Thy Strong Word from KFUO Radio

Rev. Tom Park, Assistant Professor of Theology at Concordia University Irvine, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Numbers 8. Numbers 8 starts by talking about menorahs, the lampstands that you seen around Advent and Christmas when Hanukkah is celebrated. Only, these menorahs are a little different: they have seven lamps which can be pointed in different directions within the dark Tabernacle. What’s that about? Why are there seve... Read more

Rev. Thomas Eckstein, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Jamestown, North Dakota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Numbers 7. The first part of Numbers picks up where Leviticus left off, describing the roles of the Levites and the priests, concluding with the priestly blessing. Numbers chapter 7 goes back one month to where the book of Exodus left off, describing the big-picture experience of the Israelites as a whole. Th... Read more

Rev. Stewart Crown, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Palo Alto, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Numbers 6.

Rev. John Lukomski, retired pastor, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Numbers 5. Numbers chapter 5 is one of the strangest and most foreign parts of the Bible from our modern Western perspective. What is leprosy? Why did people with leprosy have to live in quarantine outside of the Israelite camp? Besides this passage about disease, most of the chapter deals with suspicions and accusations of adultery. But what is this “water o... Read more

Rev. Darrin Sheek, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Anaheim, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Numbers 4.

Rev. Dr. Alfonso Espinosa, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Irvine, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Numbers 3. Nadab and Abihu ate and drank with God on Mt. Sinai and beheld the otherworldly sapphire at His feet. They were the eldest sons of Aaron, the original high priest. And yet, as Numbers 3 reminds us, they were executed for their disobedience. Human sin is serious, and it will be dealt with seriously ... Read more

Rev. Heath Curtis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Worden & Zion Lutheran Church in Carpenter, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Numbers 2. Numbers chapter 2 begins with two big signs that point ahead to our Lord Jesus: the tribe of Judah and the sunrise in the east. Like the Garden of Eden with its tree of life, the Tabernacle faced towards the east. As God’s people looked to the sunrise to find salvation on the... Read more

Rev. Tim Ostermeyer, pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in St. Ann, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Numbers 1. Although Numbers begins in chapter 1 with a census, the book is much more than factoids and figures. As its Hebrew name “in the wilderness” suggests, Numbers actually tells the 40-year story of Israel’s wilderness wandering, through plagues, espionage, and miraculous events. It picks up right where Leviticus le... Read more

Rev. Ken Wagener, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study John 21. Waves tossing against a boat on the Sea of Galilee, fish roasting over a charcoal fire on the beach: a mundane yet majestic image of the resurrection. In John’s final chapter 21, seven disciples are present for this last resurrection appearance, seemingly every disciple we’ve been on this journey with: Peter,... Read more

Rev. Kevin Parviz, pastor of Congregation Chai v’Shalom in St. Louis, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 35.

Rev. Bernard Ross, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Alma, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study John 20. For all eternity, Mary Magdalene bears the honor of being the first herald of the Lord’s resurrection, the original messenger of Easter, and the apostle to the apostles. She goes up to the tomb before anyone else and makes a discovery that will change everything forever: Jesus’s tomb was mysteriously lacking a dead... Read more

Rev. Mark Kiessling, Director of Youth Ministry with the LCMS Office of National Mission, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study John 19.

Rev. Shawn Kumm, pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cody, Wyoming, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study John 18. Even in the deep of night, the light of the world shines on. Confronted with lanterns, torches, and weapons, our Lord doesn’t shrink back. In fact, He so candidly gives Himself up, the soldiers fall back! Three times Jesus pierces the darkness and hints that He is the Messiah. Later, before the high priest, He... Read more

Rev. Dustin Beck, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Corpus Christi, Texas, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study John 17. In the final hours before His betrayal, our Lord allows us to peer over His shoulder and enter into His prayer life. This prayer, known as the High Priestly Prayer, is prayed both for our benefit and for our instruction, much like the Lord's Prayer. Instead of “hallowed be thy name,” He prays “glorify your So... Read more

Rev. William Cwirla, pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hacienda Heights, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study John 16. In John 16, on the eve of His betrayal and crucifixion, Jesus continues to prepare His disciples for what is to come. Is this lesson only for them, or does it apply to us too? Pastor Bill Cwirla explains that there are multiple levels going on here. On the one hand, Jesus was leaving because He... Read more

Rev. David Andrus, pastor of Abiding Savior Lutheran Church in St. Louis and Not-Alone.net Ministries, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study John 15. Our Lord Jesus says that it’s time to go out and face the darkness, so He makes His closing remarks. John chapter 15 begins with the final symbolic “I am the” statement: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” This recalls our Lord’s very first miraculous sign of turni... Read more

Rev. Mark Jasa, pastor of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Pasadena, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study John 14. Peter, Thomas, Philip, and the rest of the disciples are sad and confused. They trust in God and they want to follow Jesus wherever He goes, no matter what. In John chapter 14, Jesus sees their distress and responds in love: it’s going to be alright, even if they’re separated. They will be separated, but Jesus... Read more

Rev. Mark Preus, pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church & Campus Center in Laramie, Wyoming, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study John 13. Many readers are confused by the opening words of John chapter 13: “Now before the Feast of the Passover.” Hang on a second, what? John chapter 13 describes the Last Supper, but did that happen before Passover? That would contradict Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and it would put the crucifixion not on... Read more

Rev. Todd Kollbaum, Director of Rural and Small Town Mission with the LCMS Office of National Mission, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study John 12. Learn more at lcms.org/rstm. John 12 completes the thought of the previous chapter: now that Lazarus has been raised back to life, even the hard-hearted people in Judea are coming around on this guy from Nazareth. Our Lord is welcomed into the city like a war hero, as palm branches an... Read more