MTP Sermon Resources

“Born to Be Generous” Sermon Study Guide for November 8, 2020 Downloadable Version Scripture: John 3:16 GPS… 1. Nicodemus For God loved the world in this way… 2. In God’s Image Genesis 1:27 God is generous… Affluenza Matthew 19:24 3. Attitude of Gratitude #mtpchurchth Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What difference does it make as to what we consider our destination to be? When did you memorize John 3:16? If you haven’t, would you consider doing so? How is it the “essence of the gospel”? What connection is there between generosity and the gospel? Have you ever thought of God as “generous”? What does that mean to you? Why do we struggle with generosity? What is affluenza and where do you see it in your life? For what are you grateful today? How will you demonstrate or share that today? Scripture for the Week: Monday - John 3:1-17 Tuesday - Genesis 1:26-31 Wednesday - Matthew 19:16-30 Thursday - Luke 17:11-19 Friday - Ezra 3:1-13 Saturday - Luke 19:1-10 In response ...

Joshua 24:14-28 November 1, 2020 • Mount Pleasant UMC You may have heard—there’s an election coming up this week. I realize you might have missed that news, what with a pandemic and economic challenges and all the rest of the stuff that’s occupied our attention the past several months, but it is true. This week is the presidential election. Depending on who you listen to, the decision is either a foregone conclusion or the most important decision you’ll ever make. Now, there’s a lot of things I don’t know. I don't know who will win the race. I don't know if we’ll even know who won the race by this time next week. I don’t know what the next four years will hold, or the next four months for that matter! Lots of things I don’t know, and only one thing I do know. That is this: no matter who sits in the White House, God is still on the throne, Jesus is still Lord, and the world still belongs to him. Nothing that’s put in any ballot box on Tuesday is going to change that. I’m not s...

  “You Can’t Serve God” Sermon Study Guide for November 1, 2020 Downloadable Version Scripture: Joshua 24:14-28 1. Joshua at Shechem burying idols…   (Genesis 35:4) “As for me and my house…” God is… 2. Which gods? a. _____________________ b. _____________________ c. _____________________ d. _____________________ Choose this day… Stones of witness… Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What power is there in Joshua returning to a place that represents an historical place of decision? Why do “little-g” gods have such power in our lives? Have you had an “as for me and my house” moment? Share that experience. Of the three characteristics of God Joshua mentions, which is the most unsettling? Why? Why is it important to understand individual passages of Scripture in light of the whole story of the Bible? How does the god of money threaten to take over your life? What about the god of technology tempts you? Why do celebrities have such sway in our culture today? In what w...

Joshua 14:6-15 October 25, 2020 • Mount Pleasant UMC A few years ago, I started getting invitations from the Annual Conference to attend the annual “getting ready for retirement” seminar. And then, just this week, I got an invitation to a “Brunch with the Bishop” retiree Zoom meeting. I’m starting to wonder if they are trying to tell me something! When I turned 50, I started getting invitations from AARP to join their group, and that was followed by an invitation from our investment guy to “come in and talk about your retirement plans.” Seriously, is someone trying to tell me something? It is a bit amazing, isn’t it, that in our culture as soon as we start working, people start talking to us about retirement. In seminary, we were given advice on building our pensions and at our ordination, while the Conference was voting on whether or not to accept us, we were backstage filling out pension paperwork. When I googled “retirement,” two main themes came up: advice on how much to save...

  “Give Me This Mountain” Sermon Study Guide for October 25, 2020 Downloadable Version Scripture: Joshua 14:6-15 Retirement… 1. Caleb “wholeheartedly” “Give me this mountain…” 2. Being Like Caleb Older Adults… Middle and Younger Adults… What story do you want to tell? The faithfulness of God… Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What are your dreams or plans for retirement? Why is so much of Joshua’s book taken up by the division of the land? What is significant about that action? What does it mean for Caleb to be “wholehearted” toward God? What might that look like in your life? Think of someone you “want to be like when you grow up.” What characteristics or qualities in their life do you most want to exhibit? Recall how someone older in the faith influenced you in your spiritual journey. What do you do in your own life to make sure you are “filled” with God’s Spirit first so as to put off other distractions? What story do you want your life to tell? How does your life te...

  “And the Walls Came Tumbling Down” Sermon Study Guide for October 18, 2020 Downloadable Version Scripture: Joshua 6:15-21 1 Corinthians 10:11 1. Jericho Things we can learn… v. 21 - when we don’t understand God… Proverbs 3:5-6 2. Walls Tear Down 2 Corinthians 10:5 Build Up Ephesians 2:14-16 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: How do you see God working in the story of Jericho? How do you respond to the killing of the people of Jericho? What do you do when you don’t understand God’s actions? What walls most need to be torn down in your life? What part is yours to do and what part is God’s to do? Have worry or fear affected you during this pandemic? In what way? What have you done to confront those walls? What walls need built in your life? What one step will you take this week to begin that process? Scripture for the Week: Monday - Joshua 13:1-14:15 Tuesday - Joshua 15:1-17:18 Wednesday - Joshua 18:1-19:9 Thursday - Joshua 19:10-51 Friday - Joshua 20:1-21...