Week 1, Day 5, Luke 1:1-4

HOW THIS STUDY IS SET-UP

Have you noticed yet how I haven’t written too much commentary or personal prayer journaling? Nor have I added too much commentary. There is a reason for it.

Actually, that isn’t entirely true. There are a few reasons for it. One of the reasons is because I do not want to shape your thoughts or perceptions about what you study. I want your personal, and group, Bible study to be between you, the Holy Bible, and God—not me. After all, I am more of a Bible coach than a teacher. I help direct where you go initially, but I leave room for God to steer you where and how you need to go. We need to pay attention far more to God and His Word than what any human says—and this is how I will conduct this “6+ Year Four Gospel Project.”

I also wanted you to get used to the format and figure out how to do this study thing before I filled your heads with more data and information. In other words, I wanted to start you off slowly and not hit you with everything at once. I figured this was the kinder, gentler way to do this Bible study—to a point.

My favorite teachers and coaches when growing up were the ones who pushed me beyond my comfort levels and they expected more of me. They helped me see I was made for more than what I thought or imagined. Through their expectation of hard work on my part, and pushing myself, I learned far more from them than anyone else.

This is why I have this Bible study set-up in the manner it is so far—and later. I want to stretch you, help you see you were made for more, and can do more, than you know or imagine. In doing so, you’ll learn about Jesus, get to know Him far more intimately, and learn to live a life of Jesus—more than you could have or imagined.

I will push you. I will expect great things of you. Because God does. It is the prompting of God that drives me to ask this of you—of us. We were made for so much more.

You will not be coddled in this “6+ Year Four Gospel Project.” This will not be easy. It’s meant to help you/us go deeper than ever before. It’s meant to help us learn the text and know it in a deep, personal, intimate way. We will become experts on the Four Gospels in our own right, as God intends. This takes time. And hard work.

Welcome to a Bible study that isn’t for wimps or those who want the easy route. It will help you listen to God and apply His Word to your life in a way you’ve never done before and it will be the most enriching. After all, you’ll listen to God and His Word—not humans, pastors, scholars, or authors. You’ll listen to God alone (and least of all to me, a sinner).

Philippians 2:13 / New King James Version (NKJV)

13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for Hisgood pleasure.

-- NKJV: Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ETC. ETC. ETC.

REMINDER: Don’t forget that you are to do at least the 15 Minute Study each and every day. Then, if you have more time, of the 30 Minute Study. Keep adding more of the minute studies as time allows.

TIP: Work on each day’s study all day and night long. Steal a minute or two (and of course more, if you can) and work on it. The more you do it throughout the day, the more you will get out of it, and the more you’ll actually accomplish.

15 MINUTE STUDY

Part 1: Luke 1:1-4 / New Century Version (NCV)

Luke Writes About Jesus’ Life

1 Many have tried to report on the things that happened among us. 2 They have written the same things that we learned from others—the people who saw those things from the beginning and served God by telling people his message. 3 Since I myself have studied everything carefully from the beginning, most excellent Theophilus, it seemed good for me to write it out for you. I arranged it in order, 4 to help you know that what you have been taught is true.

-- NCV: Scripture taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS

Answer each of these questions after having read the NCV version of our passage:

1 What jumped out at you?

2 What did you learn?

3 What can you apply to your life?

4 What did you say to God?

5 What did God say to you?

BIBLE STUDY STEP 2: EMPHASIZE

Go ahead and emphasize each of the verses, one by one (one at a time), and answer these questions about what you learn from each emphasis:

PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS

Answer each of these questions after having read a new version or translation of our passage. So, for example, you would start with verse 1:

“MANY have tried to report on the things that happened among us,” (NCV).

Now, answer the questions below as you focus on what MANY brings to the forefront and the understanding of the verse.

Then, you will do HAVE—and then prayer journal the questions below. Do this to each verse and each emphasis for the entire passage of Luke 1:1-4.

1 What jumped out at you?

2 What did you learn?

3 What can you apply to your life?

4 What did you say to God?

5 What did God say to you?

Then, when you are finished, answer these questions:

PRAYER JOURNALING QUESTIONS

Answer each of these questions:

1 What jumped out at you?

2 What did you learn?

3 What can you apply to your life?

4 What did you say to God?

5 What did God say to you?

6 What did you learn about Jesus, if anything?

7 Who is Jesus?

8 What did He do, think, feel, say?

9 What does He want us to do, think, feel, say?

10 What does He not want us to do, think, feel, or say?

11 How can this passage deepen your knowledge of Jesus Christ?

12 What does this mean for me and my life?

13 How can I apply these lessons learned, and answers received, to my life?

14 How can all of this help me live a life of Jesus?

15 Write out a summary prayer.

NOTE: Make sure to read each day the rest of each chapter, even if you are not going to do any of the other 30, 45, or 60+ minute studies.

30 MINUTE STUDY

Do this for another version of the Bible.

45 MINUTE STUDY

Do this for another translation of the Bible.

60+ MINUTE STUDY

Do this for yet another translation of the Holy Bible.

In two days, we will continue with the study of Luke 1:1-4. The next couple of days are review and catch-up.