St Marcus Mke Sermons

Pastor Jeske concludes his Advent series "What Magnificent Advent Plan!" with his Bible study on Galatians 3:26 - 4:7 - "Perfect Timing". Paul gives his final contrast between God's people before Christ's coming and the position they enjoy now.   Paul has been stressing the temporal nature of the change. At this point he dwells on their status, moving from being slaves to becoming sons and daughters of their heavenly Father.  Although Israel prayed for the Messiah to come during its many terrible times of national crisis, God waited until the world was ready to receive His Son—when the message of the gospel could be carried to the ends of the earth.

This week we'll be studying Judges 16:23 - 31 under the theme "The Weakness of Samson." Samson is famous for his feats of strength, but is was actually spiritual weakness that characterized most of his life. Disobedience to God, breaking his vows, and serving other gods are what ultimately led to his death. But in that rock bottom moment, in repentance, he returned to the One who'd given him every good thing. Samson was constantly failing. But God's grace to him was relentlessly unfailing. In his death, Samson saved more than in his life. And in so many ways, he points us to someone even greater, who was strong in his weakness, and saved many in his death. 

Pastor Leyrer concludes his Advent Series "To Us a Child Is Born!" reflecting on Isaiah 9:6 "He Will Be Called...Prince of Peace."

Pastor Jeske' continues his advent series "What a Magnificent Advent Plan!" discussing the "retroactive benefits"  in Hebrews 11:8-19.  These verses highlight the glorious outcome of a lifetime of faith. The author reminds his readers that people like Abraham did not, in this life, receive all that they had been promised. God promised Abraham a nation as numerous as the stars. But all that Abraham received, in this life, was Isaac. Abraham died not yet receiving his nation. This did not stop Abraham from pressing on in faith. His faith was not in the reward but the God of the reward.

This week we'll be studying Judges 11:29 - 40 under the theme "The Recklessness of Jephthah." Like all of us, Jephthah is a bit of a product of his environment. He was raised in a highly dysfunctional environment, became a violent gang leader, but was tremendously gifted in leadership and battle. Unfortunately, though he knew who the true God was, Jephthah approached the Lord God not similar to the way the pagans worshipped their gods. In other words, he couldn't conceive of a God of grace, and it led him into doing, and saying, some really dangerous things. In Jephthah, we're reminded that God can use anyone to accomplish his purposes, but also that God's people will not want to approach him like any God, but as the one true God of grace.

In week two of Pastor Leyrer's advent series, we look at Isaiah 9:6 with the focus on "He Will Be Called...Everlasting Father".  The prophet gives four throne names for Jesus in this verse - one being "Everlasting Father".  He will be an enduring, compassionate provider and protector.

This morning, pastor Jeske brings part 2 of his Advent Series:  WHAT A MAGNIFICENT ADVENT PLAN! Diving into Jeremiah 30:4-10, we learn God will do far more than bring the Jewish exiles back to rebuild Jerusalem. He will give them the new covenant, enable them to live with him forever and without sin, and provide a new David—the Messiah—to be their king. This implies that the return from exile is only the first step in God’s much greater work.  

This week we'll be studying Judges 7:1-25 - under the theme "The Unlikely Leadership of Gideon." Gideon didn't actually have a lot going for him...from a worldly perspective. He's relatively poor, timid, and has no real connections. But when God flexes his muscles, he often uses such individuals, so that the glory is obviously his. We're going to see how, despite Gideon's constant need for reassurance, God ushers in a Kingdom victory against the Midianites through this broken vessel. 

Pastor Leyrer's 3 week Advent series "To Us a Child Is Born!" starts by looking at Isaiah 9:2-7.  Focusing on verse 6 - He Will Be Called ... Wonderful.  As Wonderful Counselor, the coming Son of David will carry out a royal program that will cause all the world to marvel.

Pastor Jeske's Advent series, "What a Magnificent Plan", kicks off with a study on the "Meticulous Genealogy" in Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-37.  Jews kept extensive genealogies as records of family descendants to establish a person’s heritage, inheritance, legitimacy, and rights. Matthew gives Jesus’ ancestry through Joseph’s line to demonstrate that Jesus is the legal heir to the covenant promises linked to David’s throne and the legal heir to the covenant promises linked to Abraham’s heirs and land.  Comparing Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew (Mt 1:1–16) with the one found in Luke, Matthew begins with Abraham and works forward to David and then to Jesus, whereas Luke works back from Jesus beyond Abraham to Adam as the son of God.  Each connection allows a point to be made about who Jesus is and whom he is qualified to serve. The connection to David establishes his rights as regal heir; Jesus can be king of Israel. “Son of God” in this sense involves the right to rule as the Promised One, the Son of David.  It

We're taking a 1-week break from our Judges series, and this week we'll be meditating on our aim as grateful pilgrims in this world as we study from 1 Peter 1:3-8.

