MTP Sermon Resources

Genesis 50:15-21 October 21, 2018 • Mount Pleasant UMC There has been a commercial playing lately that asks a good question: would you let a blind man take you on a trip? Take a look… That’s not intended as an endorsement of Subaru. I just find the story of the commercial intriguing, and I love the look on the young woman’s face when the blind man suggests he’ll take them to the place they’re looking for. We tend to prefer our drivers to have vision! But, of course, the point of the commercial is that there are other ways to see, other ways to have vision than with our physical eyes. And that’s certainly something we can agree with and something Joseph would have agreed with as well. Today we come to the end of the story of Joseph, and to the end of this sermon series as well. We’ve journeyed a long way with Joseph over these past six weeks. Hopefully you’ve been reading along because we haven’t had time to cover the whole story here in worship. But six weeks ag

“Better Vision” Sermon Study Guide for October 21, 2018 Scripture: Genesis 50:15-21 Joseph’s Story Jacob’s death… The brothers’ message… “carrying” 2. 50/20 Vision providence Romans 8:28 a ________________________ spirit a ________________________ spirit a ________________________ spirit Gethsemane Luke 22:42 50/20 Vision: “You intended to ______________ me, but God intended it for ___________________.” Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Why would Joseph’s brothers create something he could easily know was a lie? What does it mean that forgiveness contains an element of “carrying” the other person’s burden? What does it mean that 50/20 vision is a combination of sight, foresight and hindsight? Which one do you need to develop better? How have you understood the doctrine of providence? What new insights did you gain in this study? Of the three “spirits” needed for 50/20 vision, which one is lacking most

Genesis 45:1-15 October 14, 2018 • Mount Pleasant UMC Climbing a mountain seemed like a good idea at the time. From a distance, the path looked like a gentle slope and, after all, we had come to Atlanta to see and experience Stone Mountain. So, early on that Monday morning, we drove to the park, got on the train that would take us around to the climbing trail, and we started up. The kids were much younger then, and full of energy, so it wasn’t long before they took off and we could just barely see them. Cathy and I, however, were a bit slower. Well, I was anyway. Cathy could probably have moved along more quickly, but she was concerned about this heart patient. I kept telling her I was fine, the walk really was a gentle slope and when Christopher came running back down the mountain to see where we were and to ask why we were taking so long, I told him we were just enjoying the walk. That was pretty much true—until we turned that corner. Just around that corner the gentle slope

“The Hard Path” Sermon Study Guide for October 21, 2018 Scripture: Genesis 45:1-15 Climbing a mountain… Joseph’s “mountain” the famine and the brothers… 2. Forgiveness Is not… Is… Luke 23:34 Ephesians 4:32 Two caveats… Questions to Discuss or Ponder: When have tried to accomplish something that was hard, or something others said couldn’t be done? What happened? What is forgiveness not? Are there any of these ideas that you have held onto and tried to hold others to? Why, in your experience, is forgiveness a hard path? What has been the most difficult thing for you to forgive? “The costly price of forgiveness is always paid in the currency of pride.” React to this statement. Is this true? Why or why not? Who do you most need to forgive? What first step will you take this week? When have you experienced “the view is worth the climb”? Scripture for the Week: Monday - Genesis 48:1-11 Tuesday - Genesis

“Seeing God’s Hand” Sermon Study Guide for October 7, 2018 Scripture: Genesis 40:1-23 Joseph in Prison Discouragement from ______________________ “dark night of the soul” Discouragement from ______________________ Dreams… 2. Us in “Prison” Forgetting Joseph… Being forgotten… The UMC… In an Upper Room… Hebrews 13:3 - remember those in prison Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What do you think it was like for Joseph to be in prison? What memories or feelings would that experience have brought to mind? What was the source of your most recent season of discouragement? “Joseph was inside the dungeon but he never let the dungeon get inside of him.” Respond to this statement. What does it feel like to “be forgotten”? Recall a time when you had to trust someone else, even though it was hard. How did you learn to trust? What fears are you facing? Where can you see God’s hand in the midst of the fearful situation?