GSMC Bible Study Podcast

Sarah discusses the Psalm assigned for tPalm/Passion Sunday.  Psalm 116 is a Psalm of thanksgiving, with the psalmist expressing joy over God hearing his prayers and cries for help.  She also looks at the lectionary-assigned gospel for Holy Tuesday, John 12:20-36, wherein Jesus speaks of his upcoming death and works to prepare his followers for life without him.<br /><br />As always, i...

Sarah discusses the Old Testament text assigned for Palm/Passion Sunday. Isaiah 50:4-9a is the 3rd of 4 of the so-called Suffering Servant songs.  She then moves to the gospel text assigned for Holy Monday, John 12:1-11.  In these verses Jesus dines with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.  Mary annoints Jesus' feet, and the chief priest begin to worry about Jesus' influence on his followers.<br />&l...

Sarah talks about the bible texts assigned for the 4th Sunday in Lent: Numbers 21:4-9, Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22, Ephesians 2:1-10, John 3:14-21.<br /><br />As always, if you enjoyed the show, follow us and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. That way you’ll always...

Sarah discusses John 11:1-45, the gospel text assigned for the last Sunday in Lent, which tells the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.  The actual raising part of the narrative is only 2 verses, so why is the story 45 verses?  This story tells us a lot about who Jesus is in John's gospel, and it is a great text to lead us into Holy Week.<br /><br /><br /><br />As...

In this replay of episode 17 Sarah begins the first of a 5 part Lenten series focusing on experience the season of Lent, and our faith, with our whole bodies. This episode is about ears, and uses texts from 1 Samuel 3:1-11, Psalm 40:1-6, and Matthew 13:10-16.<br /><br />As always, if you enjoyed the show, follow us and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that...

In this replay of Episode 16 Part 4 Sarah talks about the gospel reading assigned for the first Sunday in Lent: Matthew 4:1-11, which tells the story of Jesus going into the wilderness, fasting, and being tempted by the devil.  It reminds us of the many voices in our lives that try to lead us off of the path God has set for us.<br /><br />As always, if you enjoyed the show, follow us a...

In this replay of Episode 16 Part 3 Sarah discusses the New Testament reading assigned for the first Sunday in Lent: Romans 5:12-19.  Paul makes a comparison between Adam and the sinful nature of humans, and Jesus, who came to bring us a new covenant with God.<br /><br />We would like to thank our Sponsors: GSMC Podcast Network<br /><br />Advertise with US: <a href="http...

In this replay of Episode 16 Part 2 Sarah discusses Psalm 32, the 2nd lectionary text assigned for the second Sunday in Lent.  Psalm 32 gives instruction for prayers of confession, showing that confession is a weight lifted.<br /><br />We would like to thank our Sponsors: GSMC Podcast Network<br /><br />Advertise with US:http://www.gsmcpodcast.com/advertise-with-us.html<...

In this replay of Episode 16 Part 1 Sarah talks about the Old Testament lectionary text assigned for the first Sunday in Lent:  Genesis 2:15-17 and 3:1-7, which tells the story of Adam, Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden.  This story has been interpreted in numerous ways over the years and Sarah explores some of those different ways of looking at this text.<br /><br />We would l...

Sarah discusses the texts assigned for Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2018: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, Psalm 51:1-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10, and Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21.  These texts set the tone for our Lenten journey as we travel with Christ toward Jerusalem and the cross.  They remind us of our mortality and our need for repentance, but they also remind us that God is present in our every circumstance.&lt...

Sarah talks about the texts assigned for February 11, 2018: The Transfiguration of Our Lord: 2 Kings 2:1-12, Psalm 50:1-6, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, and Mark 9:2-9.<br /><br />As always, if you enjoyed the show, follow us and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. Tha...

Sarah discusses the New Testament texts assigned for the 5th Sunday after Epiphany: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 and Mark 1:29-39. Both talk about how we live and interact with the communities around us in ways that express God's love.<br /><br />If you enjoyed the show, follow us and subscribe: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. <br />&...

Sarah discusses the first 2 of the 4 texts assigned for the week of February 4th, the Fifth Sunday After Epiphany.  First, in Isaiah 40:21-31, the prophet tells those who have been exiled that God will give them strength and will not let them falter, despite their having very good reasons to doubt and question. Psalm 147:1-11, 20c is almost a response to the questions raised in the Isaiah text, gi...

