by Geoff Waugh
Published by the Joint Board of Christian Education, Melbourne, 1991.
Contents
Introduction
Part I The life and ministry of jesus
Preparation: The coming of Jesus the Messiah
1. The coming of the Lord - Luke 21:2536
2. John the Baptist - Luke 3:16
3. The Messiah - Luke 3:718
4. Mary's Son - Luke 1:3955
5. Infancy and childhood of Jesus - Luke 2:4152
6. Reflections on the birth of Jesus - John 1:118
Commencement: The figure of Jesus the Messiah
7. The baptism of Jesus - Luke 3:1517,2122
8. The marriage feast at Cana - John 2:111
Luke's program for Jesus' ministry
9. The visit to Nazareth (1) - Luke 4:1421
10. The visit to Nazareth (2) - Luke 4:2130
The Galilean ministry
11. The call of the first disciples - Luke 5:111
12. The sermon on the plain (1) - Luke 6:1726
13. The sermon on the plain (2) - Luke 6:2738
14. The sermon on the plain (3) - Luke 6:3949
15. The cure of the centurion's servant - Luke 7:110
16. The widow of Nain - Luke 7:1117
17. Jesus' feet anointed - Luke 7:368:3
18. Peter's confession of faith - Luke 9:1824
The travel narrative: part one
19. The journey to Jerusalem begins - Luke 9:5162
20. The mission of the seventytwo - Luke 10:112,1720
21. The good Samaritan - Luke 10:2537
22. Martha and Mary - Luke 10:3842
23. The importunate friend - Luke 11:113
24. The parable of the rich fool - Luke 12:1321
25. The need for vigilance - Luke 12:3240
26. Not peace but division - Luke 12:4956
27. Few will be saved - Luke 13:2230
28. True humility - Luke 14:1,714
29. The cost of discipleship - Luke 14:2533
The Gospel within the Gospel
30. The lost coin, sheep, and son - Luke 15:110 (1132)
The travel narrative: part two
31. The unjust steward - Luke 16:113
32. The rich man and Lazarus - Luke 16:1931
33. A lesson on faith and dedication - Luke 17:510
34. The ten lepers - Luke 17:1119
35. The unjust judge - Luke 18:18
36. The Pharisee and the tax collector - Luke 18:914
37. Zacchaeus - Luke 19:110
The ministry in Jerusalem
38. The resurrection debated - Luke 20:2738
39. The signs announcing the end - Luke 21:519
Conclusion: The fulfilment of the ministry
40. Christ the King - John 12:919
Part II The death and resurrection of Jesus
Preparation for the Passion of Jesus
1. The transfiguration - Luke 9:2836
2. The temptations - Luke 4:113
3. The meaning of the cross - Luke 13:3135
4. Teaching about repentance (1) - Luke 13:19
5. Teaching about repentance (2) - Luke 15:13,1132
6. Mary anoints Jesus - John 12:18
7. Palm Sunday and the crucifixion - Luke 19:2840; Luke 22:1423:56
Resurrection Appareances of Jesus
8. The empty tomb - Luke 24:112
9. Easter evening - John 20:1931
10. Jesus and Peter - John 21:119
Observations about Jesus
11. Jesus the Good Shepherd John 10:2230 62
12. Jesus the way of love John 13:3135 63
13. Jesus present among his people John 14:2329 64
14. Jesus prays for his people John 17:2026 65
The coming of the Holy Spirit
15. The day of Pentecost - John 14:817,2527
Conclusion: The Godhead
16. The Trinity - John 16:1215
Appendix 1:
Studies arranged according to lectionary readings
Appendix 2:
Studies arranged according to gospel readings
Introduction
Luke is the only Gentile author in the Bible. He wrote to his Gentile friend, Theophilus (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1), with a different emphasis from the other writers of the New Testament who all grew up steeped in Israel's traditions. He writes especially for his community.
