MTP Sermon Resources

Exodus 3:1-12 April 14, 2024 • Mount Pleasant UMC The story is told that former President George W. Bush was passing through the airport when he thought he spotted Moses walking through the terminal. He told his Secret Service folks that he really admired Moses and just had to talk to him. So he called out, “Moses!” Moses ignored him and just kept walking, so Mr. Bush ran down the terminal and called out his name again. “Moses! Moses!” Moses walked even faster, seemingly trying to get away from the former president. But Mr. Bush would not be deterred, so finally Moses stopped and turned around, a bit exasperated. “How can I help you?” he asked, and Mr. Bush said, “Well, I wanted to talk to you but first I’m wondering why you ignored me for so long.” Moses sighed and said, “Well, the last time I talked to a bush, I ended up wandering in the desert for forty years.” (That may not be a true story.) This morning we’re continuing our series called “Sticks,” looking at some of the fa...

  “Unqualified” Sermon Study Guide for April 14, 2024 Downloadable Version Scripture: Exodus 3:1-12 1. Moses from Egypt to the desert “a strange sight” God knows __________________________ God is ______________________________ Objections! 2. Defined By the Past John 8:1-11 - woman in adultery a. Be _________________________________ b. Listen to ____________________________ c. Don’t be ____________________________ Psalm 34:8…taste and see Questions to Discuss or Ponder: When has “a strange sight” changed your day in a significant way? What does it mean to you that God knows your name? When have you been in what you considered to be a holy place? How did that place affect you? Which of Moses’ objections do you most identify with? Have you used any of them when talking back to God? What past event defines you? How does that event still impact your everyday life? How do you typically respond when something seems out of the ordinary? How does your “inner critic” speak ...

Genesis 2:8-17 April 7, 2024 • Mount Pleasant UMC The baseball diamond in my childhood backyard was interrupted by three trees. Not really convenient for a good game, but we did turn two of them into home and second base. The middle tree was approximately where the pitcher would stand. The one we used as home base was also good for climbing. It had limbs in just the right places for a young boy to be able to get up high enough to see onto (and maybe even climb onto) the roof of the garage. In the fall, I would often find myself climbing other trees. My Aunt Thelma and Uncle Lee had a small collection of apple trees and we would go there every fall to pick apples. I have no memory of what kind of apples they were, but they got turned into homemade applesauce and apple butter that we enjoyed all winter long. I can still taste it when I think about it. I didn’t mind the work of picking the apples because I knew the good that was coming. My least favorite encounter with trees when ...

  “The Wrong Voice” Sermon Study Guide for April 7, 2024 Downloadable Version Scripture: Genesis 2:8-17 Trees… 1. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil one rule… God testing - 1 Corinthians 10:13 “you will certainly ______________” 2. The Wrong Voice “The tree represents ____________________” How to listen… a. _______________________________ b. Community of _______________________ c. _______________________________ Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What is your earliest memory of a tree that was significant in your life? Recall what happened there. Describe what you think Eden looked like. What is your “delight” or “luxury” place? In what way(s) have you experienced God testing you? Why does God say it is “not good” for the man to be alone? What is God’s solution? Once Adam and Eve eat from the tree, what changes in their relationship? How does it reflect the way relationships are today? Why is our own voice the wrong voice? Which of the ways of listening are you mo...