In Luke 4:16–22, Jesus shocks his neighbors in his hometown of Nazareth when he says that he fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1–2. What does the quote from Isaiah tell us about Jesus’ mission and who Jesus came for? Why does it make the people of Nazareth so angry?
Luke 5 shows Jesus performing a variety of miracles. How did Simon Peter, the leper, and the paralyzed man react? How did their reactions differ from the scribes’ and Pharisees’ reactions? Where do you see yourself in these reactions?
Luke 6:17–49, often called the Sermon on the Plain, includes much of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). One notable addition, though, are Jesus’ “woes” following the “blesseds.” This passage shows even more about the upside-down nature of God’s kingdom and how it benefits you and me. Spend time thanking God for Jesus, our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13), the King of this upside-down kingdom.
One of the themes of Luke’s Gospel is Jesus’ care for the oppressed, unclean, and marginalized of Jewish society. (Remember how Jesus gave a sneak peek about his own ministry in Luke 4:16–21?) In just one chapter, we see Jesus heal a Roman centurion’s servant (7:1–10), raise a widow’s son to life (7:11–17), and forgive a sinful woman (7:36–50). What do these stories reveal about Jesus’ character? What do they teach us about how we should approach Jesus?
As you read the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4–8) and Jesus’ explanation (vv. 11–15), notice how Jesus uses natural, everyday elements to convey a spiritual reality. What does this parable teach its original audience? What does it teach us today?
New Testament Reading Plan Week 26: Luke 4–8