Get Your Act(s) Together, Luke!
I often get asked, "Pastor Greg, where should I begin with my studying of the bible?" That's a tough question, but there are a number of alternatives that I might suggest - and this list below is not exhaustive, by any means.
1. Time - First of all, it depends on how much time you have to devote to your bible reading. If you can commit a certain amount of time per day/week to faithfully reading Scripture, first of all, more blessings to you! Most of us are so busy, or should I say, distracted by forces around us (TV, internet, family, work, life...) that it's increasingly hard to commit much time to any one thing these days. There's a book that's been out now for a while, called "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community". Check it out. One of its premises is that the storied institutions of the past century - things like Scouting, bowling leagues, Rotary Club and others like it, Little League Baseball, church, and all of the things that you and I largely grew up with, are now struggling for membership in the 21st century. Why? Because we have so many more and varied options to take up our time. Screens, internet sites, gaming, the list goes on and on. We rarely get into our vehicles these days to go do something like joining a group, or finding like causes.
Yes, we still do these things, but for many institutions, numbers of joiners are way down. The same holds true when it comes to the use of our time. Time seems more and more like a precious commodity like gold these days, and we tend to hoard our time for things that really matter to us. And that includes doing nothing. Resting. Being quiet. Saying, and/or doing nothing. What's the first question you ask a friend who just got back from a vacation? "What did you DO?" We have to be doing SOMETHING all the time, or we're just not productive, or we're lazy, or, well, you get it.
So, the same applies to time we have to commit to studying the bible. I have often said, and other clergy agree, that we as a society are biblically illiterate. The bible, once the centerpiece of the evening around a meal, or around the living room at the end of the day, has been literally put on the shelf and forgotten until Sunday morning when we hear snippets of Scripture in worship.
So, to answer the question of where do you start your Scripture reading, my answer is (and not everyone will agree) to start with the New Testament, and specifically one of the four gospels. Mark's gospel is the shortest, with 16 Chapters, and the author writes in shorter sentences. Mark often starts his sentences with the word, "immediately". Meaning that Jesus is on the move, from one thing or place to another. Action moves quickly because Mark is interested in what Jesus is doing - his real life and ministry. John's gospel, on the other hand, is more concerned about letting a largely Jewish reading community know that Jesus was, in fact, the Messiah, the Son of God.
So, I would recommend starting with Luke's gospel. He's writing largely to a Gentile audience, and the action is moving from birth, through his ministry, to his betrayal, trial, execution and resurrection. Just look at some of the Chapter headings - you may have these in your own bibles (I won't go through all of them - you can check it out for yourself:)
The Birth of John the Baptist (who foretells of the birth of Jesus)
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
Mary Visits Elizabeth, and then Mary's Song
The Birth of Jesus (we hear this read most Christmas Eve's)
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth) - I LOVE this story, Read Luke 4:14-24. That's a GREAT story to read and read again, imagining what that scene must have been like as the young Jesus reads the Torah scrolls, rolls them, and sits down, as the crowd reacts.
Later in the gospel, you'll read about Jesus' teaching, the use of parables, his conflicts with the temple leadership, his relationship with the disciples, his ministry itself, and more.
And that's just the beginning. Anyhow, you get the point. You can even just read the Chapter titles and get a sense of the flow of the gospel from start to finish in well under 20 minutes. And you've come away with the flow of a complete gospel account. In fact, try it once - just reading the Chapter titles - no verses. We do it all the time in our Wednesday bible study group, and it contextualizes the texts for the upcoming Sunday. So, try picking up your bible this week, and turning to Luke's gospel. If you have a bible that does have Chapter titles, you're halfway home in reading it. Just follow the titles, and I promise you, you will be enriched by the flow of the book.
That's it. You're done for the week. And by just reading the Chapter titles, I'll bet you learned a lot about the flow of Luke's gospel, and his account of Jesus's life and ministry. Now, know that I'm NOT saying that this is a substitute for reading Scripture, but it's an easy way to immerse yourself quickly in the Jesus story and feel like you learned something. Remember those "Cliff Notes" from college? Similar.
If you feel really motivated, turn next to Acts, the continuation of Luke's gospel. It tells the story of what happens after Jesus leaves to be united with his Father in heaven, how the disciples interact with one another and the world, and how the Holy Spirit begins to move in the world. And how the church is birthed. It's an amazing story!
Enough for now. So, if you're still with me, while you're HOT, go pick up your bible, turn to Luke's gospel, and if you have a bible that has Chapter titles, you're in business. You can move through the whole gospel really quickly. And I'll bet you'll be impressed with the whole Jesus story.
Blessings on your continued reading. BTW, I say a short prayer before I read the bible every time, praying for revelation, simplicity, and that I can hear something that is useful for me for preaching and teaching. You can do the same. Enjoy!
Pastor Greg
P.S. Yes, there are other ways to begin to read Scripture. You can go by subject (sin; miracles; prophets, grace, and more) and I think this is a good way to read the Bible. But you'll need a resource that can direct you to texts for these and more subjects. And I'll offer this in an upcoming study.
Or, you can point your finger at a randomly selected text, and ask what the text is saying. But you may end up in Leviticus, with a bunch of Levitical laws that may not be of interest to you. So stick with a single book for now and follow the above. It'll be worth it.