Sermons on Joseph Biden:

Together In Sin, Alone In Jesus

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 18, 2009

Done as a pulpit dialogue between a spectator at the stoning of the woman taken in adultery and a prosecutor trying him for not sharing in the stoning. JMS, my initials; HM, initials of the church member who played the prosecutor.

JMS: What are you doing to me? This is outrageous! You have no business putting me on trial! I didn’t do any more than anybody else did. Let me go! This is crazy! HM: You know exactly why I’m putting you on trial. That woman was as guilty as sin, and so are you. You were with her. You ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Standing Close To The Lightning Strike

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 19, 2009

God will get our attention and force us to make choices, despite our desire to avoid decisions or our wish to be secular. When the lightning strikes it may be painful but it will be about grace.

You can most certainly expect God to attract your attention. I cannot tell you exactly how He will do it, but I do know that He will do it. He will attract your attention. Many of us face a spiritual issue called inattention. Distraction. Inattention. We are not paying attention to what God is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 18:20-39

Denomination: Baptist

Living The Gospel: Speak Up!

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 20, 2009

We have not found our voices yet because we have low self-esteem, but Christ declares us to be light. The world is asking for light, but we must learn to read the signs and to be who we are. March 1988

As a child I was fascinated one day by’ the fact that when you open the refrigerator, there is always a light burning. I was fascinated by it because I wanted to know whether that light was on when the door was closed as well as when it was open. And so I began to experiment. First I tried to stick ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Denomination: Baptist

Simon Peter: Stuck In Self-Deception Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 22, 2009

We live with a self-image that we know is not true, but we like to project it anyway. We will come unstuck from self-deception when there is someone who loves us unconditionally ... the crucified and risen Christ.

Outside the gate of the great house, it is growing cold. The winter winds are not quite over, and the first breezes of a promised spring have a zip to them. It would be nice to be in there, on the other side of the gate, where a fire is blazing and the workers are keeping warm. It would be good ...read more

Scripture: John 18:15-27

Denomination: Baptist

Three Women And A Basket

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 23, 2009

Leaving no child behind means that we parents set aside our own pleasures, that we learn to advocate for our children, and that we cross cultures with our resources.

It was every parent’s worst nightmare. My son, my own flesh and blood, standing in front of me, and announcing that he was taking lessons in ... skydiving! Skydiving! That’s where people walk out of airplanes and float downward to earth, supported by a thin sheet of cloth and a few little ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 2:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Handling God's Success When We Wanted It For Ourselves Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 29, 2009

Ministry looks impossible, and we want to run the other way. But when we do finally tackle it, and God redeems, then we want the credit. In His grace He assures us that we are not forgotten even though we are inappropriate.

All during this month we’ve worked together on the theme of compassion. Because we are a church which urgently needs to do ministry in this community; because we are a people with much to give and much to share, and with a place to share it, by the time this week is over we will have invested four ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Raising The Roof: Sickness Down, Dander Up

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 29, 2009

It will be necessary to do some unusual things that will raise the anger of some Christians and will not be understood in the larger community. But the bottom line is getting help to those who need it.

Several years ago, when housing prices began to shoot up into the stratosphere, we began to see something new in my neighborhood. We saw many of the houses being opened up from the top, and then construction of new second stories or new dormers or even decks and balconies, way up high. What was ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Pharisees: Stuck In Correctness Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 30, 2009

It is easier to be smug than satisfied, to be correct than compassionate, to be religious than real. What we need to do is to cry, "Lord forgive my sin."

The surest formula for unhappiness is have to be right, all of the time. If you are expected to be one hundred percent correct, never making a mistake, no blunders allowed, then you are asking for a serious heart attack, for high blood pressure, and for plain old unhappiness. It’s an awesome burden ...read more

Scripture: John 10:31-39

Denomination: Baptist

Rare Words Yield Worthless Children

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 1, 2009

Eli’s two sons were counted "worthless", and the fault can be traced to "the word of the Lord was rare in those days". Eli did not connect "church" and home for them. We must teach our children Biblical truth or face the consequences.

Nothing delights us any more than the birth of a new baby. Everybody gets sort of squishy and sentimental around a baby. And I suspect that it is not only because they are cute and cuddly and helpless and small, but also it is because they are full of promise. Babies are nothing more than a bundle ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Official Language: Spirit

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 2, 2009

The church’s communication medium is the Spirit, who understands us and allows us to understand one another.

Of all the achievements of human genius, nothing is more wonderful than language. And yet, it is also true that nothing is more destructive than language. For language unites us and yet, language also separates us. Of all the gifts we have been given, nothing is more useful than language. With ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

I Refuse To Grow Up

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 4, 2009

Jesus’ admonition to become like a child blends with Proverbs solemn command to get wisdom. Refuse to become bland and careful; to be closed to new truth; to be cynical.

Without question the clowns were the hits of our Vacation Bible School a month or so ago. Fonzie the clown got things off to a rollicking start on Monday night, and the kids cackled at his fright wig and squealed with astonishment at all the wonders of his brown paper bag. Every joke was hilarious, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

Honor, Love, And Reverence

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 5, 2009

Emmaus Baptist Church, Quinton, Va: To be good citizens means that we follow Peter’s counsel and honor everyone by supporting the public good; love the church by investing in it; and reverence God by making sure of our personal relationship to Him.

This is a day to celebrate being a people of God in a nation shaped by the will of God. This is a day to remember who we are, where we came from, and to what we are called. This is a day for honor, love, and reverence. Two years ago, the last time I was here, I mentioned that I had been doing ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:10-25

Denomination: Baptist

Is It The Thought That Counts?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 6, 2009

Jesus’ parable of the dishonest but shrewd steward shows us that what people want is something real, not just nice thoughts; and that the use of God’s money is our finest responsibility.

My brother-in-law has a unique ability, a very special talent. He has the ability to go into a men’s clothing store, size up all the merchandise available, and cane out with the very worst, the most atrocious looking stuff that money can buy. What is worse, he does that when he is shopping for me. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Joy Plus Poverty Equals Wealth

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 7, 2009

World Hunger Sunday, 1989: We will find joy in giving if we make our giving a priority, if it is done proportionately and sacrificially, and if we see it as a privilege.

The notion is going around in some circles that poor people are happy people. Have you heard that? It’s a kind of romantic idea, that poor people are happy people, that when you have nothing you at least have each other, you at least depend on God … you know all the usual things that are said. I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Judas Iscariot: Stuck In Frustration Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 8, 2009

Frustration means that we forget about others in our need to do what we want, and it means we are tempted to abandon God’s way. The model is Jesus, whose obedience gave Him the ultimate accomplishment.

God must have a sense of humor, don’t you think? God must do some things just because they are fun to do! Several years ago, I thought I saw God’s funny bone at work overtime. Margaret and J were members of Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church in Silver Spring, and I was serving as the chairman ...read more

Denomination: Baptist