GSMC Bible Study Podcast

Sarah talks with her friend Katy Grindberg in this latest interview for the Friends on Faith on Fridays series.  Pastor Grindberg is the Assistant to the Bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  The 2 discuss faith, favorite bible passages, doubt, and hope.  Katy and Sarah know each other from their time at Pacific Lutheran Theological seminary where they...

Sarah talks about the New Testament texts assigned for the week of June 25, 2017, the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost.  In Romans 6:1b:-11 Paul talks about the abundance of grace we have been given through Christ.  We are given the promises of not only Christ's resurrection but also his death because when we are baptized into a death like his we die to sin.  In Matthew 10:24-39 Jesus has some difficult...

Sarah looks at the Old Testament texts assigned for June 25, 2017, the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost: Jeremiah 20:7-13, Genesis 21:8-21, Psalm 69: 7-10, [11-15], 16-18.  These are all 3 difficult texts with Jeremiah and the Psalm looking at suffering in the face of being faithful and Genesis telling the story of Hagar and Ishmael being banished to the desert by Sarah.  Where is God during these times...

Sarah looks at the New Testament texts assigned for the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost, June 18, 2017.  In Romans 5:1-8, Paul talks about how we have been justified through faith and the saving work of Jesus Christ.  He also talks about hope and how our hope is rooted in this same work and the promises of God.  In Matthew 9:35-10:8 [9-23] Jesus sends his disciples out to do the work he himself has bee...

Sarah talks about the Old Testament texts assigned for June 18, 2017, the Second Sunday After Pentecost.  Those texts are Exodus 19:2-8a, Genesis 18:1-15 [21:1-7] (an alternate text assigned for the week), and Psalm 100.  The texts each talk about God's love for creation, but in very different ways.<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Study Podcast at <a href="http://www.gsmcpodcast.co...

In this second installment of the new segment, Friends on Faith on Friday, Sarah interviews Pastor Christine Emerson.  Pastor Emerson is the Associate Pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and is currently doing a three month sabbatical studying centering prayer, meditation, and mindfulness.<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Study Podcast at <a href="http://ww...

Sarah talks about the lectionary texts assigned for June 11, 2017, Holy Trinity Sunday, all of which point in some way to the triune nature of God: Genesis 1:1-2:4a, Psalm 8, 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, Matthew 28:16-20.  The gospel text contains Jesus's Great Commission to his disciples, instructing them make other disciples by baptizing them in the name of the Trinity.  From this story Sarah asks th...

Sarah talks about the 4 assigned texts for June 4, 2017, Pentecost Sunday.  Pentecost is often referred to as the birthday of the church.  It tells the story of Jesus's followers receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Each of the texts is celebratory: Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b, 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13, and John 20:19-23.<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Study Podcast at <a h...

Sarah discusses all four of the lectionary assigned text for the week of May 28, 2017, the 7th Sunday of Easter.  Those texts are Acts 1:6-14, Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35, 1 Peter 4:12-14. 5:6-11, John 17:1-11.  She focuses most of her attention on the gospel, which comes from Jesus' farewell discourse where he talks about how not only are he and God one, but we are all invited into this same unity of be...

Sarah talks about the 4th assigned text for the 6th Sunday of Easter.  John 14:15-21 is part of Jesus' farewell discourse.  Jesus is trying to prepare his disciples for the time when he will no longer be with them. Jesus promises his followers that even though he is leaving them they will not be alone because he is sending them the Holy Spirit.<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Study Po...

Sarah looks at the 3rd assigned lectionary text for the 6th Sunday of Easter.  1 Peter 3:13-22 continues many of the themes of the entire book, one of which is suffering.  The community to whom the book is written faces false accusations and slander for their beliefs.  The author attempts to encourage them in this suffering and to give them hope in the example of Jesus Christ.<br /><br /&...

Sarah discusses the 2nd of 4 texts assigned for the 6th Sunday of Easter, May 21, 2017.  Psalm 66 is one that is vast in scope.  It starts by the whole earth blessing and praising God, then looks at God's saving acts with that community, and finally moves the the perspective of the Psalmist and how God has worked in his or her life.  It also brings up questions of suffering and where God is during...

