Dear Friends,
Welcome to our Diocesan Online Bible Study. I am gratefully you are participating in this feast on the Word of God. Regular disciplined reading of scripture is an essential component of the Christian Life and I am delighted to be walking this journey with you. I can think of no better way to begin this new liturgical year.
Over the next weeks we will be reading and reflecting together on the Gospel of Luke, what Luke is saying to his first hearers and what Luke is saying to us today both as individuals and as the church. As we begin it is important to have a view of the whole of Luke’s Gospel. So what I ask you to do is sit down and read Luke straight through from beginning to end in one sitting. I know it sounds like a lot to ask but trust me it will be a real blessing. Pay attention to the following.
What are the words or phrases that stood out for you?
What words or phrases does Luke use the most?
Is there a particular scene or story that touched your heart?
Did anything surprise you?
Was there a story you expected to read that wasn’t there?
Is there anything else you wish to share?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Next week I’ll be writing from where this all took place. Pray for me as I will for you.
+Steven
Bishop
7 comments:
This is a GREAT idea.. I have you bookmarked on my task bar. Leanne Puglielli
Thank you for leading this Advent study
Joann
An elderly shut-in from our parish is excited about reading Luke along with Bp. Miller & others from the diocese. I'll read the blog and give her a report on what's going on there!
Thank-you.
Marcia
Reading all of Luke straight through made an impression. Jesus sounds much sterner than I tend to think of him. Another thing I noticed noticed was a number of references to the Holy Spirit's activity in the first part of the book, but there are much fewer in the last part, where I would have expected there to be even more. Sheryl
Initially I wondered why we would read all of Luke for an Advent study. However, today after hearing Luke's account of the Word of God coming to John and the reference from Isaiah "preparing the way for the Lord" was surely a powerful Advent message, and, surely made more powerful in context having read all of Luke.
This blog-study is such a great idea! Thank you. The phrase, "Go in peace" captured my attention as I was reading through Luke. I looked back afterward, and I guess it wasn't used all that often after all, but maybe it was more the feeling of tenderness I sensed being directed toward the weak, and lesser known people he was addressing when the phrase WAS used. (?) Another spot that caught my attn. was the story where Peter denies Jesus 3x. In Luke's version, "the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter" when he realizes he'd blown it. Ouch! :)
1. The parables throughout Luke describe people who seek healing from Jesus. He tells them their faith has made them well. The healing is not just from physical ailments, but restores their rightousness with God.
2. Repeated stories warn us to look for the Second Coming, to be prepared. I take this to mean we must seek to be in a state of rightousness with God when that time comes, but no one can predict it's timing.
3. I am curious about Joanna, a woman of means who supported Jesus' ministry (8:3) and went to his tomb (24:10). Who was she?
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