Scripture First

In a text with sound bites like this: "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;" "I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves;" and "I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions," there are plenty of things to cover and many ways to preach this week's lectionary text.  But our guest, Dr. Chris Croghan highlights the through-...

In this week's lectionary text, we hear three people say they will follow Jesus:  The first says they'll follow Jesus wherever he goes... The second says they will follow Jesus after they've buried their father... The third says they'll follow Jesus after they say goodbye to their family... Through these three examples, Lars Olson teaches us how Jesus depicts what following him...

In this week's lectionary text, we have what could be a horror movie scene: Jesus finds a demon-possessed man, naked and living in tombs. The townspeople can't protect themselves. They bind him with chains, but the demon easily breaks free and drives the man into the wild.  The demons recognize Jesus' divinity and beg him not to send them to the abyss, and Jesus grants their plea an...

Sarah Stenson is back on Scripture First and makes a point in this week's conversation that people say that Lutherans don't talk about the Holy Spirit. Well, today's conversation should change that perception as we dive into what the Holy Spirit's role is, what the Holy Spirit's role isn't , and how the Holy Spirit relates to both God the Father and Jesus.  And, spoil...

For the first time in Scripture First, we're venturing outside of the Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to break down the traditional Pentecost Sunday text in Acts.  Many people from many nations who spoke many languages were in Jerusalem for a harvest festival when suddenly divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  The Holy Spirit gave these people th...

We talk about "the Gospel" quite a bit on Scripture First, but it may be a fair question to zoom out and ask, "If you had to define it in one sentence, what is the Gospel?"  Luckily, Jesus does this for us by giving us the Gospel—in its totality—in a single sentence. Our guests, Lars Olson and Dr. Chris Croghan, say this definition of the Gospel is so good that it serves as the...

In this week's passage, we hear Jesus tell his disciples, "Those who love me will keep my word."  We like to think that we love Jesus and that we keep his word, but at the end of the day we don't keep his word... and that means we don't love him as we say we should. But Jesus doesn't say, "Get your love better!" He says I'm sending my Spirit to make sur...

"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." That's the commandment Jesus gives his disciples in this week's text and the same commandment that is commonly mistaken for the gospel.  As you'll hear Sarah Stenson and Dr. Chris Croghan explain, loving one another is not the gospel and the gospel is not...

After hearing several parables, we can empathize with the Jews' request of Jesus in this week's passage, "If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answers, "I have told you, and you do not believe." In this week's conversation, Sarah Stenson explains a concept we talk about a lot as Lutherans: how faith comes through hearing.  Then we discuss some of Adam&...

After Jesus' resurrection, Jesus continues to make appearances: first to Mary Magdalene, next to the disciples without Thomas in the locked room, then to the disciples with Thomas and finally, to the disciples in this week's text: in Galilee.  After seeing the risen Lord, Peter, Thomas and five other disciples go right back to their previous vocations: they start fishing. That is until J...

In the morning, Jesus' empty tomb was discovered. By the evening, the disciples locked themselves in a room because they were terrified they were next.  The next thing they know, Jesus was standing among them and immediately gives them peace. The disciples rejoice that Jesus is alive, but Jesus gets down to business—he gives them the Holy Spirit and the Great Commission to repent and forgive...

Easter Sunday.  You may have heard of this week's text. It's the one the Christian faith is centered on: Jesus' death and resurrection.  In this week's conversation, Lars Olson points out that each gospel has slight variations of the resurrection story, but there's one certainty that rings true through them all: Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.  From the women who disc...

It's Palm Sunday. We're discussing Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  You know the story: Jesus is arriving at Jerusalem—where he knows he will die, he tells his disciples to get him an untamed colt, and his followers welcome him as a king by throwing their cloaks on the road and shouting Hosanna.  Sarah Stenson says this text is often glossed over because, rightfully so, we fo...

Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. You've heard this passage: Martha is running around hosting dinner and Mary is present at Jesus' feet. Their dichotomy is important, and, as you'll hear Dr. Chris Croghan teach us this week, it's Mary's reaction that we should pay attention to.  We hear how Mary&...

The Parable of the Prodigal Son — One of the most well known parables in the Bible. The younger son squanders his inheritance in a foreign land. Broke, broken and starving, he devises a plan to convince his father to take him back as a hired hand.  Upon his return, he begins reciting his speech only to have his overjoyed father cut him off to start the celebration.  His older brother, who was stil...

Lent is filled with texts about repentance and sin and the language can be sharp. This week's lectionary text is no different as we hear about God's judgement and how we must repent or perish.  Then we hear a parable about a fig tree that hasn't produced fruit and the owner says to cut it down. The supposedly kind gardener steps in and asks to give it another year as long as he can...

Jesus calls the Pharisees foxes. God is compared to a hen gathering its chicks under its wings. And your election.  Right before this week's lectionary text, Jesus tells the Pharisees, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able."  In our conversation with Sarah Stenson, we break down Jesus' response to this election text. W...

Dr. Chris Croghan is back to break down the well-known account of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness. You've likely heard how the devil tried to accomplish this: turn this stone into bread, worship me and I'll give you all the kingdoms of the world, and throw yourself from the top of the temple — God will send angels to save you.  Questions Adam, Kiri and Mason ask: If Je...

The Transfiguration.  Peter, James and John have a literal mountaintop experience when they witness Jesus' divinity right in front of them. His face changed and his clothes become dazzling white and suddenly Moses and Elijah appear.  Peter didn't want this incredible moment to end so he offers to make three dwellings for them to stay on the mountaintop only to have God enter the scene to...

For the first time on Scripture First, we welcome Lars Olson to have a conversation with Adam, Kiri and I about this week's lectionary text about the middle section of Jesus' Sermon on the Plain.  This part of Jesus' sermon is all about loving your neighbor. Jesus is telling us what the law expects of us—or what most of us think are the things we should be doing as good Christians. ...

The scene is set: Jesus comes down the mountain after praying all night, so many people—coming from every direction— come to hear him preach, and Jesus deliver the Sermon on the Plain.  "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." As you'll hear Sarah Stenson teach us in this week's episode, Jesus is using the present tense here. For yours *is* the kingdom o...

From henceforth thou shalt catch men, from now on you will be catching people, I will make you fishers of men, fishers of men, fishers of men.  Whether you've learned about this week's lectionary text in your Sunday School songs or not, Adam, Kiri and Mason get the chance to have a conversation with Dr. Chris Croghan about Jesus calling his first disciples on the shores the Lake of Genne...

Last week we heard Jesus' first sermon. This week we hear their reaction.  Dr. Steven Paulson returns to Scripture First to break down the crowd's reaction to hearing the gospel for the first time. Ultimately ending in them trying to hurl Jesus off a cliff... Questions Adam, Kiri and Mason ask: What does the crowd mean, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”  Why did the crowd want to hurl Jesus of...

Dr. Steven Paulson returns to Scripture First to talk about the mic drop sermon Jesus gives in the synagogue upon his return to his hometown of Nazareth.  Dr. Paulson breaks down the significance the Spirit leading Jesus to begin preaching in Galilee and Nazareth instead of Jerusalem, what it means to be in the year of the Lord's favor, and the incredible passages from Isaiah Jesus uses in hi...

Jesus changes water into wine. You think you know the story of Jesus, his mother and his disciples attending the wedding in Cana, but Luther House of Study's co-directors—Dr. Chris Croghan and Sarah Stenson—teach this text in a new way.  We discuss the interesting exchange between Jesus and Mary where she says "They have no wine." And Jesus responds, "Woman, what concern is tha...