Podcast appearances and mentions of aj espinosa

Rev. AJ Espinosa, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Irvine, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 26:1-32. King Agrippa's background in Judaism makes him the perfect candidate to listen to Paul's testimony, for which the apostle is grateful. Paul recounts his history in Judaism. He was raised as a Pharisee, zealous for the faith that he shared with all Israel, which included the hope for the resurrection of the dead. In fact, Paul's zeal took him too far; he persecuted the saints of God until the Lord Jesus came to him at Damascus. Jesus appointed Paul as His servant and witness to go to both Jews and Gentiles in order to turn them from darkness to light through faith in Jesus. Paul concludes his testimony before Agrippa by stating that he has preached the same thing as the prophets, that the Christ has suffered and died to bring light and life. Festus thinks that Paul has gone crazy, and Agrippa is not so quickly persuaded. Yet Paul desires that all would share in the faith that he has been given. To that end, his appeal to Caesar will send Paul to Rome, where he will continue to give witness to the resurrection of Jesus. “To the End of the Earth” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Acts. In his second volume, St. Luke records all the things that Jesus continued to do through the ministry of His Church. By the end of the book, the proclamation of the Lord's Word that began in Jerusalem grows all the way to Rome. By God's grace, even now, that same Word is proclaimed to us.

Rev. AJ Espinosa, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Irvine, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 4:1-22. When the Sanhedrin finds out about the preaching of Peter and John in the temple, they have the two apostles arrested. The Sadducees, having great power and influence, are particularly disturbed not only by the preaching of the resurrection, but particularly by the preaching that the resurrection is found only in Jesus. The Holy Spirit takes their questioning as yet another opportunity for Peter to proclaim the Gospel: only Jesus' name brings salvation to sinners. The Sanhedrin was astonished at the boldness of these two men, along with their lack of formal training or education. However, they knew they could do nothing against these men, for the forty-year-old beggar had been healed in front of everyone. The Sanhedrin ordered Peter and John to stop preaching in Jesus' name, but the apostles put the charge back to the Sanhedrin and called upon them to judge the matters according to the sight of God. “To the End of the Earth” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Acts. In his second volume, St. Luke records all the things that Jesus continued to do through the ministry of His Church. By the end of the book, the proclamation of the Lord's Word that began in Jerusalem grows all the way to Rome. By God's grace, even now, that same Word is proclaimed to us.

Rev. AJ Espinosa, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Irvine, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Luke 12:1-21. As the crowds around Jesus grow, the Lord takes the opportunity to warn the disciples against the leaven of the Pharisees. Their hypocrisy is seeking to please people only. Not only is such a task ultimately futile before men, but God will make all hidden things plain. Such fear of men is short-sighted, for their power is only over this physical life. Only God has authority over eternal life; He is the One to be feared. Because He acts as a loving Father, the right fear of God takes away all fear of men. That sets Jesus' disciples free to confess Him before men and live in repentance right now; one day, it will be too late. The parable of the rich fool reinforces this point. Neither the praise of men nor possessions can give eternal life. Only the riches that God give last forever; only through Jesus will these riches of eternal life come to us. “The Beloved Physician's Orderly Account” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the Gospel according to St. Luke. The Evangelist wrote his well-researched account of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection so that Theophilus would have certainty concerning the things he had been taught. As we still read the Word of God recorded by St. Luke, our gracious Lord gives us that same certainty that Jesus is our Savior.

Rev. AJ Espinosa, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Irvine, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Luke 1:26-38. Although the first chapter of Luke largely records events surrounding the birth of John, the Evangelist provides notice that the narrative is really about Jesus, the Child who comes after John. When Gabriel makes a second visit, he is sent to announce the birth of a son, not to a barren woman, but to a virgin woman. The fact that the virgin, whose name is Mary, comes from the line of David, indicates that the Lord is fulfilling the promise to bring His Savior King into the world. Yet the victory that this Savior King will accomplish comes hidden under weakness and the cross. Mary's question of Gabriel's message comes from her faith seeking further knowledge, and Gabriel reveals that the Son she will carry will be conceived in her by the power of the Holy Spirit; her Child will be the Son of God Himself. As a sign to Mary, Gabriel tells the Blessed Virgin that her relative Elizabeth is also pregnant in her old age, because God's promises are never impossible for Him. Mary responds in faith to the Word of God, acknowledging her role as His servant. “The Beloved Physician's Orderly Account” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the Gospel according to St. Luke. The Evangelist wrote his well-researched account of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection so that Theophilus would have certainty concerning the things he had been taught. As we still read the Word of God recorded by St. Luke, our gracious Lord gives us that same certainty that Jesus is our Savior.

