St Marcus Mke Sermons

In our 2nd week of Advent, we continue in our series Listen. Don’t Look. This week we’ll be listening to the advice of John the Baptist, whose ministry could be summarized in one word – REPENT. Repentance seems completely counterintuitive to our natural condition, but our premise this week is that it’s actually the key to all progress in life. Looking at Matthew 3:1-10.

This week, we start Advent – the first season in the new Church Year. We’re starting a new series (Listen. Don’t Look.) that reminds us, as Christians, that we do not find our peace for life in the circumstances of a dying world, but in the promises of a living God. Jesus is going to teach us something about the certainty of life using the story of Noah’s Ark, Matthew 24:37-44.

This is the final week of the church year, called Christ the King Sunday. On it, we celebrate the fact that Jesus is the one who controls the entire cosmos for his glory and our benefit. One day the entire world will clearly see that. But Paul teaches in Colossians 1:13-20 that we can start benefiting from that information right now.

What is heaven really going to be like? We’d all like to know. This week, on Saints Triumphant Sunday, we’ll get a better look as we examine Revelation 22:1-5.

One of the more common objections to Christianity I get as a pastor today is the question: “How could a LOVING God send anyone to hell.” Even some leaders in large Christian churches have shied away from discussing hell or outright denied it. And sometimes from fellow Christians all we’ve received is “Well, the Bible says so, so I guess we have to believe it” which is accurate, but not particularly satisfying. This week, as we celebrate the Sunday called The Last Judgment in the church year, we’ll hopefully see The Beauty of Judgment Day as we examine 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10.

499 years ago, Martin Luther nailed 95 Theses to the front door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany. He couldn’t sit back and let the nonsense (e.g. the sale of indulgences to ‘earn’ the forgiveness of sins) being taught in churches at the time go on any longer. He had to stand up for the truth, a gospel truth he knew would truly liberate people from their sins and the darkness of unbelief. This week, as we celebrate Reformation Sunday, we celebrate the liberating power of the gospel as we examine John 8:31-36.

Jesus encourages us to be as innocent as doves but as shrewd as snakes (Matt. 10:16). We’ll see this week that this is certainly true when it comes to our wealth as well. The Bible commends us for using the brains God blesses with us as well as for investing in things that last. In our final JUST TO SEE week, we’ll look at the story of The Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-15).

Every world philosophy, including modern secularism, has agreed that the biggest key to happiness is gratitude. But what if you feel angered, frustrated, and struggle with thankfulness? You and I regularly need our thoughts recalibrated by gospel promises. We’re working through the middle of the Gospel of Luke and digging deeper into these stories than we’ve ever dug before. This week, we look at the story of The Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19).

We’re working through the middle of the Gospel of Luke and digging deeper into these stories than you’ve ever dug before. This week, we look at the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). This account tells us about natural obstacles to investigating Jesus, the relentless pursuit with which Christ seeks us, and the inevitable transformation of grace that happens when Jesus truly comes into your home.

We’ll be working through several chapters from the Gospel of Luke in the upcoming weeks and digging deeper into these stories than you’ve ever dug before. This week, we look at the story of The Rich Man and Poor Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). This account gives us fascinating insights on the experience of hell, the illusion of control offered by wealth, and the delusion caused by self-centeredness.

In worship this week we’ll be discussing the importance of Christian Education both on an “important ministry of St. Marcus” level and on a “Christian faith is designed to be a lifelong pursuit” level. In other words, the person who knows very little about the gospel is the person who believes they fully have grasped the gospel. To “know Christ” is to be in constant study of his Word. Sermon based on Deuteronomy 6:1-9  

This week we’ll be talking about A SABBATH REST. Humans are finite creatures that need rest. So what’s the spiritual reason why many of us are so driven to work ALL THE TIME and even feel guilty when we take a day off? We’ll talk about how to enter true recuperative rest and gain a healthy sense of work & rest as we meditate on Hebrews 4:1-11.

In our last week of this series, we’ll be talking about THE LOVE OF GOD. This generation of Christians has often been conditioned to think of God in loving terms. However, many  Christians simply don’t know what to think when negative circumstances in life inevitable strike. They think, "How could a LOVING God _______________?” It feels like divine rejection. Romans 8:35-39 has some answers. 

 This week we’ll be talking THE JUSTICE OF GOD. One of the best/clearest explanations of the gospel in the Bible is 2 Cor. 5:21. It teaches us that the gospel of Jesus Christ involves BOTH the forgiveness of sins AND the gift of Christ’s righteousness. An understanding of God’s justice system can help relieve anxiety about past mistakes, reduce pressure for perfect performance, and offer a lens through which we view our fellow man positively. 

This week, we’ll be talking GOD’S REMEDY TO OUR DEPRESSION. Many of us have heard Christians make somewhat insensitive comments about depression being merely a lack of faith. Then again, many of us have heard others make comments about depression being merely a chemical issue, when there clearly seems to be some lack of trust in God present. So what is it? The Bible’s take might surprise you.

This week we’ll be talking HOW THE GOSPEL OVERWHELMS ANXIETY. Many Christians can summarize the basics of the gospel, but are much less accustomed to working the gospel into the corners of their lives as a resource for navigating a big, scary, fallen world. The gospel is the perfect tool for reducing anxiety.

What were the prevalent views about sex in New Testament times? How do they relate to us today? What did God really invent sex for? What happens if we use sex other than the way He designed... or if we actually do use it the way He designed?

Why are many of your parents constantly badgering you about finding a spouse? Is singleness a worse or better state than being married? How did Christianity revolutionize the world’s view of being single (because it most definitely did)? What about dating (or marrying) a non-believer? God’s design will help with all of this.