St Marcus MKE Sermons

This week we'll be studying Acts 5:1-11 -  under the theme  "HONESTY - RULE 8 -  "Tell the truth - or, at least, don't lie. "  Honesty is the best policy...or so they say. "Best" in what regard? Honesty can certainly get us into trouble. It can certainly hurt feelings. Honesty can condemn. But it's also the only way forward. Whether we're talking about "telling lies" or "living lies" (i.e. denial)...

Today's message follows the theme "Love Your Neighbor" continuing Pastor Jeske's series on "All you Need Is Love".   The service includes a presentation on the Central Africa Medical Mission, a 60-year legacy of healthcare in Zambia and Malawi. The volunteers and national staff see many faces and have been a light of Jesus to many people. 

This week we'll be studying Romans 12:1-  under the theme  "SACRIFICE - RULE 7 -  "Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient). "  Modern people often look at the ancients, and their practice of things like "sacrifices" as primitive and unscientific. Jordan Peterson, however, would argue that the concept of sacrificing something good in the present in order to bless the future in an even mor...

Today, seminarian Silas Dose shares a message on Numbers 11:16, 24-29 with the theme "All God's People Proclaim".

This week we'll be studying James 4:11-12 under the theme  "CRITICISM - RULE 6 -  "Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world. "  While creating something meaningful is hard work, tearing something down takes very little effort. This is perhaps most evident in our words. And while there are many ways to cause destruction with our words, stander/criticism might be THE most diffi...

Today's bible study is part 2 in the series, "All You Need is Love".  Today, Pastor Jeske focuses on the theme "Love Yourself".  Diving into I Corinthians 1:4-9, Paul expresses thanks to God for the Christians in Corinth.  God had been very kind to them, and he had done wonderful things in their lives. Most Christians in Corinth were not wealthy (1:26), but they lacked nothing in their relationshi...

This week we'll be studying Hebrews 12:7-11 under the theme  " PARENTING  - RULE 5 -  "Don't let kids do anything that makes you dislike them. "  The fact that God uses the term "Father" as a way for us to describe his relationship with us is fascinating and fairly unique to  Christianity. As a loving father, however, the assumption of the writer to the Hebrews is that this means God will discipli...

Pastor Jeske launches a new series "All You Need is Love".   Today's message focuses on loving God.  God calls us to know and love him.  Here’s the heart of what God wants from us. First: to understand who God is.  Second: God wants our devotion, loyalty, and love. Develop habits that help you know and love so you don’t forget. To know and love God means that we take repeated action to integrate t...

This week we'll be studying 2 Corinthians 10:12-18 under the theme  "COMPARISON - RULE 4 -  "Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today. "  If you don't find your identity in the gift of Christ's righteousness, you're going to look for it comparing some aspect of your life against the lives of others, just the way the rest of the world establishes identity. This w...

With the theme of teaching your children, Pastor Jeske's bible study today focuses on the first 8 verses of Psalm 78.  The psalm was apparently written by Asaph, who was a Levite and a music leader in the service of King David.  People who do not orient their lives on the testimony of God in Scripture cannot know what is good for them or for their children. They may have strong opinions about what...

WHO IS EQUAL TO SUCH A TASK? I.   You Are!  You Have Words Blessed by Christ. II.  You Are!  You Are People Sent by God.   Based on 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

Pastor Jeske completes his series on the songs and poems of the Divine Service with his study on the  Agnus Dei.   Turning again to the Revelation to St. John, at one point John sees a scroll in the right hand of the One who was sitting on the throne. A “strong angel” puts forth the challenge, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”  Then, between the throne and the elders, the Lam...

This week we'll be studying 1 Samuel 18:1-4 & 2 Samuel 1:26 under the theme  "FRIENDSHIP - RULE 3 - Make friends with people who want the best for you."  In the middle of paradise, God said that it was not good for man to be alone. If humans cannot survive Eden without friends, why would we think we can survive this place without believing friends? We'll take a look at the relationship between Dav...

