What did you make of Essential Jesus?

20 weeks later, how did you get on? Whether you finished it or not, fell behind or just dipped into it here and there, it would be good to share your thoughts and comments with others.

We had 122 comments in all so far, but what about your feedback?

For example:

• What did you enjoy about Essential Jesus?


• How did it encourage or challenge you in following Jesus - at home, work or school?


• How effective was it in helping you get into reading and reflecting on the Bible?


• Would you like to do anything like this with a group, or the whole church, in the future?


• ... and any other comments welcome too!

If you wish to comment, click on "comments" below, type your comment in the box that appears in the new window, click "Name" and put in your name or 'anonymous', then select "Publish your comment" to put it on-line.

I hope this really HAS helped you come to the Bible to let God speak to you and draw you nearer to him, enabling you to follow Jesus more closely and to grow in confidence in faith in Christ.

Who is Jesus to you? (Week 20)

The readings for the final week (starting Monday 16th June), days 96 to 100, are:

Matthew 19:16-30
John 3:1-21
John 4:1-42
Acts 9:1-22
Luke 9:18-27

This is the end of the Essential Jesus readings, but hopefully this has inspired you to draw closer to God, encouraged and challenged you in following Jesus, and given you a desire and ideas for reading the Bible regularly.

Week 19 - The second coming of Jesus

Two weeks left (of Essential Jesus - not a prediction of the Second Coming).

The readings for days 91 to 95, starting Monday 9th June, are:

Acts 1:1-11
1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 5:11
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
2 Peter 3
Revelation 21:1 – 22:21

Week 18 - The early church of Jesus

With three weeks left of Essential Jesus, the readings for days 86 to 90, starting Monday 2nd June, are:

Revelation 1
Revelation 2:1-11
Revelation 2:12-29
Revelation 3:1-13
Revelation 3:14-22

Week 17 - The resurrection of Jesus

This week - the most incredible life in human history continues!

Four weeks to go. The readings for days 81 to 85, starting Monday 26th May, are:

Matthew 28
Mark 16
Luke 24:1-49
John 20:1 – 21:25
1 Corinthians 15

Week 16 - The crucifixion of Jesus

Only five weeks left now. Not too late to pick it up again if you've missed out some.

This week, some of the most familiar readings from the Gospels. The readings for days 76 to 80, starting on Monday 19th May, are:

Matthew 26:47-56
Matthew 26:57-68
Matthew 26:69 – 27:10
Luke 22:66 – 23:25
Luke 23:25-56

Week 15 - The hard sayings of Jesus

This week has the most challenging title so far! Let's share what God says to us through this, and how we are challenged, encouraged, surprised (offended?).

The readings for days 71 to 75 are:

John 6:25-71
Mark 3:20-35
John 14:1-14
Matthew 18:15-35
Mark 8:31 – 9:1

Week 14 - The prayers of Jesus

The readings for days 66 to 70, starting on Bank Holiday Monday 5th May, are:

Mark 1:29-39
Luke 10:1-24
Luke 11:1-13
John 17
Mark 14:32-42

Week 13 - More miracles of Jesus

The readings for days 61 to 65, starting on Monday 28th April, are:

John 9
Luke 5:17-26
Mark 5:1-20
Mark 5:21-43
John 11:1-45

Week 12 - The miracles of Jesus

The readings for days 56 to 60, starting on Monday 21st April, are:

John 2:1-11
Mark 4:35-41
Matthew 14:13-21
Matthew 14:22-33
Matthew 21:18-22

Week 11 - more parables of Jesus

The readings for days 51 to 55 are:

Matthew 13
Matthew 20:1-16
Matthew 25
John 10:1-18
John 15:1-17

Week 10 - The parables of Jesus

Starting on Monday 7th April, the readings for days 46 to 50 are:

Luke 10:25-37
Luke 12:13-21
Luke 14:1-24
Luke 15
Luke 18:1-14

What do you find most disturbing, challenging, encouraging or incredible about what Jesus is saying through these parables?

Week 9 - The sermons of Jesus

This week's readings, starting on Monday 31st March, are as follows:


Matthew 5
Matthew 6
Matthew 7
Matthew 23
Matthew 24

Week 8 - The beginning ministry of Jesus

This week's readings, starting on Easter Monday, March 24th, are as follows:

Matthew 3
Luke 4:1-13
Luke 4:13-30
Luke 4:31-44
Luke 5:1-11

Week 7 - The birth of Jesus

After 5 weeks looking exclusively at the Old Testament, we move now to the New Testament. This week's readings focus on the birth of Jesus, although we find ourselves approaching Easter and the dramatic events of the end of Jesus' life.

The readings for days 31 to 35, starting Monday 17th March, are:

Luke 1:26-56
Matthew 1:18-25
Luke 2:1-40
Matthew 2:1-23
Luke 2:41-52

Week 6 - More prophecies about a Saviour

The readings for days 26 to 30, starting Monday 10th March, are:

Isaiah 7
Isaiah 9:1-7
Isaiah 42:1-9
Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12
Isaiah 61

Week 5 - Prophecies about a Saviour

The readings for days 21 to 25, from Monday 3rd March, are:

Genesis 12:1-9
Jeremiah 23:1-9
Micah 5:1-5
Zechariah 9:9-17
Zechariah 12 - 13

Week 4 - Psalms about a Saviour

The readings for days 16 to 20 (from Monday 25th February) are:

Psalm 2
Psalm 22
Psalm 69
Psalm 110
Psalm 118

Week 3 - Trailers of a Saviour

The readings for days 11 to 15, from Monday 18th February, are:

Exodus 12:1-30
Exodus 16
Numbers 21:4-9
1 Kings 8:1-21
Jonah 1-4


(Top tip : if you are reading the blog and want to see all the comments and the Bible readings on the same page, click on the title of the message for the week. For example, click on "Week 3 - Trailers of a Saviour", and it takes you to a page with the list of readings at the top, and all the comments so far shown below. At the bottom of this page you will see the words "Post a comment" ... that's your cue to add to the list! Click on there and share your thoughts with everyone else.

Week 2 - The need for a Saviour

The next 5 weeks concentrate on Jesus the Saviour from an Old Testament perspective - anticipated, praised, spoken of in prophecy and, this week, the need for a saviour.

Starting Monday 11th February, the readings for days 6 to 10 are:
Genesis 3
Exodus 32:1 – 33:6
Psalm 14
Isaiah 59
Amos 5

Week 1 - Who is Jesus?

Starting Monday 4th February, 2008. Here we go then ....

The readings for days 1 to 5 are:

John 1:1-18
Philippians 2:1-11
Colossians 1:15-32
Hebrews 1:1-4
1 Peter 2:4-10

(and if you want to comment, just click on the word "comments" just below this message)