MTP Sermon Resources

Revelation 21:1-7 February 26, 2017 • Mount Pleasant UMC In the days before the internet—and yes, kids, there was a time before the internet, Google and smartphones—one of the things I loved most about going to the movies, in addition to seeing the movie I had paid to see, was the “coming attractions.” I didn’t know then they were called “trailers,” and I’m still not sure why or how they got that name. I just knew that it was sort of exciting to see what might be coming out soon. Today, they show too many trailers and none of them are surprises since you can see them online even before they hit the theaters. But in those days, you really didn’t know what was coming out until the trailers played before the movie. Coming attractions, the introduction would say, and that’s just what they were. They were designed to give you just enough of a taste of the film so that you would come back for the newest attraction. And that’s just what the Bible does when it comes to last th

Romans 3:21-26 February 19, 2017 • Mount Pleasant UMC Several years ago, we had some friends who, due to a variety of circumstances, found themselves in a desperate situation. Cathy and I discussed it, and we were in a position to be able to loan them some money to help them get beyond the desperate place so that they could make some good decisions. So we talked with them about it, they agreed they would pay us back just as soon as they can, and seemed grateful. And things did even out for them, but they didn’t offer to pay us back. We let it go for a long time, then began to notice their postings on social media about expensive vacations and new purchases, and they never mentioned the money they owed us. I learned pretty quickly how money and loans can really mess up a friendship. When we mentioned the loan to them, we got a very nasty response and an even nastier post—one of those that doesn’t name you but you know is about you—online. And we were told, not in these words

Matthew 16:17-20 February 5, 2017 • Mount Pleasant UMC So, I hear there’s some little game going on today in Houston. I know the teams involved may or may not spark your interest, but there’s no denying the impact that this little game has on our culture, or our economy. According to TicketCity.com , the “best seat” available would cost you $9,000 per ticket. You can “get in the door” and have what we might call “nosebleed seats” for $2,700 per person, or if you wanted to go really big, you could rent a suite. Those were going for $358,000. Add to that the cost of advertisements during the broadcast of the Super Bowl—coming in at an average of about $5 million for 30 seconds (that’s about $167,000 per second)—and you can truly see the truth of Jesus’ words: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). We pay for what is most important to us; our money indicates our devotion, which is why I often refer to sports as a religion in America—maybe the