On this Thanksgiving Day worship, pastor Jeske's bible study, SAY YOUR THANKS NOT ONLY AT MEALTIMES, dives into the verses of Psalm 136.  This psalm records a worship leader tracing God’s covenant love through the high points, verses that are devoted to the creation story, verses that retell the exodus, and a call to grateful worship.

Christ is Your King! Christ is Your Friend! This week's message is based on Colossians 1:15-23. 

This week we'll be studying Judges 4:1-24 - under the theme "The Bravery of Deborah." God, who designed humans as male and female, has always had a better way of perceiving gender and sexuality than the fallen world. Cultures tend to vacillate between overly restrictive traditionalist viewpoints to progressive viewpoints that contain no guidance or parameters. But everything that is created has design and intention. And God created us male and female. The narrative of Deborah, Barak, and Jael are something of a brilliant microcosm of Scripture's teaching about gender roles, spiritual gifts, and faithfulness.

Based on Daniel 12:1-3.    REMEMBER YOUR RESURRECTION!  I.   When Trouble II.  Gives Way to Triumph   Saints Triumphant Sunday points us to believers in heaven. The older we get, the more we look forward to living in glory. We peek into heaven through God’s Word and see Christian loved ones who have already been transferred from the church militant to the church triumphant. As much as we might miss them now, our hearts leap at the reminder that one day we will join them because their Savior is our Savior too.

Today's theme focuses on the Last Judgment with Pastor Jeske's bible study on Revelation 6:9-17 - What Will You Be Doing on Judgment Day?  At the end of the world, Jesus will come back in glory to judge both the living and the dead. Those who believe in him receive a verdict of “not-guilty.” Those who do not believe stand condemned to the eternal suffering of hell.    How wonderful it is to know our verdict ahead of time!  “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).  “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).  

SERIES SUMMARY: The Book of Judges bridges the period between the exodus of the Israelites in Egypt and wandering in the wilderness, to the time of the Kingdom of Israel. God's people have settled in Canaan, but they didn't drive out all the people's God commanded them to. As a result, they continually fell into worshipping foreign gods (i.e. idols). To chastise them, God would allow one of these neighboring nations to oppress them. The Israelites would cry to God for help. And God would then send them a deliverer, a savior, a "judge" to deliver them militarily. When peace were restored, things went well, Israel got spiritually lazy, and the cycle would repeat. In this book, we find a recurring metaphor for apathy in God's people, and yet, God's zealous love for his people seems to increase even as our failures remain.  This week we'll be studying Judges 3:12-20 -  under the theme "The Dirty Work of Ehud." Ehud is an unlikely hero, an apparently disabled man, whom God uses to shame the proud King Eglon of Mo

Today, we celebrate The Festival of the Lutheran Reformation looking at the question, "How Can I Be Sure about My Salvation?".  Pastor Jeske's bible study dives into II Peter 1:12-21. The Festival of the Lutheran Reformation of the Church emphasizes the true Church’s unfailing reliance on the Word of God and unflinching testimony to it in the face of persecution. Jesus promised to pour out his Spirit on the Church that we might be God’s mouthpiece even before kings. Today the Church prays that the Lord gives us the strength to be faithful and the peace of knowing our lives are safe in his hands.

In this, our final week of the series, we'll be studying 1 Peter 5:5-7 -  under the theme "HUMILITY (in Conversation) - RULE 9 - "Assume the person you're listening to might know something you don't." Jordan Peterson, as a clinical psychologist, knows that psychotherapy is more than just giving professional advice. It's engaged conversation, with an emphasis on listening. Humans need to be listened to in order to survive, but that requires humility on the part of the listener - a willingness to care about someone, and even reconsider your position based on their input. Listening is HARD. But it's a powerful expression of grace that can actually provide healing to the hurting. 

This morning, Pastor Jeske finishes his bible study on "All You Need Is Love" by diving into the concept of "Love Your Church" as laid out in 1 Peter 2:17 - Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.