthly life, and His ministry.
Each week, as you take in the Bible, find some friends to talk it out. You can follow this simple guide to help. First, R.E.A.D. and P.R.A.Y. on your own. Then, meet with friends to share what you've learned.
R - Repeated words
E - Examine and mark
A - Ask what you learn about God
D - Do if there is anything to do
P - Praise
R - Repent
A - Ask
Bible Reading Plan - Week 8
Daily Prayer Plan – Week 8
START IT.
We're reading the Bible together in 2025 to see how Love Shows Up from the Old Testament and into the New Testament. How do we understand so many stories and lessons through the entire Bible while trying to stick to the "sacred timeline"? The answer is the big picture. If we get the big picture, we get the story the Bible is trying to tell. From Sunday's message or The Big Picture Bible Reading Plan this week in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John, what is impacting you the most? How has praying daily through the Psalms impacted you? Was there a word, phrase, Bible verse, or theme that impacted you?
STUDY IT.
Read Genesis 1:1. Read John 1:1-3. Where was Jesus at the beginning of creation? Is Jesus a created being?
Read John 1:6. Who sent John the Baptist? What specific purpose did God give John the Baptist? Read John 1:23. How does John describe his understanding of God’s purpose for him?
Read John 1:29, 34, 41, 45, and 49. How is Jesus described?
Read Luke 1:31-33. How is Jesus described? Read Luke 2:11. How is Jesus described? Read John 1:51. How does Jesus describe Himself?
Read Matthew 1:1-3, 16-17. Read Genesis 49:10-12. What does this prophecy tell us about who the messiah will come from?
SHARE IT.
Read Luke 2:19. How do you ‘treasure up’ scripture in your heart? How do you know what you treasure?
Read Luke 1:7, 25. From the perspective of before Elizabeth got pregnant, what do you think life was like for Zechariah and Elizabeth after years of no children? Can you relate to a situation like that?
Read Matthew 1:22-23. What does this tell us about God’s sovereignty and timing? How do you deal with God working in His time rather than yours?
Read Luke 1:13-17. What is something you are tempted to stop praying for because it seems hopeless?
Read John 1:41,43, and 45. What did each person intentionally do in these verses? Who have you been intentional with this week to ‘find’?
FINAL THOUGHT
John states his purpose near the end of the Gospel of John. He states in John 20:30-31, “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Luke wrote his Gospel account to a man named Theophilus. Luke states that he carefully investigated through eyewitnesses so that “you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed (Luke 1:1-4).” The Gospel of Matthew is attributed to Matthew. However, the author is not plainly stated. The point of the book is clearly stated in the opening verses of chapter 1. The author wants to connect the Old Testament promises to Jesus. He is the fulfillment of all the Jews hoped for. Jesus is the blessing to all nations promised to Abraham. Jesus is the eternal King reigning on David’s throne. Jesus is the better Moses as the mediator of the New Covenant. So, through Jesus, God’s people have the hope of a new beginning and new heart that will last through eternity. (Ezekiel 36:26, Isaiah 43:18-19) These hopes last because Jesus is not just the Beginning of all things but also the End. (Revelation 21:5-8)
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