Hey, everyone! This is a challenge I pitched out to the attendees of Living Proof Live Eugene, Oregon because it corresponded with our concept but anyone is invited to participate! Here’s a bit of background:
At our Living Proof Live in Eugene, we studied the repetitions of the powerfully placed words “this Jesus” in the Book of Acts, particularly in the first and second chapters. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Luke was intent on the reader understanding that the one who is both Messiah and Lord is “this same Jesus” (1:11 CSB/NIV) who was arrested, beaten, crucified, raised from the dead, who ascended to the Father in Heaven and who will descend again to earth in like manner. The challenge is to know “this Jesus” not second hand but straight from the pages of Scripture. While He can be found in the full stretch of Scripture, what He was like when He took on human flesh and blood and walked among us can most clearly, concentratedly be seen in the canonical Gospels.
My objective was to keep it completely uncomplicated even in the title. We’re simply calling it The Luke Challenge.
All you need is a Bible, a pen and a simple spiral notebook.
Write on the front of it with a marker: In Search of This Jesus
Choose a 30-day period of time in which you commit to read the book of Luke, 1 chapter a day, for all 24 chapters. Your 6 extra days are there when you miss and need to catch up. Start at any point but donāt leave it open ended. Really try to conclude in 30 days so you donāt lose momentum. Leave a comment to this post on the day you’re beginning as a means of strengthening your commitment with a bit of accountability. I don’t know about you but that always works better for me.
2 ground rules:
1. PRAY: Each time before you read, ask Jesus for two specific things: A) to open your mind to understand the Scriptures and B) to fill you with His Holy Spirit.
2. WRITE: Take notes and make comments on each chapter with particular emphasis on who Jesus was/is and what He was like. Freestyle anyway you wish and get as detailed as you like but hereās the catch: do so in dialogue straight to Jesus. Your notes, in effect, become prayers. Communications. He speaks to you through His Word. You speak back through your pen. For example, “Lord, I’m seeing these characteristics in you in Luke 4” and “I wonder what was going through Your mind when Peter…” and “this about you is particularly confusing/fascinating/troubling/comforting/exhilarating to me,” etc. Get the idea? Record what seems to draw Jesus near to a situation and also note what seems to repel Him. Recount to Him what you see happening around Him in the scene. Record how people responded to Him, both positively and negatively. Describe Him to the degree Scripture describes Him. Record your responses to Him. Do it any way you wish but make this an exercise entirely between you and Jesus.
One of our major points at Living Proof Live was that there is a difference between knowing about Jesus and actually knowing Jesus. This 30-day period focuses on knowing “this Jesus” who is both Messiah and Lord.
Anyone can do it with you and anyone is welcome to participate.
THEN, watch for a blog to follow this one in 30 days so that you can report having completed it and share your primary takeaways. THEN!!! If you liked it, DO THE SAME THING WITH THE BOOK OF ACTS! Luke wrote it, too, and it’s the perfect follow up.
We’re so happy to serve you here at Living Proof. We exist entirely for this purpose: to encourage people to come to know and love Jesus Christ. THIS Jesus of Scripture.
Enjoy Him!
P.S. Ā Our comments are all moderated so donāt panic if you donāt see yours show up right away. Itās there! Youāll see it on the next work day!
Love this. Will start Monday 7/28
I was just pondering in my heart this morning what to study. I am in! 7/28/19
Yes, I am starting the Luke challenge today July 28…excited to see the Lord come alive in His Word!
Starting In Search of This Jesus August 1.
Starting July 29!! Ending August 27!
I’m starting this challenge today, July 28th. Planning to read scripture instead of mindless scrolling through social media and binge watching TV.
Hi! I will be starting on August 1. (Ok, so maybe I’m a little OCD but it will help me know which chapter to read! š ) I have just finished another study and was wondering what to do next. Thank you God for your perfect timing!
Blessings!
I am starting the Luke Challenge on July 28th, today! Looking forward to it!
Iām starting The Luke Challenge today, 7/28/19.
I’m beginning today, July 28th.
Hi
I am starting the Luke challenge today. I have been hearing Jesus tell me to seek Him, to know Him better at this season of my life. IAM IN!!!
