Sermons on Joseph And Potiphar:

Available For Liberation

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 30, 2010

Revised for use in a very small church looking for a new direction: Moses became an effective liberator by asking three questions: "Who am I?" "Who are You?" and "What if?"

Broadview Baptist Church, Chesapeake, MD Sept. 3, 2006 Church is not just for you and me who are members of the church. Church is for others. Church is for the world out there. Freedom is not just for you and me who have accepted Christ. Freedom is for others. The free gift of salvation is ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Available For Impossible Dreams Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 30, 2010

We become available to God when we fully worship and trust Him, when we go out of our comfort zones; there are many possibilities open to us in our church and community.

Montgomery Hills Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD July 9, 2006 If what you expect to receive and what someone wants to give you are not the same thing, you are doomed to disappointment. If you want a particular thing, but the person you are dealing with is determined that you shall have ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Standing On The Rubbishes

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 30, 2010

Revised from an earlier message for a small church trying to affirm a new direction: Focus on what you have accomplished, know the heart of Christ for His church, confirm loving relationships.

Bethesda First Baptist Church, Bethesda, MD October 3, 2004 Some things end, but are not completed. Other things are completed, but do not end. There is a world of difference between the two. Some things end, but are not completed. Some things stop, unfinished. All these recent accidents ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

In Touch With Earth

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 1, 2010

Revision of earlier message. God calls us to remember that we are both physical and spiritual, and are therefore to be stewards of the earth as well as spiritually sound. The Table reminds of both our physical and spiritual sides and responsibilities.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, October 6, 1985, World Communion Sunday No matter how sophisticated we may become, something in us reaches out for the soil, reaches out for our roots and stirs within us to claim a simpler, more basic way of life. I would just about bet that most of us ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-31

Denomination: Baptist

Will Anything Really Change?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 2, 2010

Revised from an earlier message for a church making a major turn in direction and leadership. Change is hard for us, for some of us fear change, some of us do not think change is real. But God is able and willing to complete what He begins among us.

Bethesda First Baptist Church, Bethesda, MD, September 19, 2004 Will anything really change? I mean, really?! So often change is only apparent, and not real. So often we tinker with things, but we do not really change them. We lack the will to change things, really. We lack the imagination ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

In Touch With Earth

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 2, 2010

We are both physical and spiritual, and our calling is to be good stewards of both. The Lord's Table ably symbolizes this.

Calverton Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD June 5, 1983 No matter how sophisticated we may become, something in us reaches out for the soil, reaches out for our roots and stirs within us to claim a simpler, more basic way of life. I would just about bet that most of us here do not think of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-31

Denomination: Baptist

The Sword Of Speech

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 2, 2010

If we have God's truth in our hearts, we must speak our witness. It is not good enough to remain silent. That word must be a word of love and it must be a word of justice. Martin Luther King exemplified this discipline.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC January 19, 1986 It was the spring of 1964, and I had to make a choice. I had to decide whether I would, in my very first year of ministry, do something which would create a bit of tension in the church, but which the students with whom I worked were ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 12:17-18

Denomination: Baptist

The Women At The Tomb: Remember

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 3, 2010

The skepticism of the apostles, hearing the women's testimony of the resurrection, could have been prevented had they heeded the angels' admonition to remember what Jesus predicted would happen. So today when our witness is challenged or our desires to d

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC April 14, 1987, Easter The old vaudeville song proclaims, “Dearie, do you remember? Because if you remember, then you’re much older than I.” The idea seems to be that remembering is nothing to be proud of; the implication is that ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Water For Drowning, Water For Thirst

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 4, 2010

After Christmas it is easy to feel overwhelmed with the return to reality, responsibility, and even depressing weather. The psalmist also felt overwhelmed until he remembered what God had done in and for him and that God was still present, even when unfe

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC January 6, 1985 Well, Christmas is over, isn't it? Christmas is over and done with, except for a few remaining lights and poinsettias … over, done with, finished. It was great while it lasted, but Christmas is over. How do you know that ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Don't Get Caught In The Return Line

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Dec 7, 2010

S many people will return the gifts they get for Christmas, don;t be one that returns the greatest gift of ALL, Jesus.

DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THE RETURN LINE (All my sermons use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted) Wow, it is Christmas time already! I know that I have waited until now to preach about Christmas, but this year I will only be doing 2 ...read more

Scripture: John 6:66-69

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God's Penetrating Plan Revealed

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Dec 29, 2010

The Bible is a useful tool in the life of a Christian if we allow it to be, this sermon spotlights 4 ways we can let the bible do its' work

GOD’S PENETRATING PLAN REVEALED (All my sermons use illustrations found on www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted.) I once heard a story with a neat lesson. There was an old man that lived in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. The old man had a big family. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Keys To A Muscle Car Church

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Oct 26, 2011

We would all love to have a church that has the real "power" God intends the church to have, this sermon explores how.

All my sermons use illustrations found at www. Sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise stated. KEYS FOR A MUSCLE CAR CHURCH Recently I saw a show on television where a guy was very upset that his 1970 muscle car had been stolen. He was very attached to this powerful car, its ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Spiritual Bootcamp

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Nov 8, 2011

Perhaps the greatest lessons I learned about life came during Marine Corps bootcamp, Paris Island, the Summer of 1978. Christians need bootcamp too.

(All my sermons use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted.) SPIRITUAL BOOTCAMP When I was young I was a very active kid, I am sure many of you were as well. We may have to strain a little to remember those days, but most all of us could not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Titanic Thankfulness

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Nov 8, 2011

This Thanksgiving we need to see that God has given us provision, protection and power and be thankful in Titanic proportion.

(All my sermons use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted.) TITANIC THANKFULNESS Thanksgiving is a day set aside each year for us to give thanks, of course most of us know that scripture tells us we should be thankful always and at all times. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:19-20

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Deciphering Discipleship

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Nov 17, 2011

We are all called to be floowers of Christ, but do you really know what it means to be a disciplke of Jesus?

(All my sermons use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted) DECIPHERING DISCIPLESHIP You and I are called to be Disciples of Christ, followers of Jesus. We are told throughout scripture that this is the way, the only way to get to heaven. Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-23

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