Rev. AJ Espinosa, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Irvine, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 35:1-15. The LORD tells Ezekiel to set his face against Mount Seir, that is, the people of Edom. They have nurtured their enmity toward the people of Israel since the days of Esau and Jacob. Now that Babylon has laid waste to Jerusalem, the people of Edom have only kicked Israel while they were down. Edom assumed that the LORD had left the land and began to take possession of it. In response, the LORD assures them that He is, in fact, still there, and that their crimes against Israel are really crimes against Him. He will bring desolation upon the land and people of Edom as they had done to the people of Israel. Through the proclamation of judgment upon Edom, the people of God hear the Gospel that the LORD defeats their enemies and rescues them from every danger, finally through Jesus. “The Faithful Watchman” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Ezekiel. Just when Ezekiel should have begun his service as priest in the temple in Jerusalem, the LORD called him to be a prophet in exile in Babylon. Through fantastic visions and attention-grabbing action prophecies, the prophet Ezekiel is a faithful watchman who proclaims the word of the LORD to bring people to repentance over their sins and to faith in the coming Savior, Jesus Christ, the glory of the LORD made flesh.

Rev. AJ Espinosa, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Irvine, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Jeremiah 29:1-14. Jeremiah writes a letter in order to proclaim the Word of God to the exiles in Babylon. The LORD tells His people in Babylon to settle down and make a home there. The exiles are to marry and give in marriage; they are to pray for Babylon and seek its welfare. This does not mean that the exiles are to assimilate into the idolatrous Babylonian culture; rather, they are to remain faithful to the LORD there in Babylon.Despite what false prophets have been proclaiming, the time of exile will be lengthy. Yet the LORD assures His people He knows what He is doing. He has set a definite end to the exile, and He will restore His people according to His plans for their future and their hope. “A Time to Destroy and a Time to Build” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Jeremiah. The prophet calls the people of Judah and Jerusalem to repent of their faithless idolatry and warns them of the destruction that is coming in the Babylonian exile. Yet Jeremiah does not leave us without hope in the midst of such dark days. Jeremiah and all who believe the Word of God he preached survive because of hope that is found in the righteous Branch from the line of David, Jesus Christ.

Rev. AJ Espinosa, pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Irvine, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Peter 4:7-11. Christ’s imminent return makes a difference for the lives of Christians right now. Being self-controlled and sober-minded keeps us ready for our prayers, by which we fulfill God’s calling to be His royal priesthood. As such, we are bound to love, seeking to cover each other in the forgiveness that Christ has given us. We welcome each other in the name of Christ. Knowing that our gifts have been received from God, we use them as stewards to serve each other and glorify God.  “The Imperishable Inheritance” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistles of 1 and 2 Peter and Jude. The life of the Christian Church right now is life in exile. We endure attacks from various trials and from false teachers. Such suffering makes us long for the eternal home that will be ours at the resurrection of the dead. In Jesus, we have this promise of eternal life that can never be snatched away. These three epistles strengthen us to hold fast to Christ in the midst of suffering and to give witness to the hope that is ours in Him.

Rev. AJ Espinosa, assistant pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Irvine, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Mark 9:30-37. Jesus continues to teach His disciples concerning His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection. For the sake of the salvation of sinners, the Father delivers Jesus as the Son of Man into the hands of men. They will do their worst to Him by killing Him, yet He will be vindicated through His third day resurrection. The disciples once again fail to understand what Jesus is saying concerning Himself, and they also fail to ask Him further. Their conversation understandably yet unfortunately revolves around who is the greatest in their ranks. Jesus overturns their earthly conception of greatness by placing a child in their midst. The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is least and servant of all, which is exemplified fully by Jesus. “The Gospel in Action” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the Gospel according to St. Mark. The Evangelist hits the ground running with the very first verse of his Gospel account, and he never lets up the pace. As one deed of Jesus comes right after another, always paired with His authoritative Word, St. Mark proclaims the good news that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, revealed conclusively by His death on the cross.

