Jeff's Bible notes are always so approachable, honest and down to earth, you can't fail to benefit from them FIONA CASTLE OBE
WITH LUCAS APPLYING GOD’S WORD TODAY
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2025
Rediscovering Jesus
A WORD FROM JEFF
WELCOME TO LIFE WITH LUCAS!
It’s a phrase that we Christians often use to describe our decision to follow Jesus: ‘I came to know the Lord.’ That’s an accurate wayto talk about the life of faith: we begin a journey of knowing Him, and that trek continues on into eternity. We pursue a lifelong pathway of discovery. But the challenging question is this: are we growing in our knowledge of who He is, steadily getting to know Him better? And is it possible that we have formed pictures and perceptions of Him that are not entirely accurate? How well do we represent the true Jesus? As we turn to the gospel of Matthew, we find a series of encounters which provide us with clear portraits of Jesus: what He did, what He thought, and how He reacted to need, challenge, foolishness and faith. As we reflect on some of those episodes, we can catch a fresh and greater glimpse of His true beauty and glory and be renewed in our love for and commitment to Him as a result. As we’ll see right from the start of our study, we’re asking for something big from the Lord: that we will discover Jesus anew. With the help of the Holy Spirit, that prayer can be answered. God bless you, and, as always, thank you for joining me!
VIDEO INTRODUCTION
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INTRODUCTION
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LIFE WITH LUCAS! CHOOSE A TIME Find the best time that works for you, ideally the same time, same place every day, when you can concentrate and have the least number of distractions. PAUSE AND TALK TO GOD Take a moment to focus on God and ask Him to speak to you as you read and reflect on His word. READ GOD’S WORD Read the daily passage from your Bible. Don’t be tempted just to skip this part. It’s important: who knows how the Holy Spirit might speak to you as you read the actual text? MAKE NOTES
ONLINE VIDEO INTRODUCTIONS, AND GOING DEEPER W hen you see the video icon, this points you to a brief Video Introduction to the subject. Make the most of the occasional Going Deeper resources when you see this icon. They will help you delve further into the passage. GIVE YOUR DAY TO GOD Thank God for what you’ve learned and ask for help if the day’s notes brought to light anything especially applicable to your life at the moment.
Writing slows you down and helps you focus. Write in your Bible, a notebook, or in the white space in the devotions. Don’t hesitate to underline, write in the margins, or circle words. 5
TUES 01 JULY
A BIG PRAYER
READ Acts 9:1-6 Philippians 3:1-14
FOCUS 'Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus,’ he replied. Acts 9:5
GOING DEEPER
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Perhaps like me, you hesitate when it comes to praying ‘big’ prayers. We can be reluctant to ask God to do something miraculous. But as we begin this new season of reflection together, I am asking the Lord to do nothing less than help us to rediscover Jesus – who He really is, in all His beauty and splendour. Before we even turn to Matthew’s gospel, let’s think about how important it is for us to grow in our knowledge of Him. On the Damascus Road, Paul had an encounter which prompted him to ask, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Around 30 years later, as Paul writes his letter to the Philippians, he is still passionate about knowing Jesus more, acknowledging it to be a lifetime endeavour. Even after loving and serving the Lord for so long, he knows his understanding of the person of Christ was far from complete: ‘I consider everything to be nothing compared to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. To know him is the best thing of all... I want to know Christ better’ (Phil. 3:8,10). This was Paul’s all-consuming ambition – everything else that he did, his endurance in all the many trials that he suffered, all flowed from that relationship that was personal and intimate: knowing Jesus, and not just knowing about Jesus. ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Surely that’s the most important question we can ever ask of Jesus, and one that’s not just for the beginning of our Christian journeys, but ongoing, every day, until we see Him face to face. Prayer: Lord Jesus, I know You, but I want to know You more. And so today I ask: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Amen.
WED 02 JULY
PAUL’S PRAYER FOR OTHERS
READ Ephesians 1:15-17 Colossians 1:1-10
FOCUS I want you to know God better. Ephesians 1:17
Yesterday we saw Paul’s primary purpose: getting to know Jesus more. And he was desperate for the church to join him. In his opening comments to the believers in Ephesus and Colossae, he shares the primary focus of his prayers for them: that they would know God better. The regular Greek word for personal knowing is gnosis, but Paul uses the word epignosis (he uses it 15 times) which means, ‘a full deep knowledge, rather than a superficial acquaintance’. Some scholars link the word with the Old Testament Hebrew word yada which has a similar meaning and speaks of intimate understanding. Yada can also refer to human sexual intercourse, which is why, in describing the relationship between Adam and Eve, Genesis tells us that Adam ‘knew’ his wife. As we hear Paul’s heart, we become aware of the greatest need for the church and for us individually: that we are a people who don’t just gather more information about the Lord, but who are daily walking in an intimate relationship with Him. Many early Christians were martyred – and tragically, globally, many still are. Surely they have not laid down their lives for an idea – a doctrine even – but have been willing to lose everything in order to remain faithful to their living friend, Jesus. One glorious day, we will see Him, know Him completely, and be like Him (1 Cor. 13:12, 1 John 3:1-3). In the meantime, let’s know Him better as we walk arm in arm with Him by faith. Prayer: Lord, may this be my primary, passionate prayer for those that I love: may they know You, and each day, know You better. Amen.
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