Read the Bible: The New Testament in a Year

Luke 22. Day 149 - The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: Luke 22 (CSB)
Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year
Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan
Contact Sean: (seanbailey1985@gmail.com)
Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

In Today's Episode
The Last Supper. Surrender in Gethsemane. The Faithfulness of Jesus.

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." — Luke 22:42

Luke 22 brings us into the final hours before the crucifixion and reveals both the weakness of humanity and the unwavering faithfulness of Christ. As the Passover approaches, Judas agrees to betray Jesus, setting in motion God's eternal plan of redemption. During the Passover meal, Jesus transforms this ancient feast into what we now know as the Lord's Supper. The bread and the cup become reminders of the new covenant established through His body and His blood. While the disciples are still thinking about positions of greatness, Jesus teaches that true greatness in His Kingdom is found in humble service. Even on the eve of His suffering, His focus remains on preparing His followers for what lies ahead.

The scene then shifts to the Garden of Gethsemane, where we witness the depth of Jesus' humanity and His perfect obedience to the Father. Fully aware of the suffering that awaits Him, Jesus prays with such intensity that His sweat becomes like drops of blood falling to the ground. Yet His prayer is ultimately one of complete surrender: "Not my will, but yours, be done." While Jesus remains faithful in prayer, the disciples sleep, and moments later Judas arrives with the crowd to betray Him with a kiss. Peter's attempt to defend Jesus with a sword is quickly corrected, reminding us that God's Kingdom will not be established through human force but through Christ's willing sacrifice.

The chapter concludes with Jesus' arrest, Peter's heartbreaking denial, and Jesus standing before the Jewish council. Peter's failure is especially sobering because it comes from one who genuinely loved the Lord yet relied too heavily on his own strength. But even here, Jesus' grace shines through. After Peter's third denial, the Lord turns and looks at him—not with condemnation, but with a look that would eventually lead Peter to repentance and restoration. Luke 22 reminds us that our hope is never found in our own faithfulness but in Christ's. He willingly drank the cup of God's wrath so that we could receive the cup of salvation. In every moment of betrayal, weakness, and suffering, Jesus remained perfectly obedient, accomplishing the redemption that only He could secure.

Luke 21. Day 148 - The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: Luke 21 (CSB)
Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year
Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan
Contact Sean: (seanbailey1985@gmail.com)
Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

In Today's Episode
Wholehearted Devotion. Enduring Until the End. Living Ready for Christ's Return.

"Be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man." — Luke 21:36

Luke 21 opens with a powerful contrast between outward generosity and genuine sacrifice. As Jesus watches people place their offerings into the temple treasury, He notices a poor widow who gives two small coins. While others gave from their abundance, she gave all she had. Jesus measures generosity not by the size of the gift but by the depth of trust behind it. Her offering demonstrates a heart fully surrendered to God, reminding us that the Lord sees what others overlook and values faithfulness more than impressive appearances.

Jesus then turns His disciples' attention to the future, predicting the destruction of the temple and describing events that will unfold before His return. He warns of deception, persecution, wars, natural disasters, and great turmoil, yet repeatedly tells His followers not to be frightened. These events are not signs that God has lost control but reminders that His sovereign plan is unfolding exactly as He promised. Jesus assures His disciples that they will have opportunities to bear witness for Him even in the midst of opposition, and He promises His sustaining presence as they endure hardship for His name.

The chapter concludes with Jesus calling His followers to remain spiritually awake. Just as people in every generation can become distracted by the worries, pleasures, and busyness of life, disciples are called to live with eternal perspective. Rather than attempting to predict every detail of the future, Jesus emphasizes readiness, faithfulness, and perseverance. Luke 21 reminds us that our hope is not found in earthly security or political stability but in the coming King. As we await His return, may we live with generous hearts like the widow, unwavering courage in the face of trials, and watchful expectancy, knowing that our redemption is drawing near.

Luke 20. Day 147 - The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: Luke 20 (CSB)
Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year
Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan
Contact Sean: (seanbailey1985@gmail.com)
Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

In Today's Episode
The Authority of Christ. Rejecting the Cornerstone. Wisdom That Silences His Critics.

"The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." — Luke 20:17

Luke 20 takes us into a series of confrontations between Jesus and the religious leaders during His final week before the cross. They challenge His authority, demanding to know who gave Him the right to teach and act as He did. Rather than answering on their terms, Jesus exposes the unbelief behind their question. Their issue was never a lack of evidence but a refusal to submit to God's authority. Through the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, Jesus reveals Israel's long history of rejecting God's messengers and ultimately rejecting His own Son. Yet what sinful men reject, God establishes. The rejected stone becomes the cornerstone of His redemptive plan.

