We know that Northview people love to be in God’s Word and often ask for direction on different devotional apps and reading plans.
While there are several good options available through various sources, we’d like to encourage you to join in our Northview Devotional Plan which will guide you to read and reflect on the passages preached in our weekend sermons!
We hope this will unite our congregation around the study of God’s Word, and help us to more readily absorb and apply the great teaching provided by our preaching pastors.
Each week we’ll be providing a suggested schedule for working through a passage slowly (15 minutes a day). You’ll need a Bible and a notebook or blank paper to record your observations.
Each day we include a reminder to pray. If you are new to the Adoration / Confession / Supplication method, here are some questions to help guide you as you pray:
- Adoration: What can you praise God for today?
- Confession: What thoughts / attitudes / actions might you need to confess to God today?
- Supplication: What will you ask God for today?
Click here to print this week’s devotional: Luke Devotional – Week 8
DAY ONE
THE SHEPHERDS
Read Luke 2:8-20, and answer the following questions about the shepherds.
- Where were the shepherds living?
- What appeared to them and what was their response?
- Do the shepherds go to Bethlehem to see if the angels are telling the truth, or do they already believe the angel’s words? How do you know?
- Who do the shepherds say has told them about the baby’s birth? Does that strike you as interesting, based on how this section of scripture began?
- What is the news that the shepherds spread around town? Do they talk about their amazing experience with the angels or something else?
- At the end of this section of text, how are the shepherds ‘like’ the angels? (compare Luke 2:20 with 2:13).
How can you glorify and praise God today as you pray today in adoration, confession and supplication.
DAY TWO
THE ANGELS
Read Luke 2:8-20, and answer the following questions about the angels.
- How many angels initially appear to the shepherds?
- How does the angel greet them?
- This seems to be a common greeting for angels when they appear (see Luke 1:13 and Luke 1:30)! Why do you think they say the same thing every time they approach a person?
- Let’s carefully examine the angel’s words:
- What kind of news is the angel communicating? How does the angel expect people to respond to this news?
- What is the content of the news that the angel communicates?
- What is the sign that the angel communicates?
- What kind of news is the angel communicating? How does the angel expect people to respond to this news?
- What happens next? How quickly do they disappear and where do the angels go?
Pray in Adoration / Confession / Supplication
DAY THREE
THE CHILD
Read Luke 2:8-20 and answer the following questions about the child.
- What is the “eternal reality” regarding this child’s identity?
- How is he described? What nouns are attributed to him?
- What is the “temporal reality” regarding this child, at this moment in time!
- How is he described? Where is he?
- The greek word “Christos” means anointed one, and is translated as “Messiah” in the NIV, and as “Christ” in the ESV. Priests and Kings were anointed in the Old Testament, but the nation of Israel was looking for a future ‘anointed one’. What do the following texts tell us about this one to come?
- Psalm 2:1-12
- Isaiah 61:1-3
As you pray today, reflect on the things that the “anointed one” was sent to do in Isaiah 61:1-3? What would you like to ask God for, in accordance with this list?
DAY FOUR
MARY
Read Luke 2:8-20 and answer the following questions about Mary.
- Who visited Mary and Joseph according to this text?
- What was the result of the visit? What did Mary do after they left?
- What do you think Mary “treasured up” and “pondered in her heart”? What do you think Luke means by “all these things”?
What truths about Jesus do you want to ponder in your heart today? As you pray, ask God to help you remember this truth about Jesus as you walk through the day.
DAY FIVE
EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY
In the beginning of this gospel (Luke 1:1-4), Luke specifically mentioned that he was relying on eyewitness testimony when he wrote this account.
- Circle every word which points to the existence of eyewitness testimony (eg. appeared, said, see, told, seen, heard).
- Which of the 5 senses “senses” are activated by the shepherds in each of the following verses?
- Luke 2:9, 2:13
- Luke 2:10, 2:13
- Luke 2:16-17
- Luke 2:9, 2:13
- How do the shepherds testify? Who do they testify to?
- How do the townspeople become witnesses? Which of their senses are activated by the shepherd’s news?
As you pray today, praise the Lord that He has preserved this eyewitness testimony, so that we too can glorify and praise God.