St Marcus MKE Sermons

Based on Luke 2:1-20. Message from Christmas Eve. The full service can be viewed here: https://youtube.com/live/RyaynW1AzKg If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

Chapter 10 of the Book of Daniel shifts from historical narrative to apocalyptic dream literature, similar to what is told in the Book of Revelation. Whether we are aware of it or not, there is a constant spiritual battle being fought around us and within us. Daniel's visions reveal that there is something we can do about these spirits and that there is One Great, Glorious Man who comes exactly when and how we need. SERIES SUMMARY: The Book of Daniel chronicles a time in the history of God’s people when the Israelites found themselves in exile in a society that didn’t understand or tolerate the truth of the one true God. As such, it is arguably the most relevant book in the Bible for 21st century Christians navigating a pluralistic society that encourages them to privatize their faith. The courage of Daniel and his friends, emboldened by God’s promises, provides us with a pathway forward. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll be studying Daniel 6:1-10, 16-28 under the theme “Identity in Babylon.” Daniel’s name literally meant “God is my Judge.” When he lived out of that identity, he wasn’t afraid of taking judgment from this world, even when it resulted in facing roaring lions. When we recognize that Jesus, the greater Daniel, shut the mouth of the one lion who could truly hurt us, we develop the courage to then face the smaller lions in life. SERIES SUMMARY: The Book of Daniel chronicles a time in the history of God’s people when the Israelites found themselves in exile in a society that didn’t understand or tolerate the truth of the one true God. As such, it is arguably the most relevant book in the Bible for 21st century Christians navigating a pluralistic society that encourages them to privatize their faith. The courage of Daniel and his friends, emboldened by God’s promises, provides us with a pathway forward. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week, we’ll be studying Daniel 5:1-6, 17-30 under the theme “The Judgment of Babylon.” Our account here is where the phrase “handwriting on the wall” comes from. Babylon has been weighed by God, and he is left wanting. Therefore, exactly as prophesied, he’s bringing judgment. Here, we learn a great deal about God’s inevitable judgment on this fallen world and our responsibility as believers up until that point. SERIES SUMMARY: The Book of Daniel chronicles a time in the history of God’s people when the Israelites found themselves in exile in a society that didn’t understand or tolerate the truth of the one true God. As such, it is arguably the most relevant book in the Bible for 21st century Christians navigating a pluralistic society that encourages them to privatize their faith. The courage of Daniel and his friends, emboldened by God’s promises, provides us with a pathway forward. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

Daniel's vision in chapter 7 teaches us that God raises up earthly kingdoms and just as easily knocks them down. It is the Heavenly King who will win the day. SERIES SUMMARY: The Book of Daniel chronicles a time in the history of God’s people when the Israelites found themselves in exile in a society that didn’t understand or tolerate the truth of the one true God. As such, it is arguably the most relevant book in the Bible for 21st century Christians navigating a pluralistic society that encourages them to privatize their faith. The courage of Daniel and his friends, emboldened by God’s promises, provides us with a pathway forward. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll be studying Daniel 3:1-30 under the theme “Confidence in Babylon.” Daniel’s friends are confident that God will deliver them from King Nebuchadnezzar’s oppression, but also humble enough to not presume to know exactly how God will do it. Their resolve, faith, and faithfulness are all compelling to believers living in a post-Christian culture. Their strength comes from a fourth man who gets into the furnace with them. SERIES SUMMARY: The Book of Daniel chronicles a time in the history of God’s people when the Israelites found themselves in exile in a society that didn’t understand or tolerate the truth of the one true God. As such, it is arguably the most relevant book in the Bible for 21st century Christians navigating a pluralistic society that encourages them to privatize their faith. The courage of Daniel and his friends, emboldened by God’s promises, provides us with a pathway forward. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

