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From Another Place (Study Guide)

“From Another Place” Sermon Study Guide for September 13, 2026 Downloadable Version Scripture: John 18:33-36 Twenty-five years… 1. Pilate and Jesus Are you the king of the Jews? 2. Power Pilate: “I have the power to crucify you…” Kingdom… from another place… “thy kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10) two kinds of power the power of suffering love Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Where were you on 9/11? What memories does this anniversary bring to mind? What kind of man was Pilate? Why was power so important to him? Why does power remain important to us today? In what ways do you see power being corrupted in today’s world? What is the difference between having power and providing leadership? Why do the disciples constantly expect Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom? What does it mean that Jesus’ kingdom is not from this world but is for this world? How would you describe each of the “two kinds of power” in this passage? What does “suffering love” look like to you? Scripture for ...
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Vine and Branch

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John 15:1-8 September 6, 2026 • Mount Pleasant UMC My career as a viticulturist was short-lived. I bet you didn’t know I had such a career! Maybe you don’t even know what a viticulturist is, so let me explain. Professor Google tells me that a viticulturist is someone who focuses on growing and studying grapes, mainly for the purpose of making wine. Their primary job, the professor goes on, is to check the vine health and the soil, to make sure water is provided and to choose the best day to pick the fruit. So, basically, according to the good professor, as a viticulturist I was a failure across the board. When we moved into the parsonage in Portage, the previous pastor told me she had just planted a grapevine in the backyard. Obviously, she hadn’t planned to move but the Bishop had other ideas, and so she blessed me with a grapevine. And I was kind of excited. I had never had a grapevine. So I began to have visions of making grape juice for communion at the church. I was told it wo...
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Vine and Branch (Study Guide)

“Vine and Branch” Sermon Study Guide for September 6, 2026 Downloadable Version Scripture: John 15:1-8 Viticulture… 1. Spirituality “spiritual but not religious” today’s favorite: worship of ______________ 2. A Long Final Walk Kidron Valley near the Temple cutting off branches that ___________________ pruning branches that _____________________ staying connected to ______________________ friends if… 3. Producing Fruit Galatians 5:22-23 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: From what you know of ancient Israel’s history, why would a grapevine be a good symbol for that nation? Why do we tend to react negatively to the word “spirituality”? What things (or people) do you find being worshipped in our world today? How is worshipping those things (or people) dangerous to our soul? What does the image of pruning say to you? Can you recall a time when you felt like you were being pruned? Share as you feel comfortable. When you think of someone “abiding,” what comes to mind? Where do y...
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Take Off the Grave Clothes

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John 11:38-44 August 23, 2026 • Mount Pleasant UMC It’s the shortest verse in the Bible, just two words (or three in Greek), and so it’s the one we always went to when our Sunday School teacher asked us if we had memorized any Bible verses. Whoever spoke up first got to lay claim to John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” And, you know, we’d be so proud of ourselves, that we’d actually memorized a verse. But I doubt that any of us really knew what that verse meant or why it was significant that Jesus did, in fact, weep. It’s a well-known and well-told story that we just read the very end of this morning. In fact, as John’s Gospel tells the story of Jesus, this story is really a turning point. It’s the moment when the religious leaders make up their minds that Jesus has to die. No other alternative. And the irony is that they decide to kill Jesus at the very moment when he restores life. This morning we’re continuing our look at seven signposts that point toward how God intended the world to be...
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