Host Rev. AJ Espinosa studies Acts 3 and 2:36-47. “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” So much of Acts seems confusing because we think in such individualistic terms. But Acts is about the Christian community living as a whole. Peter doesn’t mean that every individual’s baptism will be accompanied with signs and wonders. The miracles aren’t about the strength of our belief, but the authority of Christ over every nation. Similarly, that God “made him both Lord and Christ” doesn’t mean that Jesus wasn’t individually royal or divine before the ascension. Rather, He ascends and is crowned that we would ascend and be crowned with Him. None of us ‘has’ the Spirit per se—the Spirit belongs to Jesus, and by the power of the Word, we share this gift together as His baptized people.

Rev. John Lukomski, retired LCMS pastor, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Matthew 28. “They gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, ‘Tell people, “His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’” We like to say that we make up our own minds, but the truth is that we take most things on authority: doctors, engineers, lawyers, researchers, wellness gurus—we take their words to heart and we spread the word. Which authorities will we believe when it comes to life, loyalty, and identity? In Matthew 28, an angel demonstrates supernatural power and tells the women that someone has come back from the dead. Political authorities use their wealth to bribe the soldiers to say that the body was stolen. A convicted criminal claims the authority of God Himself to authorize the catechesis of Israel’s mortal enemies. Amidst conflicting authorities, only Jesus Christ promises to be “with us” Himself in the resurrected flesh.

Rev. Christopher Maronde, pastor of St. John - Bingen in Decatur, Indiana, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Luke 8. “Nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” Luke gives us the keys to understanding chapter 8: the Parable of the Sower is not a cute object lesson about different reactions to our evangelism efforts. The strong Word of God is a word of judgment, its light exposing what kind of soil we are, distinguishing between those with spiritual eyes and those who are spiritually blind—despite appearances to the contrary. The different reactions of fear & faith and rebuke & healing teach us not about ourselves but about Jesus, the one who restores to life the twelvefold people of God. His life and power are 100% effective, but the word goes out selectively, only on His terms: in humility and love, not power and pride.

Rev. Dan Eddy, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Beloit, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 102. “You will arise and have pity on Zion; it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has come. For your servants hold her stones dear and have pity on her dust.” Amidst the “smoke” and smoldering ashes of Jerusalem, the remnant of God’s people cry out as one. The “prayer of one afflicted”—none of the other 149 psalms has such a title. Out of the depths of death, the beautiful lament of Psalm 102 dares to hope for resurrection: “that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.” Because of Christ, amidst tears of repentance we too hope for restoration at the resurrection of all flesh at the appointed time of the Last Day.

Rev. Steven Theiss, pastor of Hanover Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Esther 7. “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated.” Queen Esther prefigures Jesus Christ Himself. Her selflessness enables her to be faithful both to God as well as to her pagan husband King Ahasuerus. Esther’s delays aren’t just for dramatic effect. By publicly raising the stakes, she allows her husband to save face when she makes her big revelation. Like Esther, we might feel stuck, unable to go to the Judah we long for. Yet in Christ we are kings and queens, and there’s no limit to how much good God can work—even through the least of us.

Rev. Doug Nicely, pastor of Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Collinsville, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Nehemiah 6 and 2:1-6. “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” Nehemiah humbly risks his safety time and again to ensure the wall’s completion. Why were Jerusalem’s walls so important? Cyrus and Nehemiah were the least-expected instruments: a pagan emperor and an unclean eunuch. And yet, God was commanding all things for the most unlikely re-establishment of Judah. Nehemiah’s humility made him bold, even as Jesus Christ’s own humility led Him to boldly establish the church with His own body. We too offer “arrow prayers,” boldly seeking God’s will even when we lack allies or prestige.

