A journey through the Gospel of Luke. Tools to help every age and stage go looking for treasure in the text.
All Ages and StagesThe Why
To develop a faith that is real, we must understand the foundation of our faith. To think Biblically, live distinctively, and love like Jesus to impact our world for Christ, we need to understand what God is telling us through the Scriptures and by His Spirit.
The Method
Inductive study starts by reading the text itself. You observe what's actually there. You let the meaning emerge before you reach for application. Begin your time of study with prayer.
Read closely. Notice repeated words, key people, places, actions. See what's actually on the page before adding your assumptions.
Consider context, audience, and how the passage fits the larger story. What was the author saying to the original readers?
How does the truth of this passage connect to your life today? What does it invite you to believe, do, or let go of?
Think of it like an Easter egg hunt. You're looking under shrubs, checking behind rocks, scanning the landscape, because you know the treasure is there. You're not wandering. You're searching with intent. The Holy Spirit leads in Observation, Interpretation, and Application. The family of believers can provide wisdom and encouragement on what to observe, how to interpret, and ways to apply God's truth to our lives. This is not a solo expedition!
The Big Picture
To understand the individual parts of Luke's gospel, it's helpful to be familiar with the whole. Reading or listening to the gospel in its entirety will provide valuable context when exploring passages.
How to Search
Life looks different week to week. Pick a search that fits. Each one is a complete way to engage. The goal is to know the Son of Man better through His Word.
Observation Tools
A Bible or printed copy of the passage is ideal. Here is the full text of Luke as a PDF you could print.
God, Father, Jesus, Christ, Holy Spirit. Mark every reference to any member of the Trinity.
Key terms and repeated words. Circling the same word multiple times in a passage often reveals the main idea.
Comparisons and contrasts. What is being set against what? What does the tension reveal?
Section divisions. Write a title in your own words above each bracket. This forces understanding, not just reading.
Different colors helps the text jump off the page. Here's some ideas:
These aren't rules. Use what helps you see.
Your Toolkit
Here are some tools that can help you in your search.
Available to print out. Wide margins and spacing give you room to write, circle, bracket, and mark up the text. This is your main tool for the whole journey.
↓ Download PDFA film drawn directly from Luke's Gospel. A consideration for families. May help interpretation. (NOTE: Jesus and His followers did not speak English with British accents...)
jesusfilm.org →Most study Bibles include a concordance and maps of first-century Israel. A concordance lets you find every verse using a specific word. The maps put Jesus's travels in geographic context.
A short animated overview of Luke's Gospel that maps the structure, themes, and key ideas of the book. Good context before diving into a new section. Free.
bibleproject.com →Precept Ministries has developed inductive study materials for decades. Their free resources page is a good overview for observation techniques and marking methods.
precept.org →Free. Click any word in a passage to see the original Greek, its definition, and every verse where it appears.
blueletterbible.org →Piper works through passages in real time, marking the text on screen and explaining his observations. Not every chapter of Luke is covered, but the method modeled is directly applicable to any passage.
desiringgod.org/labs →A classic, clear guide to inductive Bible study. If you want to go deeper on the method itself, start here. Readable for high schoolers and adults alike, available new, used, Kindle and Audiobook.
Living by the Book →Firm Family has copies available at the Resource Table. Wide margins designed for notes, marking, and study. Free.
Reading Plan
Each Sunday covers one section of Luke. Read the passage beforehand and discover a treasure!
| Date | Passage |
|---|---|
| May 3 | Introduction to Luke |
| May 10 | Special Topic |
| May 17 | Luke 1:1–25, 57–80 |
| May 24 | Luke 1:26–56, 2:1–21 |
| May 31 | Luke 2:22–52 |
| Jun 7 | Luke 3 |
| Jun 14 | Luke 4:1–13 |
| Jun 21 | Special Topic |
| Jun 28 | Luke 4:14–30 |
| Jul 5 | Luke 4:31–44 |
| Jul 12 | Luke 5:1–11, 27–31 |
| Jul 19 | Luke 5:12–26 |
| Jul 26 | Luke 5:33–6:5 |
| Aug 2 | Luke 6:6–19 |
| Aug 9 | Luke 6:20–26 |
| Aug 16 | Luke 6:27–36 |
| Aug 23 | Luke 6:37–42 |
| Aug 30 | Luke 6:43–49 |
| Sep 6 | Special Topic |
| Sep 13 | Luke 7:1–17 |
| Sep 20 | Luke 7:18–35 |
| Sep 27 | Luke 7:36–50 |
| Oct 4 | Luke 8:1–21 |
| Oct 11 | Luke 8:22–56 |
| Oct 18 | Luke 9:1–9 |
| Oct 25 | Luke 9:10–22 |
| Nov 1 | Luke 9:23–27 |
| Nov 8 | Luke 9:28–36 |
| Nov 15 | Luke 9:37–45 |
| Nov 22 | Luke 9:46–50 |
| Nov 29 | Luke 9:51–62 |
Your Guide
The study of Scripture is not merely an academic exercise. We depend on the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Word and to soften our hearts and shape our wills.