Saturday, May 31, 2008

What on Earth is the Forty-Day Challenge?

All too often in our Bible study we go to church or sunday school and listen to someone tell us about a particular passage in the Bible and think we "have it" while failing to read the Bible for ourselves. In fact, for most of us the idea of reading the Bible is an overwhelming task - one that we hope or plan to do someday yet we never quite get around to it. Perhaps it's because it is such a big book (my study bible has almost 2000 pages). Or, perhaps, it's because it includes 66 different books. Some of us are afraid of the archaic language in the KJV we grew up with, or that a more modern translation isn't the "real" bible (for my opinion on bible translations, I would refer you to this post: Alphabet Soup). The links on this site will be to the English Standard Version, a "new, essentially literal Bible translation that combines word-for-word precision and accuracy with literary excellence, beauty, and depth of meaning" that was first published in 2001.

The New Testament is an important story for the Church. In it we find the gospel message, the good news of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. This book, or compilation of twenty-seven books, provides for us the story of the redemption of mankind prophesied in Genesis 3:15 and developed throughout the Old Testament. In the pages of the New Testament we find the story of God who condescended to become man - fully God yet fully man - to live the perfect life and die our agonizing death in order to reconcile us to himself. Then on the very first Easter, he was resurrected from the dead in demonstration that he is God and after forty days ascended to the Father where he now intercedes for those who are his. This story is told in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The remaining books of the New Testament provide the history of the growth of the early Church and provide doctrinal teaching (doctrine, by the way, means "teaching" or "instruction").

The "Forty-Day Challenge, New Testament Edition" is designed to get individuals into the habit of daily Bible reading. It has been said that if you do something for 28 days in a row, it will become a habit. I'm hoping and praying that that is the case for you. But more than that, the Forty-Day Challenge is also designed to acquaint you with the New Testament. There are no requirements for deep study; no hard questions to answer; no deep theological puzzles to solve. Just read the New Testament to start a habit and become acquainted with the nine authors of the New Testament and their writings. We won't jump around and we won't try to keep all the writings of one author together (except for John and Luke, the New Testament does this for us anyway).

By using this blog, it should all be very easy. Open your browser; connect to this site; and select the post for the current date. I'll provide a brief introduction to each day's reading and a hyperlink to the daily passage, but otherwise there will be no devotional content, no Q&A, no evaluation of the reading. My plan is to let the Scriptures speak for themselves. However, if you do have a question, I want to try to get you an answer. Respond to the daily reading in the comment section and I'll respond as soon as possible and to the best of my ability. For now the sessions will be moderated, but I may change my mind as this program develops and permit unmoderated comments.

The daily link connects to the ESV Bible Online and will open the complete reading for the day. You may choose to read right there on-screen, print the daily content, listen online (there's a button on the page), or simply determine the reading and read from your own favorite version. If you want a different online version, go to BibleGateway.com and enter the version and passage in the appropriate locations and you're on your way.

As you read, you may find the following chart of New Testament books, authors, dates, audience, theme and teaching to be of use to you. If you click on the chart, it should open in a new window, allowing you to print it for future reference.


The Apostle John pronounced a blessing on those who read and study the book of Revelation:

"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near." (Revelation 1:3)

This blessing is available to all who read and study the Word of God and I'm sure that you will be blessed by taking up this challenge and completing the program.

Daily New Testament Reading

By following this daily reading plan you will read through the entire New Testament in just 40 days by reading about 30 minutes every day. To read (or listen) online, click a link below and the blog post for that day will open in a new window. There is a brief introduction to the day's reading and another link to the passage itself in the ESV Bible Online. When you click on the passage for the day, that day's passage will open for your reading pleasure. (Note that if you choose to listen, there may be a limitation on the number of verses played at one time. If the audio version stops short, simply return to the top of the ESV page and in the box containing the daily passage, change the selection to begin at the next verse, press the "search" button, and select "listen" again.) If you find that you clicked on the wrong day, click on the Select Another Day link and you will return to this page.

Through this page, you may go back and re-read any passage that you wish to read again, or you may read ahead. However, in order to achieve the most satisfaction from spending time in the Word of God, I recommend that you make time each and every day for your reading.

Day 1 Matthew 1:1-7:27
Day 2 Matthew 7:28-12:50
Day 3 Matthew 13:1-18:9
Day 4 Matthew 18:10-22:46
Day 5 Matthew 23:1-26:68
Day 6 Matthew 26:69-Mark 3:30
Day 7 Mark 3:31-8:13
Day 8 Mark 8:14-12:40
Day 9 Mark 12:41-Luke 1:25
Day 10 Luke 1:26-5:11
Day 11 Luke 5:12-9:17
Day 12 Luke 9:18-12:56
Day 13 Luke 12:57-18:30
Day 14 Luke 18:31-22:53
Day 15 Luke 22:54-John 2:22
Day 16 John 2:23-6:59
Day 17 John 6:60-10:42
Day 18 John 11:1-15:17
Day 19 John 15:18-21:14
Day 20 John 21:15-Acts 6:7
Day 21 Acts 6:8-10:48
Day 22 Acts 11:1-16:24
Day 23 Acts 16:25-21:36
Day 24 Acts 21:37-27:44
Day 25 Acts 28:1-Romans 7:6
Day 26 Romans 7:7-14:12
Day 27 Romans 14:13-1 Corinthians 6:20
Day 28 1 Corinthians 7:1-13:13
Day 29 1 Corinthians 14:1-2 Corinthians 4:18
Day 30 2 Corinthians 5:1-Galatians 1:24
Day 31 Galatians 2:1-Ephesians 4:16
Day 32 Ephesians 4:17-Colossians 1:23
Day 33 Colossians 1:24-2 Thessalonians 3:15
Day 34 2 Thessalonians 3:16-2 Timothy 4:22
Day 35 Titus 1:1-Hebrews 7:28
Day 36 Hebrews 8:1-James 1:27
Day 37 James 2:1-2 Peter 1:15
Day 38 2 Peter 1:16-Jude 25
Day 39 Revelation 1:1-12:6
Day 40 Revelation 12:7-22:21