Rev. David Boisclair, pastor of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Churches in North St. Louis County, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Chronicles 34 and 36:1-6. “[Zedekiah] also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God.” Ever since Ahaz, the kings of Judah were in a difficult position: they had sworn allegiance to foreign powers as vassals, but God had prohibited such corrupting alliances. And yet, God tells Judah to serve out their terms of servitude in repentance. Young King Josiah heeds the words of Zephaniah to be faithful with what he’s been given, not unlike young Mary centuries later when faced with the news from Gabriel. The unconquerable Jesus Christ rules over His church today with life and forgiveness, always granting His church ways to be faithful—no matter who is in power among mortals.

Rev. Nathan Meador, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Zephaniah 2. “Seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD.” Like John the Baptist, Zephaniah prophesied that disaster was inevitable—God’s judgment was about to fall on Gentile and Judahite alike. Repentance can’t buy God off. And yet, when King Josiah heeded Zephaniah’s words, Judah enjoyed the gospel’s light as it re-discovered the Bible amidst the darkness. It was only for a short while, and it didn’t stop the Babylonians from coming, but God showed mercy to a generation that humbled itself. Zephaniah’s message foreshadows Jesus Christ, who was the Light amidst the darkness, founding the church amidst disaster in Judea, and showing grace to His “remnant” today.

Rev. Shawn Kumm, pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cody, Wyoming, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 101. “Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.” For a psalm about mercy, we expected something more like “Morning by morning new mercies I see”! But Psalm 101 actually complements the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness” as well as Exodus 16:21 “Morning by morning they gathered [the mana], each as much as he could eat.” The Catechism says that “good government” is included with “daily bread,” and also that God “breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose.” Government cannot be just without mercy, nor can it be merciful without justice. Although we are constantly tempted to complain, we have hope in the perfect administration of the new David in the new Jerusalem in Christ, where justice & mercy come together.

Host Rev. AJ Espinosa studies Habakkuk 1. “Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever?” Habakkuk boldly pours forth his complaint to God, but who is he talking about? It turns out that Habakkuk and Jonah have a lot in common: Jonah didn’t want God to give the Assyrians time to repent, and Habakkuk wants the Chaldeans to come overthrow the Assyrians right away. But God says “If it seems slow, wait for it. [...] The righteous shall live by his faith.” He assures Habakkuk that God’s righteous people—Israel—will not be wiped out; they will survive Assyrians. And in Jesus Christ, they do more than survive: they come back to life.

Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Kings 16. “I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel.” When Judah makes a deal with the devil, they sign up for everybody’s gods. In 2 Kings 16 we see how Judah becomes even worse than Israel, effectively signing the North’s death warrant as Ahaz sacrifices his own son—to become Assyria’s son, instead of God’s son. There is no separating the religious and the political, the spiritual and the economic. But even if we have sacrificed family and faith for career and success, God still offers forgiveness, just as He did for Judah. Grace comes from Jesus Christ, not merely “King of the Jews,” but “King of kings.”

Rev. John Lukomski, retired LCMS pastor, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 1 Kings 17 and 16:29-34. “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” We don’t even know it, but we are constantly being commanded by God, we along with everything around us. God’s Word is the powerful glue that holds everything together. God normally commands His people to feed widows and the fatherless—not the other way around. But here in 1 Kings 17 the Word shows His power, reversing the weather, reversing fortunes, and reversing death itself. When God’s people fail in their calling, the rest of the world suffers. But God’s Word is strong to raise up children for Abraham from the sea of the Gentiles, and to give Abraham’s children an even greater resurrection in Jesus Christ.

Rev. Kevin Parviz, pastor of Congregation Chai v'Shalom in St. Louis, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 1 Chronicles 11. “David said, ‘Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.’ And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.” You can only see turning points in the rearview mirror—the ups and downs of markets, power, and human behavior make multiple narratives possible. In 1 Chronicles 11, the narrator shows how God was at work in David’s reign even in the failures and the challenges. Even figures sometimes thought of as villains like Joab wax and wane under God’s direction. Our darkest seasons of life may turn out to be the ones most full of grace in the bigger picture, as Jesus Christ demonstrates in His own passion.

