3 Day Bible Reading Plan - “Confrontation in Friendship”
Our Heavenly Father is responsible for our transformation, and he uses the Word of his Son through the Holy Spirit to bring it about, and he invites us into that process. One, as we receive feedback and correction from others, and two, as we work to help others receive that rebuke and correction from him. In doing so, our stories today invite us to remember that the purpose of correction or rebuke is to build others up, not tear them down. - Pastor Daniel Johnson, 10/19/25
Day 1
Featured Verse: Luke 22:20-30 - “Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.”
Jesus points to Himself as the one who serves, even while reclining at the table. How does His example of humility rebuke our tendencies toward self-promotion, and what practical steps can we take to embody this servant posture in our communities?
Jesus promises the disciples a place in His kingdom despite their flaws. How does this promise, given in the context of their dispute, serve as both a rebuke of their current behavior and an encouragement to grow in faithfulness?
Jesus corrects the disciples’ misguided dispute without dismissing them. How does this passage illustrate the balance between rebuke and grace in spiritual growth, and what can we learn about lovingly correcting others within the church?
Pause and Reflect: How does Jesus’ rebuke of the disciples’ dispute over greatness challenge you to examine and correct your own attitudes toward leadership and status in your community or church?
“Just after he had washed their feet, they begin to quarrel about precedence, and to dispute about who should be the greatest. Oh! how little do we know what poor creatures we are! We are thinking about thrones, and about which of us shall have the loftiest throne, but see how the Master is thinking about the necessary while we are doting upon the superfluous. He thinks of our needs while we are dreaming of something great. Our blessed Lord gently rebukes their error by his own example…He takes the lowest place, though he is the Lord of all. He girds himself with a towel, and washes his disciples’ feet, though he is their Master and their Lord. O brothers, let us seek to be like Christ.” - Charles Spurgeon
Day 2
Featured Verse: Luke 22:39-46 - “Why are you sleeping?”
Jesus finds the disciples sleeping and rebukes them for not praying through their sorrow. In what ways might you be spiritually “asleep” during times of trial, and how does this passage challenge you to prioritize prayer as a means of strength?
Jesus acknowledges the disciples’ weakness but still calls them to pray. How does His rebuke of their failure, balanced with His understanding of their frailty, encourage you to confront your own spiritual shortcomings while pursuing growth?
Jesus’ intense prayer and submission contrast with the disciples’ lethargy. How does this passage rebuke complacent or half-hearted discipleship in your life, and what does it teach you about the cost of fully aligning your will with God’s?
Pause and Reflect: How does Jesus’ rebuke of the disciples for sleeping instead of praying challenge you to confront areas of spiritual lethargy in your own life, and what steps can you take to cultivate greater vigilance through prayer in times of trial?
“The disciples slept when they should have prayed; and what was the consequence? They all forsook Him and fled. ‘Rise and pray,’ said the Lord, ‘lest ye enter into temptation.’ Let us take warning from their example, and never sleep when we should be watching and praying. The neglect of prayer is the beginning of all spiritual declension.” - J.C. Ryle
Day 3
Featured Verse: 2 Timothy 3:16 - “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
Given that Scripture is “breathed out by God,” how does its authority challenge you to submit your personal beliefs or actions to its rebuke when they conflict with biblical truth?
The verse lists “reproof” as a function of Scripture. In what ways have you experienced the Bible confronting or rebuking specific attitudes or behaviors in your life, and how did you respond to that conviction?
Since Scripture both rebukes and trains, how can you ensure that your use of God’s Word in correcting others reflects its full purpose, avoiding harshness while fostering righteousness?
Pause and Reflect: How does the teaching of 2 Timothy 3:16 challenge you to regularly examine your life against God’s Word and make specific changes to align with His righteousness?
“The Spirit of God not only once inspired those who wrote it, but continually inspires, supernaturally assists, those that read it with earnest prayer. Hence it is so profitable for doctrine, for reproof of what is wrong, for correction of error, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete. It is of admirable use, to reprove our errors, and to direct our practice.” - John Wesley