MTP Sermon Resources

Luke 2:21-24 December 31, 2017 (Covenant Service) • Mount Pleasant UMC When I was a kid, my grandparents lived in Colorado, and one of the great things about that was that every summer we would take a different route out to go see them. One summer, we spent a bit of time at the famous Yellowstone National Park, where one of the highlights was seeing the geyser, Old Faithful. Over a million eruptions have been recorded since the geyser was discovered in 1870, each one of them shooting between 3,700 and 8,400 gallons of boiling water high into the air. When it was first discovered, the geyser was used as a laundry. Soldiers would throw their dirty clothes into the crater, and when the geyser shot them out, they were, as one record of the time says, “thoroughly washed.” That is, if they were made of cotton or linen. If they were made of wool, the clothing came out in shreds. Today, “Old Faithful” is a tourist destination, though the time between eruptions has lengthened over the y

“Faithful” Sermon Study Guide for December 31, 2017 Scripture: Luke 2:21-24 At the Temple Circumcision Purification Leviticus 12 Redemption Exodus 13 Sacrifice… 2. Magi & Escape to Egypt (Matthew 2:1-18) Arrival of the Magi Escape to Egypt Refugee…Matthew 25:31-46 3. Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-50) “My Father’s House” The end of Joseph’s life… Questions to Discuss or Ponder: If you grew up in the church, what “rituals” or practices were considered vital for being a “faithful” Christian? Why, do you think, maintaining the rituals of the faith were so important to Joseph and Mary? What does that attitude mean for us today? What does “faithfulness” as a Christian look like today? What role does sacrifice play in being faithful in your life? What does it mean to you that Jesus spent part of his life as a refugee? What difference does that make in the way we view those who are displaced persons today? W

Luke 2:1-5 December 24, 2017 (Candlelight) • Mount Pleasant UMC Christmas is a busy and stressful time for many things. Nearly every activity seems to invoke stress to some degree, but we notice it even more if we set out to travel. For the last eight years, due largely to lower gas prices and increased consumer optimism, travel at the holidays has grown, to a point where it is expected that this year, over 100 million Americans will take to the highways and friendly skies this Christmas. We’ve never been ones to really travel at Christmas (due in part, I suppose, to the fact that I have this job which requires me to work holidays), but one year we planned a trip to Walt Disney World over Christmas break. We did the Candlelight services on Christmas Eve, just like tonight, and then we got up early on Christmas Day and flew to Florida. It was an interesting experience, traveling during this time of year, especially on Christmas Day. Christmas cheer is not something you experienc

Matthew 1:18-21 December 24, 2017 (10:00 a.m.) • Mount Pleasant UMC Well, it’s the day of the night before Christmas—tonight is Christmas Eve, but this morning it’s still Advent. It’s December 24, and I’m wondering how many of you have not yet started your Christmas shopping yet? You’re waiting for those last-minute deals at the convenience store, right? Or you’re still looking for the gift for the person who has everything. We get so focused on the gift-buying and the gift-giving this season that by the time we get to this day, to the fourth Sunday of Advent, we can arrive exhausted and just ready for the whole thing to be over. Centuries ago in a town called Patara (now in modern-day Turkey), there lived a young man who was a follower of Jesus. As the celebration of Jesus’ birth drew near, he wanted to find a way to rightly celebrate the birth of Jesus. He spent a lot of time in prayer and reflection, and he came this conclusion: the best way to celebrate this baby born

“Seeing Angels” Sermon Study Guide for December 24, 2017 Scripture: Matthew 1:18-21 A man from Patara… Joseph 2. Dreams a. God communicates… b. Angel in a dream… Dream interpretation Appearance of angels… “messengers” Matthew 25:31-46 Hebrews 13:2 c. Naming Jesus Tied to ________________________ Drawing Joseph in… Immanuel Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What process do you go through when you are “considering” something? How, do you think, that is like or unlike what Joseph went through? What do you think about dreams? Does God still use them to communicate with us? In what what have you experienced that? What do you think angels look like? Have you ever seen an angel? Share about that experience. In what way(s) does God use people around us as “angels”? Who has been an “angel” to you? What does it mean to “entertain angels unaware”? How can God use you as a messenger, an angel? What does it me