One definition of tact is “the keen sense of what to do in difficult or delicate situations.” In Daniel 2, we’ll see how two men, Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar, each reacted to seemingly impossible situations. Nebuchadnezzar was irrational, rash, and cruel, while Daniel was able to be diplomatic and gracious without compromising the truth. In a world that is generally disinterested in Christian truth, what do we need to know and believe about God in order to do the same? SERIES SUMMARY: The Book of Daniel chronicles a time in the history of God’s people when the Israelites found themselves in exile in a society that didn’t understand or tolerate the truth of the one true God. As such, it is arguably the most relevant book in the Bible for 21st century Christians navigating a pluralistic society that encourages them to privatize their faith. The courage of Daniel and his friends, emboldened by God’s promises, provides us with a pathway forward. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week, we’ll be studying Daniel 1:1-21 under the theme “Education in Babylon.” Daniel and his friends are worshipers of the one true God, defiant of false gods, but respectful and self-sacrificial of people with differing beliefs. This provides insight into navigating public institutions in America in a post-Christian climate. SERIES SUMMARY: The Book of Daniel chronicles a time in the history of God’s people when the Israelites found themselves in exile in a society that didn’t understand or tolerate the truth of the one true God. As such, it is arguably the most relevant book in the Bible for 21st century Christians navigating a pluralistic society that encourages them to privatize their faith. The courage of Daniel and his friends, emboldened by God’s promises, provides us with a pathway forward. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we will be celebrating the Reformation and studying Ephesians 6:10-20 under the theme “The Sword of the Spirit, Which Is The Word of Truth.” We’re concluding our “Testimony of Demons” series by recognizing the danger of demonizing anything but demons and the power of the clear, coherent Word of God over the spirit realm. SERIES SUMMARY: While all Christians have heard the stories of the demonic in Scripture, very few of us walk around with a daily awareness that we are battling evil spiritual forces. This is, in part, because we live in a deeply secularized, post-Christian America. Satan has learned how much damage he can cause when he makes himself invisible. But if you don’t acknowledge demonic forces in the world, you will always demonize the wrong things. We must be aware of the spirit realm, how it influences us, and how Jesus is Lord over it all. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we will study Matthew 8:28-34 under the theme “The Lucidity of Demons.” As we examine this encounter between Jesus and two demon-possessed men, what grabs our attention is the utter irrationality and wickedness of demons. Yet when Jesus shows up, they snap to attention, speak with clarity, and demonstrate a recognition and fear of his power and authority. As people who bear the name of Christ, we rejoice that he has revealed to us not just his power and authority, but also his heart. SERIES SUMMARY: While all Christians have heard the stories of the demonic in Scripture, very few of us walk around with a daily awareness that we are battling evil spiritual forces. This is, in part, because we live in a deeply secularized, post-Christian America. Satan has learned how much damage he can cause when he makes himself invisible. But if you don’t acknowledge demonic forces in the world, you will always demonize the wrong things. We must be aware of the spirit realm, how it influences us, and how Jesus is Lord over it all. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we will be studying James 2:18-26 under the theme “The Unsaving Belief of Satan.” The devil not only has knowledge of the true God, but emotion regarding the true God. But knowledge and emotional reaction are not the sum total of true faith. Saving faith also requires trust. SERIES SUMMARY: While all Christians have heard the stories of the demonic in Scripture, very few of us walk around with a daily awareness that we are battling evil spiritual forces. This is, in part, because we live in a deeply secularized, post-Christian America. Satan has learned how much damage he can cause when he makes himself invisible. But if you don’t acknowledge demonic forces in the world, you will always demonize the wrong things. We must be aware of the spirit realm, how it influences us, and how Jesus is Lord over it all. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

We’ll be studying 1 Samuel 28:3-25 and “The Witch of Endor.” One of the more bizarre spirit realm stories of the Old Testament tells the story of how far Israel’s King Saul had fallen. This is the fate of anyone who refuses to fully listen to God’s Word. Saul is a cautionary tale of the importance of listening to God’s Word carefully, trusting God thoroughly, and, therefore, not needing to know every detail of life. SERIES SUMMARY: While all Christians have heard the stories of the demonic in Scripture, very few of us walk around with a daily awareness that we are battling evil spiritual forces. This is, in part, because we live in a deeply secularized, post-Christian America. Satan has learned how much damage he can cause when he makes himself invisible. But if you don’t acknowledge demonic forces in the world, you will always demonize the wrong things. We must be aware of the spirit realm, how it influences us, and how Jesus is Lord over it all. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll be studying 2 Timothy 3:10-17 under the theme “The Conscientious Christian Life.” Through one of the most famous passages in these letters, Paul explains how Spirit-inspired Scripture is forever useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll be studying 2 Timothy 2:14-26 under the theme “Majoring in What Matters.” Christian witness can be negatively impacted by debating about things that don’t matter much, combining genuine Christian teaching with worldly philosophy, or simply by a lifestyle that doesn’t support our beliefs. In 2 Timothy, Paul provides practical advice for anyone who desires to lead others in faith. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This weekend we’re celebrating the gift of Christian education and studying 2 Timothy 1:1-14 with the theme “Generational Faith Transmission.” All through our study of 1 Timothy, we have seen Paul’s pragmatic instructions for overseeing the church. In this first chapter of Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he shifts his focus to Timothy’s own faith, prompting us to consider how we will carry out God’s command to pass the faith on to the next generation. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll be studying 1 Timothy 6:6-19 under the theme “Managing Finite Resources.” America has long practiced the belief that happiness can come through consumption. But Paul teaches that how we manage the blessings of this life, and with what attitude, says everything about what we believe is coming in the future. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

