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Unexpected Battles

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Judges 4:16-23 March 8, 2026 • Mount Pleasant UMC I feel like I need to start with a warning this morning: this Scripture is particularly violent and gory. And we may wonder why such a story is in the Bible. Never mind that the crucifixion at the heart of our faith is even more violent and gory which is why some people had trouble with the film The Passion of the Christ . I saw online the other day that some people are saying they won’t watch the sixth season of The Chosen because they can’t handle the crucifixion. Jonathon Roumie, who plays Jesus, said, “Don’t abandon Jesus in his hour of need just because it’s hard for you.” The reality is that the world of the Bible, the ancient world, is a violent world. And maybe our world isn’t all that different, actually. Our entertainment is dark and our language is rough. We are, too, are a violent people though we like to pretend we are not. So this morning, we’re going to the valley of Kishon, a place of battles, darkness and violenc...
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Unexpected Battles (Study Guide)

“Unexpected Battles” Sermon Study Guide for March 8, 2026 Downloadable Version Scripture: Judges 4:16-23 1. Deborah the Judge Sisera the oppressor - twenty years Barak and his 10,000 men Heber the Kenite Jael Hospitality - Genesis 19:8 2. Where the Battles Take Place a. Face ____________________________ b. Fight ___________________________ c. Fight ___________________________ Hebrews 13:5 John 14:30 1 John 4:4 Revelation 11:15 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Where do you experience violence in your world? Movies? TV Shows? Daily Life? How do you respond to violence in the Bible? Why do you think it took the Israelites twenty years to remember to ask God for help? What does “hospitality” mean in our culture? How do you experience it today? What battles are waiting for you in the “valley of Kishon” today? Who do you have in your life who can come alongside you in the battle(s) you’re currently facing? When will you talk with that person? What is the differ...
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Before

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Exodus 19:1-9 March 1, 2026 • Mount Pleasant UMC So last weekend, we went to Michigan to help Christopher move   from Bridgman to Lansing, about two hours away. But it wasn’t as simple as it sounds. For one, not everything was packed when we arrived. And it was cold. And snowing most of the day. And we had to take an extra hour detour to drop some things off in Mishawaka. And he had a couch that needed to be moved to the second story of an apartment building—and of course it wouldn’t fit in the elevator. By the time we got done, about 11:00 p.m., I was cold, tired and sore. And maybe a little grumpy. The words that kept echoing in my head were, “I’m getting too old for this!” So why did I do it? Why did I spend thirteen hours in a car and a U-haul truck to carry heavy boxes, wrangle a big couch up a flight of stairs, stand in the cold and snow and wear myself out? Because I love my son. Love will make you do all sorts of crazy things.   Love has caused God to do all s...
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Before (Study Guide)

“Before” Sermon Study Guide for March 1, 2026 Downloadable Version Scripture: Exodus 19:1-9 1. At Mount Sinai rescue from Egypt 2. Becoming God’s People a. “Holy” 1 Peter 1:15-16; 2:9 b. “Chosen” James 2:23 - “friend of God” 613 laws Jeremiah 31:3 - “everlasting love” John 15:13 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What crazy thing have you done for someone because you loved them? When you hear the word “adoption,” what images come to mind? What does it mean that God “adopted” Israel as his people? Why does the word “holy” have such a bad reputation, inside and outside of the church? How does the context of God’s presence change the idea of “thou shalt not”? What is the purpose of the Old Testament laws? How should Christians view them? In what way does the cross demonstrate God’s love for humanity? How did you experience the love of God, even before you responded to him? Scripture for the Week: Monday - 1 Peter 1:13-16 Tuesday - 1 Peter 2:4-10 Wednesday - Ja...
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