Daily Reading Week 1
Sunday
Matthew 5 (Focus v.13–16)
Discover:
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus hints at His divine identity by linking His followers to the Old Testament prophets who spoke for God (Matthew 5:11–12; see Jeremiah 37–38). When we speak for Jesus, it's like the prophets speaking for Yahweh—pointing to Christ's authority as Lord.
Those prophets lived openly among God's people, and Jesus expects the same from us. That's why He calls His disciples "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world". Salt and light don't hide—they quietly change everything around them. In the same way, we're meant to bring positive transformation to the world.
Salt might look ordinary and cheap, but it packs a huge punch—especially in preserving food. As Christians, we can have an outsized good influence on society, even when we feel small or powerless. History shows this: Christianity has often led the charge for human rights and held back moral decay. But salt only works if it stays pure. If it gets mixed with impurities (like gypsum in ancient times), it loses its strength. We'll lose our impact too if we try too hard to blend in with the world instead of staying distinct.
In the rural darkness Jesus' listeners knew so well, even a distant city's glow could guide you home, and a single lamp could keep you safe. That's us—we're called to shine brightly by living Spirit-changed lives, so others see our good deeds and give glory to God.
Jesus isn't setting an impossible standard here. He first declares who we are in Him—salt and light—and then invites us to live it out. If you're feeling discouraged about falling short, take heart: Jesus says you are salt and light. Trust Him, lean on the Holy Spirit's power, and keep stepping forward in faith.
Respond:
• How can your presence bring out the “flavor” of God’s grace where you live and work?
• What would it look like to shine brighter in your words, actions, and example?
Monday
Colossians 4 (focus v.5–6)
Discover:
Mahatma Gandhi, the great leader who helped India gain independence, once explained why he admired Jesus but wouldn't become a Christian: "I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
It's tempting to brush off his words—after all, Gandhi didn't fully grasp who Jesus is, often seeing Him just as a teacher of nonviolence. And it's fair to say that no one should reject Jesus because of His followers' flaws. But let's be honest: many people outside the faith judge Christianity by how we live. At the very least, our inconsistencies give them an excuse to stay away.
The apostles, like Paul, would want us to listen to critiques like Gandhi's. The real issue isn't that we sometimes fail to live up to Jesus' standards—we all do, and we'll never be perfect this side of heaven. The bigger problem is when we pretend we're already perfect, or when we share the gospel in a way that makes people think Christians are supposed to be instantly flawless.
That's why Paul urges us to "walk in wisdom toward outsiders". The core message of the gospel is simple, but sharing it well takes real wisdom—so we don't put unnecessary stumbling blocks in people's way.
It's tricky: we might avoid talking about sin because we don't want to sound judgmental, or we might come across as self-righteous, acting like certain people are too far gone for Jesus' grace. Wisdom helps us speak truth with honesty, love, and humility.
We also need wisdom to "make the best use of our time". It's easy to act like there's no rush—like people will always have tomorrow to hear the gospel. But Jesus could return any day. So let's live with gentle urgency, looking for opportunities every day to point others to Him with our words and our lives.
Respond:
• Are your words preserving peace or spreading bitterness?
• How can your tone and timing make your faith more attractive this week?
tuesday
Ephesians 5 (focus v.8–10)
Discover:
Throughout church history, some Christians have chosen separatism—pulling away completely from the world—to pursue holiness. Think of the ancient desert monks battling temptation in isolation, or groups like the Amish today, who build tight-knit communities with careful boundaries against modern culture. They often point to verses like 1 Corinthians 15:33: “Bad company corrupts good character,” believing limited contact with the world is key to staying pure.
It's easy to feel that pull, especially in a culture that often feels hostile to faith. But total withdrawal isn't what Scripture calls us to. Paul himself clarifies this: the separation he urges isn't from unbelievers living sinful lives (we're actually called to be among them), but from those who claim to follow Jesus while openly celebrating sin.
In today's passage, Paul sharpens the point: don't partner with people who use "empty words" to deceive—those who try to convince us (or others) that greed, immorality, or impurity can coexist with true faith in Christ. We're free—and even called—to build genuine friendships with non-Christians, loving them without joining or approving their sin. God can use those relationships to draw them to Himself.
But with professing believers who persist in unrepentant sin while still claiming Jesus' name? We're called to speak truth, rebuke gently when needed, and—if they remain obstinate—withdraw fellowship. That's the hard but loving boundary.
Why? Because once we were darkness, but now we're light in the Lord. We can't keep walking as if nothing has changed. Walking in the light means pursuing goodness, righteousness, and truth — not perfection, but a real heart change: repentance when we fail, and a growing desire to live God's way.
When we stay closely partnered with professing Christians who openly approve of sin, we send a confusing message: that the gospel is just a free pass for ungodliness. That muddies the beauty of real faith for everyone watching.
Respond:
• What area of your life still needs God’s light to shine?
• How can your actions this week reflect His goodness and truth?
Wednesday
Philippians 2 (focus v.14–15)
Discover:
Light is one of Scripture's most frequent metaphors—for God Himself and for His people. When the Bible speaks of God's light, it captures His glorious purity, majesty, and overflowing goodness (like in Numbers 6:25; Psalms 36:7–9; 43:3–4; Isaiah 2:5). Amazingly, God's big plan from the start was to create a people who would reflect that very light to the whole world (Proverbs 4:18; Isaiah 42:6; 60:1–3). He called them out of darkness to shine with His splendor and holiness.
Sadly, as a nation, Old Testament Israel didn't live up to that calling. So the prophets looked ahead to a day when God would step in and finally make His people radiant lights, displaying His goodness to everyone. What they didn't fully see was that those "last days" would break into history with Jesus' coming—and we're living in that overlapping time right now, between His first and second advent.