We will be studying 1 Timothy 5:1-15 under the theme “Caring for the Elderly.” In the ancient world, long before Medicare and Social Security, it was assumed that family members would provide for aging parents. But sometimes there were no family members to care for the elderly. The Church became the first social organization to assist with the needs of the aging population. Here, Paul gives some practical instructions to his ministry pupil, Timothy, about how the church in Ephesus should handle this. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

We’ll be studying 1 Timothy 4:1-16 under the theme “Youth & Maturity.” This section is where we get the famous encouragement to “not let anyone look down on you because you are young” but perhaps it doesn’t mean what you initially think. This section gets into the power of deceiving spirits, the benefit of personal spiritual training, and Paul’s expectation of spiritual maturation. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll be studying 1 Timothy 3:1-13 under the theme “Spiritual Leaders.” The grace of God expressed in Christ Jesus is the predominant theme of Christianity and the one thing that qualifies us for salvation. No human is more equipped than another. That said, God does establish qualifications for those who will serve as Christian leaders. These are traits desirable for all Christians, both in official and non-official leadership capacities. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll be studying 1 Timothy 2:1-15 under the theme “The Who and What of Worship.” While this text contains some fairly difficult statements, we can’t get deterred from the clear, primary point. Paul encourages all believers to regularly gather for prayer and encouragement, worshipping the Mediator who made them right with God — their Lord & Savior Jesus.

THIS EPISODE: We’ll be studying 1 Timothy 1:12-19 under the theme “The Worst of Sinners.” Is it hyperbole that Paul, the greatest Christian missionary in history, was the worst of sinners? Is this false modesty? Is it self-effacing religious guilt? Or is there something true here that actually has become advantageous for proclaiming God’s grace? SERIES SUMMARY: Believers in their 20’s and 30’s represent the biggest demographic group at St. Marcus by a decent margin. As such, the Apostle Paul’s encouragements to a younger ministry companion in Timothy are perhaps uniquely beneficial for our congregation. Over the next couple of months, St. Marcus will be worshipping under the theme “1 & 2 Timothy: Pragmatism for Young Ministers.” We will see how God desires for all of his people to carry out ministry, and that youth is no excuse for inaction or immaturity. Rather, Paul says that all who know Jesus as Lord and Savior should seek to “set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12) If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week in worship we will study Matthew 13:47-52 under the theme “The Comfort of God’s Judgment.” In the last of the “Kingdom Parables” of Matthew 13, Jesus tells us what will happen at the end — the righteous and the wicked will be separated. The idea of judgment rightly evokes feelings of fear and dread, but Jesus reveals to us several things. First, there is nothing to fear for those who are found in him. Next, the kingdom of heaven is unlike any other kingdom on earth. Finally, we have assurance that all things will be made right in the final judgment. We’ll also look at the example of King Solomon in 1 Kings 3 to illustrate that, in Jesus, we have a king who is greater in every way — in his judgment, in his wisdom, and in his love. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll conclude our Making Sense of God series by studying Romans 11:33-36 under the theme “Christianity as Reasonable.” In a world where “faith” has largely been insinuated to be the antithesis of reason, it’s important to see that the God of all thought is not against logic but uses wisdom that far supersedes what finite creatures can comprehend. This makes him deserving of our praise. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll be studying Matthew 11:20-30 under the theme “Justice.” Biblical justice is a tricky issue. We should value life the way Our God values it and we are all subject to His perfect and beautiful laws. It is not our role to judge those who are under these laws, only He can do that. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

Our early summer series will be based on Tim Keller’s Making Sense of God: Finding God in the Modern World. As human beings, we cannot live without meaning, satisfaction, freedom, identity, justice, and hope. Christianity provides us with unsurpassed resources to meet these needs. Using the structure of Keller’s book, we’ll examine biblical texts that provide practical life resources for navigating a post-Christian society. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we will be studying 1 Corinthians 4:3-4 and Philippians 3:7-9 under the theme “Identity.” The gifts of Christ’s righteousness and adoption into God’s family through baptism give us our identity. We are eternal family members of the one true God. No one can take this from us and, to the degree we understand this, we will be freed from the stress of a performance-based identity and the need for human approval that this world cultivates. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we will be studying Romans 2:14-15 under the theme “Morality.” Morality is something that only religion can give answers for. Science can tell you the way things are but it cannot say anything when it comes to the way things “ought to be.” Every human believes things “ought” to be a certain way. Paul makes this argument very clearly and persuasively in Romans 2. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

