December 29th - January 2nd | Student Reading Plan
Reading Instructions:
Read each chapter once. After, read it again this time also following along with the key points. Then, write out answers to the questions. Then, read and reflect over the application. Next, follow the instructions for the daily encouragement. Lastly, spend time in prayer use the prayer prompt but also spend some time just talking to God.
Monday: Luke 12
Key Points:
- Jesus warns against the “leaven of the Pharisees,” which is hypocrisy, appearing righteous outwardly while being far from God inwardly. This is what we are commanded to avoid. Someone who preaches one thing but does another thing dishonors God, but also points others away from God instead of towards Him.
- Jesus teaches that nothing hidden will remain hidden; God sees and knows everything. We can’t hide our sins, thoughts, or feelings from God He knows all. We should live in the understanding that He observes all that we do this should cause us to be obedient.
- We are told not to fear those who can kill the body but to fear God, who has authority over eternity. Don’t disobey God for fear of Human ridicule because they can only cause worldly discomfort. God can provide eternal comfort and security so, choose Him!
- Jesus reassures His followers that they are deeply valued by God and that even the hairs on their head are numbered. This should encourage you knowing how much God knows and cares about you!
- The parable of the rich fool warns against storing up earthly treasure while neglecting eternal riches. Anything we place value on earth will one day pass away, but what we invest in our relationship with God will have an eternal impact.
- Jesus calls His followers to be watchful, ready, and faithful as they await His return. Live each day as if He is going to return.
- True security is found in trusting God, not in possessions, status, or control.
Where are you tempted to live hypocritically rather than honestly before God?
What things do you place your security in besides God?
Are you living with an eternal perspective or a temporary one? How can you change it?
Application:
Luke 12 confronts our tendency to care more about appearances than about our hearts. Jesus makes it clear that God sees everything including our motives, fears, and hidden sins. While that truth can be unsettling, it is also deeply comforting. The same God who sees our sin also knows our value. Jesus reminds us that we are worth more than sparrows and that God is intimately aware of every detail of our lives. The parable of the rich fool exposes the danger of living as though this world is all there is. Accumulating wealth or success cannot save us or give lasting peace. Jesus calls us instead to be rich toward God, investing our lives in what matters eternally. This chapter urges us to live honestly, fear God rather than people, and place our trust fully in Him as we wait faithfully for Christ’s return.
Daily Encouragement:
Ask God to help you live honestly before Him today with nothing hidden. Confess some sins to Him.
Prayer:
Lord, search my heart and expose anything that does not honor You. Help me fear You more than the opinions of others and trust You more than temporary things. Teach me to live with honesty, faith, and an eternal perspective as I follow You today.
Tuesday: Luke 13
Key Points:
- He makes clear that everyone must repent, or they will perish. He is speaking of an eternal perishing. If you don’t repent and follow Jesus then, you will spend an eternity separated from Him. We should practice daily repentance. We should agonize over our own sin and continue to fight to overcome it.
- Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath, showing compassion over legalism. Jesus served people that were lost, looked down on, and hurting and we are called to do the same.
- The Pharisees prioritize rules over mercy, revealing hardened hearts. They do the opposite of Jesus. They don’t care for people who are hurting because they only care for people when it benefits them.
- Jesus laments over Jerusalem, expressing His deep desire to gather His people, though they rejected Him. Jesus always chooses forgiveness. No matter what the cost. Even from the cross Jesus looked down and asked God to forgive the people. Jesus desires for all to repent and follow Him. It is up to us to go and reach the lost.
How do you respond when confronted with your need for repentance?
Are there areas where you assume God’s patience means delay is safe?
Do you value rules more than love and compassion?
Application:
Luke 13 reminds us that repentance is not optional, but it is essential. Jesus confronts the idea that suffering only happens to “worse” sinners and instead points every listener inward. We will all experience suffering as we live in a fallen world that is corrupted by sin. All people need repentance. The parable of the barren fig tree shows both God’s mercy and His justice. God is patient, giving time to bear fruit, but that time is not endless. Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath exposes how religious pride can blind us to compassion. The Pharisees cared more about protecting their traditions than celebrating God’s work. Finally, Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem reveals God’s heart that He longs to gather His people, protect them, and restore them, yet many refuse Him. This chapter urges us not to delay repentance and not to harden our hearts toward God’s mercy.
Daily Encouragement:
Repentance is not something to dread, but it is a gift that leads to life. Spend Time repenting of sin to God.
Prayer:
God, soften my heart and help me respond quickly when You call me to repent. Thank You for Your patience and mercy. Keep me from delaying obedience and teach me to love others with the compassion You have shown me.
