Your First Steps With Jesus (Begin21)Sample

Read the Bible

Everyone loves a good story. They’re fun to hear. They’re easy to remember. And they’re simple to share. Well, the Good News is that the Bible is a good story—God’s story. And it’s true. Not a fairytale. It’s God’s words in print for us to read, remember, and retell. Generation after generation. Some people think the Bible is just a bunch of rules—a book of don’ts, can'ts, and shouldn’ts. They think it’s God’s way of keeping them from having fun. Or they think it’s boring. That’s wrong. It’s got action. Love. Blood. Mystery. Risks. It also keeps us safe. Protects us. Saves us from suffering the consequences of dumb decisions. As we read about all the people in God’s story, we learn from their lives. We see their ups and downs. Fears and victories. And throughout the Bible we see how God shows his love for the world over and over again.

But how do you read it? Where do you begin? Since you’re just entering the Christian life, it would be best to start reading about Jesus. The first four books of the New Testament (the second part of the Bible) is a great place to learn about his life and teachings. Start in the book of Matthew. Read chapters 5-7 (they’re pretty short). It’s Jesus’ first speech to a large crowd where he flips their understanding of God upside down. Reading the Bible is like praying. Same outcome. You’re hearing God’s voice. Connecting to his heart. It’s relationship building. It’s another way he created for us to get to know him.

Discover more Endeavor resources and insights at EndeavorResources.org