Run the Race Marked Out For You
Run the Race Marked Out For You I. Christ is Your Strength II. God Gives You Training Based on Hebrews 12:1-11
Aug 18, 2019•28 min
St Marcus MKE Sermons
Weekly Sermons from St. Marcus Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Episodes
Romans: The Foundation of Christian Teaching - Life By the Spirit
This is the FINAL WEEK in our summer series on Romans. After explaining our justification (chapters 1-4), and our the initial natural reactions of our flesh to that justification (chapters 5-7), the Apostle Paul is now going to teach us about how to lead a “Life by the Spirit” (Rom. 8:5-17). This involves a radical redefining of WHO you are and WHAT you do in life.
Aug 13, 2019•34 min
Romans: The Foundation of Christian Teaching - War with Self
We’re up to week 9 of 10 in our summer Romans series. In chapter 6, Paul addressed the attitude that if Jesus paid for our sins, our sins must not matter anymore. Now, in chapter 7, he’s moving into teaching us how to better fight temptation. All Christians struggle with sin. But all Christians are also given a supernatural power to overcome. And the long-term answer to winning more battles is not merely in asserting greater willpower. This week we’ll look at a lesson on “War With Self” as we st...
Aug 04, 2019•37 min
Romans: The Foundation of Christian Teaching - Slaves to Righteousness
In Romans 6, Paul is helping us work out the implications of “Justification” (i.e. God declares us “not guilty” of our sins because of Jesus’ work. That means eternal salvation! But what does it mean for my life RIGHT NOW?) If my sins don’t detract from my salvation, do they even matter? If good works don’t generate salvation, then why bother? Paul anticipates that logic and responds by giving us a lesson on what it means to be “Slaves to Righteousness” in Romans 6:19-23.
Jul 28, 2019•32 min
Romans: The Foundation of Christian Teaching - United to Christ
We are in the 2nd half of our summer series on Romans. The Apostle Paul has clearly established that salvation comes as the gift of Christ Jesus, not through pedigree (who you are) or performance (what you do). The natural response for some listeners was to say, “Well, I guess what I do in my life doesn’t make any difference then. Are you saying my sins don’t matter?” Paul is directly addressing that logic this week and it’s supremely practical. Paul confronts everything you’ve ever been disgust...
Jul 21, 2019•32 min
Romans: The Foundation of Christian Teaching - What Justification Brings
This week we begin our 2nd half of the series on Romans. The Apostle Paul is shifting from making the radical statement that we are saved by grace (NOT performance or pedigree) through faith in chapters 1-4 to now teaching about how that impacts our present lives in chapters 5-8. This week we’ll learn 4 distinct and amazing implications of the Christian gospel as we worship under the theme “What Justification Brings” and study Romans 5:1-11.
Jul 14, 2019•33 min
Romans: The Foundation of Christian Teaching - The Boast of the Gospel
Every human wants acceptance, love, and appreciation. In this world, we’re convinced we’ll have to work for it. That’s how the world operates - meritocracy. So we work hard at something on which all our hope rests. The Apostle Paul would call that life pursuit our “boast.” And if we achieve what we’re working for, we become proud. If we fail at what we’re working for, we start self-loathing. Both of those are dangerous. But what if there was a validation we could receive that would make us confi...
Jun 30, 2019•33 min
Romans: The Foundation of Christian Teaching - The Righteousness of the Gospel
At the center of all biblical doctrine is Paul’s Letter to the Romans. And at the center of Romans is the notion of gifted “RIGHTEOUSNESS,” perhaps the most under-comprehended, underappreciated teaching of the Bible. This week we’ll do our most thorough study of this concept of “The Righteousness of the Gospel” as we examine Romans 3:21-31.
Jun 23, 2019•34 min
Romans: The Foundation of Christian Teaching - Religious People Need the Gospel
In Romans, Paul teaches that the good news of Jesus is the only one-size-fits-all solution for humanity. Last week we established that the gospel is the thing that the pagan world desperately needs. The bad behaviors in society come when people suppress the truth of God and exchange it for a love of created things. This week, Paul teaches about another form of idolatry – a religious idolatry. Consequently, though they tend to be shocked by this revelation, religious people need the gospel just a...
Jun 16, 2019•34 min
Romans: The Foundation of Christian Teaching - Pagan People Need the Gospel
Humanity’s greatest need is reconciliation to the God we’ve rebelled against. Last week, the Apostle Paul told us that this reconciliation cannot come through man’s work, but only through Christ’s gift. This week, Paul adds the thought that the pagan world is not inherently interested in this “good news” of Jesus. This world inherently knows the truths of God, but suppresses those inconvenient truths, choosing to worship created things rather than a Creator God. And this idolatry drives all the ...