Wednesday: Luke 14
Key Points:
- Jesus heals on the Sabbath again, confronting legalism and pride. Jesus once again chooses to help people instead of worrying about how people will perceive His actions.
- He teaches humility, warning against seeking honor for ourselves.
- Jesus instructs His followers to invite the poor, the broken, and the outcast.
- The parable of the great banquet shows people rejecting God’s invitation due to excuses. People today still choose excuses instead of following God. What excuses are you using?
- Jesus teaches that following Him requires total commitment, even above family and personal comfort.
- Discipleship has a cost, and Jesus calls His followers to count that cost honestly. You have to sacrifice in order to follow Jesus.
In what ways do pride and self-interest affect your faith?
What excuses keep you from fully following Jesus?
Have you truly counted the cost of discipleship?
Application:
Luke 14 challenges our understanding of humility and commitment. Jesus consistently confronts religious pride, reminding us that God exalts the humble, not the self-promoting. The parable of the great banquet exposes how easy it is to make excuses when God calls us. We should always accept God’s invitation. Good things including work, relationships, and comfort can still keep us from responding to God’s invitation. Jesus then speaks plainly about the cost of discipleship. Following Him is not about convenience or comfort; it requires surrender. This chapter calls us to examine whether we are casually following Jesus or fully committed to Him. True discipleship means Jesus is our highest priority.
Daily Encouragement:
Ask yourself today: Is Jesus my highest priority, or just one of many?
Prayer:
Jesus, give me a humble heart and help me follow You without excuses. Teach me to count the cost honestly and to choose You above everything else. Strengthen my commitment and deepen my love for You.
Thursday: Luke 15
Key Points:
- Jesus tells parables about lost things: a sheep, a coin, and a son.
- Each parable reveals God’s heart for the lost and His joy when they are found.
- The parable of the prodigal son shows both rebellion and self-righteousness. It also shows that no one is too lost to return to Jesus. He wants all to return to Him. He welcomes us back with open arms. He doesn’t turn us away.
- The younger son represents open sin and repentance. He realized how he was wrong and made a decision to change.
- The older son represents pride, bitterness, and self-righteousness. He kind of follows the father. He doesn’t realize that the Father’s love isn’t based on anything that He has done. It is based entirely on Jesus’s love and His mercy. We can’t become self-righteous because our salvation isn’t based on what we have done.
- God rejoices over repentance and invites both kinds of sinners into restoration. All He requires is repentance.
Do you identify more with the younger son or the older son?
How do you respond when God shows mercy to others?
Do you truly believe God rejoices over repentance?
Application:
Luke 15 reveals the heart of God more clearly than almost any other chapter. God actively seeks the lost and celebrates when they return. He leaves the 99 to get the 1. The prodigal son shows us that no one is too far gone for God’s grace. At the same time, the older brother warns us that religious pride can keep us just as far from God as open rebellion. Both sons needed grace. God’s response to repentance is not anger or reluctance but joy. This chapter calls us to repent, rejoice in God’s mercy, and reflect His heart toward others who are broken and lost.
Daily Encouragement:
God is not waiting to shame you. He is eager to restore you. Thank God for His Mercy.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for Your relentless grace. Help me repent quickly, receive Your mercy fully, and rejoice when others experience Your forgiveness. Shape my heart to reflect Yours.
Friday: Luke 16
Key Points:
- Jesus teaches about stewardship and faithfulness with worldly wealth. He has gifted us with our resources and we should willingly give back to Him.
- Money reveals what we truly value and who we serve.
- Jesus teaches that we cannot serve both God and money. This is true of anything. We can’t place anything above Jesus.
- The Pharisees mock Jesus because they love wealth and status.
- The story of the rich man and Lazarus shows the eternal consequences of how we live. What you do now matters!
- Earthly comfort does not equal God’s approval.
- Our choices in this life have eternal significance.
What does the way you use money say about your priorities?
Are you serving God or something else?
Do you live with eternity in mind?
Application:
Luke 16 forces us to examine what we truly serve. Jesus makes it clear that money itself is not evil, but it is a powerful indicator of our hearts. When wealth becomes our master, it blinds us to eternal truth. The Pharisees loved money and scoffed at Jesus, revealing hearts far from God. The story of the rich man and Lazarus shows that earthly success does not guarantee eternal security. This chapter reminds us that life is short, eternity is real, and our choices matter. Faithfulness in small things reflects faithfulness toward God. We are called to live wisely, generously, and with eternity always in view.
Daily Encouragement:
Live today with eternity in mind and remember what you do now matters forever. Spend some time reflecting Is Jesus the master of my life?
Prayer:
God, help me be faithful with what You have entrusted to me. Guard my heart from loving money or comfort more than You. Teach me to live generously, wisely, and with an eternal perspective as I follow You.