Karen
I am beginning the challange July 28.
Several years before I discovered the difference between affirming faith in Jesus as savior of humankind for the evil of the world and surrendering to Christ as master of my soul and personal savior for my own personal sinfulness, I engaged in behavior that I would have never considered that a “good little Christian girl” who grew up in the church”, as I had, would do. When I came to my senses, I clearly recall thinking, “I should be dead. Either there is not a god or God is not like what I thought he was.” It started me on a journey of discovery for what God really IS like that continues to this day. I thank God for that eye-opening realization that what I had thought about God was not the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It may have contained a small kernel of truth learned in church classes and sermons, but there was so much more I had to discover on my own- through his Word, by his Spirit, from his people, and in circumstances as he brought me to and through them. My journey began, like the prodigal son’s, in a place of brokenness and revulsion, where no one gave me anything to satisfy the real hunger that I had. I look forward to beginning this journey through Luke again with a fresh sense of God’s timing and purpose to discover what he has for me along this stretch!
I love this Beth!! I will start tomorrow, July 29.
May have to use some of those catch up dates since I will have my 9 and 10 year old grandsons part of this week. They tend to consume my time and I love it!! Missing your tweets!! You are loved!!
I am committed to begin on Monday July 28. Thank you Beth for always leading me to Jesus. God has used you and your love for Him and His Word to radically change my life.:)
I will commit to the Luke challenge, beginning today, July 28th.
Iām beginning this challenge today, July 28. Luke was the first book I studied after becoming born-again in 1975. I want to know this Jesus better, as He and I meet one-on-One for this set-apart time. Thanks for initiating this journey for us to join in!
Starting the Luke Challenge on July 28th! Lord give me diligence!
I invited a good friend at church to do the Luke 30-Day Challenge with me. We’re going to start tomorrow, July 29. Thanks for a great weekend in Eugene!
THIS JESUS is the self-proclaimed I AM of scripture, the One who spoke to Moses at the burning bush (Ex. 3:14; Isa. 52:6; John 8:58; John 4:26; John 18:5-9).
THIS JESUS is the pre-existent Son of God, creator and sustainer of the world
(John 1:1-5; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:2, 3).
THIS JESUS is the One who planned to suffer and die for us before sin ever entered the world, before we were ever made (Eph. 1:4-14; Eph. 3:9-11; Rev. 13:8; I Cor. 2:7).
THIS JESUS is the Son of Man who came to earth as a man to find and save lost men and women (Luke 19:10; Matt. 8:20; Dan. 7:13,14; Matt. 26:63, 64; Acts 7:56).
THIS JESUS is the One who took my death sentence so I could live free (Isa. 53:4-6, 11).
THIS JESUS is the King who now, at this very minute, sits at the Fatherās right hand in heaven (Acts 7:56; Rom. 8:33, 34; Heb. 1:3; Eph. 2:20, 21).
THIS SAME JESUS is the One we will see coming back in the clouds (Acts 1:11; Matt. 24:30, 31) who knows who belongs to Him (John 10: 3, 4, 14) and draws each one up like a super magnet to His heart and His home (I Thes. 4:16, 17; John 5:25-29; I Cor 15:23; John 14:1-3).
THIS JESUS is the One I need to know so I canāt be deceived by imposters (Matt. 24:5, 26), whose mind I want to know like my own (Phil 2:5) and never want to let out of my sight (Heb. 12:1) so I will recognize Him when He comes. I canāt get this wrong. I must know THIS JESUS!
Yes, I accept the challenge. I will look for THIS JESUS in the book of Luke for the next 30 days beginning July 29, 2019.
Thank you Beth for a great message this weekend, I want to know this Jesus and I’m starting your 30-day challenge today Sunday July 28th
I am starting my commitment to the Luke challenge on July 28th. I have been asking God how to get the intimacy with Jesus that I see in others but donāt experience myself. Thank you Beth and your team. I feel like the message you all shared in Eugene was the answer to that prayer. Challenge joyfully accepted!
