Going Deeper: Reading Luke With Jesus
- Stephen Sutton
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
This week we launched our summer journey through Luke and Acts together.
Over the next three months, thousands of people across Teesside will be invited to read Luke’s Gospel as part of Bible Conversations Teesside. Before that happens, we’re taking time to immerse ourselves in Luke’s story and, most importantly, in the person at the centre of that story; Jesus!
One of the phrases we used on Sunday was:
“Read the Bible with Jesus, not just about Jesus.”
That’s because the goal of reading Luke isn’t simply to gather information. Luke wants to introduce us to someone.
Luke wants us to meet Jesus.
Why Does Luke Start With John?
One of the questions we explored on Sunday was why Luke begins his Gospel with Zechariah and John the Baptist instead of beginning with Jesus.
The answer is that Luke wants us to feel the weight of what is happening.
For hundreds of years, Israel had been waiting.
Waiting for God to act. Waiting for God to fulfil his promises. Waiting for the Messiah.
The final prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi, had promised that before God came to rescue his people, a messenger would come first. This messenger would come in the spirit and power of Elijah.
Then… silence.
For roughly 400 years there were no prophets, no new Scriptures and no angelic announcements.
Then suddenly, in Luke 1, an angel appears in the Temple and announces the birth of John.
For Luke’s first readers this would have been a huge moment.
The messenger has arrived. The waiting is nearly over. The story is moving again.
John the Baptist is the signpost that the LORD IS COMING!
A cool extra bit to note!
The Temple matters more than we realise
Luke begins his story in the Temple in Jerusalem
This is really important. The Temple was the symbolic meeting place between heaven and earth. The place where God and humanity met. The place where Gods presence is most powerfully centered.
Yet as you keep reading Luke’s Gospel, Luke will gradually show that God’s presence is no longer centred on a building.
It is now centred on Jesus.
Jesus has become the true meeting place between God and humanity. If you want to meet with God, then that is now done in the person of Jesus. That still true today.
Reading Luke Like a Disciple
As you read Luke this week, don’t rush.
Picture the scenes. Imagine the conversations. Listen carefully. Ask questions.
Most importantly, pay attention to Jesus.
Try using our Head, Heart, Hands approach:
Head
What stands out?
What surprises me?
What am I learning about Jesus?
Heart
What is stirring in me?
What is God saying to me?
How does this encourage or challenge me?
Hands
What will I do differently because of this?
What small step of obedience is Jesus inviting me into?
This Week’s Challenge (Luke 1–5)
As you read Luke 1–5 this week, keep one question in your mind:
“What is Luke trying to show me about Jesus?”
Notice how quickly Luke starts building a picture of him.
In just a few chapters we discover that:
Jesus is the promised Messiah.
Jesus is God’s Son.
Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus defeats temptation.
Jesus teaches with authority.
Jesus heals the sick.
Jesus forgives sins.
Jesus calls ordinary people to follow him.
Every chapter adds another piece to the picture.
Luke is slowly helping us answer the question:
Who is this man?
That’s the question I want you to carry with you this week.
Not simply “What happened?” But “Who is Jesus?”
A Resource for This Week
If you’d like to go deeper, I highly recommend watching the BibleProject overview videos of Luke and read thier overview blog.
They do a brilliant job of showing how Luke presents Jesus as the fulfilment of Israel’s long-awaited hopes.
As you read this week, remember:
Don’t just read about Jesus.
Read with Jesus.
Come expecting him to speak.
Come expecting him to challenge you.
Come expecting him to meet with you.
Because that is exactly what Luke hopes will happen.
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