Sermons on Joseph Biden:

Safe At Home Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 18, 2004

Interactive message. What do we do about the family? Respect our children; parent with sacrificial love; and give children priority of emphasis in the church’s outreach.

There are times when all of us need to participate, times when no single person can speak all the truths or do all the work. There are times when a community of people must come together, think together, pray together, speak together. This is such a time. The state of family life in our nation is ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

Everybody Will Like Me Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 18, 2004

First in a series on dealing with popular illusions. I can deal with not getting everybody to like me if I will live in integrity, love intentionally, let go of negative feelings, and leave it finally to God.

More energy has been spent on this one thing than on building the Panama Canal, constructing the Great Pyramids, or creating the Interstate Highway system. More energy! More tears have been shed on this one item than on the depredations of poverty, the destruction wrought by great storms, or a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:9-21

Denomination: Baptist

Life Will Cease To Be A Struggle Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 19, 2004

Second in a series on popular illusions; and for Independence Day. Life will not cease to be a struggle if justice is not fully realized, feelings are not fully expressed, and wrong decisions are not fully reversed.

What kind of a retirement party was this? He had worked so long, he had struggled with so many things, and now, here, at the end, it seemed there was still unfinished business. His worries were not behind him, nor were all the issues settled. And why not? Had he no right to expect that now life ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 2:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

I Can Define God Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 19, 2004

Third in a series on popular illusions. We try to limit God by turning to religion instead of relationship. The issue is in our own integrity. The world understands the power of God better than we do! The loss of our idols is fatal, but in Christ ther

She was obviously tired of discussing the issue. The wrangling had gone on long enough. Neither side was about to give in to the other. It was time for somebody to settle this matter. So she drew herself up to her full five feet two; she threw her shoulders back; and with that certain toss of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

I Can Change People Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 19, 2004

Third in a series on popular illusions. We think we can change others, but shaming them will not work. Nor will forcing them. Only a spiritual-relationship crisis will do so. Help them see how sin injures Christ and they will change.

There have always been folks who have thought they could change the world, people who were unwilling to leave things as they are, who want to make a difference, who want to get things done. They want to change the world. The trouble is, they usually run up against harsh human reality. Eighty or so ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

I Am The Vine Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Jul 20, 2004

The final message in a series on the "I am" discourses of Jesus from the book of John.

The Great I Am – I am the Vine July 18, 2004 John 15:1-8 Sunday AM Setting: Jesus is w/ His disciples on the way to the Gethsemene. Somewhere along the way, they likely came across a vineyard which served as the perfect setting for another important lesson from the Messiah. Note: Jesus wants ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

I Am The Way, The Truth, And The Life Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Jul 20, 2004

A meesage from John 14 in a series on the "I am" discourses of Jesus from the book of John.

The Great I Am – The Way, Truth, and Life June 27, 2004 John 14:1-6 Sunday AM Intro: For 7 years, Mt. Bethel Methodist in Atlanta had hosted the community’s baccalaureate service. One year, organizers wanted to include speakers from the Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, and Wicca religions. Many students ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Everything Is Failing, But Nothing Has Failed

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 5, 2001

Sermon for Senior Adult Sunday; Joshua’s "retirement speech" identifies his sense of God’s promises kept and focuses on claiming the future for the next generation.

Are you a little tired of all the pious platitudes about failure? You know, the folks who tell you that failure is a good thing because you will grow from failure and you will be a better person? I am a little tired of that. I do not want to grow from failure. I want to be a success. I do not ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 23:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Jump-Starting Jabez

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 13, 2001

We have learned, thanks to Bruce Wilkinson’s writings, to treasure the prayer of Jabez; but what can we intuit that Jabez’ mother did for him: she honored his uniqueness, she owned her own pain and shared it with her son, and she move him toward faithful prayer.

You know how they say that behind every good man there is a good woman? Well, they used to say that. That is a pre-feminist proverb. Now they say that alongside every good man there is a good woman, like Newton’s Law, equal in force but opposite in direction! But I certainly find it true that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Denomination: Baptist

The Power Of A Wind-Driven Fire

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 5, 2001

The Spirit comes to the church as fire, passion, energy, but He comes as energy to follow the Lord’s directions, not merely as excess motion.

My grandfather’s workshop held an item that was of special interest to me when I was a boy. Sitting off to the side of his cluttered workbench was a wonderful object – a model railroad locomotive. It was black with silver markings painted on it, dusty and dull by now, but obviously once shiny and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

The God Of Destiny

Contributed by Errol Joseph on Jun 14, 2001

Explores God’s perspective on the launching of a new church.

DATE: June 14, 1998 TEXT: Acts 17:24-31 THEME: "The God of Destiny" INTRODUCTION Background - Paul at Athens. BODY I. WHAT IS DESTINY A. Destine - to determine beforehand. B. Predestine - to limit or mark out beforehand; to design definitely beforehand. C. To be like Christ (v. 10-11) ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:24-31

Denomination: Pentecostal

Let's Hold Hands

Contributed by Errol Joseph on Jun 14, 2001

An encourgememt for the church to join hands together and to support each other in order to complete the work of God.

DATE: February 13, 2000 TEXT: Exodus 17:8-16 THEME: "Lets Hold Hands" INTRODUCTION Incident occurs soon after Israel leaves Egypt. The Amalekites were a warlike nomadic people who would become bitter enemies of Israel throughout its history. Israel was in a hostile environment, engaged in a ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:8-16

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Ugly, The Bad, And The Good

Contributed by Joseph Ng on Feb 26, 2001

God’s verdict on the lives of Solomon, Ahab, and Hezekiah is different from that of secular history and is what matters ultimately.

Opening: You’ve heard of the 1966 Western movie starring Clint Eastwood entitled The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. As we consider the lives of kings in the Old Testament, it will be apparent that some are ugly, bad, or good. In particular, the lives of three Hebrew kings--Solomon, Ahab, and ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 17:14-20

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stairway To Heaven Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 4, 2001

The beatitudes can be understood sequentially .. as stairsteps to "perfection" (Matt. 5:48). The first four lift us to fellowship with God; the other four bring us back down to the reality of ministry with needy people. This sermon was delivered using a ladder as a "prop".

When Stanley Kubrick made the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey”, he guessed that by this time we would be flitting back and forth in outer space, visiting other planets and seeing things never before seen by human beings. The movie suggested that those who would be alive in the year 2001 would go on ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Diagnosing Illness Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 11, 2001

Jesus diagnoses our illnesses as primarily spiritual and/or connective; the fatal illness He diagnoses is the one which cannot see God at work.

We all know people for whom illness is a way of life. It is not just incidental, it is every day. Every day is spent dealing with sickness or pain. Every day is invested in physicians, treatments, medications, therapies. People who struggle just to stay alive, or to manage pain. Their lives ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:1-17

Denomination: Baptist