LENT: Read the New Testament in 40 days
If I were to ask you what is the most important holiday, as a Christian what would you say? Some might suggest Christmas, however, for the early church the most important holiday was Easter. More accurately called, Resurrection day. It was the day Jesus overcame the grave. In fact, if you do research on Early Christian history you will find that the churh celebrated Christmas for 12 days (Dec 25-Jan6) but they celebrated Easter beginning 6 weeks before Easter Sunday. We call the 12 days around Christmas the "12 days of Christmas" and we call the 40 days before Easter, "Lent". Lent is stated by many to be the oldest Christian Holiday we celebrate. When you think about its significance it is fitting that it is considered to be the oldest. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas. Jesus came for you and me. However, more importantly Jesus died for you and me. His sacrifice was for sin so that we could be reconciled to God. Jesus not only paid for our sin, He overcame the grave and promised us that we too will overcome the grave if we trust in Him. In honor of Easter, Lent is a 40-day period where many Christians feel called to do something to prepare spiritually for Easter. It may involve sacrifice, service, or study, or some combination of these elements. Many people like to give up a bad habit for Lent, and in doing so they are also using that time devoted to a bad habit in order to draw near to god. One of the best ways we can draw near to God is through His word. Grow in your understanding of Him and seek His face. If this interests you, I want to challenge you today. Today mark the beginning of Lent. The following is a reading plan in which the entire New Testament can be read during the 40-days of Lent. Most people find that this type of reading plan results in new/renewed understanding of the Christian faith. You might want to use a free online Bible (you can try out different versions including an easy to read translation like The New Living Translation) available at sites such as www.biblegateway.com. Or you might prefer an audio version such as www.biblegateway.com/resources/audio/. Teaming up with a partner can also be very motivating. May the Lord Bless you in this endeavor.
- Day 1 Matt. 1-7
- Day 2 Matt. 8-12
- Day 3 Matt. 13-18
- Day 4 Matt 19-24
- Day 5 Matt. 25-28
- Day 6 Mark 1-6
- Day 7 Mark 7-11
- Day 8 Mark 12-16
- Day 9 Luke 1-4
- Day 10 Luke 5-9
- Day 11 Luke 10-13
- Day 12 Luke 14-19
- Day 13 Luke 20-24
- Day 14 John 1-5
- Day 15 John 6-9
- Day 16 John 10-14
- Day 17 John 15-19
- Day 18 John 20-Acts 4
- Day 19 Acts 5-9
- Day 20 Acts 10-15
- Day 21 Acts 16-20
- Day 22 Acts 21-26
- Day 23 Acts 27-Rom. 4
- Day 24 Rom. 5-10
- Day 25 Rom. 11-1 Cor. 1
- Day 26 1 Cor. 2-9
- Day 27 1 Cor. 10-15
- Day 28 1 Cor. 16–2 Cor. 9
- Day 29 2 Cor. 10 – Gal. 4
- Day 30 Gal. 5 – Phil. 1
- Day 31 Phil. 2 – 1 Thes. 2
- Day 32 1 Thes. 3–1 Tim.5
- Day 33 1 Tim. 6 – Heb. 1
- Day 34 Heb. 2 – 10
- Day 35 Heb. 11 – James 5
- Day 36 1 Pet. 1 – 1 John 1
- Day 37 1 John 2 – Jude
- Day 38 Rev. 1 – 7
- Day 39 Rev. 8 – 15
- Day 40 Rev. 16 – 22