Sermons on Joseph In Prison:

Does America Still Trust In God?

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Jul 7, 2010

Great 4th of July sermon posing a challenge to Christians to set an example of TRUST

Does America Still Trust in God? (All my sermons use illustrations from sermoncentral.com and use the NIV unless otherwise noted) (This sermon was inspired partly by the lyrics from Diamond Rio’s song “In God We Still Trust”) In the world of country music, there is a group ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

May Day Mayday

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 11, 2010

We are called to turn the world upside down, as revolutionaries. But our energies dissipate and we become frightened. Let us look to the one who did not flinch from His mission.

The winter of 1780 and 1781 had looked bleak indeed for the American cause. If the English control of the seas continued; if the French did not move more decisively to help; if the supply arsenals could not be stocked and if the men did not keep their courage, all would be lost. Even General ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Dynamic Tension Body Building Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 18, 2010

Montgomery Hills Baptist Church: As the old Charles Atlas method used muscle against muscle to build young bodies, so the church may use its forces against the values of the world to build itself. Inclusion rather than clannishness, love rather than comp

If you are male and of a certain age, you will remember the little cartoon stories that ran in every comic book or came wrapped around your Bazooka bubble gum – stories about a 97-pound weakling who was always about to approach a curvaceous bathing beauty but was invariably upstaged by a ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:7-21

Denomination: Baptist

A Humble Walk

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 25, 2010

FBC Gaithersburg: funeral for Julia McNeely Vance, centenarian, physician, daughter of Irish Baptists. Text and poem requested by family. Julia's commitments, nurtured early, brought her into an unusual life. Not delivered by me because of illness.

That classically Irish face looks out at me from the printed page, and I wonder what it must have been like for Julia McNeely, born a century ago, to have grown up and to have followed her calling. On one side were all the customs and expectations of her day and time … that women would live ...read more

Scripture: Micah 6:6-8

Denomination: Baptist

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

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

Understanding Pentecost Series

Contributed by Joseph Ricohermoso on Jul 8, 2011

Originally delivered on Pentecost Sunday, this message reviews the highlights of this historic event as recorded in Acts 2 namely: the bestowal of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church in Jerusalem.

Understanding Pentecost (Acts 2) Introduction: Do you know that today is Pentecost Sunday? In Italy it was customary to scatter rose petals from the ceiling of the churches to recall the miracle of the fiery tongues; hence in Sicily and elsewhere in Italy Whitsunday is called Pasqua rosatum. The ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-47

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Take A Ride Or Abide

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Jul 14, 2011

The world offers such temptation and many Christians are walking away from Jesus and toward the world, will you take a ride o ABIDE?

(All my sermons use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted.) TO RIDE OR ABIDE? I am afraid that many people who have sometime in their lives made a promise to God and to Christ, have been taken for a ride. I am certain that many Christians ...read more

Scripture: John 15:5-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Toys Or Joys?

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Jul 14, 2011

A man is not the sum of what he gathers, it is not abou what you have but who you know. Do you know the one that provides ALL things?

TOYS OR JOYS? (All my sermons use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted.) So many times I have heard people say “the one that dies with the most toys wins” as if gathering material possessions here on earth is what life is all ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Grumpy Ole Church People

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Jul 14, 2011

Where is the joy in our church? There is so much frowning and silence in a place where there is so much reason to celebrate. This sermon explores the problem.

GRUMPY OLE CHURCH PEOPLE (All my sermons use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted.) Through the many years that I have preached and taught from the Word of God I have made one very disturbing observation about the churches in our ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Abused And Used But Not Used Up

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 3, 2010

We must determine that the children with whom we are surrounded are God’s gift and God’s assignment for us, no matter how difficult or inconvenient they are.

I received a letter the other day from someone very close to me. His letter was written hurriedly, because I had written him asking some questions. He felt he needed to answer those right away. He had a conviction he wanted me to hear immediately. I had asked him if he was going to leave his ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:17-22

Denomination: Baptist

A Deadly Virus

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 3, 2010

Sin is not excused by good works, and unrepentant self-indulgence is destructive. Sexual integrity is not just a private matter; how we handle it will determine what happens with our church.

This has the potential for being the shortest sermon I’ve ever done. At first glance, it seems all I need to do with this text is to praise the church for doing so well, declare myself to be against sin, and wrap it up. The shortest sermon I’ve ever done, and maybe the shortest on record! Anybody ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:18-29

Denomination: Baptist

Every Barrier Down: Mary Magdalene

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 6, 2010

Commitment to the living Christ will let Him break down circumstantial, cultural, and spiritual barriers to our success. Illustrated with the story of Marian Anderson.

I think it was John Lennon, one of the Beatles, who once observed, "Life is what happens while you are making other plans." That really is the issue, isn't it? Getting a fix on our lives. Getting hold of life. Being able to make it go the way you want it to go. And the trouble is that life just ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

Every Mother's Child Matters

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 7, 2010

Sarah's me-ism blinded her to Ishmael's value; Abraham's comfort blinded him to how best to support Hagar and Ishmael; Hagar, like many of our mothers, had to trust God in the desert. We today must support the Hagars of this world.

The barren landscape seemed to dance before her eyes, as she looked toward a horizon littered with debris, strewn with the rubbish of thousands of careless people who had gone this way. Filthy and dirty as it was, though, it seemed to dance before her eyes, for the sun was high above and hot; the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 21:8-20

Denomination: Baptist