Sermons on Joseph Ondu:

The Heart Is Forgiving

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 9, 2009

Pulpit drama monologue as if the preacher were Simon, into whose house Jesus came, and where the jar of ointment was given. An emphasis on feeling, on forgiveness,and on generosity.

Frankly, I like things cool, calm, and collected. This business of lavish public display has always bothered me. It’s just bad taste, that’s what it is, when people feel they have to hang all over each other in public. Great day, what you do see down at the market sometimes, young people so ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:36-47

Denomination: Baptist

To Us He Turned Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 9, 2009

Maundy Thursday message, designed to be interwoven with verses of "When I Survey ..." and with the elements of Communion. Jesus turns to us to interpret the power of wounded healing.

TO US HE TURNED: REVELATION “Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!’” This is a private moment. To the disciples He turned and spoke privately. There are some things not meant for the public arena, some things intended only for ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:17-24

Denomination: Baptist

A Painful Visit

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 10, 2009

For Martin Luther King Sunday. Misunderstanding comes about because we do not hear one another, we do not have the context to understand, or someone deliberately creates distance. Racial understanding needs to take all this into account.

Misunderstanding is an inevitable part of life. Just because we are human, just because we have limitations and are imperfect, we are going to misunderstand one another. And the sooner we accept that as a part of life and learn to deal with it, the better off we’ll be. There are several reasons ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Reality Check

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 30, 2009

Adherence to the Bible will teach us neither to be overly optimistic nor overly negative about human nature, but will give us both hope and harmony. Thus we must be serious Bible students.

Twenty-five years ago, Neil Armstrong stepped out of that lunar module and set foot where no person had ever gone before, on the surface of the moon. "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." We were fascinated, and we still are. Nothing like that had ever been done; nothing quite like ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:1-19

Denomination: Baptist

In The Hour Of Trial: Open Door

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 1, 2009

The doors of the church: some are locked, but panic hardware always lets us out for mission; some are heavily locked, but it is Christ who is our security; and some are never locked, for we are to be open to embrace those who need us.

Have you ever seen a place with as many doors as this church building has! A hardware salesman would be in heaven, right here! Doors, doors, everywhere doors. There are doors leading to the outside. Eight of them, I think. There are doors inside, leading into the rooms. Some doors take you into ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:7-13

Denomination: Baptist

Knowing When To Break The Rules

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 2, 2009

Jesus’ encounter with the Syrophoenician woman admits several interpretations, all of which teach us: give what is needed rather than what is wanted; teach others rather than do for them; watch your motives.

Just when you think you have your life routines down pat, settled and secure, something comes along and upsets the whole pattern. Just when you think you have your life all organized, something comes up to discombobulate it! Just when you think you know the rules by which you govern your life, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28

Denomination: Baptist

Invisible Man

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 27, 2009

As Ralph Ellison helped us see racism as one group treating another as invisible, so today we need to discern who is invisible to us; and we need to see how Jesus is invisible to many until He is connected to the culture and until we make Him visible.

"I am an invisible man." Those words, pecked out on an old typewriter one night in the Vermont hills, began a literary work of unparalleled beauty and power. Ralph Waldo Ellison; encouraged to make music and to write by his father; inspired by the civil rights activism of his mother, began to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Extreme Living

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Apr 28, 2009

In a world of Extreme life, we as Christians can live Extreme also

EXTREME LIVING Attitude is Everything (All my sermons use illustrations from Sermon Central and all Scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted) In our world there seems to be a need to take things to another level. When I was younger I enjoyed sports, now there is EXTREME sports. Our world is ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Challenges Of Being A Cheerful Giver

Contributed by Joseph Betz on Nov 22, 2006

Lay Sermon on Stewardship. The focus is on the historical and social responsibility of being a Christian and giving and does not mention biblical tithing.

"The Challenges of Being a Cheerful Giver" Sermon Preached by Joseph A. Betz Setauket Presbyterian Church, NY October 22, 2006 Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9: 6-15 The Apostle Paul writes, "God loves a cheerful giver." The original Greek word he used was hilaron for cheerful, which translates into ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Getting Real With Your Self Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 19, 2007

We all wear masks, which puts us in danger of losing our real selves. Jesus shows us how to be real as He deals with threatening people, hostile people, and those whose hearts are full of pain. Montgomery Hills Baptist Church

When you wear a mask – not a Halloween costume mask, but a personality mask, a way-of-being mask – when you wear a mask, you not only hide from others, but you also hide from yourself. You lose your real self. And that is a huge loss. It is crucial to get real with yourself. The poet Paul ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:3-9

Denomination: Baptist

How To Lie With Statistics

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 5, 2008

For the Festival of Christ the King; We rely on false comparisons or we use half-truths to justify ourselves. Far better to find justification in committing ourselves to what God is about in the world.

There are lies, and then there are lies. Little lies and big lies. Deceptions of all kinds. Some say it was Mark Twain, others British Prime Minister Disraeli, but someone remarked that there are three kinds of lies: plain lies, flat-out lies, and statistics. Plain lies, flat-out lies, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Baptist

Hot Heads, Cold Hearts

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 6, 2008

Anger drains us when it is either displaced or misplaced. But when we learn to replace it with a relationship to Christ, it becomes energizing.

One day when Margaret and I were college students, she said, “I think you ought to know that the deacons are going to ask for our pastor’s resignation.” We were members of the same church and had shared in appreciation for the thoughtful, exciting sermons our pastor brought us week by week. But ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

What Do I Still Lack? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 8, 2008

The young man raising this question with Jesus lacked historical memory, lacked self-awareness, and lacked a vision for one compelling pursuit. For Maundy Thursday

I: Remember The third of our ultimate questions sounds almost like a throwaway. Like a sarcastic castoff. “What do I still lack?” The young man had already asked the most sweeping question possible, “What good deed must I do to have eternal life?” As you may remember if you were here two ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:16-22

Denomination: Baptist

Absence Of Pain Or Pain Of Absence? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 9, 2008

We either want to disengage from conflict situations and save ourselves the pain, or we have to absorb the guilt of being absent and causing others pain. Trust an abundant God, who is able to take our pain and express abundant love.

We serve a God of abundance and not a God of scarcity. Ours is not a dilettante deity with nothing in His hands. Ours is the God who possesses the cattle on a thousand hills, who flung the stars into space, and who has made all things – all things. All things are made by Him and all things are ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Who Can Be Saved? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 11, 2008

Salvation seems elusive, whether it means personal peace, reconciliation, or productive life. Good Friday we see what God will do about that frustration.

I Everyone gets frustrated. In ways small or great, we feel the frustration of not being able to do what we want to do, not being able have what we want to have, not being able to achieve as we would want to achieve. Young people, by nature, dream great dreams. If you give them half a chance, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:16-26

Denomination: Baptist