Rev. Joel Heckmann, pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Okarche, OK, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 20:19-31. Though Jesus’ disciples had locked themselves away for fear of the Jews, the risen Savior Jesus came and stood in their midst the evening of Easter. He delivered His peace to them by His Word, and He sent them with His peace and the Holy Spirit to forgive and retain sins with His authority. Thomas was not present with the other disciples that evening, and he refused to b...
Apr 11, 2023•54 min
Rev. Nate Hill, pastor at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Winchester, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 20:1-18. Mary Magdalene comes to Jesus’ tomb early in the morning on the first day of the week to find the stone taken away. She runs to tell Peter and John to announce that they cannot find where the Lord has been taken. These two disciples run to the tomb and find it in a state that cannot have been left by grave robbers, though they did not understand yet from the Scripture t...
Apr 10, 2023•54 min
Rev. Jacob Dandy, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church and School in Terra Bella, CA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 19:31-42. The Jews ask Pilate to break the legs of those who are crucified in order to hasten death. Jesus’ bones are not broken because He is already dead; this fulfills Scripture and reminds us that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. When the soldier pierces Jesus’ side with a spear, blood and water flow forth. This does not only indicate that J...
Apr 07, 2023•51 min
Rev. Jeremiah Johnson, pastor at Glory of Christ Lutheran Church in Plymouth, MN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 19:17-30. Jesus is taken to the Place of the Skull for His crucifixion between two others. Despite the objection of the chief priests, Pilate’s inscription above Jesus reads, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” The fact that it is written in three different languages hints at the fact that Jesus is on the cross as the King for all sinners. The soldiers take Jesus’ ...
Apr 06, 2023•55 min
Rev. Sean Kilgo, pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lawrence, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 19:1-16. Though the crown of thorns and purple robe given to Jesus are intended to mock Him, these garments truly show that He is the King that sinners need. Pilate’s proclaims concerning Jesus, “Behold the man!” His words unwittingly identify Jesus as the new Adam who has come to take the curse of sin upon Himself and suffer death to win us life. Though Pilate knows Jesus is innocent...
Apr 05, 2023•55 min
Rev. Richard Mittwede, pastor at University Lutheran Church in Austin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 18:28-40. Jesus is led from the house of Caiaphas to the headquarters of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. Though the Jewish leaders have no real accusation against Jesus, they are insistent that Pilate must decide the case, which God uses to fulfill Jesus’ words concerning His death by crucifixion. As Pilate begins to question Jesus, once again the Lord ends up as the One who...
Apr 04, 2023•55 min
Rev. Charles St-Onge, missionary pastor at Ascension Lutheran Church in Montreal, Quebec, Canada through the Office of National Mission for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 18:15-27. As Jesus goes to His trial, Simon Peter faces his own. John’s connection to the high priest gives Peter access to the high priest’s court. When Peter is questioned there, he denies that he is one of Jesus’ disciples three times, in accord with Jesus’ Word. Meanwhile, Je...
Apr 03, 2023•55 min
Rev. James Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 18:1-14. Jesus faces His Passion knowingly and willingly. He goes across the Kidron Valley to a garden well-known to Judas. When Judas comes with a large group of soldiers, Jesus initiates the conversation. When He identifies Himself as “I AM,” the one true God, the soldiers draw back and fall to the ground. In fulfillment of His own Word, Jesus allows Himself to be arrested and bound ...
Mar 31, 2023•56 min
Rev. Carl Roth, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 17:20-27. As Jesus concludes His prayer on Maundy Thursday, He asks the Father on behalf of those disciples to come who will believe through the Word that will be preached by His disciples. In this, Jesus prays for His Church still today, that we would share the unity that He has with His Father. This prayer of Jesus is answered in the unity that He gives in His Word, not in any man-made att...
Mar 30, 2023•54 min
Rev. Dr. Adam Filipek, pastor at Holy Cross and Immanuel Lutheran Churches, both in Lidgerwood, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 17:11-19. Jesus continues to pray on Maundy Thursday prior to His betrayal. He prays that His disciples would be one, just as He is One with the Father. Jesus has guarded His own, and only Judas was lost in fulfillment of the Scripture. Now that Jesus is coming to the Father, He prays that the Father would keep them from the evil one as the disciples rem...