Jun 09, 2019•34 min
Romans: The Foundation of Christian Teaching - Intro to the Gospel
This summer we’re going to be working our way through the first half of Paul’s Letter to the Romans , which is considered by many scholars to be the most foundational of Christian writings. It is here that the Apostle Paul, who is the primary human agent that God uses to record the New Testament, lays out the essence of the gospel in the most comprehensive form. This week, as we hear Paul stating that he is not “ashamed” of the gospel, we’ll be looking at the natural offense the message of Jesus...
Jun 02, 2019•24 min
O Church Arise: Merely Human Messengers
This is our final week in the series and we’ll be worshipping under the theme “Merely Human Messengers.” This week we examine a fascinating account from Acts 14:8-21 in which the pagans in the city of Lystra don’t know what to make of Christian missionaries Paul and Barnabas. In fact, after witnessing a miracle, they start worshipping them as gods. This week we’ll examine what we can learn from this for our own witness.
May 26, 2019•32 min
O Church Arise: Paul’s Early Preaching
Our theme for this week is “Paul’s Early Preaching.” When it comes to witnessing, an area where many Christians get stuck is in debating peripherals – aspects of the sanctified life God intends for his people. In reality, the most important point of discussion is “Did Jesus rise?” Our willingness to submit to his will all hinges on whether or not he’s God. The Apostle Paul is excellent about always staying on task and we too can learn how to stay focused in spiritual discussions as we study Acts...
May 19, 2019•29 min
O Church Arise: What the Church Did
Our theme for this week is “What the Church Did.” In Chapter 11, after hearing three stories of conversion, we start to understand that the gospel is moving full force out into the Gentile world. Perhaps the best example of that is the church in Antioch under the leadership of Barnabas. Studying that location and that guy will give us a fantastic insight in how the Holy Spirit seeks to work through his churches in the city today. This week’s message comes from Acts 11:19-30....
May 12, 2019•37 min
O Church Arise: The Conversion of Saul
Our theme for this week is “The Conversion of Saul.” The Book of Acts tells us a great deal about conversion. Conversion is an essential part of Christianity. And while in one sense, our hearts are converted only once, in another sense, as our sinful unbelief it’s perpetually being fought by the Spirit, our hearts are continually converting. Saul of Tarsus, who turns from persecutor of Christians to famous missionary is perhaps the most famous conversion in history and there’s a ton to learn as ...
May 05, 2019•33 min
O Church Arise: Philip and a Foreigner
Our theme for this week is “Philip and a Foreigner.” The Book of Acts tells us the story of the Early Christian Church. By and large, what the Spirit of God moved the early Christians to believe and do would seemingly fully apply to us still today. This includes things like gospel proclamation, conversion, discipleship, communal love and healing, etc. In the second quarter of Acts , we see numerous stories of conversion that should shape the way we understand Christianity, and inspire us to deep...
Apr 29, 2019•30 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: Coming as King
Our theme for this week is “Jesus: Coming as King.” The Bible is filled with irony at its most crucial moments. When God becomes human at Christmas, he’s born in a barn , lower than most humans. When Jesus conquers Satan on Good Friday, it’s not the blood of enemies, but his own blood being poured out. When Jesus rises on Easter Sunday he appears first to women, who don’t legally qualify as witnesses . When God the Spirit evangelizes about Jesus at Pentecost, he does so through Peter, the guy wh...
Apr 14, 2019•29 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: The Next Life
Our theme for this week is “Jesus: The Next Life.” Will we be married in heaven? It’s not a question to which a simple “YES” or “NO” is a sufficient answer. It’s complicated. But it’s also beautiful. And it’s practical. That’s what made it a great test question when the Sadducees presented it to Jesus. His answer is paradigm-shifting. And in the process, Jesus exposes the real issue with the Sadducees, which is one that we unwittingly struggle with just as much. We’ll find out how to leverage th...
Apr 07, 2019•33 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: Why Grace and Not Merit.
Our theme for this week is “Jesus: Why Grace and Not Merit.” This week we’re taking a look at one of the most seemingly UNFAIR stories in the Bible. It’s a parable in which Jesus teaches us how His Kingdom works. And it totally exposes our flesh’s inherent dislike of grace. On Saturday we’ll be studying The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard from Matthew 20:1-16.
