Journey Through the Bible

Pastor Steven J. Knudson, Willmar Minnesota

Note: Adapted from material developed by Pastor Steven J. Knudson, Vinje Lutheran Church, Willmar, Minnesota, 2010, and used by permission.

 

You are beginning a journey through the Bible.  Not every page or every story, but the important stories to learn about God, and God’s work of salvation for all people.  We begin with the first page of the Bible and we read through the Bible to the end.

There are several option for reading through the Bible.

Option #1: Use the SPARK Children’s Story Bible.[1] The page numbers are found under “Spark Story Bible”.  This SPARK Children’s Story Bible is given to preschoolers.

Option #2: Read the stories in the Bible, using the Bible Book and chapters identified under “Scripture”.  Also, page numbers in the SPARK Bible[2] given to 3rd graders are noted under “Spark Bible Page.”

Option #3: Each month, there will be a reading plan included in the newsletter and the weekly bulletins.  This will be a day by day reading plan that will include the chosen stories and more.

Let’s Read Through the Bible Together During the Next 12 Months.

 

Journey Through the Bible—12 Month Reading Plan
Wk

#

Date Scripture Story Spark

Story Bible

Spark

Bible Page

Old Testament—Creation and Stories of Abraham and His Family

1   Genesis 1:1-2:4 Creation 2 2
Genesis 2:4-25 Adam and Eve 8 3
2   Genesis 3:1-24 First Sin 14 4
Genesis 6-9 Noah’s Ark 20 7
3   Genesis 12:1-9 Abram’s Call 26 13
Genesis 15:1-2, 17-18 God’s Promises to Abram 30 15
4   Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; 18:1-15; 21:1-7 Abraham and Sarah’s Visitors, Birth of Isaac 34 17
Genesis 24; 25:19-28 Rebekah and Isaac 38 24
5   Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1-40 Isaac’s Blessing 42 27
Genesis 32:22-31 Jacob Wrestles 46 36
6   Genesis 37:1-28 Joseph and His Brothers 48 42
Genesis 39:20-41:47 Pharaoh’s Dreams 54 44
Genesis 45:1-15; 50:15-21 Joseph Helps His Family 60 51,58
 

Old Testament—Moses the Beginning of Israel

7   Exodus 2:1-10 Baby Moses 66 60
Exodus 3:1-15 The Burning Bush 72 61
8   Exodus 5:1-6:13 Free from Slavery 76 64
Exodus 7:14-12:32 The Ten Plagues 78 66-72
9   Exodus 14:1-30 The Red Sea 84 74
Exodus 16:1-18; 17:1-7 Manna, Quail, and Water 90 77
10   Exodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments 94 81
Deuteronomy 6:1-9 A Message from God 100 197
11   Joshua 6:1-20 The Battle of Jericho 102 237
Judges 4:1-5:31 Deborah 106 264

Old Testament—Of Kings, Kingdoms and Prophets

12

 

  1 Samuel 1:9-27 Hannah Prays for a Child 118 296
1 Samuel 3:1-20 God Calls Samuel 122 299
13   1 Samuel 16:1-13 David is Chosen 126 313
1 Samuel 17:4-11, 32-50 David and Goliath 130 314
13   1 Kings 6 Solomon Builds the Temple 136 371
14   1 Kings 17:8-16 Elijah and the Widow 140 389
2 Kings 4:42-44 Elisha Feeds 100 144 404
2 Kings 5:1-19 Naaman is Healed 148 405
15   Psalm 8 Praise God 158 586
Psalm 23 The Lord in My Shepherd 160 596

Old Testament—Prophets

16   Isaiah 2:1-5 God Will Bring Peace 164 736
Isaiah 6:1-8 Isaiah’s Call 166 741
17   Isaiah 7:10-17 A Child Called Immanuel 168 742
Isaiah 11:1-10 God’s Peace World 172 747
18   Jeremiah 1:4-10 Jeremiah 176 813
Jeremiah 33:14-27 A Good Ruler 178 858
19   Daniel 3:19-30 Fiery Furnace 180 959
Daniel 6:1-28 Daniel and the Lions 184 964
20   Jonah 1-4 Jonah and the Big Fish 190 1008

New Testament—Birth and Boyhood of Jesus

21   Micah 5:2-5 A Ruler from Bethlehem 194 1016
Matthew 1:18-25;

Luke 1:26-38

Angels Visit 196 1058

1127

Luke 1:39-58 Mary Visits Elizabeth 202 1128
Luke 1:68-79 Zechariah 208 1129
22   Luke 2:1-20 Jesus Is Born 212 1130
Matthew 2:1-12 Wise Men 218 1058
23

 

 

  Matthew 2:13-23 Escape to Egypt 224 1059
Luke 2:22-40 Simeon and Anna 226 1130
Luke 2:41-52 The Boy at the Temple 230 1131