The 2nd of our January replays of the Friends of Faith on Fridays series.  As an update to the original description, Pastor Emerson finished her sabbatical, but is continuing her work with mindfulness.<br /><br />In this second installment of the new segment, Friends on Faith on Fridays, Sarah interviews Pastor Christine Emerson.  Pastor Emerson is the Associate Pastor at St. John's Lu...

A special New Year's replay of the first-ever Friends on Faith on Fridays with my dear friend Katie Osweiler, who is now living in Belgium and continuing to work toward her ordination.<br /><br />The first of a new segment, Friends on Faith on Friday (FoFoF).  Sarah interviews her friend, Vicar Katie Osweiler who is in the process of becoming a pastor in the Lutheran Church (ELCA).  Th...

Sarah discusses the 4 texts assigned for the 1st Sunday of the Christmas season: Isaiah 61:10-62:3, Psalm 148, Galatians 4:4-7, and Luke 2:22-40.  Each of these texts reveals God in some way.  During the season of Advent we eagerly await the birth of Christ, the coming of the Messiah.  During the seaon of Christmas we begin to see how God is revealed through Jesus's birth and what his birth means...

In this edition of Friends on Faith on Fridays Sarah speaks with Angela Breidenbach, an author of Historical, Christian Fiction.  The two know each other from Sarah's first congregation in Missoula, MT, and she recently interviewed Angela about her Montana Beginnings series for the GSMC Book Review Podcast.  During that interview Sarah realized that Angela would also be a great guest for the Frien...

October 31, 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg.  Sarah talks first about this historic event and what led Luther to write those theses.  She then looks at the texts assigned for this Sunday, known as Reformation Sunday: Jeremiah 31:31-34, Psalm 46, Romans 3:19-28, and John 8:31-36.  All of these texts speak i...

Sarah talks about the texts assigned for September 10, 2017, the 14th Sunday after Pentecost: Ezekiel 33:7-11, Exodus12:1-14, Psalm 119:33-40, Romans 13:8-14, Matthew 18:15-20.  She looks at how the gospel reading talks about community and how we live in community when we disagree with others or are hurt by the actions of others.  Jesus gives advice for this and reminds us that where 2 or 3 are ga...

Sarah looks at the assigned texts for the 13th Sunday after Pentecost: Jeremiah 15:15-21, Exodus 3:1-15, Psalm 26:1-8, Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 5:1-12.  The Gospel text is actually not the one assigned for that Sunday, but is Jesus' Sermon on the Mount where he gives many descriptions of those who are blessed and why.  What do you think of when you hear the word blessed?  How have you been blessed...

Sarah talks about the texts assigned for the 12th Sunday after Pentecost, August 27, 2017: Isaiah 51:1-6, Exodus 1:8--2:10, Psalm 138:1-8, Romans 12:1-8, Matthew 16:13-20.  Each of these texts, in various ways, talks about God's love for us, and the lengths to which God has gone, and continues to go, to be in relationship with us.  God is with us no matter where life and the world takes us, good,...

Sarah talks about the lectionary texts assigned for the week of August 20, 2017, the 11th Sunday after Pentecost: Isaiah 56:1, 6-8, Genesis 45:1-15, Psalm 67:1-7, Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32, and Matthew 15:[10-20] 21-28.  These texts speak a lot about mercy, inclusion, and the power of persistence.<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Study Podcast at <a href="http://www.gsmcpodcast.com/bibl...

Sarah reads the assigned texts for the 10th Sunday after Pentecost: 1 Kings 19:9-18, Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28, Psalm 85:8-13, Romans 10:5-15, and Matthew 14:22-33.  She speaks some about the texts themselves but focuses more on the events that have happened over the past few days in Charlottesville, VA.  Where is God in all of this?  What is our response as faithful Christians when we see hate in the...

Sarah reads and talks about the assigned texts for the 9th Sunday after Pentecost:  Isaiah 55:1-5, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21, Romans 9:1-5, and Matthew 14:13-21.  The gospel tells the story of Jesus feeding a crowd of more than 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.  This is extraordinary enough, but the example of Jesus reminds us of something else as well about God's love a...

Sarah looks at the texts assigned for the week of July 23, 2017, the 7th Sunday after Pentecost: Isaiah 44:6-8, Psalm 86:11-17, Romans 8:12-25, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-40.  She talks about how the texts describe our relationship with God and how we have all been adopted into the family of God.  We are all children of God, joint heirs with Christ to God's kingdom.<br /><br />Follow the GSM...