Rev. David Boisclair, pastor of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Churches in North St. Louis County, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 48. “Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God.” Psalm 48 celebrates how God protected Jerusalem from foreign invaders, sending them into “panic.” The triumphant tone lines up with the Biblical account of the Assyrian invasion of Israel & Judah, before the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. The paradox is that through very specific times and places we encounter the universal God of “all the earth”—but when we talk about God in broad generalities, we end up with a god very specific to our own imagination. In Christ, we are numbered with the saints of Mount Zion along with the whole universal church.

Rev. Curtis Deterding, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, Florida, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Jonah 3-4. “But God said to Jonah, ‘Do you do well to be angry for the plant?’ And he said, ‘Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.’” Jonah had good reasons to be angry. The Assyrians were a thousand-year empire that eventually destroyed most of Israel—why would God betray His people’s safety and security by refusing to serve long-overdue justice? But Jonah’s leafy refuge from the blistering heat—taken by God just as quickly as it was given—proved Jonah’s hypocrisy. Beneath the rationalizations, our anger is almost always arrogant and selfish. Jesus Christ humbly exposed His weakness to invite us to lay down our arms, and to save life where we would’ve destroyed it.

Rev. George Murdaugh, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Douglasville, Georgia, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Ruth chapter 3 and 4:1-6. “But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” What exactly is Naomi suggesting that her daughter-in-law do? Ruth maintains a respectful tone in everything she says, but she demonstrates a certain shrewdness and boldness—not to fulfill her personal desires—but for the sake of family. She prefigures the women who shrewdly and boldly visit Jesus Christ’s tomb early Sunday morning, only to find that God Himself has already “uncovered” the tomb. As limited humans we must respect our existing obligations, but Christ’s inheritance only grows larger as more are redeemed.

Rev. Dr. Alfonso Espinosa, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Irvine, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Judges 2 and Judges 1:30-36. “There arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel.” How could they just “forget” or “not know” God! It’s tempting to caricature the Israelites and dismiss Judges 2 as something that would never happen to us, but Western Christianity finds itself in the same situation. We let go of our distinctive history—the Exodus, the Exile, Easter morning—and we embrace a more “inclusive” spirituality where YHWH looks a lot like the Baal next door. If our children forget their baptism and assimilate to Canaanite culture, we have failed as teachers. But Christ is merciful, and He re-introduces His Gospel even where it has been forgotten.

Rev. Matt Zickler, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Western Springs, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Deuteronomy 32:48-52 and chapter 34. “You did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel. For you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there.” What’s the big deal? Moses hit a rock with a stick—does that merit the death penalty? Holiness however isn’t about physical damages; it’s about representing God. When Moses publicly made himself and Aaron the center of power, it came time for him to step aside. When he dies on the mountain in Deuteronomy 34, the message is clear: God has executed him. And yet, God still shows grace to Moses and to all Israel, pointing ahead to Joshua and to the greater Jeho-shua in Jesus Christ.

Rev. Peter Bender, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Sussex, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 46. “Be still, and know that I am God. [...] The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Martin Luther based his hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” on Psalm 46. Like the Trinity, it presents three pictures of God side by side: a “trusty shield” to defend us, like a coastal fortress that stands tall over the wind and waves; a victor “by our side,” like a river flowing through the peaceful city of God; and a “valiant One” on the battlefield, like a conqueror who destroys His people’s enemies. We take refuge in Christ as His body the church, where we can let go of the sinful impulse to try and take control.

Rev. Jeremy Klaustermeier, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Warrenton, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 45. “Forget your people and your father’s house, and the king will desire your beauty.” Psalm 45 is a totally unique psalm, the only one called “a love song” in its title. A woman of a foreign nation joins herself to God’s people as she marries the king of Israel—a picture of the repentant church. Faith belongs with true beauty and desire, and Christ uniquely brings us not only faithfulness but intimacy with God. He pours out royal gifts of grace: His Spirit, His Word, absolution, and the sacraments.

