MTP Sermon Resources

“The Gifts of Christmas: Hope” Sermon Study Guide for December 1, 2019 Scripture: Matthew 24:36-44 The end is near! Three Principles a. No one ___________________________ (24:36) b. _________________________ will go on (24:37-39) c. Jesus will cause ____________________ (24:40-41) Matthew 10:34-37 2. One Action (24:42-44) Psalm 121:1-2 1 Corinthians 11:26 - “until he comes” Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Is the promise of Jesus’ return a source of hope or fear for you? Why? What have you grown up believing about Jesus’ return? How is hope different from wish fulfillment? Have you ever thought of hope as dangerous? Which of Jesus’ three principles in this passage is most unsettling to you? Why? In the context of living day-to-day, what does it mean to “keep watch” or “stay awake”? If you knew Jesus was to return this day at sunset, what would you do this afternoon? Scripture for the Week:

The Whole Land Deuteronomy 34:1-8 November 17, 2019 • Mount Pleasant UMC As many of you know, last Sunday evening, we got a call that Cathy’s mom, Sandy Cobbum, has suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. So, as you know or can imagine, that threw our week into a whirlwind. We didn’t head up to their house immediately because there was nothing for us to do, so at the start of the week, there was a lot of time for thinking and reflecting. Sandy was a woman who loved Jesus, no doubt about that, and she loved her family. There was nothing that made her happier than to have everyone together. I learned pretty early on that when you were wanting to leave their house, you had to start about a half hour earlier than the actual time you wanted to go because Sandy loved to take pictures. We would spend at least a half hour saying goodbye and taking various groupings of family pictures. I kept getting after her to back up her pictures, but she preferred to keep them all “safely” on her

“The Whole Land” Sermon Study Guide for November 17, 2019 Scripture: Deuteronomy 34:1-8 Legacy… Moses at Mt. Nebo “the rest of the story” - Kadesh Barnea “wilderness time” water from the rock Nebo 2. The View from the Top Long-Range Vision The Next Generation 3. The Death of Moses Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What do you think of when you hear the word “legacy”? Whom have you known who left a “good” legacy? How did 40 years in the wilderness shape the Israelites? When have you experienced “wilderness time”? What happened? How did it shape you? Recall a time you were tempted to take credit for something God did. Why is the temptation so strong? What does it mean to have “long-range vision”? Is that true of your life? Why do generations struggle so much to understand each other? How can we address this struggle? What does it mean to be a “servant”? What does it mean to be a “prophet”? What have you

More Than Enough Exodus 36:1-7 November 10, 2019 • Mount Pleasant UMC It is perhaps the most iconic and well-known picture to come out of World War II—the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima. While there have been accusations that someone staged this dramatic moment, the more accepted account goes something like this: Iwo Jima was a major objective during the Pacific campaign, and the invasion of the island lasted over a month. Early on in the attack, the Marines set out to capture the airfields and to also take Mount Suribachi. When six Marines raised the United States flag on top of the mountain on the fourth day of the battle, photographer Joe Rosenthal snapped this photo, which quickly became one of the most significant and recognizable images of the war. It was put onto a postage stamp that same year, won a Pulitzer Prize for Photography, and continues even now, almost 75 years later, to be an image that defines bravery and victory. Every time I see this image, I think of al

“More Than Enough” Sermon Study Guide for November 10, 2019 Scripture: Exodus 36:1-7 Dedication to the mission… The Artisans Bezalel & Oholiab Romans 12:4-8 2. The Offering “the dream capital campaign” “more than enough” reasons for giving… 1 Corinthians 4:7 stories at Mount Pleasant morning gifts Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What images or stories come to mind when you think about someone or a group who is fully dedicated to a mission? What do you see as your role in the larger story or mission of the church? What do you understand the mission of the church to be, in your own words? If we could repeat the scene in Exodus 36, what new ministry or project would you love to undertake? What is your dream? Why do people give to a cause? Why do you give? Why do you think the people gave first thing in the morning? What is the “modern” equivalent of that act? Where does the mission of the church rank in

Top Ten Exodus 20:1-17 November 3, 2019 • Mount Pleasant UMC Leo Tolstoy is one of the twentieth century’s most famous authors, best known for works like War and Peace and Anna Karenina —neither of which, I admit, I have read, but I have seen the movies! Anyway, early in life, Tolstoy joined the army, sowed his “wild oats,” and wrote broadly on issues he believed would spread enlightenment to his culture. In the midst of all of that, he held himself to a strict moral standard. He gave up things like tobacco, hunting, alcohol, and meat to try to make himself a better person. He wrote a list of rules for himself and believed that by following them to the letter, he could make himself into a perfect person. He studied everything he could put his hands on, trying to achieve intellectual perfection. He did exercises to enhance his strength and agility, trying to get to physical perfection. His goal, he once admitted, was not trying to be perfect in his own eyes or in the eyes of