Sermons on Joseph Ondu:

Supercharged

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 14, 2009

A renewed mind finds energy in working because it discerns God’s will, thinks in terms of service, and focuses on the meaning of the Cross.

In 1960, John Kennedy was running for the presidency, and was campaigning near a coal mine in West Virginia. One of the miners put a series of questions to Kennedy: "Is it true that your father is one of the wealthiest men in the world?" Kennedy admitted that this was true. "Well, then, is it ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

The Talented Tenth

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 16, 2009

The old Wshington-DuBois debate is mirrored in Jacob: his trouble was from his own foolishness as well as from others’ deceit. The way out was to receive God’s promise of greatness and to act now to offer concrete help to those coming after.

Almost exactly a century ago, American listened to a debate between two great thinkers, two men who had unquestionable credentials, first-rate minds, and powerful pens. Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois. In September 1895, in a speech in Atlanta, Booker Taliaferro Washington advocated ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 28:10-22

Denomination: Baptist

The Anatomy Of Rebellion: Forehead, Heart, And Mouth

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 17, 2009

We rebel against God when we refuse to learn anything new, when we resist His love, and when we refrain from telling others about Christ.

Parenting is the toughest job in the world. Nobody has it harder than parents. Amen? Now this insight didn’t come out of a book somewhere. This is not just some Freudian theory, cooked up in the psychology lab. I learned this truth, that parenting is the toughest job in the world, in another ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Together In Sin, Alone In Jesus

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 18, 2009

Done as a pulpit dialogue between a spectator at the stoning of the woman taken in adultery and a prosecutor trying him for not sharing in the stoning. JMS, my initials; HM, initials of the church member who played the prosecutor.

JMS: What are you doing to me? This is outrageous! You have no business putting me on trial! I didn’t do any more than anybody else did. Let me go! This is crazy! HM: You know exactly why I’m putting you on trial. That woman was as guilty as sin, and so are you. You were with her. You ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Standing Close To The Lightning Strike

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 19, 2009

God will get our attention and force us to make choices, despite our desire to avoid decisions or our wish to be secular. When the lightning strikes it may be painful but it will be about grace.

You can most certainly expect God to attract your attention. I cannot tell you exactly how He will do it, but I do know that He will do it. He will attract your attention. Many of us face a spiritual issue called inattention. Distraction. Inattention. We are not paying attention to what God is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 18:20-39

Denomination: Baptist

Living The Gospel: Speak Up!

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 20, 2009

We have not found our voices yet because we have low self-esteem, but Christ declares us to be light. The world is asking for light, but we must learn to read the signs and to be who we are. March 1988

As a child I was fascinated one day by’ the fact that when you open the refrigerator, there is always a light burning. I was fascinated by it because I wanted to know whether that light was on when the door was closed as well as when it was open. And so I began to experiment. First I tried to stick ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Denomination: Baptist

Simon Peter: Stuck In Self-Deception Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 22, 2009

We live with a self-image that we know is not true, but we like to project it anyway. We will come unstuck from self-deception when there is someone who loves us unconditionally ... the crucified and risen Christ.

Outside the gate of the great house, it is growing cold. The winter winds are not quite over, and the first breezes of a promised spring have a zip to them. It would be nice to be in there, on the other side of the gate, where a fire is blazing and the workers are keeping warm. It would be good ...read more

Scripture: John 18:15-27

Denomination: Baptist

Three Women And A Basket

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 23, 2009

Leaving no child behind means that we parents set aside our own pleasures, that we learn to advocate for our children, and that we cross cultures with our resources.

It was every parent’s worst nightmare. My son, my own flesh and blood, standing in front of me, and announcing that he was taking lessons in ... skydiving! Skydiving! That’s where people walk out of airplanes and float downward to earth, supported by a thin sheet of cloth and a few little ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 2:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Paul And Anania: From Goodness To Going

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 25, 2009

God’s call is for those of us who think that looking good is sufficient to go share the Gospel; and to those who are discipled to be alert to the potential in those whom God has placed in our paths.

I heard this week about a very, very special automobile. It was built in the 1920’s by the Italian manufacturer Bugatti, and it was designed to be sold to the outrageously wealthy. This car was equipped with 450 horses under the hood; it was some 22 feet long and weighed about 6000 pounds. It was ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:1-19

Denomination: Baptist

Testimony The Prosecutor Cannot Shake

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 26, 2009

We need defining moments in which we must decide for ourselves who our god is. It may require a true friend to push us. But when such a life-decision is made, it will be rock-solid.

How well do you stand up under tough, aggressive questioning? If somebody gets in your face and will not let you go until they get the answers they want, how do you feel? What do you do? I can tell you what I do. I look for the back door. I look for a way out. I want to avoid the questions. I ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:1-28

Denomination: Baptist

Sons, Sin, Swine, And Starving Souls

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 28, 2009

World Hunger Sunday: The younger son found that physical hunger starved his soul; the elder son found that spiritual hunger hardened his heart; the Father hungers for all of his children’s needs.

When I read the Gospels, I know that Jesus must have been a Baptist, and the twelve disciples must have been the Deacons of the First Baptist Church of Galilee. Must have been! Do you know why? Because there is all this talk about eating! Everywhere you turn in the Gospels, there are stories ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Baptist

Snapshots In An Autumn Album

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 15, 2009

Contrasting Koheleth and Paul in the later season of their lives: one blames the young, the other gathers them; one mourns broken things, the other invests in ideas; one is anxious, the other trusts God for every need.

This past weekend, as a part of our brief getaway, my wife and I spent two nights in an old farmhouse. The farmhouse dated from 1704 and was partly furnished with antiques. Now my wife loves antiques; I guess that’s why she puts up with me. So we took the tour of the house, especially the parlor ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

The Ultimate Thanksgiving

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 17, 2009

November 1989: We are at bottom grateful for spiritual values rather than material ones. Ultimate thanksgiving will be to sing praises in a global community and in recognition of our deliverance.

On the surface, Thanksgiving seems like a holiday designed to celebrate the American experience of material fulfillment. On the surface, at least, it would appear that what we do at Thanksgiving is to celebrate our wealth, our material prosperity, and our achievements. We indulge in an orgy of ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 7:9-17

Denomination: Baptist

A Serving Attitude Series

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Jul 18, 2009

The first in a five part series on having the attitude of Jesus, Jesus came to serve.

ATTITUDE! (part one, serving like Christ) (ALL my sermons use illustrations from sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted) In five weeks, I will preach my last sermon! Well, perhaps my last sermon, only God truly knows what He has in store for my life. I know we just ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-9

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Humble Attitude Series

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Jul 18, 2009

Part two of a five part series on having the attitude of Jesus, Christ had a humble attitude.

ATTITUDE - 2 HUMILITY (ALL my sermons use illustrations from sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted) Last week, we dove into the scripture and looked at ATTITUDE, the Bible tells us that our attitude should be the same as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 131:1-3

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