Sermons on Joseph M Stowell:

All Your Anxieties?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 5, 2011

God is able to deal with all of our anxieties, not just a portion. He can relieve us of our fears for those things which will not really happen; for our concern for daily survival; and most of all, for our fear of death.

(Originally preached at Calverton Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD, Jan. 30, 1983; thereafter, with slight variations, at Clinton Baptist Church, Clinton, MD, July 29, 1984; Cresthill Baptist Church, Bowie, MD, Aug. 5, 1984; Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, Aug. 12, 1984; First Baptist ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7

Denomination: Baptist

Rolling Stones: Leverage Or Fear?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 29, 2003

The risen Christ rolls away the stones that hold us back: secrets we carry, fears and suspicions. He provides "leverage" to move these things out of the way.

What giant stone stands in your way? What stops you from becoming what you want to become? You have dreams, hopes, goals. But something stops you. Not enough money? Not enough time? Maybe. But I would guess that some very large spiritual thing stands in your way. If you sift through all the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:2-6, John 19:38

Denomination: Baptist

Love Like A Red, Red Rose Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 1, 2003

The coming of Christ offers hope to lives dried out in meaninglessness, beyond our limitations, and in the midst of sin-weariness. Advent series illustrated with Chrismons

“Hope is like a harebell trembling from its birth, Love is like a rose the joy of all the earth, Faith is like a lily lifted high and white, Love is like a lovely rose the world’s delight. Harebells and sweet lilies show a thornless growth, But the rose with all its thorns excels them both.” So ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10, Song of Songs 2:1

Denomination: Baptist

Don't You Get Weary, Children Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 5, 2002

There are many thankless tasks we have to perform, of which, to some, church participation may be one. But God teaches us that if we do something out of love, it is not burdensome, and the Cross and Empty Tomb teach us that it is not futile.

There sure are a lot of thankless tasks to be done. There certainly are a great many things that are immensely frustrating, because they just won’t stay done. Do you know what I mean? The kinds of jobs that you do and almost immediately you have to do them again? These are thankless ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:1-5, 1 John 5:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Where Peace Begins Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 10, 2000

Peace begins in the heart, and is not imposed from outside, for discord also begins within; but in a committed relationship there is a matrix for genuine peace.

It had been a long, tiring day. A day full of frustrations. Plans so carefully laid in the morning had been forcefully set aside by evening. Good intentions for a day of accomplishment had been ruthlessly destroyed by many intrusions. Now it was night, and cold, and lonely. No one around. No ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

All Is Now Yours: Giving What We Do Not Have

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 8, 2001

In uncertain times, it remains true that giving away what we cannot possess anyway is the path to fulfillment; it must, however, be a gift that refreshes the fainting.

It seems that we do not have what we think we have. Sometimes what seems to be ours is not ours at all. Buildings as sturdy as the Pentagon and as imposing as the World Trade Center can be destroyed in a moment of awful terror. Lives promising and beautiful are snuffed out, and there is little ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 16:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

Gloria In Excelsis -- Deo

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 15, 2004

Ordination of a woman named Gloria; glory not in your achievements but in helping others seek God; glory not in defending yourself against predators but in receiving God’s protection; and let yourself feel passion.

Over the years I have developed the habit of focusing on a person’s name whenever it is time to do a message that relates to that individual. For example, I have done funerals for people named James, using something from the New Testament letter of James. I did a funeral service once for a woman ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:1-36, Luke 2:8-15

Denomination: Baptist

An End To Childish Ways Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 4, 2003

(For Senior Adult Sunday) Children ask for things for themselves, think in limited terms, and believe they can escape responsbility. Mature people think in terms of love.

“If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” And if I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:11

Denomination: Baptist

Jehovah Shammah- The Lord Is There Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Oct 24, 2005

a message on teh name Jehovah Shammah - the Lord is There.

Hello I Love You… Jehovah Shammah – Ezekiel 40:1-5 – 48:35 Intro: In our series on the God’s names we’ve discovered many truths about Him. Elohim – The Eternal Creator who by Him all things have their being. Adonai – The Ruler of all – nothing escapes Him or catches Him by surprise. El Elyon ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 48:35

Denomination: Baptist

Hands Reaching Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 28, 2008

Missions emphasis message; Jesus’ hands, bearing the marks of crucifixion, have lifted us out of sin and now empower us to reach out to places of pain.

I had thought that this past Wednesday I was going to get a little time to myself, maybe to sit down and read, or take a walk, or drink coffee on the deck, gazing into nowhere. I had thought there might be a little leisure, as somehow the calendar had no entries on it! But no!! She who has for ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-29

Denomination: Baptist

War Of The Walls

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 26, 2009

Just as God used two American generals to rebuild a wartorn world after WWII, so he used Nehemiah to build Jerusalem and will use us to rebuild our society and our church, despite the naysayers and those who say it cannot be done.

No one was quite sure when sundown came, for it was already too dark too see. The enormous clouds of dust and debris had filled the air for hours, and a choking darkness engulfed the sky. The moments of destruction had been so horrible, so swift and so complete, that those left alive could ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

What To Do About A Broken-Down Church

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 7, 2009

God is not committed to maintaining a church just because it is there. His commitment is to maintain us if we show compassion, particularly on the young. Restoration of our church life in challenging times begins with repentance, self-examination.

Two or three weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, I noticed several of you staring straight up here, right into the notch of this arch. I too looked up there, and what we all saw was a sizable piece of paint and plaster hanging there by a mere thread. It looked as though it was poised and ready just in ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

On That Great Gettin' Up Morning

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 26, 2009

For Remembrance Sunday: getting past grief means crying out honestly and insistently for help, and it means having confidence in the God who raised Christ from the dead and thus defeated death itself.

The hymns we have sung and the Scriptures we have read have one important word that is common to all of them. That word is "morning". "Morning", as in "good morning". "Morning" is an important Biblical image. I am leading us to worship around the symbol of morning today because I want us to use it ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:2-3

Denomination: Baptist

Men And Their Macho Machines

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 4, 2009

Men have sadly learned to use machines as status symbols and instruments of power, but that only leads to destruction. Learn from Him whose ride was a lowly beast and whose symbol is a cross.

I had been away from home for about three months, working in Akron, Ohio, as an engineering student. The three months were over, and it was time to go back home. I went back the way college students traveled in 1957 … not in a plane, not in a car of my own, not with my father coming to transport ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 9:14-28

Denomination: Baptist

Alive All Your Life Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 6, 2008

What is the abundant life Jesus promised? Not activity, not longevity, not prosperity, not congeniality. It is generosity; giving returns fulfillment.

I was just making small talk, asking the kind of questions you ask when you have finished commenting about the weather and you are scared to discuss politics or religion. I asked him, “Have you lived here all your life?” Quick as a flash came back his answer, “Not yet. Not yet I haven’t.” Oh, ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-18

Denomination: Baptist