So inspired by what God is doing here! Thank you for your ministry and your heart for God! This challenge is so beautifully designed, and I am so grateful to be a part of it! I am beginning The Luke Challenge today! I am looking forward to how God will reveal “This Jesus” to me over the course of the next 30-days. I have had the great privilege of knowing the Lord most of my life; however, I have been lost in my suffering and in great discord for some time. This weekend reminded me of the Jesus I have always known and want so desperately to remember and discover anew! Praise Him for never forsaking us and always seeking the lost! Thank you Jesus for this opportunity to deepen relationship with you and bless this amazing group of your people!
My wife came back from the Eugene event feeling totally blessed and ready to take the Luke Challenge. How could I resist joining in?
I am starting July 28, 2019.
What a great challenge. I’m in starting Monday, July 28th.
Starting August 1. Looking forward to connecting with Jesus in a new way.
This sounds great, I would like to start meeting this Jesus August 1st .
This was the first time I have left my family and it was an internal struggle the whole drive up. Within 5 minutes of hearing you speak all my anxieties left and I knew exactly why I was led there. I am very excited for the Luke challenge (starting today) and grateful for your heart and sharing what the Lord had laid on it. Enjoy your time with your daughter.
This sounds great, I would like to start meeting this Jesus August 1st . I am adding more because it is giving me an error message that Iāve said this before?
āāļø Starting now!!
Luke Challenge begins today!
God did some something amazing in my life at LPL Eugene. (THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE SPIRIT OF *THIS SAME JESUSā HE STILL PERFORMS SIGNS AND WONDERS*) but then when I got home there were some repercussions. (*THIS JESUS* CAN GET YOU INTO TROUBLE).
So now, Iām working out the complexities of the healing and the repercussions that followed. (*THIS JESUS* IS INTIMATELY MADE KNOWN IN SUFFERING)
So for the next 30 days Iāll be watching and waiting to see what God does next as I go āIn Search of This Jesus.ā
Thank you for the homework!
LPL Eugene was incredible. I am starting The Luke Challenge now. My husband plans to do it also.
Committed to starting on Tuesday, July 30th!
Starting the Luke Challenge on Monday, July 29th… thanks for making the trek out to Oregon Beth!
Thanks so much for sharing! I plan to start July 29th!
LPL Eugene was a wonderful Spirit awakening! So thankful. Luke Challenge – I’m in and we are encouraging our fellowship sisters to join in.
I have started the challenge today. I am very excited about learning more about the Jesus of God’s Holy inspired word. Thank you Beth for the challenge and for your faithfulness to the truth.
This is a couple days early….but I’m gonna start this on Aug.1st….make sure I’ve read and reread the rules several times to get it right….can’t wait!!!! Thank you Beth, for all you do!!!! Missing you on twitter!!!!
Starting August 1st! Can hardly wait to see what God has planned!
For so many years I have studied the Bible and written things down, praying to God, through Jesus, about what Iād studied. This is the first time Iām encouraged to write TO Jesus my thoughts on what Iām studying. I believe this to be perfect timing in my life and Iām excited to dig in! Thank you, Beth Moore, for this past weekend in The Word and for the challenge of drawing closer to āthis Jesusā! I begin now.. July 29, 2019. Let the adventure begin!!
Great idea! I’m starting today, July 28!
Starting July 29. I’m so excited and nervous.
Looking forward to this wonderful challenge. I will begin on August 1st.
This lines up with a qt theme I’ve been in the past year!! So Yay! I’M’ALL IN!! ā”ā”ā” ( I’ll start on 7/29 ! )
I am starting the Luke challenge today July 28th. I am so excited!
Beth – so blessed by Godās word brought through you, His servant, at Eugene this weekend. Brought my husband and he was spoken to as well. We are both going to do the Luke Challenge and commit to be done by August 31st.
Thank you for this – we love and constantly seek This Jesus. Thank you for your faithfulness ā¤ļø I am committing to pray for you daily during this challenge – I hope it becomes my habit. God has used your teaching to impact my life so much.
Much love to you ā¤ļø
I committed to the Luke challenge and started today, 7/28. I’m going to the Austin LPL in September and I cannot wait!
Diving into The Luke Challenge today, 7/28/2019!
I am starting Monday July 29.