Pastor Jeske continues his series on The Divine Service with a bible study on the  Sanctus:  Holy is the Lord God.  If any part of the service has been recognized as providing a glimpse of heaven, it's the Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of your glory.”  This is the eternal song of the angels who hover over the throne of God in the vision of heaven that w...

This week we'll be studying Psalm 139:1-6, 13-16 under the theme  "STEWARDSHIP OF SELF - RULE 2 - Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping."  An apparent problem with modern western culture is the narcissistic obsession with self. With the rise of social media in the 2010s, every youth became a brand ambassador. It's killing self-image, community, expectations, and healthy relat...

When we pray, we’re often hesitant. Hesitant to believe that our small voices will be heard by the sovereign God reigning in heaven. Hesitant to think we even have the right words to say. But Jesus gave His disciples—and us—the Lord’s Prayer as a guide in our prayer life. This prayer contains words of confession, thanks, recognition, need, and praise; it’s the perfect prayer model from our perfect...

This week we'll be studying  2 Kings 6:8-23  under the theme  " CONFIDENCE - RULE 1 "Stand up straight with your shoulders back. "  Humans, like animals, all fit into an invisible social structure called a dominance hierarchy that impacts our health, wealth, and and overall wellness. Much of this is based on confidence and aptitude. But is there a way to find healthy confidence without slipping in...

Pastor Jeske continues his series on the parts of the Divine Service with today's study on the Nicene Creed.  We use two creeds in our worship services from week to week: The Apostles' Creed and The Nicene Creed.  Because the wording of the Apostles’ Creed developed over several hundred years, its authorship is unknown. It is clear that the apostles did not write the creed. Rather, the creed expre...

This week we'll be studying  Luke 9:23  under the theme  "Biblical Discipleship."  Biblical Discipleship is the 3rd of our St. Marcus Core Values. We often talk about discipleship as allowing ourselves to be mentored by a Christian more seasoned than us and then helping mentor someone who is perhaps a step or two behind us. This is clearly God's design for the development of his Church. Furthermor...

Settings of the Gloria in Excelsis find their origin in the song of the heavenly host to the shepherds near Bethlehem (Luke 2).  Today's service focuses on the meaning and importance of the Gloria in Excelsis Christians across the world use in their liturgies.  It is a heavenly song that the angels sing, one similar to the songs of heaven found throughout Revelation; for example: "Worthy is the La...

This week we'll be studying Ephesians 6:10-24 under the theme "Spiritual Warfare." As a deceiver and accuser, Satan's primary methodology is to trick us into think something that's not the real problem is the real problem. He convinces us to believe that our struggle in life is against flesh & blood - people, organizations, ideologies. In reality, the real struggle is spiritual. And if we don't de...

Pastor Jeske's sermon series on the Divine Service begins with a message on 'Kyrie,' the ancient Greek contraction of the phrase "Lord, Have Mercy on Us." The focus of this morning's study is based on Luke 18:35 -43.

This week we'll be studying  Ephesians 6:1-9  under the theme  "The Ministry of Authority."  Americans have an interesting, sometimes unfortunate history with authority. We're a nation born out of revolution. While authorities do, in fact, need to be held accountable, they are nonetheless an establishment of God to bring peace and protection into our lives. Whether we're talking about parent/child...

This week we'll be studying  Ephesians 5:21-33  under the theme  "The Ministry of Marriage."  The first human relationship, and the most fundamental relationship for society, by God's design, is marriage. When it's ungodly, there's arguably nothing on earth closer to hell. When it's godly, there's perhaps nothing on earth closer to heaven. God ministers to us powerfully through marriage partners....

Today's theme is "Rest in the Lord".  Pastor' Leyrer's study "On Vacation with Jesus" dives into Mark 6:30-34. I.   When Physical Rest Disappoints  II.  His Rest Always Delivers.