We celebrate our freedom in Christ and the end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth commemorates when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865 to announce and ensure that the last of slavery in the Confederacy was abolished. Based on Matthew 9:35-10:8. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we will be studying Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 under the theme “Meaning.” Satan’s primary lie to humanity is that something or someone other than God can give us what only the true God can actually give. So, we search for meaning in life in otherwise good things – work, relationships, pleasure, etc. King Solomon, who had it all, teaches us that when these meaningful things are pursued ahead of Christ, everything becomes meaningless. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

Our early summer series will be based on Tim Keller’s Making Sense of God: Finding God in the Modern World. As human beings, we cannot live without meaning, satisfaction, freedom, identity, justice, and hope. Christianity provides us with unsurpassed resources to meet these needs. Using the structure of Keller’s book, we’ll examine biblical texts that provide practical life resources for navigating a post-Christian society. This week, we'll be studying 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 under the theme “Faith & Proof." All belief systems, religious and secular, require faith. Christianity is unique for a variety of reasons. It is rooted in eyewitness testimonies of historical facts and supernatural events that the early believers were willing to die for, proving it to be far different from both other world religions and modern secularism. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll be studying John 15:26-27 under the theme “Be Filled With the Holy Spirit!” Pentecost is the celebration of the dawn of an era by which God primarily works in the world by the power of his Spirit through his Body, the Church. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll be studying Acts 5:1-12 under the theme “Unceasing Testimony.” The Apostle Paul was not just a professional missionary. He was a Christian who could not stop speaking about the good news of God’s grace in Christ Jesus. This proclamation did not always make him popular in his world, but God used it mightily. Along the way, we learn some fascinating ways in which a Christian humbly, firmly, respectfully, and effectively defends their faith in a non-receptive environment. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we will be studying Acts 20:17-38 under the theme “Paul’s Farewell to Ephesian Friends.” In the process, we’ll see how Paul follows the Spirit’s prompting even when he doesn’t always know how it’s going to work out. The Spirit is making him more like his Savior. He’s using Paul powerfully and Paul knows he couldn’t have done it without deep Christian friendships along the way. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week we’ll be studying Acts 16:25-40 under the theme “Three Unique Conversions.” Not only does the gospel work in every nation and language, but it works at different life stages and with different personalities. In Acts 16, we see the conversion of a businesswoman named Lydia, a demon-possessed slave girl, and a blue-collar jailer. The gospel is amazingly both non-negotiable and culturally flexible. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week, we'll be studying Acts 12:1-19 under the theme “Peter’s Miraculous Escape From Prison." God had a mission for Peter and no mere prison was going to deter that mission, even the chains of a prison cell. God broke Peter's chains through a praying church, an angelic visitor, and Peter’s willing spirit. Through this, the one who broke the chains of our sin teaches us how we may help those who are imprisoned by life’s chains. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

This week, we'll be studying Acts 10:24-48 under the theme "Cornelius, the Roman Centurion." The second quarter of the book of Acts undeniably demonstrates God’s desire for multiethnic, multicultural congregations. God has reconciled a world to himself through the grace of the God-Man Jesus, and now we’re to demonstrate that otherworldly reconciliation in our unity to people with whom we only have Jesus in common. Even the Apostle Peter was shocked that God shows no favoritism. The book of Acts is the story of the early Christian Church. It is the ministry Jesus CONTINUED to do by his Spirit and through his Church even after he ascended into heaven. By studying this book, believers not only learn the important history of the Church but also receive focus for what our mission as a congregation and individual disciples should still be today. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

The first Easter didn't start out with the pomp and joy that we associate with Easter celebrations today. On the evening of that first Easter Sunday, there was tentative joy, but also confusion, fear, and doubt. Jesus' first words as He appeared to his disciples were "Peace be with you," and it was exactly what they needed to hear. He gave them more than assuring words, He gave them tangible proof of His resurrection, which melted away all of their doubts and fears. Jesus also shows up in our midst and brings us the same peace he brought to his disciples. It happens so often and in such ordinary ways that we might skip right past it without recognizing it. Based on John 20: 19-31. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

