Sermons on Joseph Biden:

Dropped Cloths Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 23, 2008

The young man who lost his linen cloth and ran away naked may be a wealthy person, depending on status; or Lazarus, living in the past, or Mark, caught in immaturity. But He who dropped another linen cloth gives life.

Not too many years ago, Easter was the day on which everyone trotted out new clothes. It was on Easter that spring dresses sprung off the racks for young girls, and starched collars irritated the necks of young men. I don’t miss the starched collars, but I do rather miss the elaborate display of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:51-52

Denomination: Baptist

Alive All Your Life Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 6, 2008

What is the abundant life Jesus promised? Not activity, not longevity, not prosperity, not congeniality. It is generosity; giving returns fulfillment.

I was just making small talk, asking the kind of questions you ask when you have finished commenting about the weather and you are scared to discuss politics or religion. I asked him, “Have you lived here all your life?” Quick as a flash came back his answer, “Not yet. Not yet I haven’t.” Oh, ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

Alive Beyond This Life Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 13, 2008

God wants to give us life beyond this life, for God is love and live is never diminished. It is not something we attain by knowledge, but by trust. Two sweatshirts are pulled on and off to illustrate two ways of thinking about life beyond this life.

God is love. So the Bible says, and that is, in a sense, all we need to know. God is love; and just as when you love someone you do not abandon them, so also the love of God, richer far than tongue or pen can ever tell, reaches to the highest height and to the lowest hell, and keeps on going ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Alive In This World Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 20, 2008

For Earth Day -- We continue to deplete resources, but there are more to be found. We cannot ignore the mandate to make sure that all have material as well as spiritual needs met. God’s call is to care about all aspects of all people and all the earth.

The universal symbol of a person taking his ease – the sign on the door, “Gone fishing.” You came to the medical office to get a checkup, but the doctor decided he had done enough for one day; “Gone fishing.” You came to the lawyer’s office to put First Baptist Church of Gaithersburg into your ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

One Year Toward Eternity

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 20, 2008

Preached for the first anniversary of Salem Gospel Ministries, a church for French-speaking Africans. Like the Christians of Antioch, you fled persecution, you reached out beyond your own group, and you have learned for a year from your pastors.

What a difference a year makes! Just one short year. Just twelve months. It is not long, but it can make a difference. It can be one year toward eternity. Just one short year ago I was still in my 60’s, but now I have started a new decade! Adrien and Barbara, I hope I do not show it too ...read more

Scripture: Acts 11:19-26

Denomination: Baptist

A Loaf Of Bread, A Jug Of Wine, And Laughter

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 3, 2009

Dated 1989. Our faith is not joyless. God uses the simplest of things to bring us support and gladness in the midst of difficult times.

Says the poet, "A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and Thou beside me singing in the wilderness … Wilderness were paradise enow" The very picture of romantic fulfillment. All I need is a chunk of good fragrant bread, a flask full of the vintner’s art, and you whom I love, and I will be fulfilled. ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 10:19

Denomination: Baptist

The River Jordan: How We Got Over Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 3, 2009

Many things look impossible, particularly if we are worn down by the "too much" of survival. But there are those who go before us and test the waters and make a way for us. We need to do the same for others. Black History Month

Have you enjoyed watching the Winter Olympics? Isn’t it amazing what those skaters and the skiers can do? Isn’t it astounding that human bodies can plummet down slopes and whiz through channels at what seems like supersonic speed? I’ve only seen snatches of the Olympics, but I’ve thoroughly ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 3:7-16

Denomination: Baptist

The River Nile: Drawn Out Of The Waters Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 4, 2009

Racism grows out of the fears of the oppressors and attacks the leaders of those they fear. But God draws out of the waters that were intended to drown those whom He will use to lead His people to victory.

The River Nile. The great river of Egypt, a historic stream that rises in the heart of Africa and flows northward for hundreds and hundreds of miles, bringing life to Egypt. Langston Hughes says, "I’ve known rivers; I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

What It Takes To Be Heard By God

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 5, 2009

If you want to be heard by God, make sure God and not others are your audience, make sure that it is really you who is speaking, and make sure to forgive and to receive forgiveness.

The morning worship service had reached an emotional climax during the pastor’s fervent prayer. He had carefully crafted it with fine liturgical phrases, hallowed by centuries of use. It was backed up by a throbbing organ, playing a hymn that gently drew worshipers back to thoughts of that amazing ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Can't Shake Off Mom's Voice

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 11, 2008

For Mother’s Day and Pentecost: We cannot shake off our mother’s voice. That voice needs to be one of faith, not just admonition. Yet we need to grow our own faith. The Spirit’s voice overrides all negatives.

Can you, in your own mind, hear your mother’s voice? Can you remember not only what she says or used to say, but how she says it? Many of us can remember those things. Even people whose mothers died young can remember distinctive things. It seems we can’t quite shake off Mom’s voice. It stays ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Shaping The Clay Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 24, 2008

For Memorial Day/Christian Legacy Sunday: We must not protect the vessel in which the Gospel is carried more than the Gospel itself. The Gospel is power; the vessel must be impervious to popularity, a good transporter. Legacy giving encouraged.

I am not much of a gardener. The Scripture says that there is a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, but I must tell you that I don’t know the difference. I pluck up only what I am told to pluck up, because I don’t know a weed from a willow. However, the mistress of our little ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

What Do These Stones Mean? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 31, 2008

For a Children’s Day message; twelve varying stones used as visuals to speak of original innocence, sin and accountability, and the redemptive work of Christ.

For centuries, people have raised up stones as a witness. Stone monuments testify as to who they are and what happened among them. Just this week news came of discoveries at the ancient monument of Stonehenge on the Salisbury plain in England. Those great Sarsen stones were raised to honor the ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 4:8-24

Denomination: Baptist

So Filled We Cannot Stand Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 8, 2008

The Presence comes not because we manufacture emotions, but because we complete what our history calls us to and because we cultivate holiness and unity.

Prayer, in the words of hymn-writer Charles Wesley: Finish then Thy new creation, Pure and spotless let us be; Let us see Thy great salvation Perfectly restored in Thee! Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before Thee, Lost in wonder, love, and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 5:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

You Missed The Point Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 14, 2008

Like Josiah’s sorry sons, we have missed the point of our fathers’ messages about the value of Scripture, the worth of the church, and the meaning of the work ethic.

Why is it that on Mother’s Day we honor our mothers, we talk of saintly moms who worked their fingers to the bone to cook and clean and sew for us? But on Father’s Day we scold the dads! Why is that? Have you noticed? We honor mothers for their industry, their wisdom, their prayer life, and ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 22:11-23

Denomination: Baptist

Seeing A New Thing

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 29, 2008

Some of us are just not observant and do not see what God is doing. We let fear paralyze us, we do not see what an international church means, and we need to bear a testimony of excitement about all that God is doing in this church.

Many of you know that I recently spent a week in Kentucky and Indiana doing a family history search. My companion for that week in archives rooms and on cemetery grounds was my younger brother, who is a professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Texas. We planned for that particular week, as ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 43:1-21

Denomination: Baptist