MTP Sermon Resources

Revelation 22:1-5 May 5, 2024 • Mount Pleasant UMC It had only been four days since the Winter Olympics in Beijing had ended. Four whole days of basking in the unity and the camaraderie that the Olympics are known for. The world comes together for these games to compete in a wide variety of sports and demonstrate that we can get along, at least for a couple of weeks. World leaders usually attend, too, and one of the prominent attendees in Beijing was Russian president Vladimir Putin. All eyes were on Putin because his army had been establishing itself along the border with Ukraine. And four days after the Olympics were over, that army moved. Here we are, over two years later, and the invasion and the conflict goes on. My friend Tony was on a Lands of the Bible trip and the next day they were to dock in Israel. October 7. That was the day the terrorist group Hamas launched 3,000 rockets into southern Israel along with ground vehicles and paragliders. Before the day was over, ove...

  “Decision Tree” Sermon Study Guide for May 5, 2024 Downloadable Version Scripture: Revelation 22:1-5 War and conflict… 1. Revelation “a revelation of Jesus Christ” 2. The City of God no sun or moon the river of life James 1:17 the tree of life leaves worship Philippians 2:10-11 3. The Decision Tree the lens of __________________________ practice ____________________________ Questions to Discuss or Ponder: What conflicts in your life or in the world most occupy your prayer time these days? How have you approached the book of Revelation? Has it been a source of fear or hope or something in between? What things in your life right now give you the most hope? Which image or description of the city in Revelation most captures your attention? Why? Why are God’s people pictured with his name engraved on their foreheads? In what way(s) have you struggled with God “sending” people to hell? How do the Scriptures actually picture that action? In what way(s) will you...

John 15:1-8 April 28, 2024 • Mount Pleasant UMC I think I have probably told you about my brief career as a vintner. In my previous appointment, the parsonage had a grapevine in the backyard. The previous pastor had planted it but moved before the vine produced any grapes, and so I was kind of excited about having grapes grow in my backyard. I envisioned making communion juice and maybe even having my own Welch’s enterprise—but none of that was to be because this stubborn grapevine was very good at producing vines and nothing else. So I started reading about vines and found out something all good vintners know—in order to produce grapes, the vines have to be trimmed, pruned, so that they will stop wasting energy producing vines and put that energy into growing grapes (cf. Wright, John for Everyone—Part Two , pg. 69). Pruning the vines also helps them grow toward the light, which they need if they are going to produce high quality grapes. Okay, pruning, I am good at cutting things...

  “Being a Branch” Sermon Study Guide for April 28, 2024 Downloadable Version Scripture: John 15:1-8 1. A Long Walk a vine and pruning “remain” nothing 2. Pruning God cutting off a branch… Healthy branches Romans 5:3-5 Joel 2:25 Fruit - Galatians 5:19-23 Looks like ______________________ Feels like _______________________ Questions to Discuss or Ponder: Recall a “last time” you spent with a mentor or a friend. What did you talk about? What was important to convey? What is your experience with growing plants? What do plants most need to thrive? How does that relate to being a disciple of Jesus? How have you experienced the truth that you can do nothing without Jesus? Why would God cut off a “branch”? In what way(s) have you experienced “pruning”? Which aspect of the fruit of the spirit seems most prominent in your life? Which one seems most lacking? In what way(s) does your life look like love and feel like joy? What do you need to do to allow God to grow bet...