Rev. Nate Ruback, pastor of Grace Lutheran Chapel in Bellefontaine Neighbors, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Leviticus 9:22-24 and 10:1-20. “Such things as these have happened to me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, would the LORD have approved?” We often act like the world is full of good things and bad things, good people and bad people. And yet, if God is the Creator of all things and the Source of all goodness, then things aren’t so black and white. In Leviticus 10, Nadab & Abihu presume that their good-guy status gives them the right and freedom to improvise, but Aaron and his surviving sons abstain from their right to eat the sin offering. Christ dealt with sin in a way that Aaron never could, giving up His rights so His actions would reveal God, as He does in us today.

Rev. John Lukomski, retired LCMS pastor, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Genesis 45-46:7. “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” Perhaps no one in the Old Testament prefigures the resurrected Christ more clearly than Joseph. Like Genesis 45, Jesus would also share the good news that He was alive with his “brothers” and would invite them to “come near” to see that it was really Him. The news was shocking and even numbing for Jacob and his sons, but in this grand family reunion, the Spirit hints at Jacob’s own resurrection, and Jesus’s hand closed his eyes.

Rev. David Boisclair, pastor of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Churches in North St. Louis County, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Job 1. “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side?” Heaven’s courtroom hears the arguments of the Prosecutor General in Job 1. When he puts Job on trial, the most righteous man on earth, all of humanity is examined with him: Isn’t it the reward that motivates us? If God always rewards good behavior, how can we really be just? Then again, how can God be just if He doesn’t!  Such questions attempt to command God with His own law. Our pride must die in One even more righteous than Job. Jesus the Christ is the rest of the story, in whom God and man are both truly just.

Rev. Dennis McFadden, pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 24. “Again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them.” David was losing his grip on the North, and he wanted to remind them who was in charge. In chapter 24 God uses David’s sinful power play to bring His proud messiah and the whole nation to repentance. Whereas David tries to unite through power, God offers unity through grace and forgiveness at the new Jerusalem altar for all twelve tribes. As the ultimate once-and-for-all sacrifice, Jesus Christ offers unity for all the tribes of our human race.

Rev. Steven Theiss, pastor of Hanover Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 23. “He dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.” So is it cloudless, or are there rainclouds? David’s oracle frames the paradox of the entire 23rd chapter: David’s reign was a fading glory, but it was also a pale image of what was to come. He seemed noble in his refusal to drink from Bethlehem’s well while his men fought and died for him, but his murder of Uriah became all the more damning. Yet David also anticipated Christ, who sacrificed His own life for us as He refused even the most meager of comforts, let alone the kingly riches He now shares with His church.

Rev. Nathan Meador, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 22. “Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed.” Instead of a lawyer, imagine going to a minstrel for your last will and testament! This is no victory chant; chapter 22 is David’s swan song looking back on how God has saved his life time and time again. The point is not that David was a superior or more deserving man. Rather, despite his sins, God showed him grace for the sake of His promise: “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” David felt like he kept reliving the nightmare of his youth, running from Saul in the forms of Ish-bosheth, Absalom, Sheba, and even a disastrous three-year famine. In the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God finally banishes the spectre of our past, because David’s “offspring” rules as the LORD’s Anointed forever.

Rev. Dan Torkelson, pastor of St. Johns Lutheran Church in North Prairie, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 21. “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” A deal’s a deal.  Long before King David, God had forbidden the Israelites from making covenants with the people west of the Jordan River. Joshua only accepted the Gibeonites’ proposal because he’d been deceived. And yet, even though the covenant was based on fraud, God still held Israel to their word, and He demanded justice for the Gibeonites. Similarly, for the sake of his covenant with Saul, David has mercy on Mephibosheth and Rizpah. We too are undeserving, but God shows us mercy for the sake of the covenant written in Christ’s blood. We’re weak and ignoble enemies of God, but He always keeps faith. For Him, by His grace, a deal’s a deal.

