MTP Sermon Resources

“The Gifts of Christmas: Love” Sermon Study Guide for December 15, 2019 Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25 Gifts of the Magi… 1. Why We Need Love 2. Joseph Mary is “found”… Infidelity… Deuteronomy 22:20-24…the Law an angel… 3. Love four kinds of love Romans 5:8 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Why do we need love? What happens when we are love-deprived? How would you have responded to Mary’s news if you were Joseph? Why do we want to downplay his reaction? Why did Joseph not follow the Law in this case? God used an angel in a dream to get Joseph’s attention. How does God most often get your attention? Why is agape the highest form of love? How are all the others reflected in the expression of agape ? “Jesus loves me, this I know…” How did Jesus show his love for us? How can we show that same love to others? What will you do this week to show agape toward someone? Scripture for the Week: Monday - Romans 5:1-8...

“The Gifts of Christmas: Joy” Sermon Study Guide for December 8, 2019 Scripture: Luke 1:39-47 Jumping for Joy Psalm 19:1 - God’s creation 1. Absent Joy “bionic” Christian John 10:10 - The Abundant Life 2. Biblical Joy Philippians 4:4-8 - joy in jail Psalm 16:11 - fullness of joy God’s promises 3. Advent/Christmas Joy cranky Christians “live to give” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What causes you to jump for joy? What difference does the way you identify yourself make? What is your primary identity? When have you found it difficult to “feel” joy? What is the difference between human understanding of “joy” and a Biblical definition? How do God’s promises produce joy in our lives? What promise do you most need to hear right now? What can you do to prevent having your joy stolen during this Advent season? Scripture for the Week: Monday - Psalm 51:10-12 Tuesday -...

Hope Matthew 24:36-44 December 1, 2019 • Mount Pleasant UMC The end is near. You’ve probably heard about it on the news or during commercials on television. The end is near—an end I’ve been waiting on for 42 years. Of course I’m taking about the end of the Skywalker saga, more commonly known as “Star Wars.” Undoubtedly there will be more “Star Wars” movies to come, since Disney (who owns the franchise) isn’t going to let a cash cow go, but on December 20, the story that began on May 25, 1977 will come to its conclusion. Endings are always bittersweet, especially when I realize I’ve spent most of my life as a huge fan of “Star Wars,” always waiting on the next chapter. And having no idea how it will end is a bit unsettling, though I am certain of this: the light side of the Force will triumph, good will defeat evil, and the Resistance will defeat the evil First Order. But how we get there is anyone’s guess at this point. Still, I’m looking forward to the end. Well, as...

“The Gifts of Christmas: Hope” Sermon Study Guide for December 1, 2019 Scripture: Matthew 24:36-44 The end is near! Three Principles a. No one ___________________________ (24:36) b. _________________________ will go on (24:37-39) c. Jesus will cause ____________________ (24:40-41) Matthew 10:34-37 2. One Action (24:42-44) Psalm 121:1-2 1 Corinthians 11:26 - “until he comes” Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Is the promise of Jesus’ return a source of hope or fear for you? Why? What have you grown up believing about Jesus’ return? How is hope different from wish fulfillment? Have you ever thought of hope as dangerous? Which of Jesus’ three principles in this passage is most unsettling to you? Why? In the context of living day-to-day, what does it mean to “keep watch” or “stay awake”? If you knew Jesus was to return this day at sunset, what would you do this afternoon? Scripture for the Week: ...

The Whole Land Deuteronomy 34:1-8 November 17, 2019 • Mount Pleasant UMC As many of you know, last Sunday evening, we got a call that Cathy’s mom, Sandy Cobbum, has suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. So, as you know or can imagine, that threw our week into a whirlwind. We didn’t head up to their house immediately because there was nothing for us to do, so at the start of the week, there was a lot of time for thinking and reflecting. Sandy was a woman who loved Jesus, no doubt about that, and she loved her family. There was nothing that made her happier than to have everyone together. I learned pretty early on that when you were wanting to leave their house, you had to start about a half hour earlier than the actual time you wanted to go because Sandy loved to take pictures. We would spend at least a half hour saying goodbye and taking various groupings of family pictures. I kept getting after her to back up her pictures, but she preferred to keep them all “safely” on ...

“The Whole Land” Sermon Study Guide for November 17, 2019 Scripture: Deuteronomy 34:1-8 Legacy… Moses at Mt. Nebo “the rest of the story” - Kadesh Barnea “wilderness time” water from the rock Nebo 2. The View from the Top Long-Range Vision The Next Generation 3. The Death of Moses Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What do you think of when you hear the word “legacy”? Whom have you known who left a “good” legacy? How did 40 years in the wilderness shape the Israelites? When have you experienced “wilderness time”? What happened? How did it shape you? Recall a time you were tempted to take credit for something God did. Why is the temptation so strong? What does it mean to have “long-range vision”? Is that true of your life? Why do generations struggle so much to understand each other? How can we address this struggle? What does it mean to be a “servant”? What does it mean to be a “prophet”? What have you ...

More Than Enough Exodus 36:1-7 November 10, 2019 • Mount Pleasant UMC It is perhaps the most iconic and well-known picture to come out of World War II—the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima. While there have been accusations that someone staged this dramatic moment, the more accepted account goes something like this: Iwo Jima was a major objective during the Pacific campaign, and the invasion of the island lasted over a month. Early on in the attack, the Marines set out to capture the airfields and to also take Mount Suribachi. When six Marines raised the United States flag on top of the mountain on the fourth day of the battle, photographer Joe Rosenthal snapped this photo, which quickly became one of the most significant and recognizable images of the war. It was put onto a postage stamp that same year, won a Pulitzer Prize for Photography, and continues even now, almost 75 years later, to be an image that defines bravery and victory. Every time I see this image, I think o...