Scripture First

It's the first Sunday of Advent and we hear a text about how no one knows what day when our Lord is coming, but we're supposed to keep awake and be ready. 

Dr. Chris Croghan joins Adam Guthmiller, Kir…

We welcome Luther House of Study's Nick Hopman back to Scripture First to discuss the text for Christ the King Sunday: Jesus on the cross between two criminals at His crucifixion. 

The Messiah is supp…

Jesus tells his apostles that the temple—the opulent landmark of the day—is going to be destroyed and natural disasters, plagues and wars are coming their way. Oh, and they will be hated because of J…

It's All Saints Sunday, so we ask our guest this week—Lars Olson—what is All Saints Day, why do we celebrate it, and what actually is a saint? His answer helps us understand what Jesus is saying in t…

Jesus says, in today's lectionary text, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 

This caused Adam and Mason to ask ques…

We're tackling the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in today's conversation as Jesus continues to illustrated what he meant in saying, "Whoever seeks to preserve their life will lose it,…

In today's lectionary text, Jesus tells us a parable about our need to pray always and not lose heart. We are commanded to pray always. In fact, prayer is a need, but we lose heart and become weary a…

Ten lepers approach Jesus and call out asking him to have mercy on them. Jesus makes them clean and one of the ten lepers turns back to thank and praise Jesus. 

This spurred a great conversation with …

In this week's Gospel reading, we hear the disciples say to Jesus, "Lord, increase our faith!" only to have Jesus spout back, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed..."

Kiri and I ask Dr. Chris …

Jesus tells a story about a rich man and poor man named Lazarus. They both die and Lazarus was taken up to Abraham and the rich man was sent to be tormented in Hades. 

He begs for mercy, but Abraham i…

We welcome Lars Olson back to the podcast to discuss the Parable of the Dishonest Manager. A wealthy man's manager is squandering his property and is promptly fired. Before word gets out that he was …

In this week's text, Jesus tells tax collectors and sinners one of His most well-known parables: the Parable of the Lost Sheep. 

Sarah Stenson teaches us that all parables are about election. What's a…

It's official: the Luther House of Study team has made its way through the entire lectionary as this week's text is the text we discussed on episode one three years ago. 

Jesus uses strong language in…

Yet again, the Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus in the law. What better place to trap him in the law then where societal rules and norms are most scrutinized: a dinner party. 

Jesus flips the script…

For the first time on Scripture First, we welcome Luther House of Study's newest professor, Nick Hopman, to the podcast to discuss a passage in Luke where Jesus heals a woman of a spirit that had cri…

Jesus is called the Lamb of God, Mighty Counselor, and the Prince of Peace. How then do we understand the opening verse to this week's text where Jesus doesn't sound very peace giving in saying, "I c…

When we hear parables and texts like this week's lectionary passage in Luke, we often hear them as imperatives or telling us what to do or how to live our lives. 

When you hear the text in this week's…

Does planning for the future mean you don't trust that God will provide? 

Spoiler alert: It's about where your heart is. Are you worshipping the created thing or the Creator?

The abundance of your life…

In this week's lectionary text, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus delivers. The result? The incredible Lord's Prayer.

Adam, Kiri and Mason ask Lars:

• What is prayer, anyway? 
• Are we co…

Are you a Martha or are you a Mary?

In this week's lectionary text, Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet listening to His Word. Martha is doing the opposite: she's frantically busy with all of her other tas…