Mar 29, 2023•54 min
Rev. Dr. Adam Koontz, pastor and evangelist at Trinity Lutheran Church in Denver, CO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 17:1-10. As Jesus’ time with His disciples on Maundy Thursday draws to a close, He prays to His Father. The hour has come, and Jesus asks the Father to glorify Him so that He may give eternal life to those who have been given to Him. This eternal life is true faith in the Father and Jesus, His Son, and comes through the glory that Jesus through His cross. Jesus prays ...
Mar 28, 2023•54 min
Rev. Tim Storck, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Chesterfield, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 16:16-33. Jesus tells His disciples that in a very short time, they will not see Him, but then after another very short time, they will see Him again. When His disciples do not understand, Jesus clarifies by comparing the situation to a woman giving birth. As a woman knows sorrow while she is in labor, so Jesus’ disciples will have sorrow when they no longer see Him after He ...
Mar 27, 2023•55 min
Rev. David Vandercook, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Little Rock, AR and Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church in Maumelle, AR, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 16:4b-15. Jesus speaks as He does in the Upper Room on Maundy Thursday because He know He is about to go to the Father who sent Him. Though the disciples have sorrow over what Jesus has been saying, He reassures them that it is to their advantage that He goes away. That is true in the sense that He will go away to His...
Mar 24, 2023•54 min
Rev. Luke Zimmerman, pastor at Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mechanicsburg, PA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 15:18-16:4a. Jesus prepares His disciples for the persecution they will face on His account. As the world hated Jesus, so the world will hate Jesus’ disciples. Some people will receive the disciples’ word as the Word of Christ, yet those who do not believe are guilty of sin against Him and the Father. Jesus will send the Holy Spirit from the Father to help His disc...
Mar 23, 2023•55 min
Rev. Andrew Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Haven, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 15:12-17. Jesus continues to teach concerning the new commandment that He gave previously in His Upper Room Discourse. His disciples’ love for each other is based on the love that He has shown and given them. Jesus’ love is the greatest of all, because He has laid down His life on behalf of all. He calls His disciples His friends because He tells them what He is doing. They did not ...
Mar 22, 2023•54 min
Rev. Dr. Scott Murray, pastor at Memorial Lutheran Church in Houston, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 15:1-11. When Jesus calls Himself the true vine, He picks up Old Testament imagery from the prophet Isaiah. Where Israel was unfaithful, Jesus is entirely faithful. The Father prunes believers for the sake of keeping us connected to Jesus and making us more fruitful. Only as we remain in Jesus and He remains in us can we bear any fruit. As branches, we must remain connected to Ch...
Mar 21, 2023•55 min
Rev. Daniel Golden, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Parkersburg, WV, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 14:22-31. In response to Jesus’ teaching in His Upper Room Discourse, one of Jesus’ lesser known apostles speaks up. Judas the son of James asks the Lord how He will manifest Himself to the disciples but not the world. Jesus answers that this happens through His Word. The disciples who love Jesus’ Word will be loved by the Father and the Son, and they will make a home with the d...
Mar 20, 2023•56 min
Rev. Steve Andrews, pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee's Summit, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 14:15-21. Jesus continues His Upper Room Discourse with His disciples, preparing them for His upcoming passion, death, and resurrection. In love for Him, His disciples will keep His commandments. To aid them, Jesus will ask the Father, who will send them the Spirit of truth to be their Helper and Comforter. Though the world will not receive Him, the Holy Spirit will dwell wi...
Mar 17, 2023•55 min
Rev. Peter Ill, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 14:8-14. In the midst of Jesus’ comforting discourse to His disciples, Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father. Though Philip should have known the answer to his request after three years with Jesus, the Lord is gracious and continues to teach His disciples. In seeing Jesus, they have already seen the Father. Jesus’ Words are spoken on the Father’s authority, and His works testify to...
Mar 16, 2023•55 min
Rev. Matt Wietfeldt, Vice President of Admission and director of the Christ Academy program at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 14:1-7. In His discourse to His disciples in the Upper Room on Maundy Thursday, Jesus prepares them not only for His quickly-approaching passion and death, but also for His mission for them to go into the world with the Gospel after His resurrection and ascension. He tells His disciples that their hearts need n...
