Sermons on Joseph Freidman:

Nailprints Don't Lie

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 19, 2003

Thomas dealt with his loss by postponing his choices and by absenting himself from the community. We do the same; but the nailprints of our shame and our guilt tell the truth about us.

 We respond to loss in a variety of ways. There is no predicting how people will act when they lose something they cherish. I have seen everything from screaming and wailing to solid stoicism to outright laughter. I have conducted funerals where people have wept openly, and others ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-29

Denomination: Baptist

In A Better Place

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 26, 2003

For Remembrance Sunday, when we honor the memories of those who have died in the previous year: Those who suffer loss go to a better place emotionally when they cast off unproductive patterns and allow themselves time to receive unconditional love. They

There is something we say to console ourselves when someone dies. It is a phrase I have heard over and over. We say,“I know she is in a better place.” My friend, my parent, my spouse has passed away, but it feels good to think of one truth: “He is in a better place.” By that, of course, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:1-23

Denomination: Baptist

Surrounded By Something Better

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 13, 2002

Funeral message for Gary Pervall, Air Force veteran who died of the effects of Agent Orange.

Being surrounded is threatening. Even when what surrounds you is not dangerous, you still feel threatened. How do you feel if you are closed in? Suffocated if there is too much of anything surrounding us. I know of people, for example, who don’t like to be in a small room; they get ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

I Know Where I Need To Be Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 17, 2002

We neither know where we are in our lives, nor where we need to be. But, like Job, we want to break out of the limits, we must take risks, and we learn to locate in trust of God and there to find that where are now is indeed where we need to be!

“Watch where you plant your feet!” That’s the command I hear every time I help with the garden. “Watch where you plant your feet!” My job is to clear out winter’s debris, the dead leaves and old twigs. I am to open up the flower beds for spring. To do that I have to step into the ...read more

Scripture: Job 13:1-27, 2 Timothy 1:12

Denomination: Baptist

Declare If You Know Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 24, 2002

The Palm Sunday crowds, like Job’s friends, shouted their slogans too glibly, communicating only popularity and prejudice, substituting religiosity and mere activity for knowing Jesus personally.

Declare if you know. Declare. Interesting word, “Declare”. It suggests that when we communicate, there are a variety of levels at which we can speak. There are different intensities we can use when we want to say something. Some folks merely suggest. They offer timid little ideas ...read more

Scripture: Job 38:1-27

Denomination: Baptist

I Know Your Schemes Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 29, 2002

Poetic reflection for Maundy Thursday, in which the Jesus who is about to go to the cross tells His disciples that He knows their schemes to harm, their unwillingness to travel difficult roads, and their failure to accept the burden of testimony, so that

"Oh, I know your thoughts, and your schemes to wrong me. ... Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony?” ‘Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me." They began to be distressed and to say to him one ...read more

Scripture: Job 21:27-29, Mark 14:18-20

Denomination: Baptist

What Do You Know? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 29, 2002

An imaginative reconstruction of the dialogue between the repentant and unrepentant thieves, to be spoken by two preachers. Focuses on the old dilemma, whether God hears prayer.

Unrepentant Thief (U): "Should the wise answer with windy knowledge, and fill themselves with the east wind? Should they argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which they can do no good? ... What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not clear to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Denomination: Baptist

I Know My Redeemer Lives Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 30, 2002

Beyond all of the cultural reasons to come to Easter worship, we come to know that our lives are anchored. But it’s hard to know. Job points the way by affirming a redeemer despite the lack of evidence. Today we know a living redeemer, life changer.

 I If I were to ask you why you’ve come here today, how would you answer? Tell the truth, now; you’re in church. What do you expect and why are you here today? I’d guess that a number of us would give out what Mayor Williams calls the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:11-12, Job 19:23-27

Denomination: Baptist

Enron, Easter, And Eternity

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 8, 2002

Our church uses the Sunday after Easter for Remembrance, honoring those of our church deceased in the previous year. This sermon mines eternal values from each of their lives.

We are ready to fight for security. The one thing we all want, whether we be aggressive and hostile and always ready to strike out, or whether we be quiet and retiring and always ready to run – the one thing we all are ready to fight for is security. We need to know that our futures are ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2, 1 Timothy 6:6-19

Denomination: Baptist

A Prevailing Church: Binding Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 21, 2002

The guesses of the people about Jesus’ identity give us clues about their perception of His character. Jesus used their grasp of His similarity to John the Baptist, Elijah, and Jeremiah to focus on the authority to bind and loose. They, and He, bound rel

Have you ever needed to find out what somebody else really thought of you? Do you know what it is like to ask someone what their opinion is of you – and then you wait for what seems like an eternity for the answer, and when it comes, you are still not sure if it is good or bad? Do you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20

Denomination: Baptist

A United Team

Contributed by Joseph Louis on Apr 25, 2002

A Charge used during an Ordination of an Associate Pastor

A Charge for an Associate Pastor "A Unified Team" Exodus 17:9-13 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. [10] So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:9-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rsvp

Contributed by Joseph Johnson on May 3, 2002

God invites us to the greatest party of all time

R.S.V.P. Mark 3:1-12 During the Holiday season many of us will be doing some extra entertaining. We’ll take certain steps to ready ourselves for the visit of guests. The first thing we work on is the guest list: who can visit together amicably, ( in other words who can get along together) Then ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:1-12

Denomination: Methodist

Reach Out And Touch

Contributed by Joseph Johnson on Oct 18, 2000

(Preparation: cut out enough pages from a old copy of the phone book yellow pages that everyone can get a page folded up in the bulletin.

(Preparation: cut out enough pages from a old copy of the phone book yellow pages that everyone can get a page folded up in the bulletin. Make sure that you include advertisements for Plumbers, Electricians, Jewelers, and Movers. ) Let me begin by telling you that I had one of the hardest weeks. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:18-26

What Do You Want On Your Tombstone?

Contributed by Joseph Johnson on Oct 18, 2000

I went to Crown Hill Cemetary Thursday and walked around.

I went to Crown Hill Cemetary Thursday and walked around. Everywhere you look there are grave markers, tombstones, and monuments. As I walked through the cemetary I thought of members of the church whose graves are at crown hill Cemetary, and I thought about some of the words that I and others ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-12

Appearances Are Deceiving Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 24, 2000

A quest for truth often begins with disillusionment, but is easily diverted to something that appears good on the surface; but when you find God's truth, even if it is in a strange place, embrace it quickly and fully.

The LORD does not see as [men] see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart. Ridgecrest is a large Baptist-run assembly ground, nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina. All summer long, every year, thousands of Christians come to Ridgecrest for training, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ephesians 6:10-18

Denomination: Baptist