New Testament—Early Ministry of Jesus

24   Mathew 11:2-11; Mark 1:18; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:6-8, 19-28 John the Baptist 234 1132
John 1:10-18 Jesus the Word 240 1171
25   Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:4-11; Luke 3:15-27 Jesus Baptism 242 1060
25 John 1:29-42 The Lamb of God 246 1171
26   Luke 4:13 Tempted 248 1133
Luke 4:14-30 Jesus Goes to Nazareth 252 1133
27   Mark 1:21-28 Teaching and Healing 254 1101
Mark 1:29-39 Jesus Heals 256 1101
28   Matthew 4:12-23, 9:9-13, 10:1-4; Luke 5:1-11, 8:1-3 The Disciples 258 1135
Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes 264 1162

New Testament—Jesus Teaches about Faith

29   Matthew 5:21-37 Jesus Teaches About Anger 272 1162
Matthew 5:38-48 Love Your Enemies 274 1163
Matthew 6:24-34 Do Not Worry 276 1065
Matthew 6:5-15 The Lord’s Prayer 278 1164
Matthew 7:24-28 House on the Rock 282 1066
30

 

  Matthew 13:1-9 18-23 The Sower 292 1073
Matthew 14:22-33 Walking on Water 294 1076
31   Matthew 21:33-46 Parable of the Vineyard 302 1085
Matthew 22:1-14 The Wedding Banquet 304 1086
32   Matthew 22:34-46 The Greatest Commandment 308 1087
Matthew 23:1-12 Be Humble 312 1087
33   Matthew 25:14-30 Parable of the Talents 316 1091
Matthew 25:31-46 Sheep and Goats 318 1091

New Testament—What does it mean to follow Jesus?

34   Mark 4:30-32 Parable of the Mustard Seed 320 1104
Mark 8:27-38 Peter’s Faith 322 1110
35   Mark 9:30-37 Who is the Greatest? 324 1112
Mark 9:38-50 Share God’s Love 326 1112
Mark 10:13-16 Jesus Blesses the Children 328 1113
36   Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36 The Transfiguration 358 1111
Luke 10:25-37 The Good Samaritan 360 1145

New Testament—Jesus Teaches about Forgiveness and Obedience

37   Luke 15:1-10 The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin 374 1153
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 The Prodigal Son 378 1153
38

 

  Luke 16:1-13 Two Masters 384 1154
Luke 16:19-31 The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus 386 1155
39   Luke 18:9-14 The Pharisee and the Tax Collector 396 1157
Luke 19:1-10 Zacchaeus 400 1158

New Testament—Stories of People who Met Jesus

40

 

  John 2:1-11 Wedding at Cana 410 1172
John 4:5-42 Woman at the Well 420 1175
John 6:1-14 Jesus Feeds 5,000 426 1178
41   John 11:1-45 Lazarus 440 1186
John 12:1-8 Mary Anoints Jesus 444 1188
John 12:20-33 Serve and Follow 446 1189
42   John 14:1-14 God’s House 448 1191
John 14:15-21 The Promise of the Holy Spirit 450 1192
John 15:1-15, 7-17 Jesus the Vine 452 1192

New Testament—The Death and Resurrection of Jesus

43   Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40 Palm Sunday 454 1084
Matthew 21:23-32 The chief Priests 460 1084
Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:10-32; Luke 22:14-28; John 13:1-20 The Last Supper 462 1093
44   Matthew 26:31-75; Mark 14:26-72; Luke 22:32-71 Jesus Is Betrayed 468 1093
Matthew 27:11-31; Mark 15:1-15; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:33-37 Christ the King 474

 

1095

 

45   Matthew 27:27-66; Mark 15:21-27; Luke 23:26-56 The Day Jesus Died 476 1096
Luke 24:1-12; Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8 The Empty Tomb 482 1167
46   Luke 24:13-35 The Road to Emmaus 488 1168
John 20:19-31 Doubting Thomas 492 1199
47   Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 24:36-53; Acts 1:6-14 The Great Commission 496 1098

1168

Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:6-14 The Ascension 498 1203
Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 Matthias the Apostle 500 1203

New Testament—Stories about the Beginning of the Church

48   Acts 2:1-21, 36-42 The Holy Spirit 502 1204
Acts 2:43-47, 4:32-37 Early Believers 504 1206
49   Acts 8:26-40 Philip the Ethiopian 510 1213
Acts 9:1-12 Saul to Paul 514 1214
Acts 9:36-43 Peter and Tabitha 520 1215
50   Acts 10:44-48 The Holy Spirit Comes Down 524 1217
Acts 11:1-18 Peter’s Dream 526 1217
Acts 12:1-19 An Angel Frees Peter 528 1218
51   Acts 16:9-15 Lydia 532 1224
Acts 16:16-40 Paul and Silas 536 1224
Romans 1:1-17 Paul’s Letters 540 1244
52   1 Corinthians 12:12-31 Many Members, One Body 542 1271
1 Corinthians 13 Love is… 546 1271
Galatians 5:16-26 Fruit of the Spirit 550 1293

 

 


[1] Arthur, P. T., P. Grosshauser, et al, Spark Story Bible, (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2009).

[2] The Spark Bible (NRSV), (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2009).