Sermons on Joseph Ondu:

The Bald Eagle Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 6, 2008

Micah’s symbol of the bald eagle, a sign of grief, applies to America. We are abandoning justice, kindness, and the humble walk with God. Our collapse is from within rather than from without. Yet God has sent a different kind of conqueror to redeem us.

What we see is more powerful than what we hear. The visual always trumps the audible. I learned a long time ago that what people see is more powerful than what they hear. I learned it when I sat through an education professor’s hour-long lecture about why lecturing was the least effective way to ...read more

Scripture: Micah 1:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

In This House Of Peacemaking Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 13, 2008

Peace is something the world needs to learn from the church. To be peacemakers we must teach all of God’s truth, we must model peaceful resolution, we must equip with real skills, and we must find peace with God through Christ.

We entered the conference room in stony silence. For several weeks I had noticed the two of them – mature women, well-established, well-grounded in the Lord – but at odds with one another. They had been planning a special event, but had disagreed over the menu. One of them wanted an item dear to ...read more

Scripture: Micah 4:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Ripe Ritual And Redemptive Righteousness Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 20, 2008

Dramatic monologue as if it were from Micah himself, summarizing the entire book around the contrast between practicing ritual in order to avoid judgment vs. living God’s requirements of justice, mercy, and the humble walk.

[Outside the sanctuary] Justice, O God! Justice! We must have your justice! And righteousness! Without that we are lost! Oh, Lord God, the Temple and the city – what I see there sickens me. That ripe and rotten ritual, those empty gestures, those paid and padded priests! O God, ...read more

Scripture: Micah 7:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Shaping The Clay Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 24, 2008

For Memorial Day/Christian Legacy Sunday: We must not protect the vessel in which the Gospel is carried more than the Gospel itself. The Gospel is power; the vessel must be impervious to popularity, a good transporter. Legacy giving encouraged.

I am not much of a gardener. The Scripture says that there is a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, but I must tell you that I don’t know the difference. I pluck up only what I am told to pluck up, because I don’t know a weed from a willow. However, the mistress of our little ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

This Thorny Thicket Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 20, 2008

For Martin Luther King Day. The words we offer fall into the thorny thicket of anxiety, despair, and distraction. Like King with his dream, we the church can give hands and feet to help those so captured.

Our back yard is a thorny thicket. Other people have manicured lawns, with friendly plants laid out in neat rows. But our back yard is a tangled thorny thicket. Along one fence there are blackberries, growing in long canes that have to be tied up lest they wander into the next county. They ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:13-20

Denomination: Baptist

Stand And Be Counted

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 23, 2008

At a church-sponsored rally for census involvement. Census taking may seem invasive, but the information leads toward justice; God is able to use the census for His purposes; and it reminds us of the vast task of redemption to which we are called.

When Rev. Gray asked me to preach, the answer was easy. I am just about always ready to preach! You know how it is with preachers, especially Baptists: we can come up with a Scripture to cover all occasions, we have an opinion about everything, and we believe that everybody is waiting to hear our ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 7:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

To Desire A Better Country

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 23, 2008

Funeral service for Anne Tlholakae, diplomat of the Embassy of South Africa. All of us desire a better country; that journey begins with faith. As Biblical wanderers sought that better country but died in a foreign land, so Anne sought and found Christ

The desire for a better country goes deep in the human heart. The desire for something more, something finer, than what our ancestors left us is an aspiration that transcends all boundaries. Just as here in the United States we celebrate those markers in our history that made us a greater nation, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Keeping The Doorkeeper

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 26, 2008

Funeral for Guy Robinson, one-time chair of Takoma Park Baptist Church’s Building and Grounds Committee. God keeps the doorkeeper secure, and withholds no good thing from those who stay away from dishonesty.

I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Eight plus one equals nine, subtract nine, leaves zero. That is the first thing Guy Robinson taught me, more than 23 years ago. It was the first thing, but by no means the last. Guy was at the time I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 84:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

When No One Cares Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 27, 2008

What are the implications if no one cares about the dillusioned, the desperate, or those who have made poor decisions? What if no one cares for the soul, the essence, of others?

He had been running so long and so hard. Running from everything. What an irony that he of all people had had to flee for his very life! He had been on the upswing, he had been successful in everything. He had been the fair-haired lad in the eyes of those who counted, and had even married into ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 142:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Can't Shake Off Mom's Voice

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 11, 2008

For Mother’s Day and Pentecost: We cannot shake off our mother’s voice. That voice needs to be one of faith, not just admonition. Yet we need to grow our own faith. The Spirit’s voice overrides all negatives.

Can you, in your own mind, hear your mother’s voice? Can you remember not only what she says or used to say, but how she says it? Many of us can remember those things. Even people whose mothers died young can remember distinctive things. It seems we can’t quite shake off Mom’s voice. It stays ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Presenting Hands: Taking, Working, Giving Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 15, 2001

Follow the hands of Jacob, as they are involved in taking (because of his insecurity), in working for that which does not satisfy, but finally, in giving, as a result of their having wrestled with God. An appeal to struggle with God’s will.

Last week I began by giving you an eye test and an ear test. I wanted to help you discover that sometimes we don’t see what there is to see and we don’t hear what there is to hear. But God provides us vision and offers His word to help us with the “too much” in our world. Today I want to examine ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

How To Age With Grace

Contributed by Errol Joseph on Jul 16, 2001

Gives some guidelines for aging gracefully from the examples of Simeon and Anna.

DATE: July 15, 2001 TEXT: Luke 2:21-38 THEME: "How to Age With Grace" INTRODUCTION “There is something happening to every one of you this very moment as you sit here in church. Imperceptibly, but relentlessly. You are getting older - aging. The causes are uncertain, probably because our ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:21-38

Denomination: Pentecostal

Releasing Material And Financial Prosperity Series

Contributed by Errol Joseph on Jul 16, 2001

Outlines some principles of giving that release God’s prosperity into our life.

DATE: July 01, 2001 TEXT: I Corinthians 9:5-15 THEME: "Releasing Material & Financial Productivity" INTRODUCTION The historical background: BODY I. WE RELEASE MATERIAL AND FINANCIAL PRODUCTIVITY BY SOWING SEEDS OF GIVING (II Cor. 5:5, 7) II. UNPRODUCTIVE SEED – HOW WE SHOULD NOT GIVE ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:5-15

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Lords Tithe Series

Contributed by Errol Joseph on Jul 16, 2001

An Exploration of the Biblical Concept of Tithing.

DATE: July 08, 2001 TEXT: Malachi 3:7-10 THEME: "The Lord’s Tithe" INTRODUCTION “Average church(Gallup Poll) 17% say they tithe but only 3% actually do. 40% will give nothing in a year. 91% say they make more money than they ever have in their life. 71% of pastors believe that church members ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:7-10

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Ten Commandments--Introduction Series

Contributed by Errol Joseph on Jul 16, 2001

An introduction to the study of the Ten Commandments

DATE: February 4, 2001 TEXT: Exodus 20:1-20; Deuteronomy 5:6-22 THEME: Ten Commandments – "Introduction " INTRODUCTION - The Christian and the Law i. Three types of law a. Ceremonial Law – Sacrifices, offerings and methods of purification ad cleansing typical of the Messiah and fulfilled in the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-20, Deuteronomy 5:6-22

Denomination: Pentecostal