MTP Sermon Resources

2 Samuel 12:1-7; John 8:1-11; Psalm 51 August 28, 2022 • Mount Pleasant UMC She was on the ground, half-naked and ashamed. When they broke in and grabbed her, they didn’t let her get dressed. Now they stood in a circle, facing her, taunting her, calling her all sorts of awful names, names she never expected to hear coming from the mouths of religious leaders. He had left in a hurry, and she had begun to believe he was in cahoots with them. Maybe he had never loved her at all. She didn’t know, and it really didn’t matter, because at this point, the next thing she expected to feel were the stones. All of them had one, and they were ready to throw them at her. She expected that a few well-aimed throws would knock her out, and then she would die. That was, after all, the penalty for what she had done. She knew that when she got into this mess, but she couldn’t help herself. Or at least that’s what she had told herself these last few weeks. Why were they waiting? Why weren’t they throwi

  “Fortunate Fall” Sermon Study Guide for August 28, 2022 Downloadable Version Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:1-7 John 8:1-11…the woman 1. David…not at war (2 Samuel 11) Bathsheba Uriah “send” Nathan (2 Samuel 12) 2. The Slide a. ___________________________ b. _________________________ (12:7) c. _________________________ (12:13) felix culpa Psalm 51:1-2, 10-12 d. _________________________ (51:13) “Let the one without sin…” “You can take a thousand steps away from God, but…” Questions for Discussion and Reflection How do you tend to react when you hear of someone else’s sin? What is your response? In what ways and situations are you tempted to “play God”? How does that usually turn out? Why is it hard for us to let God be God? At which point of the “slide” do you find yourself today? Have you ever thought of “sin” as being “happy”? In what way(s) does that go against your usual understanding of how things work? In what way(s) does our sin help us realize our need for

2 Samuel 9:1-13 August 21, 2022 • Mount Pleasant UMC The predictions are legendary and they remind us that we are often very short-sighted people. One man was told he was “too stupid to learn anything” and that he should find a place of work where he might succeed “by virtue of his pleasant personality.” That man, Thomas Alva Edison, went onto create many things we use today, including the telephone and the light bulb. Another similar man, who was unable to talk until he was four years old, was told by his teachers he would "never amount to much.” I wonder where those teachers were when Albert Einstein won a Nobel prize? Abraham Lincoln failed in business, had a mental breakdown and was defeated in eight elections before becoming president of the United States. In 1962, Decca Records did not offer the Beatles a recording contract because “guitar music is on its way out” and the Beatles had “no future in show business.” Oprah Winfrey was told she “wasn’t fit for television,” and

" Dead Dogs" Sermon Study Guide for August 21, 2022 Downloadable Version Scripture: 2 Samuel 9:1-13 Famous Failures… Mephibosheth David becomes king… His name means… 2 Samuel 4:4 - 5 years old Lo Debar David’s promise to Jonathan - 1 Samuel 20:14-15 2. Hesed when the one who owes you… We are Mephibosheth… John 13:1-35…final meal with the disciples From head to heart… A new command… Questions for Discussion and Reflection What defines you? Where do you find your identity? In what ways do other people tell you who you are? How do you know what to listen to and what not to listen to? How would you describe Mephibosheth? What sort of person do you think he was? What does hesed mean? In what ways have you seen or experienced that in your own life? What does it mean to move from “head knowledge” to “heart knowledge”? In what ways do you struggle with that move? Who do you most struggle to love? Why? In what practical way(s) can you show love to the Mephibosheth

“Enemy in Your Hands” Sermon Study Guide for August 14, 2022 Downloadable Version Scripture: 1 Samuel 24:1-13 1. A Man After God’s Heart 1 Corinthians 10:11 - “examples” Romans 15:4 - “learning” running for his life from Saul 2. God Goes With Us Presence Refuge (Psalm 46:1) Proverbs 3:5-6 Ephesians 4:22-24 3. Holiness “wholeness” Romans 12:17-19 three simple questions Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Who has been an example for you? From whom have you learned much? Recall a time when you felt you were protected by God in a dangerous time. What happened? Where do you find refuge in stressful times? Describe a time when God did something unexpected in your next chapter. How did that affect the course of your life? Why is it harder to “take the high road” when you are tempted? What helps you? What images or ideas come to mind when you hear the word “holiness”? How is that similar or different from what Biblical holiness is? What one step will you take this week toward a