Opening reflection
If the Bible is one big story, the Gospels are the place where the story turns. Christians have always read the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as the decisive moment in everything God is doing. This session offers a way into the Gospels as a whole, so you can read them with both confidence and wonder.
- Know there are four Gospels, each with a particular voice.
- Understand the centrality of Jesus’ kingdom announcement.
- Recognise the role of parables, miracles and discipleship.
- See why the death and resurrection of Jesus are at the centre.
Key Bible passages
Mark 1:14–20
The opening of Jesus’ public ministry and the first calling of disciples.
Luke 15
Three parables that, together, give a vivid picture of God’s heart for the lost.
John 20:24–31
A resurrection encounter, and a famous statement of Gospel purpose.
Open these in your Bible, or in a free reader like Bible Gateway or YouVersion.
Teaching
Four Gospels, one Jesus
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John each tell the story of Jesus from their own angle. Matthew often highlights how Jesus fulfils the Old Testament. Mark moves quickly and emphasises action. Luke pays special attention to the poor, women and outsiders. John reflects more deeply on Jesus’ identity and meaning.
Reading the same events across different Gospels isn’t a problem; it’s a gift. Four portraits give us a fuller picture than one ever could.
The kingdom of God
Jesus’ central message is the kingdom of God — God’s rule arriving in him to heal, restore and reorder a broken world. The kingdom isn’t mainly a place or a political party. It’s the active presence of God reshaping how things are.
This kingdom shows up wherever Jesus goes: the sick are healed, the excluded are welcomed, sins are forgiven, the proud are unsettled, and ordinary people are invited into something far bigger than themselves.
Parables, signs and disciples
Jesus often taught in parables — short stories that wake the imagination. Many parables turn expectations upside down: a Samaritan turns out to be the neighbour; a younger son comes home and is celebrated; a tiny seed becomes the largest tree.
Alongside teaching, the Gospels narrate Jesus’ miracles. John tends to call them ‘signs’, because they reveal something about who Jesus is.
And alongside both, Jesus gathers disciples — a mixed group of ordinary people he calls to follow him, learn from him and continue his mission.
Cross and resurrection
All four Gospels devote a striking proportion of their pages to Jesus’ death and resurrection. This is not an accident. Christians have always read these events as the place where the world’s deepest wound is taken seriously — and where a new beginning is opened.
The cross holds together love, suffering and forgiveness. The resurrection answers it with vindication, hope and a future. Together they are the heart of the New Testament’s good news.
How this helps you read the Bible
- You’ll read each Gospel for its own voice instead of blending them into one.
- You’ll recognise the kingdom of God as the heartbeat of Jesus’ message.
- You’ll come to the cross and resurrection ready to take their centrality seriously.
Read these three short passages, one after another, and notice how different they feel — and how clearly they orbit one person.
- Mark 1:14–20
- Luke 15
- John 20:24–31
Questions to ask
- What does Jesus say and do in Mark 1:14–20?
- Which of the parables in Luke 15 most struck you?
- How would you describe Jesus’ message in your own words?
- Where in your life would the kingdom Jesus announces be good news?
- Choose one Gospel to read all the way through over the coming weeks. Mark is a great place to start.
After the Gospels comes the story of the early church — and the letters that helped it grow.
Mark this session as complete to keep track of where you are.