MTP Sermon Resources

Micah 5:2-4 December 26, 2021 • Mount Pleasant UMC I don’t often quote John Cougar Mellencamp, but…“I was born in a small town.” Well, technically I wasn’t born in the small town. I was born in Lafayette, at a hospital, a hospital which they have since converted into something else. But I digress! I grew up in a small town, and I am forever grateful for that. Sedalia, Indiana, population about 150 depending on how many dogs and cats were currently in residence. For those who remember the old television show Hee Haw , I have a strong desire right now to yell, “Saaaa-luuute!” It appears this morning may be just a series of digressions. Anyway—where was I? Oh, yes, I grew up in a small town. Sedalia hadn’t always been as small as it was then or is now. At one time, there was a general store, a garage that worked on cars, and several other businesses. But when I grew up there, we had two main gathering places. The post office, where I went every morning before school to get the mail, an

John 1:1-14 December 24, 2021 • Mount Pleasant UMC It is one of the most famous scenes in cinematic history. The film is A Few Good Men , and Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson are going head to head in a military court. Nicholson is on the stand with Cruise grilling him and when the questioning gets heated, Nicholson asks, “You want answers?” To which Cruise response, “I want the truth!” And Nicholson utters that famous line (the one line most everyone knows whether they’ve seen the movie or not): “You can’t handle the truth!” Then follows a speech about truth, honor, loyalty and what has to happen for him to be able to save lives. It is a stirring moment, but it’s that one line that echoes in everyone’s mind even after the film is over. “You can’t handle the truth!” It resonates with us because, well, it’s true. If there ever was a time where we proved that, as human beings, we generally can’t handle the truth, it was a time and a story that began in Bethlehem. People had been praying

  “Small Things” Sermon Study Guide for December 26, 2021 Downloadable Version Scripture: Micah 5:2-4 Small Town… 1. Nazareth & Bethlehem “Can anything good…” (John 1:45-46) “House of Bread” Abraham - Genesis 12:1 David - 2 Samuel 7:16 Mary - Luke 1:31-33 The glory departs - Ezekiel 10:18-19 2. The Greatest of All Things Mark 4:30-32 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What kind of a place did you grow up in? What about the place shaped who you are today? What does it mean to be from a place that is not well-thought-of? How might that have shaped Jesus as he grew up? How might that have shaped people’s perceptions of Jesus? In what way(s) have you felt “abandoned” in the last two years? Who do you know that others might think of as “insignificant” but has done great things? React to this quote from Mother Teresa: “You can do no great things, only small things with great love.” What is God leading you to pursue in 2022? Scripture for the Week: Monday - Mark 4:21-34 Tue

Matthew 1:18-25 December 19, 2021 • Mount Pleasant UMC Well, this is the week. When we meet again next Sunday, all the boxes will be unwrapped, the food will be eaten and we’ll be looking forward to a brand new year. For some of you, this is “crunch week,” right? You know what I mean—you still have presents to be bought and wrapped. Some of you wait until Christmas Eve because you “do better under pressure.” You know who you are! For others, the presents were wrapped weeks ago so you could focus on other things like meal preparation and party planning. And others are just so tired of Christmas music in the stores that you’re ready for it all to be over. You will take your tree down as soon as dinner is over on Saturday with a victorious cry of “Bah, humbug!” Well, no matter where you are in your Advent journey, Christmas is almost here. To paraphrase the Grinch, it comes just the same, no matter how we feel about it. And while some of us have already had enough Christmas, in truth, f

  “It All Matters” Sermon Study Guide for December 19, 2021 Downloadable Version Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25 1. Implication One If the incarnation is true… 2. Implication Two If the incarnation is true… Mary was “found” to be pregnant Live into your belief… Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What preparations do you yet need to take care of for Christmas to be “perfect”? When do you do most of your Christmas shopping? What fears, worries, concerns, or excitements do you think Joseph would have been experiencing in the lead-up to that first Christmas? Why do people today prefer a “distant” God rather than the Christian God? What helps you slow down enough to be able to listen to God? Recall an “anywhere” that God showed up for you. Share as much of the story as you feel comfortable sharing. What does it mean to “live into your belief”? This Christmas, where will you find Jesus? Where will he find you? Scripture for the Week: The Nativity Story Monday - Luke 1:1-25 Tuesday - Luke

Luke 2:1-5 December 12, 2021 • Mount Pleasant UMC Dr. Steve Seamands tells of picking up the newspaper one Christmas Day and reading this notice on the front page: “In keeping with the Christmas spirit, only good news will appear on the front page.” And sure enough, on the front page that day was a story about the pope, another about one family helping a neighbor in need, and a picture of Santa Claus stretched out on a patio, resting after his long night. Turn the page, however, and there was the “rest of the news.” Freedom fighters in Cuba, a robbery in Chicago, a fire that killed a family, civil war in Africa and other assorted tragedies. The bad news didn’t go away; it was just hidden because it was Christmas. I understand the newspaper’s desire. Two different occasions stand out in my own experience. One time I was helping a women’s group plan their annual speaker’s calendar. When we got to December, it was suggested we have the director of the local homeless shelter come and sha