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At One

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1 John 4:9-12 July 13, 2025 • Mount Pleasant UMC When I answered God’s call to be a pastor, to spend my whole life in the church, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. Many of you know that Mount Pleasant is the fourth church I have served, the third one I have been the lead pastor for. For the first four years of my ministry, I was an associate pastor, and as Pastor Rick will tell you, that’s the best job in the world because you have someone to blame for everything! Then I was appointed to a country church and the first day I was there, the Trustee chairperson called me and wanted to have lunch. Well, that’s really nice, I thought. And it was nice, and he has become a lifelong friend, but that day who I met was a fairly young Christian who was beginning to step into leadership in the church finding himself honestly shocked by the way things happened. He told me he went to his first Council meeting and almost quit after that because of the way people treated each ...
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At One (Study Guide)

  “At One” Sermon Study Guide for July 13, 2025 Downloadable Version Scripture: 1 John 4:9-12 Life in the church… 1. A Letter from John the last living disciple the “core” 2. Atonement legal religious a parable - Matthew 18:21-30 3. Forgive One Another a. ___________________________ b. ___________________________ c. ___________________________ d. ___________________________ Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What has been your biggest challenge in dealing with others in the church? Why do we treat each other in ways that aren’t loving? Why are there so many different denominations in the world today? Do we tend to focus on our similarities or differences? Why? Why is atonement so important? How does it help explain what Jesus has done for us? Why is it easier to be forgiven than to forgive someone who has hurt us? In what way(s) do others see Jesus when we forgive someone? What first step do you need to take to leave behind the prison of unforgiveness? Scripture for ...
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Jesus Loves the Little Children

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Mark 10:13-16 July 6, 2025 • Mount Pleasant UMC I recently heard Max Lucado say that when you’re a grandpa, you get to share grandchild stories in sermons. So since Max Lucado said it, I’m going to go with it. One of the best parts about being a grandpa is that you get to experience again life through the eyes of a child. When Easton hangs out at our house, life changes, the pace of life changes, because everything happens on Easton’s schedule and at his pace. And children, especially little ones like him, aren’t in a hurry to get things done. They will go from thing to thing but they don’t have an agenda, and they don’t worry about accomplishing things. They just want to experience everything. And so I am learning (again) to experience life at the speed and through the eyes of a child, and I’m remembering what Jesus said in this morning’s Scripture reading: “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (10:15). So hanging out with Easto...
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Jesus Loves the Little Children (Study Guide)

  “Jesus Loves the Little Children” Sermon Study Guide for July 6, 2025 Downloadable Version Scripture: Mark 10:13-16 Children… 1. Let the Children Come… blessing… welcoming a child - 9:36-37, 42 a. The kingdom ____________________ b. ____________________ it like a child 2. Becoming Childlike a. Open __________________________ b. ________________ and ________________ c. ______________________ others eulogeo Bottom line: Be ____________ to one another Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What do children and infants understand that adults don’t? Wby do you think these parents wanted to bring their children to meet Jesus? What do you imagine they expected to happen when Jesus held the children? Why was Jesus “indignant” when the disciples tried to run the children off? How does your desire for control show up in your relationship with Jesus? What keeps us from being willing to do where Jesus wants us to go? What does waiting have to do with trust? When have you “eulogize...
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