That's why Jesus can say to us in Matthew 5:14–16, "You are the light of the world." If you've trusted in Christ, you can't help but shine! He's given us new hearts that naturally reflect God's glory and goodness as we grow into our calling.
Paul echoes this in today's passage: as God's new covenant people, we're lights shining brightly "in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation". One big way we do that? By serving others without grumbling or arguing.
Let's be real—working out our salvation with fear and trembling isn't always easy. We deal with fellow imperfect believers, church decisions we don't fully get, and everyday frustrations. It's tempting to complain nonstop. But grumbling dims our light—it hides the peace, unity, and righteousness God is building in His church right now.
Respond:
• When do you find it hardest to maintain a joyful spirit?
• How could you display humility and gratitude instead of complaint?
THursday
1 Peter 2 (focus v.12)
Discover:
Thousands of years ago, God's faithful remnant in Israel was exiled among pagan nations. People like Daniel and his friends showed incredible courage by staying true to the one true God—refusing to adopt the sinful customs and values of the cultures around them.
Everyone who trusts in Christ alone is now part of God's true people. We're being built into a spiritual temple with Jesus as our cornerstone, grafted into faithful Israel and set apart as holy to the Lord.
But we're not home yet. We're still exiles in this world, waiting for Jesus to bring us fully into the new heavens and new earth. That's why Peter calls us "sojourners and exiles" and urges us to keep away from the sinful desires that wage war against our souls. Just like travelers don't fully adopt every custom of the countries they visit, we shouldn't conform our lives to the patterns of this fallen world.
This doesn't mean pulling away from society altogether. Even though humanity is fallen, every person still bears God's image and has some built-in sense of right and wrong. So Peter also calls us to live honorable lives among those who don't know Christ. We do good deeds, follow just laws, and love our neighbors—even as temporary residents in a broken world.
Why? Because our good lives point people to God. One day, when God "visits" them—either drawing them to salvation in this life or in final judgment—they'll end up glorifying Him for His perfect mercy and justice. Our faithfulness now can play a part in that.
Respond:
• How do your daily choices reflect God’s goodness to others?
• Who might be watching your example and being drawn closer to Christ through it?
Friday
Isaiah 58 (focus v.10)
Discover:
Long ago, God's people—both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah—were sent into exile because they repeatedly refused to trust and obey Him. Real restoration could only happen one way: God Himself had to provide atonement for their sin, turning rebellious people into the faithful servants He always intended.
Even the godly prophet Isaiah needed cleansing before he could serve (Isaiah 6:1–8)—how much more did the whole nation! We now look back in faith to that perfect atonement: Jesus, the sin-bearing Messiah, taking God's judgment on the cross.
But Isaiah also saw that this salvation would ripple far beyond individual hearts. All creation would rejoice when God made a sinful people holy without compromising His justice. As Paul later explained, the redemption of God's people is the beginning of the end of the curse that has weighed on the whole world since the fall (Romans 8:18–25).
If salvation touches the entire cosmos, it must change everything about us. A profession of faith that shows no real fruit is empty. That's the heart of today's passage in Isaiah 58.
God, through the prophet, calls out His people for going through religious motions—fasting to look humble—while still oppressing others and ignoring His commands. He'd rather they skip the fasting altogether and actually love their neighbors: loosen chains of injustice, share food with the hungry, clothe the naked.
Of course, it's not really "either/or." True fasting should awaken us to our dependence on God and move us to obey Him wholeheartedly. Isaiah uses strong language to drive the point home: spiritual practices mean nothing if they don't flow into real love for others. If we claim to love God but hate or neglect our neighbor, our faith isn't genuine.
Respond:
• What act of compassion could help someone experience God’s light this week?
• How can you share your resources, time, or presence to bless others?
Saturday
John 8 (focus v.12)
Discover:
Everyone agrees on at least one thing about Jesus: He never let people stay neutral about Him. During His ministry, He constantly invited friends and foes alike to decide who He really was.
At the Feast of Booths, crowds were buzzing—some thought He was the great end-times prophet, others believed He was the Messiah (John 7:40–41). The debate got so heated they nearly arrested Him, but Jesus slipped away because "His hour had not yet come" (vv. 1–52).
Right in that tense moment, Jesus dropped His second great "I Am" statement: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).
Scripture loves the image of light for God Himself—pure, holy, glorious. "God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). By calling Himself the light of the world, Jesus was once again claiming to share God's very identity. We see this clearly in moments like the Transfiguration, where Jesus blazed with the Father's glory, and in John's prologue, where the eternal Word—who is God—became flesh as the true light shining into our darkness (John 1:1–5).
Darkness in the Bible often stands for spiritual blindness, sin, and death. Jesus is saying He's the only one who can lead us out of that darkness into life and truth. And nothing—not even the deepest darkness—can overpower His light.
When the Pharisees challenged Him ("You can't testify about yourself—where's your second witness?"), Jesus pointed to a higher reality: His testimony is valid because He comes from the Father and is returning to Him. Even more, the Father Himself bears witness to Jesus—through the Scriptures, signs, and the law the Pharisees claimed to love. But many missed it because they were fixated on the details of the law instead of seeing that the law points straight to Jesus, its true goal.
So here's the invitation Jesus still extends today: Look at Him. Decide who He is. The Light of the World is shining—will you follow Him out of the darkness?
Respond:
• Where do you need to follow Jesus more closely to reflect His light clearly?
• Who needs to experience the hope and life of His light through you today?