Unable to trap Jesus with questions about His authority, His opponents shift their strategy. They ask whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, hoping to force Him into either political rebellion or public disgrace. Jesus responds with remarkable wisdom: "Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." With a single answer, He affirms legitimate earthly authority while reminding His listeners that their ultimate allegiance belongs to God. The Sadducees then attempt to ridicule the doctrine of the resurrection, but Jesus exposes their misunderstanding of both the Scriptures and the power of God. He reminds them that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God of the living, for all who belong to Him live in His presence.

The chapter closes with Jesus asking a question that no one can answer: How can the Messiah be both David's Son and David's Lord? The answer points directly to His divine identity. He is not merely another king in David's line—He is the eternal Son of God who came to reign forever. Jesus then warns the people against the pride and hypocrisy of the scribes, who sought honor from others while neglecting genuine devotion to God. Luke 20 reminds us that every person must ultimately answer one question: Who is Jesus? He is the rejected Cornerstone, the promised Messiah, the Lord of David, and the One whose authority deserves our complete trust, obedience, and worship.

Luke 19. Day 146 - The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: Luke 19 (CSB)
Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year
Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan
Contact Sean: (seanbailey1985@gmail.com)
Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

In Today's Episode
A Life Transformed. The Coming King. A House of Prayer.

"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost." — Luke 19:10

Luke 19 beautifully captures both the compassion and the authority of Jesus as He continues His journey toward the cross. The chapter opens with the familiar story of Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector whose life is forever changed by a personal encounter with Christ. Though others saw Zacchaeus as a traitor and a sinner, Jesus saw a man worth pursuing. When Jesus called him by name and chose to stay at his house, Zacchaeus responded with genuine repentance and radical generosity. His transformed life demonstrated that true salvation always produces visible fruit. Jesus declares His mission in one unforgettable sentence: He came to seek and to save the lost.

Jesus then tells the Parable of the Minas to prepare His followers for the period between His first coming and His return as King. Many expected the Kingdom to appear immediately, but Jesus explains that His servants are called to faithfully steward what He has entrusted to them while they await His return. The question is not how much we have been given, but whether we are faithful with what we have. Every opportunity, talent, relationship, and resource is ultimately entrusted to us by the King, and one day we will joyfully give an account to Him.

The chapter concludes with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and His cleansing of the temple. The crowds celebrate Him as the promised King, yet many still misunderstand the kind of kingdom He came to establish. As Jesus overlooks Jerusalem, He weeps because the people have rejected the peace only He can bring. Entering the temple, He drives out those who had turned God's house into a marketplace, declaring that it was meant to be a house of prayer. Luke 19 calls us to welcome Jesus not merely with our words but with surrendered hearts. Like Zacchaeus, may our lives be transformed by His grace. Like faithful servants, may we wisely steward what He has entrusted to us. And like true worshipers, may we honor Christ as the rightful King of every area of our lives.

Luke 18. Day 145 - The New Testament in a Year

Episode Notes:

Today's Scripture: Luke 18 (CSB)
Podcast Homepage: The New Testament in a Year
Bible Reading Plan: Navigators Bible Reading Plan
Contact Sean: (seanbailey1985@gmail.com)
Follow NTIY on Facebook: facebook.com/newtestamentinayear

In Today's Episode
Persistent Prayer. Humble Faith. Following Jesus Without Reservation.

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." — Luke 18:14

Luke 18 paints a beautiful picture of the kind of heart God desires in those who follow Him. Jesus begins with the parable of the persistent widow, encouraging His disciples to pray continually without losing heart. God is not like the unjust judge who must be worn down before acting. Instead, He is a loving Father who hears His children and will always do what is right in His perfect timing. Jesus then contrasts the proud Pharisee with the humble tax collector, showing that God is not impressed by religious performance but by a heart that recognizes its need for mercy. The one who cries, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner," is the one who leaves justified before God.

As the chapter continues, Jesus welcomes little children, reminding His followers that the Kingdom belongs to those who come with childlike dependence and trust. He then encounters the rich ruler, a man who sincerely desired eternal life but was unwilling to surrender the one thing that held his heart. Jesus exposes that discipleship is not about adding Him to an already comfortable life—it is about yielding every part of life to His Lordship. Salvation is impossible through human effort, but Jesus offers hope with one of Scripture's most encouraging promises: "What is impossible with man is possible with God." Even the hardest heart can be transformed by God's grace.

The chapter concludes as Jesus predicts His death and resurrection for a third time before giving sight to a blind beggar outside Jericho. While many around Jesus still failed to understand who He truly was, the blind man saw with eyes of faith. He refused to be silenced, cried out for mercy, and immediately followed Jesus after receiving his sight. Luke 18 calls us to approach Christ with humility, persistence, dependence, and wholehearted surrender. Whether we come empty-handed like the tax collector, trusting like a child, or desperate like the blind man, Jesus faithfully receives those who place their faith in Him and invites them to follow Him without reservation.