Sermons on Joseph M Stowell:

Sarah: Defeating Your Own Purpose Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 17, 2009

You can defeat what you know you want and ought to do by using immoral means or by destroying relationships to do it. But Christ is able to give us a new spirit.

The membership of this church is almost two-thirds female. That would be reason enough for us to have a series of sermons on the lessons that women can teach us. But that is not the only reason I have planned a three-part series of messages around the theme, Designing Women. I have planned this ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Praying In Frustration

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 11, 2010

Like Samuel, we are often frustrated in our intentions. But turning to prayer, as he did, will help us remove the blame from ourselves, will help us understand the motives of others, and will help us accept reality and move on toward something better.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC September 14, 1986 Some weeks ago I told you that one of my principal projects in starting my service as your pastor would have to be spending time trying to learn my way around the city of Takoma Park. DC I can handle and Silver Spring is a breeze, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 8:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

Down The Jericho Road Again Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 17, 2003

Sermon for Martin Luther King Day: we must go "down the road" of compassion, understanding that human hurts are both physical and spiritual, that we must see hurting people as our neighbors, and that we must devote substantial resources to caring for them

There’s something we say every time we find ourselves repeating an unpleasant experience. Whenever you see yourself about to get into the same trouble you’ve already been in, you say, “I don’t want to go down that road again.” For example: Some fellow comes to your door and says, “We’ve been ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Denomination: Baptist

Without One Plea Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 13, 2008

Like Paul, we cannot plead that we are either too broken or too privileged to engage in service. Brokenness is what God can use for the Kingdom.

No excuses. No excuses. We are accountable for what we do. We are accountable to God. And what God has called us to do, we can do. No excuses. If God has chosen us, then He has expectations. There are Kingdom tasks to be performed, there is a witness to be made, there is something that each of us ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Denomination: Baptist

Flesh And Spirit: Love And Joy Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 22, 2009

We cannot manufacture joy by trying to be good, nor can we survive game-playing. Joy comes from knowing that without Christ we would not be good at all, but that in Him we are freed from guilt.

The happiest people I know are not necessarily the most moral people I know. And the most unhappy people I know are among the most moral people I know. I’ll bet you didn’t follow that. Let me try again. The happiest people I know are not necessarily the most moral people I know. And the most ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-25

Denomination: Baptist

A Command For The Compulsive

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 27, 2009

Sabbath rest addresses our compulsive need to be busy by giving us a day for authentic enjoyment, by providing a vivid contrast with other days, and by giving us a glimpse of eternal rest.

God rested. Well, why not? After all, He had had a busy week, almost as busy as ours! Some of us have had weeks like that, when we’ve had to build the moon and the stars, separate the waters from the dry land, and bring forth swarms of living creatures, all in one week. Every parent knows what ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:8-11

Denomination: Baptist

To An Unknown God

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 15, 2010

Our world is incurably religious and is filled with people on a spiritual search. We find it easy to talk religion, but our calling is to share our relationship with the living Christ.

We are incurably religious! Wherever you go, you will find that people are religious. We are groping for something we never quite find. Ride with me up and down Sixteenth Street, here in the city, or out New Hampshire Avenue, past Colesville. The architecture is ample proof that people are ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:16-33

Denomination: Baptist

Being And Telling The Good News

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 5, 2010

To tell the good news, one must BE good news. It can start in the home, with marriage; with children; and with the children and youth of the community.

You must be good news before you can tell good news. You must be good news before can tell good news. If you have a story to tell, and it’s supposed to be good news, it won’t make any sense unless you sound like a good news person. There used to be a character on the Saturday cartoons. His name ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

It's Not About Position It's About Purpose

Contributed by Rodney Joseph on Jul 17, 2021

Welcome: Good afternoon everyone, can we get a hallelujah praise amen

I am so excited to be here today praising God he is an amazing father Let us pray before we start Prayer> Amen Before we get into the sermon today i want read a verse in Romans 5:3-5 The sermon is about Peace... with God through faith we must have faith, you see on july 3rd i was talking ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

A New Dimension Of Obedience

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 12, 2008

Dated 1985. Jesus saw that we live in a complicated age and are therefore called to love God with our minds as well as heart and soul and strength. Consider serious Biblical and theological study.

In order for you to understand fully what I am about to say, you would need to know my wife, and moreover, you would need to visit our backyard and find out that my wife is a wild flower nut. Now you will be very careful to get exactly what I said. I did not say, exactly, that my wife has lost her ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Hard To Be Humble

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 24, 2010

Independence Day 1988: Arrogance breeds blindness to our own sin, numbness to the needs of others, and a denial of relationships. The Father's Table is about mercy and grace for all.

You have heard him a thousand times in the TV commercial, warbling away in that gravelly voice with an accent I hear only when I go back to Kentucky. He is singing in the shower and flaunting his huge schnozz at the camera. "0 Lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way". ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Baptist

Be Still, My Foolish Heart

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 18, 2010

There is a worldwide awareness that God exists, but also a worldwide infection of sin. God in Christ comes to get our attention so that never can anyone say, in foolishness, that God is absent or does not matter.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC October 5, 1986 In some of the more strict religious communities there is the practice called “shunning.” When someone is shunned, usually because he or she has violated the moral code or has broken the way of behaving expected in that ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 14:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

When Bad Things Happen To Good People Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 23, 2003

In a world of injustice, it is appropriate to pray a prayer of anguish; God gives us memories of His grace to sustain when He seems absent, and may force us to rock bottom so that we can heal fully.

There is very little justice in the world. But that’s old news. People have felt from time immemorial that they were not being treated fairly. Just about everybody thinks that they deserve a better deal than they’re getting. There is very little justice in the world. But that’s old news. Now ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 22:1-31

Denomination: Baptist

Presenting Arms: Embrace For Life Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 1, 2001

Incredible numbers of people are falling, and we have contributed by pushing them to the edge and failing to listen. But at the Lord’s Table we see the embracing arms of Christ and are empowered to lift the fallen and give them life.

Those of you who were in my Vacation Bible School class know what happened – the class was supposed to run from 7:15 until 9:00 each night. At 8:57, what did I say? Something like: I know you have to go, but there are just a couple more points I want to make. And so, at a few minutes after 9, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:7-12

Denomination: Baptist

A Work In Progress Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 14, 2001

When the real Jesus is seen, he presents problems -- either he is too difficult for us to accept, or he is offensive to our sloppy ways of doing church, or we are just too tired of churchiness -- but his words of life revive our weariness.

I notice that they’ve revived one of the old-time television shows. We can once again see, “To Tell the Truth”. The idea of “To Tell the Truth” is that three people come out, and they all stand and give a name – the same name. Then someone reads a few sentences about the person who actually has ...read more

Scripture: John 6:60-69

Denomination: Baptist