The Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles is a two-volume work by the same author, Luke, and the same recipient, Theophilus. It is meant to be read together and continuously. And what makes this book Luke-Acts special is that it comes without those annoying chapter and verse divisions that disrupt the context, logic, and flow of the grand narrative (I used to have a whole Bible like this, but I lost it in the train station). Reading the Scripture in this format is like reading an action-packed novel, except that it is about historical events, non-fictional people, and an actual person, the Lord Jesus Christ.
While the divisions are, in my opinion, good for reference and quotation, they can cause some serious problems. There are instances where chapters are wrongly divided and verses are taken out of context. Men such as Zakir Naik looked like a genius to the Bible illiterates when he quoted Bible verses out of memory, but if you check them in their original text, you will find that they are always out of context. Another problem is that the divisions encourage people (even sincere Christians) to read only small parts at a time. How many of you can quote John 3:16? Well, how about John 3:15 and John 3:17? Exactly!
The Bible and each book of the Bible is meant to be read as a whole and straight through from the beginning. Try reading the Gospel of Luke (or the Gospel of Mark, the shorter one) in one sitting. Set aside 2 to 3 hours this week to go to a quiet place, bring a physical Bible with you, turn off your smartphone, and read through it. I bet you will discover many truths for yourself, and the words of the Psalmer will echo in your soul: "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103)
#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheGospelOfLuke #TheActsofTheApostles #TheScripture #ReadTheBible #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain
I read this book two years ago and wrote something (sort of) about this issue too, READ HERE
To read my other book reviews/summaries, CLICK HERE
THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.
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