MTP Sermon Resources

John 12:12-19 February 26, 2023 • Mount Pleasant UMC There are certain symbols for certain times of the year. Let’s suppose, for a moment, that you fell into a deep sleep and when you woke up, you saw stockings hanging on the mantle and presents under a tree. You’d know it was what time of year? Right, exactly, Christmas. Or if you woke up and. you saw chocolate eggs and fluffy bunnies filling the stores, you’d know it was…Easter, correct. And if you saw men rushing out of stores with boxes of candy and a bouquet of flowers in their hands, you’d know it was…right, about 5 minutes before their Valentine’s date. Certain symbols tell us what time of year it is, but what if you woke up and you saw all of those things all at once? Either you’re in the clearance aisle at Walmart or maybe, just maybe, it’s possible that someone is trying to say something new, trying to make a point. In a sense, that’s a bit of what happened on the first Palm Sunday as Jesus rode into Jerusalem (cf. Wrig...

  “Battle Cry” Sermon Study Guide for February 26, 2023 Downloadable Version Scripture: John 12:12-19 Symbols… 1. Two Parades Pilate Jesus “Lamb of God” (John 1:29) Palm Branches Donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Revelation 19:11) 2. Fight Like Jesus a. Move ________________ the conflict Romans 12:18 b. Extend peace to _____________________ Zechariah 9:10 “the whole world has gone after him” c. Follow the ____________________________ Colossians 1:19-20 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What is the significance of the timing of the first Palm Sunday? What are some of the symbols (and their meaning) of Passover and Palm Sunday? Recall a time in your life when Jesus showed up and you almost missed it. What happened? What helped you to “see” him? Which of the examples of Jesus regarding peacemaking in this story is the hardest for you to practice? Why? What does Romans 12:18 have to say about our practice of peacemaking? What is “the way of the lamb”? How can we foll...

Luke 19:41-44 February 22, 2023 (Ash Wednesday) • Mount Pleasant UMC On the side of the Mount of Olives, along the traditional Palm Sunday route, is a small, tear-shaped chapel called Dominus Flevit. That’s Latin for “The Lord Wept,” and though this particular chapel was built in 1955, there is evidence on the property of this spot being a place of worship since at least the seventh century (Luker, An Illustrated Guide to the Holy Land , pgs. 112-113). This small chapel is one of my favorite places in Israel, party because of the view you have from that spot on the Mount of Olives—you can see Gethsemane, the Temple Mount and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher from here—but also because it represents such a tender moment in the life of Jesus. This chapel is meant to remind us of the passage we read tonight, of the moment when Jesus is preparing to enter the city amidst celebration and singing, but Jesus himself is not singing nor celebrating. Instead, Jesus is weeping. As he pauses ...

Matthew 8:23-27 February 12, 2023 • Mount Pleasant UMC Every time I take a group to the Holy Land, one of the highlights is the boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. It’s usually something we do on the very first day, and I like to remind everyone of something Bishop Woodie White told us the first time I went way back in 1995. In a lot of places in Israel, we don’t know exactly where this or that happened, but when it comes to the Sea of Galilee, we know Jesus was there. He spent a great deal of his time in that area. He sailed that lake and he walked on that water. Other places might be guesses, but we know that the Sea of Galilee is 100% authentic. And we usually take some time to turn off the boat motors, and float along as we reflect in quiet. Without fail, time spent on the Sea of Galilee ranks high in most people’s Holy Land experience. I have never been on the Sea of Galilee when there is a storm, but from the description we get in this morning’s Scripture passage, I’m pretty...

  “So Afraid” Sermon Study Guide for February 12, 2023 Downloadable Version Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27 1. The Storm seismos Mark 4:35-41…don’t you care? getting stuck… John 5 - Pool of Bethesda 2. What Kind of Man is This? “agitated” (a) Who is Jesus? Matthew 7:21-23 (b) Can others tell we are his people? Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Have you had a big storm come into your life? What happened? When have you experienced something that caused you to wonder if Jesus cared? In what way(s) have you related to the invalid in John 5? Have you ever been more afraid of the calm than the storm? Why is it uncomfortable to have to confront who Jesus really is? What area(s) of your life have you not yet allowed Jesus to be Lord over? What will you do about that? Can others tell that you are living under Jesus’ Lordship? Why or why not? Do you want to get well? How will you respond to Jesus’ question? Scripture for the Week: Monday - Mark 4:35-41 Tuesday - John 5:1-15 ...