MTP Sermon Resources

  “God’s People” Sermon Study Guide for May 1, 2022 Downloadable Version Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40 The Gospel of the Autonomous Self 1. The Greatest Commandment 2. Becoming God’s People a. Become ___________________ People Love God with your… Matthew 4:17 b. Become ___________________ People Love God with your… Matthew 28:19-20 c. Become ___________________ People Love God with your… Isaiah 44:14-20 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Where have you experienced “the gospel of the autonomous self”? Why do we prefer to worship ourselves? What do you think the Pharisees expected Jesus to say when they asked about the greatest commandment? Respond to this statement: The “two” commandments are really two sides of the same coin—love God and love people. What does it mean to you that “Jesus is Lord”? What does it mean to live as in an earthly kingdom while being a citizen of God’s kingdom? Why does the church ignore the Gospel mission that Jesus gave us? Share ...

Exodus 32:1-8 April 24, 2022 • Mount Pleasant UMC I'm going to start this morning with a shameless plug: you should come with me to Israel next January . This will be my sixth trip to the Holy Land, and every time I see and experience new things. Ten years ago, the first time Rachel went with me, we went to the territory of Dan in the far northern part of the country. I knew Dan was one of the twelve tribes of Israel and that the place we were going to visit was their ancient capital, but other than that I had no idea what we were going to see. What I discovered was, for one, Dan is a very lush area. I know I show you a lot of pictures from Israel, and much of it is desert, but in the north, where the headwaters of the Jordan River are, it’s really very green. Another thing I got to see was an ancient city gate, probably a gate that was there when Abraham in the book of Genesis was traveling through. But the thing that made the biggest impression on me, the thing I remember the m...

  “Here Are Your Gods” Sermon Study Guide for April 24, 2022 Downloadable Version Scripture: Exodus 32:1-8 Jeroboam - 1 Kings 12:25-30 1. At Mount Sinai Where’s Moses? “Make us gods…” Commandments 1 & 2 - Exodus 20:3-5 2. Idolatry In My Life a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.   i.   Exodus 32:9-24 - God’s response Questions to Discuss or Ponder: How have you experienced the truth that what we put “in” determines what we get “out”? Share about a time when you were impatient and “got ahead of God.” When you think of “idolatry,” what images come to mind? What idols do you identify in our world today? What idols has this morning’s message identified in your life? What is your plan for dealing with that/those idols? Scripture for the Week: Monday - Exodus 32:9-24 Tuesday - Exodus 32:25-35 Wednesday - 1 Kings 12:25-33 Thursday - Exodus 20:1-21 Friday - Luke 23:32-34 Saturday - Matthew 24:34-40 In response to this Scripture, how will you live? Prayer...

John 20:11-18 April 17, 2022 (Easter) • Mount Pleasant UMC The fact that she is still standing is amazing, considering all she has been through. These last hours have been incredibly hard, traumatizing even. Of all of those who had followed him, she was among the few who had stayed to the bitter end. She stayed at the cross, and watched over him up to the moment when the stone had been rolled in front of the tomb. In many ways, that had been a relief; she no longer had to see the brutal wounds on his body that had been inflicted by the Roman soldiers. She could try to remember him as he had been: her teacher, her master, her friend. He had driven seven demons out of her (cf. Luke 8:2); he had literally saved her from death. She owed him her life, and suddenly he was gone. The trauma was heavy; the grief was real (cf. Card, John: The Gospel of Wisdom , pg. 206). She couldn’t quit crying. She kept hoping it had been a dream, but she knew it was not. This was life under Roman occupa...

“Now and Then” Sermon Study Guide for April 17, 2022 Downloadable Version Scripture: John 20:11-18 A trip to the tomb… 20:1-10 1. Resurrection Now grief…and hearing her name John 10:3-4 children of God / brother to Jesus 2. Resurrection Then “not yet ascended” “because I live…” Revelation 21:4-5, 22 - “no more” 1 Corinthians 13:12 - fully known “the proof of the resurrection…” Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Put yourself in Mary’s shoes. What would you have been feeling on that Sunday morning, less than 48 hours after Jesus’ brutal death? Finish Mary’s sentence for your own life: “They have taken my…” Why do you think Mary didn’t recognize Jesus until he called her name? What is significant about the way someone says your name? What does it mean to be fully a child of God and have Jesus as your brother? Have you deeply thought about that? Why, do you think, does Jesus tell Mary not to hold onto him? What is your picture of eternal life? What do you think it will be l...