Mar 15, 2023•54 min
Rev. David Boisclair, pastor at Bethesda and Faith Lutheran Churches in north St. Louis County, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 13:21-38. After Jesus washes His disciples’ feet and teaches them the importance, He reveals that one of His Twelve will betray Him. In the midst of their uncertainty, John asks Jesus which disciple would do this. By sharing a piece of bread with Judas at that moment, Jesus highlights the depth of betrayal. Judas leaves into the darkness, a reminder of t...
Mar 14, 2023•56 min
Rev. Bernie Schey, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Old Dime Box, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 13:1-20. Before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus shows His disciples the fullness of His love. Even as Judas is preparing to betray the Lord, Jesus becomes the most humble servant to the disciples as He washes their feet. When Peter objects, Jesus says that Peter must receive such humble service from Jesus, for this footwashing foreshadows the even greater service Jesus will give...
Mar 13, 2023•55 min
Rev. Harrison Goodman, content executive for Higher Things, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 12:44-50. Jesus speaks His final public words prior to His suffering and death. He cries out and reiterates His connection to the Father. Those who believe in Jesus believe in the Father; those who see Jesus see the Father. In this way, Jesus is the light who takes us out darkness. He has come to save the world from judgment, yet those who do not receive His Word have a judge in His Word. This...
Mar 10, 2023•54 min
Rev. Philip Hoppe, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Colby, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 12:34-43. The crowd listening to Jesus on Palm Sunday knows that He has been speaking about His death, but they do not know how Jesus could then be the Christ. Jesus proclaims the urgency of the situation; He is the light in whom they must believe right now. When the crowd does not believe, Jesus withdraws from them; all of this is in fulfillment of what the Lord had spoken by the proph...
Mar 09, 2023•56 min
Rev. Dustin Beck, pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warda, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 12:20-33. Right after the Pharisees complain that the whole world is going after Jesus, some Greeks voice their desire to see Jesus. Jesus takes this as the opportunity to announce that the hour for His glorification has come. As a grain of wheat must die in order to bear fruit, so Jesus’ death will bring forth great fruit in forgiveness and salvation. Though His soul is troubled, sti...
Mar 08, 2023•55 min
Rev. Andrew Wright, pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Topeka, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 12:12-19. When Jesus enters into Jerusalem, the excited crowds take palm branches to meet Him as a sign of the victory they expect Him to bring. They greet Him with shouts of “Hosanna” as they sing from Psalm 118, acclaiming Him as the coming King of Israel. Even if their perception was not quite correct, the text teaches us to receive Jesus rightly as our coming Savior, even as we...
Mar 07, 2023•55 min
Rev. Andrew Jagow, pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church in Alexandria, VA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 12:1-11. Six days before the Passover, the day before Palm Sunday, Jesus is in Bethany, the town where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived. At a dinner in Bethany, Mary comes to Jesus and anoints Him with extremely extravagant perfume. Feigning piety, Judas protests the action out of a desire to help himself to more money. Jesus commends Mary’s action as having been done in preparation...
Mar 06, 2023•56 min
Rev. David Vandercook, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Little Rock, AR and Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church in Maumelle, AR, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 11:45-57. The reaction to Jesus’ raising of Lazarus is mixed. Many believe in Jesus, but when the Pharisees find out what happen, their resolve to kill Jesus only grows. They take the matter to the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, which actually has some authority to do something. Their deliberation refuses to ac...
Mar 03, 2023•55 min
Rev. David Appold, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Paducah, KY, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 11:28-44. Martha goes to her sister Mary because Jesus wants to speak with Mary as well. Mary greets Jesus with the same words as Martha—if Jesus had been here, Lazarus would not have died. Such a prayer to the Lord is a fitting lament to the only One who can do something to help. While the mourners with Mary can provide some comfort by being with her, only Jesus can provide true a...
Mar 02, 2023•55 min
Rev. Dan Speckhard, pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church and School in North Judson, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study John 11:17-27. When Jesus arrives in Bethany four days after Lazarus’ death, all hope for a reversal of Lazarus’ condition seems lost. Martha greets Jesus with raw honesty: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Such lamenting before the Lord is exactly what pious Christians should do. As Jesus speaks with Martha, He moves her beyond pious platitud...
Mar 01, 2023•56 min