Sarah discusses Acts 7:55-60, which tells the brief story of Stephen's death as a martyr.  Stephen's faith remains strong to the end of his life, and he looks to Jesus as his example, forgiving those who murder him and committing his spirit to God.  What are we to make of this story?  Is there good news to be found?<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Study Podcast at <a href="http://w...

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).  The two discuss faith, seminary, doubts, hopes, and many other topics and how her faith affects Vicar Katie's daily life.<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Study Podcast at <a href="http://www.gsm...

Sarah looks at the 4th assigned lectionary text for the 5th Sunday of Easter.  John 14:1-14 is part of Jesus' farewell discourse, where he imparts as much to his disciples and followers as possible before his imminent betrayal, arrest, and death.  In these verses he tells the that he is going ahead to prepare a place for them, that in knowing him they know God, and that they will continue the work...

Sarah looks at the third of the 4 assigned lectionary texts for May 14, 2017, the 5th Sunday of Easter.  In 1 Peter 2:2-10 the author tells the community that they are like living stones, which make up the temple.  It is less about where the worship and more about with whom they worship.  They have all been made new in the body of Christ, and are called to proclaim God's word in the world.<br /...

Sarah discusses Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16, which is assigned for the 5th Sunday of Easter.  Psalm 31 is an individual prayer for protection that transitions into a prayer of trust in God's refuge and protection.  It tells of the psalmist being in great pain and distress, but still trusting absolutely in God.<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Study Podcast at <a href="http://www.gsmcpodcast...

Sarah discusses Acts 17:22-31 where Paul speaks to a group in Athens.  Paul's words are about the God that Paul has experienced through the risen Christ.  God, who has made all of creation, made us in God's own image, and therefore cannot be captured in inanimate materials such as gold or silver or stone.<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Study Podcast at <a href="http://www.gsmcpodc...

Sarah talks about the 3rd and 4th of the assigned lectionary texts for the 4th Sunday of Easter, May 7, 2017.  This Sunday is often called Good Shepherd Sunday, and both texts involve imagery of shepherd and sheep.  1 Peter 2:19-25 continues the letter to early church communities in Asia Minor, and what it means to live as brothers and sisters in Christ.  John 10:1-10 has Jesus describing himself...

Sarah looks at the first 2 of the assigned lectionary texts for May 7, 2017, the 4th Sunday of Easter.  This Sunday is referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday, with 3 of the texts talking about sheep and/or shepherds.  Psalm 23 is arguably one of the most popular and recognizable Psalm with it's image of a shepherd who leads his sheep to safety and comfort.  Acts 2:42-47 is a transitional point in the...

Sarah discusses the final of the four Lectionary texts assigned for the week of April 30, 2017, the 3rd Sunday of Easter.  In Luke 24:13-35 is the story of the road to Emmaus where 2 of Jesus' followers encouner the risen Christ, although they do not recognize him until later.  This text provides openings for thinking about our own Emmaus stories and how we recognize Jesus in our lives.<br /&gt...

Sarah talks about the 3rd of 4 assigned Lectionary readings for the 3rd Sunday of Easter.  1 Peter 1:17-23 continues the verses discussed last week, building on the theme that the recipients of the letter are one family, made new through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Study Podcast at <a href="http://www.gsmcpodcast.com/bible-study.html"...

Sarah looks at the 2nd of 4 assigned Lectionary readings for the 3rd Sunday of Easter.  Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 are part of a Psalm of Thanksgiving.  The Psalmist tells of the trials and afflictions endured and how God was there throughout, aiding and guiding.  The Psalm (or song) is the author's way of giving thanks to God for that presence.<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Study Podcast...

Sarah looks at the first of the assigned lectionary texts for the week of April 30, the 3rd Sunday in Easter.  Acts 2 36-41 continues Peter's Pentecost sermon which was also discussed last week.  In this week's installment Peter talks about repentance and forgiveness.  The text concludes with 3,000 people being baptized after hearing Peter's words.<br /><br />Follow the GSMC Bible Stud...

Sarah looks at the gospel text assigned for the 2nd Sunday of Easter, April 23, 2017.  In John 20:19-31 we hear the story of Doubting Thomas, who refused to believe in the risen Christ until he was able to see and touch his wounds.  Was Thomas wrong to want this?  Wasn't he only asking for what the other disciples had already seen?  There is a lot to be learned from this story.<br /><br /...