Rev. Dustin Beck, pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warda, Texas, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 47. You might say the Korahites had a legacy of objecting to monarchical power: “You have gone too far!” Korah accused Moses & Aaron. “Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” In collective repentance, the Korahite composer of Psalm 47 does not rebel like his ancestor, but gently reminds the newly-ascended king of Judah that “the LORD, the Most High” is the true king, even over the foreign rulers or “shields of the earth.” Judah’s king was a mere shadow of the King of Creation, anticipating the ascension of Jesus the true Christ, whose rule truly causes “all peoples” to clap, shout, and sing. Faith’s perspective resists rebellion, but pledges ultimate allegiance only to Heaven’s throne.

Rev. Scott Adle, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Collinsville, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 20. David tries to fire him, but Joab just won’t leave. His ruthlessness and cold calculation are on full display when he murders Amasa his replacement. But Joab isn’t one-dimensional, showing restraint with the wise woman of Abel, “Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!” Ultimately we see a reflection of our own mercurial selfishness, never willing to step aside until our dying day. Satan may be powerful like Joab, but Jesus Christ is the king. One day He will finish what He started, but in the meantime, faithful women reflect the wisdom and grace given to the church by God’s Spirit.

Rev. Thomas Eckstein, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Jamestown, North Dakota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 19. “You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you.” Joab’s not wrong. Although David’s grief reflects his unconditional love and forgiveness towards his children, in chapter 19 he goes too far the other way, failing to show gratitude for the men who have bled and died for him. We too sometimes idolize health or family to the point of neglecting our church, our community, or our country. When David returns as king, he grants equal measures of mercy to all, potentially upsetting loyalists. This is however how Jesus Christ shows God’s love, which is less concerned with fairness than with repairing relationships and restoring unity.

Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 18. “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” David would’ve gladly given his life even for his son who tried to kill him. Chapter 18 is full of heart-wrenching irony: Ultimately, Jesus Christ became a second Absalom, accused of insurrection, hanged on a tree, and pierced with a spear. Likewise his death was a “victory proclamation,” gospel in the original sense. Despite His allies’ reasonable advice, Christ spurned His own success so that the truth-telling Joab of Satan would be overcome by the greater truth of God’s loving mercy.

Rev. John Lukomski, retired LCMS pastor, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 17. “The LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom.” There was no way out for David—the strategy of his treacherous former advisor was perfect. “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise.” Chapter 17 shows how no amount of wealth, power, or intelligence can thwart God’s purposes. God is constantly at work in the little details and the little people, like the clever servant woman by the well. Like Christ, she doesn’t navel-gaze or worry about her righteousness. She simply does what’s necessary to love and serve.

Rev. Benjamin Maton, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Charlottesville, Virginia, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 16. “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.” Israel was playing a life-and-death poker game, polarized between pro-David and pro-Saul/Absalom factions. In our own age of polarization, we are quick to defend our team no matter the criticism, but David humbly accepts Shimei’s curse. If we are honest about our humanity, all criticisms against us have a kernel of truth. We’re tired of “the game” and the posturing, but we’re addicted to it. Freedom comes in Jesus Christ, who refused to play the game, humbly accepting the curses and becoming our curse for us.

Rev. Brian Thieme, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbia, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 15. “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place.” Absalom repays his father’s kiss of peace with a kiss of betrayal, buying his way into the hearts of Israel. His actions are ungrateful and underhanded, but in 2 Samuel 15 King David does not respond in kind. Like Jesus Christ, he entrusts himself to God and patiently endures the injustice, knowing that God will restore his throne if it is His will, in His own time. 

Rev. Curtis Deterding, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, Florida, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 14. “Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. And he sent a second time, but Joab would not come. [...] So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.” What kind of persuasive technique is that?! Chapter 14 shows the boldness of relationship. Whether it’s Absolom starting a fire in Joab’s field or Joab disguising someone as a widow in mourning, these characters don’t worry about the consequences of their audacity because they have faith in their relationships. Similarly, people seeking healing boldly broke through roofs, seized Jesus’s clothing, and trapped Him in His own words because of their faith. God’s Son Himself boldly took on the ‘disguise’ of human flesh as He mediated between God and man.

