Sermons on Joseph Freidman:

I'm Late, I'm Late

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 19, 2010

Our witness is compromised because we dash about with urgency but no direction. We have not yet gotten past our fear of embarrassment when sharing our witness, nor have we acknowledged the urgency of witnessing.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC January 12, 1986 It was the Mad Hatter, wasn't it, who in one version of “Alice in Wonderland” spent his energies darting around the scene, here and there, hither and thither, screaming at the top of his voice, "I'm late, I'm late, for a ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

The Hands Of The Living God

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 20, 2010

When we are unwilling to finish our spiritual growth, we are inviting judgment. We need to seek the counsel of others and remember and learn from our victories. The same hands that hold us in judgment are nail-scarred for mercy.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC March 9, 1985 My house, I’m afraid, is a museum of unfinished masterpieces. Unfinished masterpieces. In every room of the house, in every nook and cranny you will find unfinished masterpieces. Now that is not to say that I have found the last ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:23-26

Denomination: Baptist

Living The Gospel: Black And White

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 21, 2010

We are prone to reduce tensions by choosing not to live in diversity. But the Gospel calls us to embrace diversity and yet to recognize that all sin, all are worthy, all need the Gospel. Our issue is our own insecurity, which Christ’s death can address.

Takoma Park Baptist Church February 21, 1988 All of us, it seems, have a tendency to choose comfort. All of us appear to prefer to choose a way to live that involves as little tension, as little discomfort as possible. I am not talking just about luxuries and material things; I ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:21-28

Denomination: Baptist

Ark, Anger, And Assurance

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 24, 2010

We become angry at God because our prayers are self-centered, but when they are not answered we shut down and avoid God. Until we see that the blessing is in the presence of God we will not reap joy.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, September 8, 1991 (this version); preached in slightly different form at Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD, July 30, 1978; Calvary Hill Baptist Church, Fairfax, VA, August 6, 1978; Forest Heights Baptist Church, Oxon Hill, MD, Sept. 9, 1979; ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 6:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

The Challenge Of Change

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Nov 24, 2010

CHANGE is one of the hardest things a church or a person can do, BUTIt is something God wants from us. No Growth occurs without change.

CHALLENGE TO CHANGE All my sermons use illustrations found on www.sermoncentral.com and ALL scripture is NIV unless noted otherwise) I once heard that God loves us just the way we are, BUT He refuses to let us stay that way. That could almost be confusing, God LOVES us, in spite of the many flaws ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:16-20

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Don't You Get Weary, Children

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 26, 2010

Revision of earlier sermon, done for Wisconsin Avenue Baptist Church, Washington, DC. Spiritual weariness comes when we see obligation instead of privilege, or when we see no results from our efforts. But God in Christ will bring ultimate victory.

Wisconsin Avenue Baptist Church, Washington, DC, February 6, 2005 Last May our son got married. He and his bride passed out little bottles of soap instead of the traditional rice, so we all celebrated at the end of the wedding by blowing bubbles. Well, my daughter’s child, a little less ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

Creating A Loving Community For The New Millennium

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 27, 2010

Thinking about what the church must be in the future raises four questions: who are we, who gets in, who leads, and where are we going?

First Baptist Church (New Hampshire Ave), Washington, DC May 31, 1998 Can you believe that it won't be long until we cross over into the third millennium, a full two thousand years after the birth of Christ? Can you believe that we are still here to see it? Why, it seems like it was only ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Available For Life-Shaping

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 27, 2010

We can become what God wants us to become if we downplay disappointment, pick perceptive people, consider consequences, and accept affirmation. Revised from a 2003 message.

Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD, June 5, 2005 It is said that the Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo could sense that in a rough block of marble there was an angel struggling to get out. He said that his job was to free that angel. Isn’t that remarkable?! To know ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Peace: Ready, Set, Go

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 27, 2010

Peace comes hard for some at Christmas. We must be open to what God wants to give, we must get down to what God wants us to be doing, and we must find meaning in our ordinary pursuits.

National Baptist Memorial Church, Washington, DC, Dec. 19, 2004 These are stressful days. There is too much going on. Too much work, too much to think about, too many demands. Stressful. We’d really like some peace, wouldn’t we? Just a moment or two of quiet – ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Getting Real With God

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 27, 2010

Authenticity before God begins with self-examination, proceeds to self-disclosure, and involves trusted advisors.

National Baptist Memorial Church, Washington, DC March 13, 2005 The issue is not an academic discussion as to whether there is a God. Relatively few doubt or debate that. The issue is not whether God is real, but whether we know how to get real with God. Let me play out a little scene with ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:32-42

Denomination: Baptist

A Partnership Of Parental Prayer

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 27, 2010

Family healing starts when we name the problems honestly. Things may get worse before they get better. but ultimately Christ will heal when we pray even in fractured faith.

Clifton Park Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD, June 18, 2006 When there is a problem to be solved, we will do everything to solve it except the thing that works best. Have you noticed that? When something needs to be fixed, we will try all sorts of complicated approaches. But the simplest and ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:14-29

Denomination: Baptist

The Changing Church And The Changeless Christ

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 29, 2010

We are in transitional times; we will be helped through transition if we remember who got us here and why, but if we also remain wary of popular bandwagons. The ultimate measure is whether we have been faithful to Christ's call.

Gethsemane Baptist Church, Washington, DC, Nov. 24, 1996 Some folks are allergic to change. They want everything to be just as it always was. They get used to things and they want everything to stay put. Some folks just won’t deal with change. A few weeks ago the electricity went out at ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:7-16

Denomination: Baptist

A Fresh Start

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 30, 2010

Fresh starts as persons or churches do not come just out of guilt, nor out of blame, but out of a radical rebirth

Bethesda First Baptist Church, Bethesda, MD, Sept. 5, 2004 Everybody needs, from time to time, a fresh start. No matter who you are, no matter where you have been, no matter what you have done, sometimes you just need a fresh start. Trying to fix things the way they are doesn’t work; there ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Kingdom Kindness

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Nov 30, 2010

Kindness is one thing lacking in the American church today, this sermon looks atsix characteristics of Kindness and teaches us how to be a kinder more compassionate people.

KINGDOM KINDNESS All my sermons use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted. “A little lame boy was once hurrying to catch a train. In the press of the crowd he experienced real difficulty in manipulating his crutches, especially as he ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Don't You Get Weary, Children

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 30, 2010

Revised for use at the Chapel of a retirement complex: Life is burdensome if it is merely obligation and not love, or if we think our work means nothing. Christ's victory shows the power of a meaningful life.

Riderwood Village Chapel, Silver Spring, MD August 8, 2004 In May our son got married. He and his bride passed out little bottles of soap to be used instead of the traditional rice, so we all celebrated at the end of the wedding by blowing bubbles. Well, my daughter’s child, his niece, ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:1-5

Denomination: Baptist