With our faith in our Risen Savior, we can find peace amongst our daily struggles. He is risen! Alleluia! View the full service here: https://www.youtube.com/live/z6QVn4BohOM?feature=share If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

There is a real and mysterious presence of Christ in the elements of Holy Communion. Partaking in the Lord's Supper provides a connection to the past and future, remembering what God has done for us and comfort and hope for whatever may come. Communing with fellow believers also gives us the opportunity to self-examine, unite with those who have wronged us, and open our hearts to invite those different from us to sit at our "tables." If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

We’re studying Matthew 21:12-17 under the theme “The Triumphal Entry.” Palm Sunday is a unique occasion in which Jesus rides into Jerusalem as a king, but as a very humble king. He possesses the authority to ride an unbroken colt. He evokes praises from the people. And he overturns the broken, corrupt religious system of his day. As we enter Holy Week, we look for how to better honor a king who is not of this world. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

The theme for the 2023 Lenten season is “His Final Steps.” We'll be exploring Jesus’ final days before, during, and after his crucifixion. Different locations will serve as the theme for each Lenten service. This week, we are led to Jesus' enemies. The Parable of the Tenants reflects that although the Jewish leaders reject Jesus, He is the cornerstone of the Church. Based on Luke 20:9-19. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

We’re studying Matthew 18:21-35 under the theme “Forgive.” Perhaps the worst prison humans self-inflict comes from the failure to forgive. Jesus’ teaching here suggests there is something in our fallen condition that is delusional and unmerciful, which leads to vengeance, bitterness, and torment. On the contrary, this week we see that the most natural expression of a heart that understands redemption by grace is to forgive the debts of those who wrong us. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

The theme for the 2023 Lenten season is “His Final Steps.” We'll be exploring Jesus’ final days before, during, and after his crucifixion. Different locations will serve as the theme for each Lenten service. This week, we are led to some Greeks. The fact that a group of Greeks would show an interest in a Jewish Rabbi from Nazareth is noteworthy. The Messiah wasn't sent just for the people of Israel, but for the entire world. His message wasn't one based on superiority or dominance, but one of unity. Based on John 12:20-33. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

We’re studying Matthew 18:1-14 under the theme “Greatness in the Kingdom.” All people, including Jesus’ Disciples, struggle with establishing a positive sense of self, an identity. But in God’s Kingdom, the pathway to greatness for us is not in achieving or never making mistakes, but in repenting. True repentance can only come from humble hearts who know they’re saved by grace. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

The theme for the 2023 Lenten season is “His Final Steps.” We'll be exploring Jesus’ final days before, during, and after his crucifixion. Different locations will serve as the theme for each Lenten service. This week, we are led to a fig tree. Jesus used a barren fig tree as an object lesson on what Our Father thinks about unfruitfulness. Based on Mark 11:12-14, 20-25. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

We’re studying Matthew 13:44-46 this weekend under the theme of “The Parables of Hidden Treasure.” Here, Jesus teaches us something about treasure in the ordinary, the sacrifices that are inevitably attached to treasure, and how God has treasured us above all. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

The theme for the 2023 Lenten season is “His Final Steps.” We'll be exploring Jesus’ final days before, during, and after his crucifixion. Different locations will serve as the theme for each Lenten service. This week, we are led to the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus went to His Father's house and was disappointed to find it full of money changers who turned a place of prayer and praise into marketplace and "a den of robbers." By overturning the tables in the temple, Jesus showed the people and chief priests that it is of utmost importance to honor and protect our Father's name and to give Him the respect the reverence He deserves. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

We’re studying Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 under the theme of “The Parable of the Weeds.” This lesson teaches us something valuable about patience – why God’s timelines are necessarily different, and better than hours. It explains how spiritual growth is organic. It also helps explain a believer’s love of Jesus but frequent disappointment with Christians and churches. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

The theme for the 2023 Lenten season is “His Final Steps.” We'll be exploring Jesus’ final days before, during, and after his crucifixion. Different locations will serve as the theme for each Lenten service. This week, we are led to a dinner celebration. Mary of Bethany shows her love and thankfulness of Jesus by anointing Him with expensive perfume. How do you say "thank you" to God for the ultimate sacrifice of His one and only Son? If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

We’re studying Matthew 11:16-24 this weekend under the theme of “Perfectly Fair Judgment.” We often feel certain things about what we perceive to be fair or not but these feelings often come from a place of unbelief about God’s goodness. Jesus offers two unique teachings that help explain why God alone is fair and even better than fair. If you’d like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive