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What Not To Leave Behind

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Leviticus 25:35-38 October 26, 2025 • Mount Pleasant UMC Several years ago, popular preacher Andy Stanley took a lot of heat for something he didn’t really say. I know, it’s hard to believe that in this world of viral social media posts that anything a preacher says could be taken out of context and pressed to mean something it didn’t mean. But it happened to Stanley and his book Irresistible . In that book, he challenges Christians to stop claiming the Old Testament as their own book. He believes far too often people “hitch” their faith to the Old Testament, at least when it suits their desires. Stanley’s contention is that we need to attach our hope and our faith to what Jesus has done for us rather than the ancient promises made to the people of Israel. But of course what got reported is that he was in favor of getting rid of the Old Testament. Can you imagine what we would lose if we didn’t read the Old Testament? We wouldn’t be able to do any funerals because pretty much e...
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What Not To Leave Behind (Study Guide)

  “What Not To Leave Behind” Sermon Study Guide for October 26, 2025 Downloadable Version Scripture: Leviticus 25:35-38 1. Slavery & Debt at Mount Sinai interest Proverbs 22:7 - borrower is slave… 2. “I Am the Lord” Matthew 5:17 - the law won’t disappear relationships a. God is __________________________ b. God ____________________________ c. God ______________ how life is lived To say Jesus is Lord means… Judas - Matthew 26:20-25 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What has been your experience of the Old Testament? Have you read a lot of it? What do you know of the book of Leviticus? What stories or passages would you most miss if we didn’t have the Old Testament? Why do some people believe the two testaments tell us about different Gods? How do you respond? In what way(s) does or could the laws about slavery and debt apply to us today? Accounting for differences between then and now, how can we better deal with debt? If the law was given to help people learn ...
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To Come Down Where We Ought To Be

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Genesis 14:17-24 October 12, 2025 (Generosity Sunday) • Mount Pleasant UMC For the last three weeks, we have been engaged in a time of reflection and challenge centered around the themes of joy, simplicity and generosity. You might remember that, two weeks ago, I asked every one of us to be open to whatever God might say to us, and to ask God to give us the courage to be able to act on what he says. Two weeks ago, I spoke about discerning the difference between needs and wants. And last week, we talked about giving our life to a greater purpose than our own pleasure, how we were made for more. So today, on Generosity Sunday, my task is to bring those themes together as we think about our commitments for the coming year. I’m thinking again about the beginning of that old Shaker song “Simple Gifts:”   ’Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free ’tis the gift to come down where you ought to be I love that second line because, s a follower of Jesus, I want to come down ...
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To Come Down Where We Ought to Be (Study Guide)

  “To Come Down Where We Ought To Be” Sermon Study Guide for October 12, 2025 Downloadable Version Scripture: Genesis 14:17-24 1. A Mission To Give Your Life For 2. Two Fears & One Practice Fear of   ________________ Fear of   __________________ Practice of ________________________ Proverbs 11:25 3. The Tithe Melchizedek = Jerusalem =   2 Corinthians 9:7: God loves… Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What does it mean to be a disciple? What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? What does transformation look like? What would it look like if our world was transformed as Jesus would want it to be? Why do we so often give ourselves to lesser missions? Which fear (or both) do you deal with the most when it comes to handling and managing your finances? In what way(s) have you experienced generosity bringing relief from fear and also joy? Why does Solomon in Proverbs say a generous person will prosper? How have you experienced that truth? What will be your comm...
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