This week’s text says that Jesus is the vine and God is the vinegrower. Everyone who produces fruit, God prunes to produce more fruit. Everyone who doesn't produce fruit, God lops off the vine to wither and burn.

And this is supposed to be reassurance?

Dr. Chris Croghan explains how this is an election text. The fact you’re hearing this means you’re connected to the vine; you’re connected to Jesus. Through that connection, you’re producing fruit: faith.

COURSES

Do you like what you learn in the conversations on Scripture First? Luther House of Study has numerous interactive courses available for free on subjects ranging from the Lutheran Catechism to core Christian beliefs. Visit lutherhouseofstudy.org to see their available courses, create an account to track your progress, and dive deeper into your learning.

SING TO THE LORD

Listen to Luther House of Study's newest podcast: Sing to the Lord! Martin Luther said, "Next to the word of God, the art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." To understand the importance of hymnody in the Lutheran church, Lars Olson and Mason Van Essen sit down with Zachary Brockhoff each week to discuss the lectionary's hymns, their meaning and history, and how the music preaches the Gospel.

• 🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3IjGmMa
• 🎧 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3VHikh3
• 💻 Luther House of Study's website: http://bit.ly/SingtotheLord

GOSPEL

John 15:1-8

1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.

2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.

3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.

4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.

5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

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Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
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Many of Jesus’ “I Am” statements lend themselves to comforting depictions for Christians. “I am the light of the world,” makes for a nice painting! But in today’s passage, Jesus is the gate.

Sarah Stenson teaches us how Jesus is being categorical in this text. There are two options: enter through the gate by hearing the shepherd’s voice or climbing in another way which makes you a thief and a bandit.

Many will hear this as a prescription: how can I be a sheep and not a thief who steals, kills, and destroys? But this is an election text that depicts what happens to you when you hear Jesus’ promise: the sheep hear my voice. I came that they may have life. This is a passive act.

COURSES

Do you like what you learn in the conversations on Scripture First? Luther House of Study has numerous interactive courses available for free on subjects ranging from the Lutheran Catechism to core Christian beliefs. Visit lutherhouseofstudy.org to see their available courses, create an account to track your progress, and dive deeper into your learning.

SING TO THE LORD

Listen to Luther House of Study's newest podcast: Sing to the Lord! Martin Luther said, "Next to the word of God, the art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." To understand the importance of hymnody in the Lutheran church, Lars Olson and Mason Van Essen sit down with Zachary Brockhoff each week to discuss the lectionary's hymns, their meaning and history, and how the music preaches the Gospel.

• 🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3IjGmMa
• 🎧 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3VHikh3
• 💻 Luther House of Study's website: http://bit.ly/SingtotheLord

GOSPEL

John 10:1-10

1 "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers." 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (NRSV)

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at sarah@lhos.org or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

The two men who encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus are just starting to tell the disciples about what they’d experienced when Jesus appears before them again.

Lars Olson explains how the Gospel of Luke is using this literary structure to depict what happens when the resurrected Jesus shows up: fear, joy, and disbelief.

The resurrection is so unbelievable the disciples desperately try to rationalize it away by explaining that Jesus must be a ghost. Lars teaches us that, for most of church history too, we’ve had a difficult time with Jesus’ body. We want to spiritualize Him instead of facing the fact God died and was raised.

But, like Jesus reaffirms this in this week’s passage, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.”

COURSES

Do you like what you learn in the conversations on Scripture First? Luther House of Study has numerous interactive courses available for free on subjects ranging from the Lutheran Catechism to core Christian beliefs. Visit lutherhouseofstudy.org to see their available courses, create an account to track your progress, and dive deeper into your learning.

SING TO THE LORD

Listen to Luther House of Study's newest podcast: Sing to the Lord! Martin Luther said, "Next to the word of God, the art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." To understand the importance of hymnody in the Lutheran church, Lars Olson and Mason Van Essen sit down with Zachary Brockhoff each week to discuss the lectionary's hymns, their meaning and history, and how the music preaches the Gospel.

• 🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3IjGmMa
• 🎧 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3VHikh3
• 💻 Luther House of Study's website: http://bit.ly/SingtotheLord

GOSPEL

Luke 24:36b-48

36 While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 37 They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 He said to them, "Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41 While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate in their presence.

44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you -- that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.

Support the show

Interested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?
Email Sarah at sarah@lhos.org or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate