Scripture First

It’s Easter Sunday and three women head to Jesus’ tomb fully expecting to find the dead body of the man they betrayed.  Suddenly, an angel appears to deliver them the incredible news that is the basis of the Christian faith: “He has been raised; he is not here.”  Sarah Stenson and Dr. Chris Croghan explains why the women expected to find death despite Jesus having told them He would be raised, the...

This episode is going to be a little different. No background music. No closing summary and calls to action. Why? Because we’re grappling with the question, “Why did Jesus have to die?” in this conversation.  Dr. Chris Croghan and Lars Olson do an incredible job calling out how everyone involved in Christ’s final moments sinned against Him. From the betrayal to the power dynamics to the self-prese...

In the first of two Holy Week bonus episodes, Lars Olson and Sarah Stenson break down what Jesus meant by giving us a new commandment to love one another in this Maundy Thursday text.  Jesus demonstrates true humility by washing His disciples’ feet. He also commands us to love one another. Many will read this as a command in the Law, as an expectation of what they’re supposed to do.  But what Jesu...

Palm Sunday. Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. In many churches, we’ll wave our palm branches and shout, “Hosanna!”  In this week’s conversation, Sarah Stenson and Dr. Chris Croghan explain how the crowds believed the Messiah was going to be a king whose power came through the Law. They thought the Messiah would defeat their enemies and make their lives materially better—much like how people...

Dr. Chris Croghan summarized this week’s text in two sentences, “God made a promise. God fulfilled that promise.”  After his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, a few Greeks show up to the festival. What could be overlooked as a passing detail, Dr. Croghan explains how pivotal this detail is. God promised Abraham that the Messiah would come from his line for all nations.  With the Greeks showing up,...

Kiri and Mason welcome Lars Olson to the podcast to break down the verses surrounding one of the most well-known verses in the Bible: John 3:16.  This week’s lectionary text begins with, “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness…” Lars explains the story about God sending snakes to bite His people in Numbers and Moses lifting up a bronze snake.  Then we ask, “What does it mean tha...

A dramatic scene unfolds at the temple where Jesus is driving out livestock with a whip and flipping over the bankers’ tables, spilling money everywhere.  Kiri and Mason ask Sarah Stenson what’s happening here and why is Jesus reacting with such a physical disturbance? She explains the context of Passover: a festival where God commanded His people to offer a sacrifice, but—over time—the priests ta...

Immediately after Peter correctly identifies Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus lays out the entirety of what that means in a single verse: He’s going to undergo great suffering, be rejected, be killed, and rise again.  Peter tries to prevent this from happening and Jesus tells him, “Get behind me, Satan!”  Both Dr. Chris Croghan and Sarah Stenson teach us in this conversation why Jesus reacts this way....

At the beginning of Lent, the Gospel of Mark continues on a blistering pace: in six verses, Jesus is baptized, driven into the wilderness, John was arrested, and Jesus proclaimed the good news of God.  In these six verses, Kiri, Max, and Mason ask Sarah Stenson about the details that could get overlooked when focusing on the big events happening in these verses.  At Jesus’ baptism, Sarah explains...

The Transfiguration. A literal mountaintop experience, and the bookend to the season of Epiphany as Jesus moves toward Jerusalem, His crucifixion, and, ultimately, His resurrection.  Kiri, Max, and Mason ask Dr. Chris Croghan why Jesus elected Peter, James, and John to witness this incredible moment when they've been acting like the Three Stooges up to this point. We also discuss what transfi...

We continue to move through Mark at a breakneck speed: John the Baptist, Jesus’ baptism, Jesus vs Satan in the wilderness, Jesus teaching in the synagogue with authority before casting out a demon; all in the first chapter!  Now, Jesus enters Simon’s mother-in-law’s house to heal her from a fever. Word gets out, and the entire city descends looking for a piece of Jesus’ miracles.  In this week’s c...

In this week’s lectionary text, we hear of the first thing Jesus does in His ministry: teach in the synagogue with authority. As you’ll hear Sarah Stenson and Dr. Chris Croghan teach Kiri, Cole, and Mason, everyone who heard Jesus was shocked because He spoke with the power of God.  The event only gets more shocking as a man controlled by a demon bursts on the scene. We discuss:  How do the demons...

