MTP Sermon Resources

John 15:1-8 March 28, 2021 (Palm Sunday) • Mount Pleasant UMC I’ve never been much of a gardener. My dad has always been good at it. When I was growing up, we had a big garden and we would spend many hours in late summer on the back patio snapping green beans and helping with other gardening chores. But I did not inherit his green thumb, though I’ve tried my hand at it. Two of our parsonages had a garden space and I felt like I should plant something there. So I’ve tried growing corn and peppers and cucumbers and pumpkins and green beans—none of which I could keep alive very well. About the only thing I was consistently successful at growing is tomatoes—which, of course, is God’s little joke on me because I don’t eat tomatoes though I do like making them into chili and spaghetti sauce. But one of our parsonages had a grapevine. The pastor before me had planted it and she told me in another couple of years it would be producing grapes. So I watched it grow and I got so excited when

  “Fruit Connection” Sermon Study Guide for March 28, 2021 Downloadable Version Scripture: John 15:1-8 Gardening… 1. “I am the vine…” The last supper and the last walk… Wine production Israel’s national symbol… Psalm 80 Isaiah 5:1-7 2. What Jesus meant: two images a. ___________________________ (15:2) b. ___________________________ (15:3) Philippians 3:10 3. Bear _______________________ (15:8) John 13:34-35; 14:15 Galatians 5:19-23 1 Corinthians 13:3 4. All for ____________________ glory Psalm 115:1 Questions for Discussion and Reflection Picture the Last Supper in your mind. What emotions and thoughts are running through the hearts and minds of those who are there? How does that affect what happens? What images must have come to the disciples’ minds when Jesus mentioned a vine? What does it mean that branches must sometimes be “cut off”? How does that apply in our lives? What is involved in “pruning” a vine? Why is that important? What does that have

  “I Am the Way, The Truth and the Life” Sermon Study Guide for March 21, 2021 Downloadable Version Scripture: John 14:1-7 1. Final Things final words… comfort for the disciples… John 14:34-35 - love one another John 15:1 - abiding in the vine 2. Way, Truth, Life the promise… Way Truth Life “No one comes to the Father…” Romans 11:34 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What questions define your life? Where have you found answers? Recall a time when someone’s “last words” had an impact on you or someone you know. What does it mean to you when Jesus says, “I will not abandon you”? Where do people in the world today seek life? truth? a way? How do those things not satisfy? Which of the three promises (way, truth, life) do you most need at this point in your life? Why? Where do you find hope in today’s world? Have you trusted in Christ for “the life that is really life”? If not, why not? Will you do so today? Scripture for the Week: Monday - John 19:28-37 Tuesday

John 10:11-21 March 14, 2021 • Mount Pleasant UMC I grew up in the big town of Sedalia, Indiana, and in our backyard there were several paths. Our yard was not large, but our dog was. We had a beautiful collie named Princess, and several times a day, she would make the trip from the back patio to the back fence to be able, I guess, to look over at the neighbors’ homes and see what was going on. Princess wore a path from the patio to the fence because she took the exact same route every day, several times a day. And, of course, with two boys in the house, we put that path to good use ourselves; it became the first baseline on our baseball/kickball field. We wore out paths around our diamond, too, though not as deeply as Princess did. The yard took a lot of years to recover from the dog and the boys and our well-worn paths. All of us have well-worn paths, routes that lead us to the familiar. We even do it when we sit in the same pew here at church every week. It’s always fun for me,

  “The Best of the Worst” Sermon Study Guide for March 14, 2021 Downloadable Version Scripture: John 10:11-21 Well-worn paths… 1. “I am the Good Shepherd” Matthew 23:1-3 - Pharisees Shepherds… Exodus 3:1 - Moses 1 Samuel 16:11 - David Jeremiah 23:3 Ezekiel 34:12 2. What Jesus meant “Hireling” - John 15:13 Welcome - John 10:15-16, 30 Name - John 10:14; Isaiah 43:1 3. How we live it out Protection/Salvation - John 3:16-17 Welcome - Matthew 25 Name - Job 1:8 Psalm 23:1-6 Questions for Discussion and Reflection What are your “well-worn paths”? What places and situations bring you a sense of security? What images come to your mind when you hear about “shepherds”? How do those compare or contrast with the images from the first century? What is the difference between a true shepherd and a hireling? What does Jesus mean when he says he has “other sheep” to call? How do you react to that statement? Why do you respond that way? Why do many in our world today think