Sermons on Joseph M Stowell:

"Endless Love" Is Not A Maudlin Song Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 4, 2003

Radical discipleship is self-giving for the sake of the world, and not self-satisfaction nor giving only to those who please us.

When you learn to sing, you must learn to sing scales. Scales start with “do” on the low end and you step up until you get to “do” again, where the frequency exactly doubles the one where you started. That’s a scale. The syllables that you sing come from a medieval Spanish ballad. “Do re mi ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:9-21

Denomination: Baptist

Let's You And Him Fight Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 2, 2003

Attempting to sow conflict works on the basis of insecurity and the need to compete. But God in Christ is about reconciliation, forgiveness, acceptance.

No doubt we love our children and think they’re wonderful. But if you ever need proof of the perversity of human nature, just watch the children. If you ever doubt the Biblical idea that all sin and come short of the glory of God, just stop at the playground and watch a while. Children fight. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10-31

Denomination: Baptist

Sending Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 11, 2003

For Reformation Sunday: Luther’s reform taught us that the church has an apostolic gift, whereby each of us -- the priesthood of all believers -- can break new ground for the Kingdom. Sometimes, however, we send back the gift!

Have you ever had the experience of sending a gift, only to have it returned? What does it feel like? Somebody’s birthday is coming up – and you’ve found just the perfect gift. You wrap it up, you package it securely, and you trot off to the post office. She’s going to love this! Three days ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-12

Denomination: Baptist

Peace Pottage Hot Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 19, 2003

What is peace, how do we get it, and what are the consequences if we do not obtain authentic peace?

Peace. All I want is an hour of peace! If I could just shut out the noise, pull the plug on the telephone, and send everybody packing for a couple of days, I’d be all right. Have you ever said that? Have you ever felt as though you were on the very edge of falling into an abyss? You were in ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:14-29

Denomination: Baptist

Getting Real With Your Friends Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 29, 2003

Jesus used the principle of understanding our weaknesses but trusting our possibilities in order to transform people-pleasers into persons of integrity, ambition into selfless commitment, and immaturity into responsibility.

History is full of stories of betrayal. Those who look like friends sometimes turn on you. Friendship means nothing to people who are bent on preserving privileges or feeding ambitions. Some of us have friends who would sell us for even less than Judas’ thirty pieces of silver if they ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:37-42

Denomination: Baptist

Thyatira: 'tis The Gift To Be Simple Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 3, 2003

True simplicity is a focus on the fundamentals of love, faith, service, and patient endurance. Getting caught up in theological guesses or emotional highs diverts us from "this one thing I do".

Some things are so simple they are hard to understand! Some things are so direct and obvious that we don’t want to accept them as they are. We want to make them complicated. Have you ever tried to describe to someone how to tie a shoestring? It seems simple until you start to teach it. Left ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:18-29

Denomination: Baptist

Do I Really Have A Choice?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 4, 2000

When we are offered great choices, although we think we have no real freedom, we can choose to live emotionally, we can choose to give and affirm life for the most vulnerable in our society, and we can always choose to receive God’s gift of eternal life.

“Do I really have a choice?” That question was posed the other day by one of our teenagers. She was talking about whether she had to go to school. She felt cornered. She felt boxed in. She was speaking for a great many of us. We feel as though we really do not have any choice about many ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:11-20

Denomination: Baptist

Time To Go To Egypt

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 17, 2001

Fathers today, like Jacob, have been irresponsible; but, like him also, we can see that God is giving us another chance to redeem our relationships with our children, to allow Him to keep His promises, and to use major resources for Kingdom business.

This past Monday was our son-in-law’s birthday. We’ve cared about this young man for a long time, but now he’s even more special. He is our granddaughter Olivia’s father. And that makes him extra special. So we sent Don a birthday card and a little gift, and got an email response. In part, it ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Been There, Done That, Got The T-Shirt

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 9, 2001

This sermon was done while peeling off T-shirts, one by one. The focus is that the presence of the Lord in our lives, as an active participant, drives out cynicism and preserves our joy.

I wish I had bought stock in the T-shirt industry. Of the making of souvenir T-shirts there is no end. People are using T-shirts to send all sorts of messages. Some T-shirts advertise products. Some T-shirts identify the work places. Some focus on the club memberships. And then some T-shirts ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Voices - Can You Hear Me Now? Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Mar 26, 2007

If the Christian life is KNOWING God, HEARING HIs voice, and OBEYING His leading, then it is essetial that believers learn how to tune their ears to His voice.

Voices – Can You Hear Me Now? March 18, 2005 Matthew 13:1-23 Sunday AM Video: Can You Hear Me Now – www.sermonspice.com Trans: Throughout our previous series, I continually stated that the Christian life is about knowing God, hearing His voice, and obeying His commands. Many of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23, Matthew 13:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Getting Real With God Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 26, 2007

We treat God as though He were not present. Jesus shows us how to get real with God by admitting His feelings, by telling what He wanted, and by enlisting His friends in prayer, however inadequate. Montgomery Hills Baptist Church

We are not going to debate this morning whether there is or is not a God. That’s settled, I would think, in this room. 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 you. Picture a home in which there is a parent and a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:32-42

Denomination: Baptist

Were You There? No, But We Are Here

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 21, 2009

To know real and lasting power means admitting that we fail at what we do (repentance), giving over the control of our lives to Christ (faith), and obedience.

The speech choir has asked us a pointed question, "Were you there?" "Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?" They went on, "Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?" And finally, "Were you here when He rose up from the grave?" Were you ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:4-11

Denomination: Baptist

Recognize The King!

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Apr 13, 2011

Palm Sunday is a time when we see Jesus enter into Jerusalem, BUT, did the people really see Jesus for the King He is, or the King they wanted Him to be?

RECOGNIZE THE KING (All my sermons use illustrations found on www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted) I have often wondered how many people would recognize Jesus if He were to walk amongst us today? Now I know that Jesus is “with us,” but that is not ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:28-44

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

United We Fly

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Sep 22, 2010

Often churches are not united because people kill the vision God has for the church, this sermon shows what kills a vision.

UNITED WE FLY (ALL my sermons use illustrations from www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted) This church is about people reaching people. If a young person gets saved then they will reach 19% of their family. If a woman gets saved she will reach 32% of her family. ...read more

Scripture: John 17:20-23

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Sobering Standards Of Spiritual Success

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Aug 20, 2010

Success is so many things to so many people, but the Bible tells us what Success really is.

SOBERING STANDARDS FOR SPIRITUAL SUCCESS (ALL my sermons use illustrations from sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted) All of us want to be successful, but first one must understand what success is. Webster’s defines success 1. Favorable or desired outcome, 2. The ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:7-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