Rev. Doug Minton in Blaine, Minnesota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 13. Are we in love with a person, or an idea? When King David’s son Amnon falls in love with his half-sister Tamar, it’s not self-giving unconditional love, but infatuation with an “impossible” forbidden fruit. Jonadab, “a very crafty” snake of a man, merely stirs the pot—like the serpent of Eden. Guilt rests squarely on man, not God or anything else. David set a poor example for his sons with his power-crazed lust, even as he closes the chapter lamenting that his firstborn will never inherit his throne. The real tragedy however is that of Tamar, who like the first Tamar, only tries to make the best out of an impossible situation. In her suffering she is the most like Christ, willing even to marry the one who has most heinously wronged her. God’s love for us is even greater than our faithless wrongdoing.

Rev. Mark Jasa, pastor of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Pasadena, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 12. “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” Nathan’s story touches a nerve with David in chapter 12—the poor shepherd boy from Bethlehem lashes out at the pitiless Nabals and Sauls of his life. God mercifully uses this story of law to guide David to repentance, and when David confesses, God spares his life with Nathan’s word of gospel. There are, however, still consequences. Just as how David killed his own soldiers as collateral damage when he targeted Uriah, so too has David destroyed his own family with his murder of Uriah. Yet God works good from David’s evil, and the firstborn of David & Bathsheba atones and saves, just as God's own firstborn would later save and atone for us all.

Rev. Kevin Parviz, pastor of Congregation Chai v'Shalom in St. Louis, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 143. “Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.” Our children’s failures are a painful reflection of our own faults. Prince Absolom sought to put his own father to death, but David acknowledges in Psalm 143 that he had no one to blame but himself. Heartbroken but unwilling to hurt his own son, David’s faint spirit is dying in the wilderness as he runs from Absolom—only God’s good spirit can bring him back to life with the water of creation. Every life will fail to justify itself before God’s throne of judgment, so with David we call on God to act for the sake of His own righteousness, which He demonstrates in His faithful Son Jesus Christ.

Rev. Warren Woerth, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Arnold, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 11. “And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, ‘I am pregnant.’ So David sent word to Joab, ‘Send me Uriah the Hittite.’” This one sin is the action around which the rest of 2 Samuel revolves; and it doesn’t remain one sin for long, evolving into murder and the abuse of God’s name. Chapter 11 gives a sobering warning about how sin can come seemingly out of nowhere (“in the spring [...] late one afternoon”). Like Saul, despite years of faithful service, now David also deserves to fall from power. Rather than casting blame on Bathsheba or blaming David’s circumstances, we should see our own sin in David and Joab, who foremost cared about their image and their career. It was not God’s will that David sin, but that the Savior would be born to offer forgiveness for every kind of sin.

Rev. Jacob Heine, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Topeka, Kansas, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 10. “When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, ‘Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.’” David might’ve said, “Grow thicker skin!” or “Shake those haters off!” and sent them back to Jerusalem, but instead the king himself goes out of his way to help these men deal with their shame quietly so that they might return to their families and communities without further scandal. King Jesus did the same for lepers and sinners, meeting them on the fringes to bring them back among God’s people, just as He does for us. Chapter 10 teaches us about keeping faith and keeping confidence with others. It’s not about what we think we deserve or even need, but about what “What seems good to” God.

Rev. Lucas Witt, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Baltimore, Maryland, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 6. “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” David fetches the Ark of the Covenant for a big dedication in Jerusalem in chapter 6. At first glance, it looks like God judges Uzzah and Michal somewhat harshly for harmless picadillos. In the end however it is David who is responsible for what happens to Uzzah and Michal. He has let his anointment and his victories go to his head, invoking God’s name to justify his callous licentiousness. Despite all this, God mercifully spares His messiah for the sake of His people and for the sake of the Messiah yet to come.

Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, Minnesota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 2 Samuel 5. “King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.” Third time’s the charm? David’s first two anointments were disappointing: after the first he became an exile, and after the second, he found out that Ish-bosheth had already been installed as king over the North. This time in chapter 5 however, the circle widens from Bethlehem to Judah to all Israel, and the king of Tyre builds David a palace. God does indeed bless those who do His will with success, but not always immediately or in the ways we define “success.” David’s reign foreshadows Jesus Christ’s, who reigns not for forty years but forever.