Sermons on Joseph Cook:

How To Tell The Truth

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 25, 2010

Monologue, as if the speaker were James, illustrating points by incidents in the life of Jesus. Truth comes with compassion, it does its own convicting, and must be backed with a life of integrity.

One of the peculiarities of the letter of James is that it has so very little direct reference to the life of Jesus. If it was written, as has traditionally been believed, by the James who was the brother of our Lord and who became prominent in the Jerusalem church, then it does seem odd that he ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Tragedy Of Spongebob Squarepants

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Jul 29, 2010

With ALL the false teachings going on today, this sermon shows Paul's warning and application to defend ourselves

The Tragedy of SpongeBob Squarepants (All my sermons use illustrations from sermoncentral.com and all scripture is niv unless otherwise noted) When I was a young child I can remember coming in from trick-or-treat on Halloween night and hearing Orson Welles “War of the Worlds” and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Church Of 4-H

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Jul 29, 2010

4-H stands for Head, Heart, Hands & Health, all essential ingredients in church today, EPH 4:1-16 show us how.

CHURCH OF 4-H (All my sermons use illustrations from sermoncentral.com and scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted) As we recently had our county fair, I remembered my children being a part of the 4-H and the work they did to show their animals, and the projects they were going to do, but never ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Becoming A Water Walker

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Jul 30, 2010

A challenge to chruches to step out in faith bsed on thoughts from John Ortenberg's Book.

Becoming a Water Walker (All my sermons use illustrations from www.sermoncentral.com and the scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted) (This sermon was based on John Ortenberg’s Book and credit was given to the author) It takes great deal of FAITH to build God’s Church, especially ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Father: Reaching Into The Pockets

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 9, 2010

The waiting father reaches deep into the reservoirs of love, extending compassion to his wayward son. So we also as parents must seek not to control but to guide and then be ready for forgiveness.

I shall not soon forget the image he presented, this father of the bride. He had smiled all through the vast and elaborate preparations for the wedding; his daughter was a kind of elegant princess, he knew it, she knew it, everybody knew it – and so the princess must have a grand occasion. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Baptist

Go Tell It On The Mountain

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 10, 2010

Celebrates the literary insights of James Baldwin, who had died shortly before; the privilege of redemptive suffering on the part of a person or a people participates in the suffering of Christ and of His victory. Includes readings from Baldwin’s writing

Nothing is more full of mystery than this – that the suffering of .a few who are oppressed and injured acts to redeem the many, including the oppressors. And yet nothing is more true than this – that from time to time a person, a people, a race receives the awesome privilege of suffering in such ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 6:12-17

Denomination: Baptist

Many Voices, Careful Choices

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Aug 11, 2010

Having Discernment is vital in our world, this sermon discusses three ways the scripture shows us to get discernment

MANY VOICE, CAREFUL CHOICES? (All my sermon use illustrations from www.sermoncentral.com and the scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted.) I am pretty sure that all of us want to make wise choices, I feel confident that we would all instruct our children to be careful when making choices, because ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Grow To Care, Care To Grow

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 11, 2010

A church that wishes to grow must "get over" negatives about evangelism and must tell the truth about the human spiritual condition; must present a full diet of worship and study and preparation; and must be a source of radical community.

We have a garden at our house. Or should I say, we had a garden. It was carefully planted, lovingly tended for a time, it was nurtured through the searing heat of July and watched over during the thundershowers of mid-August. But something happened to that garden, something awful and terrible, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:37-47

Denomination: Baptist

The Wounded Healer

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 24, 2011

Jesus, going to the Cross, understands our aloneness and isolation, and heals it by identifying with it.

Calverton Baptist Church, April 4, 1982; Howard University Chapel, April 9, 1982; Takoma Park Baptist Church, March 31, 1985 Recently a Methodist pastor in South Carolina created something of a stir in his church, and all of it quite innocently. He asked a member of the congregation who was known ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Mourning The End Of Summer

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 26, 2011

We find that we have dallied or been irresponsible, and the things we said we want to accomplish are impossible at this late date. But God is capable of redeeming even that element of irresponsibility if we renew our commitment to Him.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, August 28, 1988 Here we are at the end of summer, or nearly so. It's the end of August, which is at least psychologically the end of summer. It's the end of the summer feeling, for now it's back to reality, now it’s back to business and a ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 8:18-22

Denomination: Baptist

The Word Made Flesh: A New Beginning

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 28, 2011

We cannot repair our mistakes alone, because we keep on starting at old premises. What we need, and receive in the Incarnation, is a new beginning, modeled and taught.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, Nov. 30, 1986, Advent I One comic strip character aspires to be a writer. His crowning ambition is to write the definitive novel, the bestseller to end all best sellers. And so time and again he sits down at his typewriter, poises his paws (must be ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Safe At Home

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 1, 2011

Interactive sermon, asking what more we can be for our children: mutual submission means respect; parenting means sacrificial love; the church has a responsibility to provide safety.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, August 31, 1997: audience response involved 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, and think together, pray together, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

No Deposit, No Return

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 2, 2011

To fail to do what is right is not only sin, but is unproductive. What of our knowledge resources and our financial resources? Are they making a difference? If not, no gain.

Calverton Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD, August 15, 1982; Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, Sept. 30, 1984) Preachers find sermons in all sorts of strange places, and I found this one in a bottle! Now you can just stop thinking what you are thinking and listen to what I mean! ...read more

Scripture: James 4:17

Denomination: Baptist

A Mother's Loan

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 4, 2011

Hannah shows us that women today can turn their insecurities and their relationships over to God and can find fulfillment.

(First Baptist Church, Gaithersburg, MD, May 11, 1980; Calverton Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD, May 9, 1982; Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, May 12, 1985) One of God's great mercies is that He consistently takes our faltering insecurities and transforms them into something ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

All Your Anxieties?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 5, 2011

God is able to deal with all of our anxieties, not just a portion. He can relieve us of our fears for those things which will not really happen; for our concern for daily survival; and most of all, for our fear of death.

(Originally preached at Calverton Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD, Jan. 30, 1983; thereafter, with slight variations, at Clinton Baptist Church, Clinton, MD, July 29, 1984; Cresthill Baptist Church, Bowie, MD, Aug. 5, 1984; Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, Aug. 12, 1984; First Baptist ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7

Denomination: Baptist