In this week’s episode, Kiri, Cole, and Mason welcome Dr. Chris Croghan back to the podcast to break down Jesus’ first sermon in the rapid Gospel of Mark. In five short words, Jesus fulfills the Old Testament and ushers in the kingdom of God. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." They ask Dr. Croghan: What does it mean the ti...

In this week’s text, Jesus goes to Galilee and finds Philip and tells him to, “Follow me.” This prompts Philip to tell Nathanael they’ve found the one the Old Testament prophesied. Sarah Stenson explains how this is what happens when Jesus grabs you. When you hear of Jesus’ promise you can’t help but to tell others about it. Similarly, Jesus tells Nathanael He’s known him before He ever met him, a...

Happy New Year, Scripture First listeners! The lectionary text for the first Sunday of 2024 centers on the same verses about John the Baptist we discussed a few weeks ago in Advent. In our conversation, Kiri and Mason ask Lars Olson about the verses not included in the previous passage: Jesus’ baptism and how it ties into the creation story in Genesis chapter one. We cover high level questions abo...

What does it mean Jesus was put under the law? That He who knew no sin became sin? That’s the question Kiri, Justin, and Mason ask Dr. Chris Croghan and Sarah Stenson in this week’s episode about Jesus in the temple and the prophets Simeon and Anna. In order for Jesus to get rid of the law, He needs to go under it so it can do its full work on Him. We try to make sense of the gospel: how can three...

We're discussing the very familiar lectionary text for Christmas Day in today's episode: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.  As you'll hear Adam, Kiri, and Mason ask Sarah Stenson, we can roll over the incredible...

Merry Christmas, Scripture First listeners! With the last week of Advent landing on Christmas Eve, pastors get the chance to preach one sermon for both lectionary days. Lars Olson and Dr. Chris Croghan break down the Luke text we hear every year on Christmas Eve starting with, “In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.” They explain how God work...

If this week’s text sounds similar to the text we discussed last week, that’s because it is: John the Baptist is back and we welcome Dr. Chris Croghan to explain how the John passage is different from the Mark passage. The priests and Levites think God will bring salvation through the law, but John the Baptist—out in the wilderness—is pointing his long bony finger saying the Messiah is coming outs...

We're discussing the opening verses of the Gospel of Mark, starting with, "1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." Sarah Stenson explains how this verse shows how the entire book of Mark is good news: we now have God's mercy, in the flesh, as promised in Genesis. His name is Jesus. As we discuss John the Baptist, Kiri, Justin and Mason ask Sarah: what...

It's the most wonderful time of the year, but when you show up to church this week you're going to hear this passage about imminent destruction and the impending end times. It's a common reaction to be frightened by this, but—as Lars Olson explains—Jesus said these things as a word of comfort. You WILL lose everything: house, job, spouse, family, your life. All of the coming wars, f...

In one of Jesus' last parables before being crucified, He mentions terms Christians hear all the time: Son of Man, blessed by the father, sheep and goats. Kiri, Max, and Mason slow down and ask Sarah Stenson and Lars Olson to unpack what those terms actually mean. What does Jesus' title as Son of Man mean? What does it mean to be blessed by God the Father? How do I know if I'm a she...

This week, we're discussing the Parable of the Talents where Jesus describes a man giving three of his slaves extremely valuable property: approximately worth $2 million or 16 years worth of earnings. The first two slaves doubled their value. The third buried the talent because he was afraid. The first two are told, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a f...

We dive into the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids with Sarah Stenson this week. Five wise bridesmaids were prepared for the bridegroom by bringing oil for their lamps. Compare that to the five foolish bridesmaids who came unprepared and demanded the wise bridesmaids share their oil only to be turned down, and, while they were off buying their own oil, the bridegroom showed up and the door to the wed...

For All Saints Sunday, we're welcoming Lars Olson to break down the beginning of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount: the Beatitudes. As you'll hear Lars teach us, people who have diseases, demons, and are dying are gathering around Jesus, and, instead of healing them, Jesus begins to preach. So many people hear these verses and think, "the blessing will come once I get through this har...