Scripture First

You may have heard of this week's famous parable: the parable of the Good Samaritan. A lawyer, in the most lawyerly way, asks Jesus the million dollar question: "What must I do to inherit eternal lif…

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 sna…

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 the…

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 …

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 p…

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…

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 f…

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…

"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…

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 beli…

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…

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 am…

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 gos…

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 co…

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 Jes…

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 convi…

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 w…

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 ente…

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 …

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 s…