Thy Strong Word from KFUO Radio

Rev. Chris Matthis, pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Castle Rock, Colorado, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Exodus 9. “All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one of the livestock of the people of Israel died.” An epidemic strikes in Exodus 9. As the plagues intensify, the first deaths come. But if all the livestock died in the epidemic, why are they later described in the plagu...

Rev. Christopher Maronde,  pastor of St. John Bingen/Decatur, Indiana, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Exodus 8. “I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.” Frogs, gnats, and flies! The transition in Exodus 8 however shows that there are different sets of plagues, each...

Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, IL, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Exodus 7. “The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel.” Aaron’s staff becomes a snake, and when his staff strikes the Nile, it turns to blood. The true confrontation begins in Exodus 7, as God provokes Pharaoh’s p...

Rev. John Lukomski, retired LCMS pastor and co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Exodus 6. “I am of uncircumcised lips. How will Pharaoh listen to me?” When Moses doubts himself, Exodus 6 responds with a genealogy. While Moses might not have been the best speaker, it was never about his ability; it’s about God’s promise. The genealogy shows the d...

Rev. Dr. David Adams, Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Exodus 5. “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me?” Moses despairs in Exodus 5 because the Israelites went from believing in him to wishing he’d never shown up. This is exactly why Pharaoh increased the Israelites’ workload, to tur...

Rev. William Cwirla, pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hacienda Heights, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Exodus 4. “Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, 'Let my son go that he may serve me.'” Fatherhood is central to Exodus 4, whose poetry prepares the way for Father, Son, and Spirit. As Israel’s Father, God lovingly repeats His name to Moses, “I will be with your...

Rev. Curtis Deterding, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, Florida, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Exodus 3. Christ quotes Exodus 3 to prove the resurrection: even if we die, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is still our God. Moses is afraid of what he has seen, but God has seen Israel’s suffering and He “will be” with them. Yahweh means “He will be.” His name is pure love, gra...

Rev. Shawn Kumm, pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cody, Wyoming, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Exodus 2. “His sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him.” Miriam takes center stage in Exodus 2 as the forerunner of Moses, serving God with faith and wisdom like their mother and the midwives. Most importantly, they see and serve as witnesses, like John the Baptist...

Rev. Dan Torkelson, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in North Prairie, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Exodus 1. “The people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly.” Exodus 1 flows seamlessly out of Genesis while also foreshadowing the confrontation with Pharaoh. Israel fulfills God’s commandment to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” even while serving the King...

Rev. Kevin Parviz, pastor of Congregation Chai v'Shalom in St. Louis, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 109. “May his days be few; may another take his office!” Psalm 109 only seems harsh or unforgiving when taken out of context. Although King David curses his betrayer, he does so not for his own benefit, but so that his betrayer’s reign of terror and oppression over Israel woul...

Rev. Darrin Sheek, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Anaheim, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 16. “They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them.” Mark 16 shows that miracles don’t produce faith—only the Word does. Every last one of Jesus ☧’s disciples ran away in fear, but God sends His Word to transform their faulty ideas an...

Rev. Duncan McLellan, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Ankeny, Iowa, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 15. “Truly this man was the Son of God!” Of all the various responses to Jesus ☧ in Mark 15, it seems only the centaurion has the right reaction. Pilate is dumbfounded. The crowd has no pity. The soldiers and passersby mock. The women stand at a distance. The centaurion however foc...

Rev. Doug Nicely, pastor of Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Collinsville, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 14. “One of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” Mark 14 slows down the pace and narrates the Passion of Jesus ☧ in detail. On the one hand, there are various contradictory goals and reactions swirling about ☧ as the disciples scatter in fear. On the other hand, eve...

Rev. John Lukomski, retired LCMS pastor, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 13. “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones!” Jesus ☧ however tells His disciples to “Look out!” He shifts their attention away from appearances and onto His Word. The Temple will soon pass away, “but my words will not pass away,” He says. Like the disciples, we are often preoccupied with the material logistics, afrai...

Rev. Jeremy Loesch, pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Grandview, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 108. “With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.” Psalm 108 uniquely combines the latter half of two distinct psalms. Psalm 57 was from when David was hiding from King Saul in a cave among the Gentiles, and Psalm 60 was from a campaign of King Da...

Rev. George Murdaugh, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Douglasville, Georgia, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 12. Jesus ☧ is both the new David and the new Temple—twin truths woven together in Mark 12. While the crowds gladly listened, the majority of the scribes, Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees banded together in opposition. They try to win back the crowds because ☧’s ta...

Rev. Steven Theiss, retired LCMS pastor in Frohna, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 11. Why does Jesus ☧ make such a scene coming into Jerusalem? Why does He get so angry at the fig tree? Mark 11 reveals that ☧’s actions were calculated and full of symbolism, revealing the true nature of the authority of the Messiah. His words about the fig tree are really about the Temple, dest...

Rev. Dr. Martin Noland, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in San Mateo, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 10. “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!” Mark 10 seems to unusually focus on the teaching of Jesus ☧, but this chapter is as much about people’s reactions to ☧’s “difficult” sayings. The Pharisees ask Him about divorce to put Him in a difficult positio...

Rev. Nabil Nour, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hartford, South Dakota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 9. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.” Jesus ☧ shows in Mark 9 that His disciples cannot rely on themselves; they will have to look to “Jesus only,” as Mark says following the Transfiguration. Like Pastor Nour’s acronym, faith is a fantastic adventure trusti...

Rev. Nathan Meador, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 8. “Do you not yet understand?” In Mark 8, Jesus ☧ presses His disciples to grasp the symbolism of His miraculous actions. What does it mean that He miraculously fed a second crowd of people, this time with seven loaves instead of five? Like the man who could not see until ☧ tou...

Rev. David Speers, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Altamont, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 7. “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites!” Once again Jesus ☧ publicly clashes with the Pharisees and the Jerusalem scribes, this time in Mark 7 over the Fourth Commandment (in Mark 3 it was over the Third). Just when His opponents think they have Him for disrespecting “the...

Rev. Thomas Eckstein, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Jamestown, North Dakota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 6. “They did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.” Mark 6 continues the narrative of Jesus ☧’s gospel proclamation, a real-life story laden with symbolism. What is the connection between Herod’s execution of John, the Feeding of the Five Thousa...

Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 5. “Do not fear, only believe.” These words of Jesus ☧ summarize the theme of Mark 5. Although these are real-life events being narrated, this perspective on the story highlights the faith-vs-fear dynamic, showing how the Word-of-growth parables of chapter 4 play out in our heart...

Rev. John Lukomski, retired LCMS pastor and co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Mark 4. “To the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” In Mark 4 Jesus ☧ speaks of the paradox of faith and understanding: in order for these to be given, they must have already been received. These parabl...

Rev. David Boisclair, pastor of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Churches in North St. Louis County, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 107. “Hallelujah! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” With these words, Psalm 107 introduces the fifth and final collection of psalms from 107 to 150. No other section of psalms contains so many hallelu...