Luke the historian describes Jesus' central place in human events. Jesus is the saviour of the whole world. No one is excluded from God's offer of salvation in Jesus. The poor, despised and outcasts (such as Gentiles) are especially invited into the kingdom of God. Luke gives a clear, ordered account of the spread of God's kingdom in the ministry of Jesus (Luke's Gospel) and in the early church (The Acts of the Apostles).
Luke the traveller makes 'journey' a strong theme in both his books. He tells of events along the way, on the road. This especially applies to Jesus' final journey to Jersualem (9:51,57). That last journey began after Peter's declaration that Jesus was the Messiah, which Jesus explained in terms of his death and resurrection (9:2022), and after Jesus' glory was seen at the transfiguration where Moses and Elijah talked with Jesus about his coming departure (9:2831).
Luke the missionary, who often accompanied Paul, tells of the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, first in Jesus (3:2122; 4:1819), then in his followers (9:12 and 10:1,9), and then in the church's missionary expansion (24:4649). Luke makes many references to the Holy Spirit in both his gospel and The Acts of the Apostles.
Luke the doctor emphasises Jesus' compassion and healing power for all who came to him. His gospel abounds with stories of Jesus' care for people. He includes many accounts of Jesus' compassion for the poor and for outcasts.
Luke the evangelist, tells of Jesus' saving power and includes some of the most famous parables which summarise the good news of God's kingdom. Parables of the prodigal son, the lost coin, the good Samaritan, the rich man and Lazarus, and the rich fool are unique to Luke's evangelism story. So are the accounts of the Samaritan leper, the sinful woman who anointed Jesus' feet, and Zacchaeus. These were despised people who responded to Jesus.
If you have a Bible with section headings containing cross references, as in the Good News Bible and New Revised Standard Version, you can easily locate the passages unique to Luke. They have no cross references! Those passages give a feel for Luke's emphasis in telling the good news about the kingdom of God.
Relational Bible studies
These relational Bible studies can be used for both personal and group study.
Personal study, which may be in preparation for a group session or just for your own interest, will involve reading the Bible passages and thinking about the questions for yourself. It helps to keep a note book or journal of your insights or discoveries.
If these readings are used in your church on Sundays you could work through the study after that Sunday and also read the next study in preparation for the following Sunday. You may have friends with whom you would like to discuss some of the issues.
Group study involves you with others. These studies invite you to relate together at the beginning, to respond to the Bible material in personal ways and to reflect on its meaning for your own lives and circumstances.
The session outlines help you share your ideas and discoveries as you study the Bible together. These relational studies allow you to interact at both a content and a personal level. You can share your pilgrimage with others. You journey together. You support and encourage one another.
A rough time guide for each study would be to allow about 15 minutes for the Relate section, about 30 minutes for the Respond section and another 15 minutes for the Reflect section. Sometimes you will go longer than that, especially at the end. Reading the passages at home before the study helps you become familiar with the topic and gain more from your group discussion.
Any study can be used on its own, so you could select some to suit the number of weeks or studies you want. If your group is large, you will gain more by working in subgroups of about three to five, particularly for the final section of the study. Smaller groups allow more personal sharing and specific prayer.
Using the lectionary
This study book follows the story of Jesus using lectionary readings from the year of Luke (Year C). The readings include passages from John also.
These group studies may be used following the lectionary dates or may be used independently, in full or in part, at any time. You could try one section to see if it suits your group or meets your needs, such as studies for Lent (see Appendix 1). Some groups may choose to select passages from Luke only and omit studies from John used in the lectionary readings (see Appendix 2).
Appendix 1 gives you an outline of the lectionary year. For groups following the set dates of Sunday readings the studies from Part II on the death and resurrection of Jesus will fit into Part I at the Lent to Pentecost seasons.
Study 1, The Coming of the Lord, forms a bridge between the previous lectionary year (which concludes with Christ the King) and the new lectionary year. So the first study both looks toward the fulfilment of the coming of the Lord as King and introduces the advent of Jesus.
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(c) Geoff Waugh, 1991, The Joint Board of Christian Education.
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