How Do I Begin Reading the Bible?

Near the end of a teaching often called the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus asks a searching question: “why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (6:46). Calling Jesus “Lord” means recognizing His authority. Jesus points out that the title means little if His words never shape how we live.

He then tells of two builders. One “digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock” (6:48). When the flood came, the house stood. The other built on the earth without a foundation, and when the stream beat against it, the house fell. Both houses faced the same flood. The difference was not the weather; it was the foundation. Jesus says the wise builder is the one who comes to Him, hears His sayings, and does them.

This gives a simple pattern for reading Scripture. First, observation: what does the passage actually say? Who is speaking, to whom, and what happens? Second, meaning: in its context, what did this mean to the first hearers, and what does it show about God? Third, response: what would it look like to put this into practice today? You do not need special training to begin; you need attention, honesty, and willingness.

Notice also what this parable does not say. A storm in your life is not proof that you have failed spiritually—the wise builder faced the flood too. Practicing Jesus' words does not prevent hardship; it gives you something that holds through it.

Begin small. A short passage read slowly, with one observation and one response, will do more than many chapters skimmed without reflection. Over time, these small acts of listening and obedience become a foundation that holds.