Sermons on Joseph Ondu:

Immediately Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 5, 2001

This was done as a dramatic monologue, as if I were Mark; and costumed according to Mark 14:51-52! It makes use of one of Mark’s favorite words, "immediately", and argues that Jesus expects immediate response to His call.

What’s happening? What’s going on here? I came as quickly as I could. If you linger, you will miss Him. He waits for no one. He acts immediately. He is the most urgent person I’ve ever known. He just does not wait for anything. He acts immediately. So, again, what’s happening here? What ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1-12, Mark 14:51-52

Denomination: Baptist

It Wasn't The Pacific Ocean Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 12, 2001

Jesus’ handling of and interpretation of His witness at the seashore is a parable of our witness in shaky, stormy circumstances.

A few weeks ago I caught the TV show, “America’s Funniest Videos.” You may know that on that show there are clips of poignant scenes from the human drama, as captured by someone’s home video camera. This particular clip caught my attention. A father was trying to show his small son how to fish, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Lasting Love

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 13, 2001

Funeral sermon for Mrs. Lola Black, who died suddenly only five months after her husband’s death.

In March, when we gathered in this place to say farewell to a creative, innovative man, we did not dream that five months later we would gather again to bid adieu to his cherished helpmate. Charlie and Lola are together again, in death as in life; and it’s almost beyond belief. It just does not ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-17

Denomination: Baptist

Pain Ignores The Appointment Book Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 20, 2001

Many of us dislike dealing with unplanned events, but those who need us need us now. So either we paralyze or we panic, unless we learn to work together inside God’s grace and unless we discern that He is giving us time in which to grow our faith.

I have the utmost admiration for anybody who can live amid constant crises. I cannot do that very well. If you are the kind of person who can keep your sanity when there are ten unplanned things happening around you, I salute you. How do you do it? That’s not me. That’s not my skill. I like ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:30-56

Denomination: Baptist

Put Your Pencils Down

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 1, 2001

A Labor Day and Communion message, dealing with the sources of satisfaction in work. Designed for audience participation.

Labor Day, and school is starting again. I wonder, do they still do the same things as when I was in school? Do they still have the same rituals? Maybe not. Things do change. Dodgeball, for example. Now that was THE game in my day. You had the right to throw the ball as hard as you could and ...read more

Scripture: John 17:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Thy Kingdom Come: Still Blind And Mute Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 10, 2001

Praying for the Kingdom to come is an awesome responsibility, for some of us remain blind and mute despite Jesus’ healing, criticizing those who are different and causing divisions.

Our backyard is heavily populated. It is home to birds and bugs, to snails and occasional snakes, and most of all, our backyard is populated with moles. The turf is home to those burrowing creatures, moles. I have the twisted ankle to prove it, thanks to sinking in one of the burrows. Our ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:22-32

Denomination: Baptist

Thy Will Be Done: By Any Means Necessary? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 16, 2001

To pray for the will of God to be done in the aftermath of the terror of Sept. 11 is to see that the will of God and the ways of God must always be joined; to avoid sinking to the level of the terrorists; and to repent of little faith and recommmit to the

A number of years ago, a poet penned poignant words as he saw the beginning of the end for the greatest nation of his day. He saw that the far-flung influence his country had thrown over much of the world could no longer be held. The people who had felt pressed by it were demanding their own ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:14-21

Denomination: Baptist

Reach Out And Touch

Contributed by Joseph Johnson on Oct 18, 2000

(Preparation: cut out enough pages from a old copy of the phone book yellow pages that everyone can get a page folded up in the bulletin.

(Preparation: cut out enough pages from a old copy of the phone book yellow pages that everyone can get a page folded up in the bulletin. Make sure that you include advertisements for Plumbers, Electricians, Jewelers, and Movers. ) Let me begin by telling you that I had one of the hardest weeks. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:18-26

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

For Me

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 8, 2001

Funeral message for Calvin John King, widower, father of seven, and long-term post-traumatic stress syndrome sufferer.

We have all been taught to be unselfish. “Share your toys”, we say to our children. I am pretty sure that was said in the King household, with seven pairs of hands grabbing for the same stuffed animal. “Let your brother have some of your candy bar; you must not be selfish.” All very well, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Denomination: Baptist

Advancing Without Hindrance

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 18, 2001

In our own lives, as well as in the life of the church, there are barriers to advancement, but they are nowhere near as difficult as our spiritual hindrances.

When I entered junior high school, I was introduced to track and field games – to things like the 100-yard dash, relay races, and, most of all, the hurdles. As any red-blooded American boy would have done, I had done my share of running and climbing and bicycling and the like. But hurdles I had ...read more

Scripture: Acts 28:23-30

Denomination: Baptist

A United Team

Contributed by Joseph Louis on Apr 25, 2002

A Charge used during an Ordination of an Associate Pastor

A Charge for an Associate Pastor "A Unified Team" Exodus 17:9-13 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. [10] So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:9-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rsvp

Contributed by Joseph Johnson on May 3, 2002

God invites us to the greatest party of all time

R.S.V.P. Mark 3:1-12 During the Holiday season many of us will be doing some extra entertaining. We’ll take certain steps to ready ourselves for the visit of guests. The first thing we work on is the guest list: who can visit together amicably, ( in other words who can get along together) Then ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:1-12

Denomination: Methodist

Looking Through God's Eye's

Contributed by Joseph Bachman on Nov 27, 2004

We need to look at people not through the worlds eye’s but through God’s eye’s

Looking through Gods Eyes By Pastor Joe Bachman 11/28/2004 How many times have we heard this statement? You need to look at things and people the way God looks at them. You have heard people say just ask yourself wwjd What would Jesus Do? Or when some one does something to you people tell you ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Consider The Source Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 16, 2003

Job, struggling to find his source of meaning, is frustrated with Bildad, who finds meaning in the past; and with his own feelings, looking for meaning in the present. Look to Christ, who provides meaning from the future.

Sooner or later, we all come to a point where we wake up and ask ourselves what life means. This life we are living: does it matter? All this energy we are putting in on studying or working or church or family or whatever: is it really necessary? I submit to you that most of us at one time or ...read more

Denomination: Baptist