MTP Sermon Resources

John 16:16-24 August 31, 2025 • Mount Pleasant UMC Even though social media has become something of a wasteland these days, there are times when it can still be useful. A couple of weeks ago, I went to Facebook and asked this question: what brings you joy? And I got lots of answers from a lot of you, which I’ve tried to distill down into some general categories. Here’s what I heard, in ascending order of number of times mentioned. Achieving goals Seeing joy in others Golf (this was not from Pastor Rick) Helping others Reading a good book Simple things in life Prayer/Quiet/Relationship with Jesus Health Coffee & sunsets Music Laughter Nature And by far the number one thing mentioned that brings joy was family. Number two was not even close. Oh, and I am supposed to specifically mention one response from someone named Rachel Hoesman who said that what brings her joy is “time spent with my father of course.” Joy. There’s not much of it in the world around us but we do at least...

  “When God Feels…Joy” Sermon Study Guide for August 31, 2025 Downloadable Version Scripture: John 16:16-24 1. Joy in the Bible a. Old Testament Creation… Genesis 1 Leviathan - Job 41 Luke 15:7 - one sinner who repents Deuteronomy 30:9-10 - “if” b. New Testament Mark 1:11 - baptism John 11:44 - Lazarus Hebrews 12:2 - cross 2. Grief Into Joy a Passover meal…and a long walk 16:20 - grief into joy a woman giving birth “The Play” “the gigantic secret" Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What brings you joy? What is the difference between joy and happiness? When you consider the world, what things in creation bring you joy? Why do you think that most popular depictions of Jesus show him as somber or sad? How do you typically picture Jesus? What was the joy that allowed Jesus to endure the cross? What do you think the disciples were feeling on that night before the crucifixion as Jesus taught them? When have you experienced grief turning into jo...

Exodus 20:1-6 August 17, 2025 • Mount Pleasant UMC I almost didn’t get to see the first Star Wars movie. Can you imagine how different my life would have been if I hadn’t? Anyway, it had been out for a while, and I wanted to see it, but I wasn’t old enough to go on my own and my parents honestly had no interest in seeing it. I think to this day they’ve never seen any Star Wars , but I have chosen to look past that and love them anyway. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. So one day the invitation came for my younger brother to go to a birthday party for one of his friends, which didn’t interest me until I found out the party was going to see Star Wars . I was not happy, and I was very jealous that my little brother was going to see the movie I wanted to see before I did. I don’t remember what I said, to be honest (it probably wasn’t very pleasant), but whatever it was it caused my mom to call the other parent and ask if I could tag along. So I did. I didn’t even care that I had to han...