MTP Sermon Resources

Hebrews 12:1-3 February 20, 2022 • Mont Pleasant UMC I don’t care how old you are, we’ve all done it. Let’s say you’re getting ready in the morning to go to work or to embark on the day’s activities, and when you start to head outside, the wind is a bit colder than you thought it was. So you decide you’d better grab a sweater, an extra layer of warmth, and that causes you to head toward the bedroom to grab said sweater. When you get there, you look around at the room and you wonder, “What did I come in here for?” Anyone? Or you go upstairs and then can’t remember why you went up there. Anyone? Just me? Okay. Well, friends, I have good news for you this morning: you are not losing your mind. What’s happening is a phenomenon called “The Doorway Effect.” Yep, there’s been real, scientific research done though the people who did it can’t remember it. (That was a joke…or an attempt at one.) Anyway, when you decide to do something, that “something” is stored in short-term memory and your b

  “Fix Your Eyes” Sermon Study Guide for February 20, 2022 Downloadable Version Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3 “The Doorway Effect” 1. Fix Your Eyes “pioneer and perfecter” Philippians 3:12-14 - “press on” 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 For the joy… 2. Fixing Our Eyes a. Make ______________________ the first and last thought of the day St. Patrick’s prayer b. The rest of the day action vs. being Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Have you experienced “the doorway effect”? If so, share about a time you did. What makes it hard for you to focus on work? on family life? on your spiritual life? What does it mean that Jesus is the “pioneer” of our faith? the “perfecter” of our faith? What was the “joy” that lay beyond the cross for Jesus? What one discipline will help you fix your eyes on Jesus at each end of the day? What’s the difference between acting in Christian ways and being a Christian? Challenge: commit Hebrews 12:1-3 to memory. Scripture for the Week: Monday - 2 Corin

Hebrews 12:5-13 February 13, 2022 • Mount Pleasant UMC Leading up to and during these Beijing Winter Olympics, I’ve received several emails from Voice of the Martyrs, a Christian organization fighting religious persecution around the world. VOM is reminding us to pray for believers in China. As the world is watching these games, persecution continues against the believers in China who aren’t part of the state-approved church. VOM reports that today in China, the online sale of Bibles is prohibited and that “the government has installed more than 170 million facial recognition cameras, many in or near churches, in an effort to identify those who attend worship services.” Many pastors, like Pastor Wang Yi, have been imprisoned for leading an unregistered church. Pastor Yi has been in prison for over 1,100 days, and his wife is under house arrest, prohibited from talking to or interacting with any church members. Pastor Yi loves his country, he says, but his first loyalty is to Jesus

  “Playing Hurt” Sermon Study Guide for February 13, 2022 Downloadable Version Scripture: Hebrews 12:5-13 China and the persecuted church… 1. Recover from Injuries Strengthen ______________________________ Strengthen ______________________________ Make __________________________________ 2. A Path Toward Healing ________________________ the Injury Decide on _____________________________ Conclusion: Fix Your _______________________________ Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What do you know about the persecuted church? Take some time to pray for them right now. What “wound” consistently stays with you? What does it mean to “actively pursue” healing? How critical is the “active” part of that practice? When have you found service to others as a path toward healing? Name some things you need to stop doing in order to find healing. What step are you on on the path toward healing? What is your next step? How does fixing your eyes on Jesus give you

Hebrews 12:1-4 February 6, 2022 • Mount Pleasant UMC Our family loves all things Disney, and that love has only been strengthened (at least for me) since Disney’s acquisition of both Marvel and Star Wars . So this past November, I was very excited to go to Disneyland in California to visit both the Avengers Campus and Galaxy’s Edge (or what I lovingly call “Star Wars Land”). I’ve been asked if there are a lot of differences between Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida, and of course the biggest difference is size. Disneyland covers 500 acres while Disney World is spread out over almost 43 square miles (or 27,000 acres). You could fit 51 Disneylands inside Disney World. So most all of our travel at Disneyland was on foot; even our hotel was just across the street from the entrance. We walked in and we walked out. By contrast, at Disney World we learned to use their bus system to get where we needed to go. And most of all we learned that when those busses arrive, you’ve