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Truly Good

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1 Timothy 6:18 November 8, 2026 • Mount Pleasant UMC So we’re in the middle of this short series of sermons considering what it means to live “The Good Life.” As I mentioned last week, a lot of people have different ideas about what a “good life” is. It makes me think of an old story—you may have heard it before—about a man who died that everyone knew was a terrible person. He had lied, cheated and been involved in scandals all of his life. When the time came for his funeral, his brother—who wasn’t any better—came to the pastor and said, “Pastor, I know my brother was a terrible person, but you can’t say that at his funeral. In fact, I’ll give the church a million dollars if you will say that my brother was a saint.” The pastor worked hard on the funeral service, and agonized over what he would say. Then the day came, and he stood up in the pulpit. “Most of you know what kind of man the deceased was,” he began. “You know how he lied, and cheated, and created scandal wherever he went....
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Truly Good (Study Guide)

“Truly Good” Sermon Study Guide for November 8, 2026 Downloadable Version Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:18 1. Love of Money… 1 Timothy 6:10 2. How to Thrive a. Do __________________________ kindness Wesley’s “three simple rules” b. Be __________________________ Galatians 5:22-23 Acts 2:44-45; 4:36-37 Wesley’s rules for money Questions to Discuss or Ponder: In what way(s) is the love of money the “root of all evil”? When have you seen this lived out? How do we get to a place where we are content? What is the difference between being saved by good works and demonstrating your salvation through good works? How does “doing good” overcome our attachment to money? How did the early church demonstrate generosity? Which one of the “rules for money” is most needed in your life at this time? What is the first step you will take? In what way is giving the path to the good life? Scripture for the Week: Monday - Acts 2:42-47 Tuesday - Acts 4:32-37 Wednesday - Acts 5:1-11 ...
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Grasping for Certainty

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1 Timothy 6:17 November 1, 2026 • Mount Pleasant UMC Everybody wants to live the good life. I mean, that makes sense, right? Nobody wants to live a “bad life.” No one wants or chooses to be miserable or to live a pointless life. Everybody wants to live the good life. That’s the American dream—living the life you always wanted to live and having the resources to do it. But do a quick online search and you’ll find that how people define what “the good life” is differs greatly. For some, it’s having a lot of social connections and relationships. For others, it’s having a lot of stuff, or at least having the financial freedom to buy whatever you want—the latest gadget, the nicest car and the most comfortable house. And for still others, “the good life” means having purpose and fulfillment in work or in whatever you’re doing. It seems, too, that our definitions of “the good life” shift throughout our lives; in other words, depending on what stage of life we are in, we want different thing...
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Grasping for Certainty (Study Guide)

“Grasping for Certainty” Sermon Study Guide for November 1, 2026 Downloadable Version Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:17 the good life… 1. Timothy in Ephesus the rich… 2. Command the Rich… a. Don’t ____________________________ the rich young ruler - Luke 12:16-21 pouring into someone’s life… b. Don’t ____________________________ grasping for certainty… c. Put _____________________________ Questions to Discuss or Ponder: How would you define “the good life”? Why are we willing to go in deep debt in order to find what we think of as the good life? Why do we tend to not think of ourselves as rich? What does it mean when Scripture says someone “thinks to themselves”? Why is that a bad thing? When have you had the opportunity to “pour into” someone else’s life? When has someone poured into yours? What are the “certain” things in your life? Which things once seemed certain but proved to be uncertain? What does it look like to have your life “properly oriented toward God”? In what ...
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