Posts

The Only Thing Worth Knowing

Image
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 May 3, 2026 • Mount Pleasant UMC Well, let’s just get this out of the way right off the bat: “Star Wars Day” is tomorrow so let me be the first to tell you, “May the Fourth Be With You.” I’m sure you will be celebrating by watching your favorite Star Wars movie or TV show. Like any franchise or fandom, especially one that has lasted for almost 50 years now, opinions vary widely on which movie or set of movies is the best, and there are endless online arguments about this movie or that series, which ones are good and which ones aren’t. And there are people who make arguments that this movie or that movie should be erased or remade, that it shouldn’t really be part of the story. We like this part of the story, but not that part of the story. It shouldn’t have happened that way. But, like it or not, those films and series actually are part of the story. The same thing is true in our faith and in particular of the writings that define our faith. There are parts...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Only Thing Worth Knowing (Study Guide)

“The Only Thing Worth Knowing” Sermon Study Guide for May 3, 2026 Downloadable Version Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 1. Corinth Romanitas Paul’s message 2. The Powers a. Power of ________________________ John 14:18, 26; 16:7 Hebrews 13:8 1 Corinthians 1:18 b. Power of ________________________ 3. Cruciformity 1 Corinthians 1:23 Philippians 3:10-11 a. Status b. Table c. Love Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What part(s) of the Biblical story or of the story of Jesus do you wish were not included? Why? What part(s) are you most tempted to skip over or ignore? Corinth wanted to imitate Rome. Who do we most try to imitate? Why do we try to ignore the brutality of the cross? How has the cross become “acceptable” in our culture? How do we most often experience the power of the Holy Spirit? When do we rely more on our own power than on his? Why is the resurrection necessary to understand the full meaning of the cross? What is cruciformity? What does it look like i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Spiritual Springtime (Study Guide)

“Spiritual Springtime” Sermon Study Guide for April 26, 2026 Downloadable Version Scripture: Acts 2:36-39 Winter vs. Spring 1. New Life free gift of forgiveness Luke 6:45 Matthew 12:34-35 Proverbs 18:21 James 3:1-12 2. To Forgive definition… Three kinds… a. God’s forgiveness b. Forgiving others Philippians 2:13 c. Forgiving yourself Isaiah 1:18-19 Romans 8:20 3. Your Response: Three Questions Romans 8:1 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: How do the different seasons affect your mood and your spirit? When have you been forgiven by another person? How did that affect your life and your relationship? When have you needed to forgive someone else? Can forgiveness happen “by accident” or without a decision? Why or why not? How does forgiveness allow us to “live free”? Which of the three types of forgiveness do you most need to experience? Which one have you practiced the most and why? In what way is forgiving yourself the most difficult form of forg...
Post a Comment
Read more

Only the Beginning

Image
Mark 1:1 April 19, 2026 • Mount Pleasant UMC His name means “hammer,” and it’s a good Roman name (Card, Mark: The Gospel of Passion , pg. 17). He shows up eight times in the New Testament, as a cousin to Barnabas and a fellow worker with Paul. Some think he might be the young man who ran away naked from the Garden of Gethsemane (14:51-52; Card 171-172). Eventually, he ended up as a companion of Peter and was the first one to write down the story of Jesus right about the time Emperor Nero decided to burn down the city of Rome and blame the Christians (cf. Card 22-24). And while the Gospel he wrote is short and quick and lacks what we think of as a suitable ending, it does not lack for detail. He’s writing down what the original disciples, particularly Peter, had preached, and it’s important that he get it right because they are being arrested and killed and someone has to tell the story. Today, as we continue our journey through the New Testament, we come to the first Gospel tha...
Post a Comment
Read more