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 | |||