MTP Sermon Resources

Matthew 2:16-18 December 7, 2025 • Mount Pleasant UMC I've been to Herod's house. Actually, I’ve been to at least two of them. King Herod, as kings often do, built magnificent palaces in out of the way places. Some of them he never lived in. But in those he did, Herod could keep an eye on his kingdom and feel a sense of safety in case the kingdom got upset with him. Herod’s houses were fortresses, and the two I’ve been to in particular were built on the tops of mountains. One of them was built on the side of Masada, a huge flat mountain in the middle of the Judean desert that, fifty or so years after Herod would become infamous as the place where the last Jewish rebels rebelled against the Romans. The remains of Herod’s palace still cling to the side of the mountain, 1,300 feet above the desert floor (cf. Billups, An Unlikely Advent , pg. 35). The other palace, known as the Herodium because why wouldn’t you name your house after yourself, is also on a mountain, but it’s a man...

  “Weeping in Bethlehem” Sermon Study Guide for December 7, 2025 Downloadable Version Scripture: Matthew 2:16-18 1. Herod’s Story his tendency toward cruelty his fear time jump in Matthew 2 a threat to the throne Exodus 1:22 a flight to Egypt 2. Two Questions + 1 Observation Observation 1: John 16:33 Observation 2: A Troubling Question Matthew 14:22-33 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Herod built monuments to himself. How do people today demonstrate that they are “important”? What, in your estimation, most causes fear in people today? How do people react when they are consumed with fear? How would you have responded as a neighbor or friend to a grieving mother in Bethlehem? Why do you think God always spoke to Joseph in dreams? Why do we want to believe that Christians shouldn’t have trouble? How does that affect our long-term relationship with God? Where have you seen “a little Herod” in your own life? in the lives of others? Be honest. What difference d...

Luke 1:5-20 November 30, 2025 • Mount Pleasant UMC Stories shape us and every family has its own story, a narrative that defines who they are and who they are not (cf. McKnight, Luke , pg. 9). When we come to the season of Advent, we are entering in one of the most famous stories of all, a story that has shaped believers for centuries. It’s the story of a man and a woman and a baby boy born in a little town that they weren’t supposed to be in. It’s the story of government interference that forced them from their home—not once, but twice. The second time they even had to leave the country! It’s the story of a night that wouldn’t have been all that holy or silent to those who were there. And while the baby rightly takes center stage, there are a lot of other people who come in and out of the story to make what happens in the little town of Bethlehem possible. This Advent, for the next few weeks, we’re going to look at some of those characters who are sometimes in the shadows, on th...

  “Broken Dreams” Sermon Study Guide for November 30, 2025 Downloadable Version Scripture: Luke 1:5-20 1. A Priestly Family childless… broken dreams and faithfulness 2. Encounter With an Angel Holy of Holies… angels - Isaiah 6:1-5 “do not be afraid” “How can I be sure of this?” Silence - Space - Time Advent is a time of hope Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What stories shape your family? What are the stories that are always told when you get together? How do you think Elizabeth & Zechariah dealt with their childlessness? Who have you known who has had to deal with that? What did they do? What broken teams have invaded your life? How do we generally respond to people who appear to be faithful but have had unanswered prayers? What would it have meant to Zechariah to be chosen to perform the sacrifice? How would you respond in such a situation? How do you envision an angel? Why do they always begin with calming words? How do you think the “conversation” between E...