Apr 01, 2019•30 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: How To Forgive
Our theme for this week is “Jesus: How To Forgive.” When defining Christianity, the place you have to start is forgiveness. While this might seem obvious, it’s often forgotten. The fact that we’re bitter comes from holding grudges. This is a lack of forgiveness. The lack of self-esteem we have and the self-loathing that comes from regret. This is a lack of forgiveness. The inability to form and maintain meaningful relationships. Generally speaking, this is a lack of forgiveness. Christianity is ...
Mar 25, 2019•33 min
People in Motion Move the Gospel - Acts 18:1-4
Pastor Jeske's message from the Feast of St. Patrick service. Acts 18:1-4 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
Mar 17, 2019•27 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: Sufficient Evidence
Our theme for this week is “Jesus: Sufficient Evidence.” A major factor to our insecurities in life is not as much a lack of evidence/reason to be secure, but a lack of belief despite the evidence. This week, we’ll see Jesus teach the Pharisees about the sufficiency of the “Sign of Jonah.” The death & resurrection of Christ is the ultimate proof that we are loved by God and that God is in control of our lives. Come learn further what this means as we study Matthew 12:38-45....
Mar 10, 2019•33 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: The Necessity of Priority
Our theme for this week is “Jesus: The Necessity of Priority.” A fallen human heart struggles to ascribe value to the right things. We are, by nature, mis prioritizers. Since the word “worship” comes from the Old English “worth-ship” (meaning, to ascribe value ), we should assume that without the guidance of God’s Word, we’re continually struggling with worshipping the wrong things. We need Word & Sacraments to aim us back in the right direction. Jesus offers a profound teaching on the natur...
Mar 03, 2019•30 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: The Danger of Rejection and Joy of Reception
Our theme for this week is “Jesus: The Danger of Rejection and Joy of Reception.” Perhaps the single most common question I get about God as a pastor today is some variation of “How could a loving God send someone to hell?” Closely related to that is the question of if salvation comes through the good news of the gospel, how is it fair that some people seemingly have more access to the gospel than others? It’s an honest and logical question. But it’s also one God has already thought about. While...
Feb 24, 2019•31 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: Sends Out The Weak
Our theme for this week is “Jesus: Sends Out The Weak.” Last week we said that if you’re a Christian, that means that you’re called . But God always calls people in for the purpose of sending them out . YOU will be his witnesses! What will we accomplish? How should we prepare? What can we expect? We learn all of that as we see Jesus send out his disciples for the first time in Matthew 10:5-22.
Feb 17, 2019•34 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: Calls Sinners
Our theme for this week is “Jesus: Calls Sinners.” Since Matthew is writing predominantly to Jewish leaders, he’s often pushing the angle of how the good news of Jesus and following Jesus is different from traditional religion. This week, that tension is highlighted by the phrase, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matt. 9:13) When Jesus calls us, what is he calling us away from? And what is he calling us to? We’ll discuss all of that and more as we examine Matthew 9:9-17....
Feb 10, 2019•32 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: Healer of Wounds
This week we get to look at a collection of Jesus’ miracles as we worship under the theme “Jesus: Healer of Wounds.” What is the goal of Jesus’ miracles? What is the environment in which they take place? What do they teach us about the character of Jesus and where we’re going? What do they tell us about how we should be spending our time on earth? We’ll discuss all of these as we do an overview of Jesus’ Miracles while studying Matthew 8:5-17.
Feb 03, 2019•32 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: Reader of Hearts
We finish up our look at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount this week by learning the difference between real & false Christianity. The Sermon on the Mount is less a tale of good vs. evil and more a tale of authentic vs. counterfeit Christianity. And Jesus, this week, teaches about the marks of genuine faith, as we study Matthew 7:15-23.
Jan 27, 2019•29 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: Good Teacher
Our worship series in early 2019 is titled The Gospel of Matthew: The One You’ve Been Waiting For . This week, we move into Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount.” We live in a society that tells us we must never make judgments upon others and sometimes even says this is fully a biblical sentiment. What does Jesus really teach about making judgments? He offers a brilliant, somewhat controversial teaching on the spiritual discernment of others in Matthew 7:1-6....
Jan 20, 2019•32 min
The Gospel of Matthew - Jesus: Tested in the Wilderness
Our worship series in early 2019 is titled The Gospel of Matthew: The One You’ve Been Waiting For . This week, we encounter the famous story of Jesus’ Testing in the Wilderness. It’s the single best blueprint he gives us in the Gospels for overcoming temptation. But his endurance also helps us understand the depths of his love. This week we’ll be studying Matthew 4:1-11.
Jan 13, 2019•34 min
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