MTP Sermon Resources

Matthew 6:9 January 31, 2021 • Mount Pleasant UMC Nicolas Herman was born in eastern France during an extended time of war in Europe. His parents were poor, so his education was limited. Like most young men of his day, he served in the army, fighting in the war, until he was injured and discharged. One day, he found himself one day staring at a tree in winter, stripped bare of its leaves, and he began to think that he felt just like that tree. He would describe himself as “awkward” and someone “who broke everything.” Suddenly, as he looked at the tree, Nicolas remembered that even though the tree looked dead right then, in the spring it would burst forth into new life and that began to give him hope for his life as well. He always looked back on that experience as a deeply spiritual moment that shaped the rest of his life. A few years after that experience, after going through some other trials and challenges, Nicolas went to the Carmelite Monastery in Paris and entered the ord...

  “Rejoice” Sermon Study Guide for January 31, 2021 Downloadable Version Scripture: Matthew 6:9 1. Jesus’ Model Prayer “Our Father in Heaven…” abba “Hallowed is your name…” 2. The God to Whom We Pray 3. Ways to Rejoice/Worship Music Lament Corporate Worship Journaling Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What ways did you find to “pause” last week? Besides Jesus, who is a model for you in your prayer life? What does it mean that you are praying with saints through the ages? Have you struggled with the image of God as “Father”? Why or why not? How can you be helpful to those who do? What does it mean to “hallow” something (like a name)? In what way(s) do we take God lightly when we pray? Respond to this statement: “The God who could fry you loves you.” What practice will you take on to practice rejoicing this week? Scripture for the Week: Monday - Psalm 73 Tuesday - Psalm 122 Wednesday - Psalm 88 Thursday - Hebrews 10:19-31 Friday - Hebrews 13:1-8 Saturday - P...

Matthew 6:5-8 January 24, 2021 • Mount Pleasant UMC I heard someone say the other day that, after only a couple of weeks, 2021 doesn’t so much feel like a new year as much as it does “2020+.” As I hinted when we began the new year, the turn of the calendar page doesn’t seem to have actually resulted in much change. If anything, it seems like a lot of the emotions and feelings and inclinations that were simmering in 2020 have come to boil, even boiled over in 2021. And, as we’ve talked about the last few weeks, there seems to still be much to fear in this new year. So at the very beginning of the year, we attempted to tackle some of the sources of that fear, and now for the next few weeks, I want to turn toward the Source that will help us conquer those fears and help us live through them. We’re going to spend the next four weeks looking at the topic of prayer, or as I’ve sort of subtitled this series: prayer for “normal people.” I want to start this morning with a description o...

“P.R.A.Y.: Pause” Sermon Study Guide for January 24, 2021 Downloadable Version Scripture: Matthew 6:5-8 Everyone prays… 1. “Teach Us to Pray” Luke 11:1-4 2. Pause: Two Practices a. ___________________________ selah 1 Kings 19:12 - “still, small voice” b. ___________________________ distractions 3. Notes on Prayer Questions to Discuss or Ponder: In what way(s) do you struggle with prayer? “Prayer is not the only thing we can do, but it should be the first thing we do.” Respond to this statement. Do you think this is true? Why or why not? Whose prayer life have you learned from? What have you learned? How can you being to practice the disciplines of centering and breath prayers? What might be a “breath prayer” that would be helpful to you? How can you begin to use it in your day? What most distracts you in your own prayer life? Why do we tend to treat prayer as something magic? In what way(s) do you need to adjust your view of prayer? How will you begin to “pause” thi...

  “The Struggle is Real” Sermon Study Guide for January 17, 2021 Downloadable Version Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:3-7 1. Fiery Darts of Fear John 10:10 - the thief comes… 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 - weapons “stronghold” 2. Bring Every Thought Captive John 16:33 - take heart! Romans 12:2 - be transformed “the abundant life” John 8:32 - truth power, love, sound mind - 2 Timothy 1:7 Philippians 4 - rejoice! “think about what you’re thinking about” 1 Peter 5:7 Philippians 2:5 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Recall a time when you focused on the “what if’s.” How did that affect you? What does fear do to you—spiritually, physically and emotionally? What is a “stronghold”? How does fear function as a stronghold? What does it mean to “capture every thought”? What happens when you do not do this? What circumstances have caused you the most fear recently? What enables you to experience the abundant life that Jesus promises? Which of the promises in 2 Timothy are you mos...