Sermons on Josephs Brothers:

Who Are Our Strangers? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 13, 2004

Many things conspire to keep people separate, even in the church. Only God can connect us, and it is the cross that binds us. Are we living out that reality, or have we let separations disconnect us?

When he says it, it feels both enraging and endearing. When he pronounces it, it sounds like irritation, but it also sounds like invitation. It is both attracting and detracting, both including and excluding. I am referring to those moments in the old TV show, when Felix Unger, the neat freak half ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

Denomination: Baptist

Carry Me Back To Old

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 18, 2003

Nostalgia is a fatal disease, because the burdens of the past are idolatrous and wearisome, and will bring us down with them. But remember who God is and what His purpose is.

This past February I received a diagnosis, and, I’m sorry to say, it’s serious. I have a disease, commonly fatal. If it is not treated, it will destroy me, and I will gradually lose my abilities. I’m telling you about it, because, if we do not take some protective efforts, it will become ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 46:1-4, Isaiah 46:9-10

Denomination: Baptist

Holiness Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 12, 2003

Holiness is the gift of an identity, appearing to be too good to be true, but received by accepting forgiveness.

Today’s message is framed by incidents provided by two church members. I will not be naming the players, but they have given me both the beginning and the ending of this message on holiness. The beginning: a few days ago one of you told me that you came to worship each Sunday so that you could ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:14-16

Denomination: Baptist

Ignorance Is Bliss -- Not!

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 14, 2009

First Baptist Church of Gaithersburg, MD: We avoid too much information because we know we will have to respond. Some escape into private piety; some escape from knowing themselves. But true bliss comes from knowing how to invest in Kingdom concerns.

You can buy it anywhere in Pennsylvania Dutch country – a banner, an apron, a towel, anything really – and it proclaims, in pidgin German, “Ve get too soon oldt und too late schmart”. Your preacher this morning is a walking example of that ancient truth. Too soon oldt und too late schmart. The ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 92:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Hands Open Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 21, 2008

Hands open may be a handshake or a salute, signalling friendship or respect. Just as those gestures affirmed Saul, we also must approach others by leading them to safety and by affirming their potential.

f I come toward you with an open hand, what does that mean? If I approach you from across the room with either one hand or both hands open, how would you interpret that? Well, of course, it would mean different things for different kinds of open hands. There is more than one way to be ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:1-19

Denomination: Baptist

Healed Hearts Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 19, 2010

The fearful heart cannot accept what God offers; but the healed heart receives freedom from shortcomings, confidence before the world, and liberty from becoming a controller of others.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC; November 23, 1986 By now you are probably weary of heart, this several weeks of dealing with what I have called, "heart diseases." By now you may have felt that everything that could be said about the heart in a Biblical reference had been said, maybe ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

That We May Flourish

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 10, 2006

God wants us to flourish. We plead dryness, incompleteness, or sin, but in the tiny infant of Bethlehem strengthening is coming. Hillandale Baptist Church, Adelphi, MD

I am persuaded that we are intended by our Creator to flourish. He created us to blossom and to grow. God wants our lives to be colorful, joyful, full. I am convinced that God does not intend for us to live like miserable little mice, afraid of our own shadows, scurrying for cover every time ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Don't Take The Bait

Contributed by Derek Geldart on May 1, 2018

Offense is one of the most devistating lures Satan uses to keep Christians from being effective in ministry. In this sermon I am going to review the Bait of Satan by John Bevere and suggest that it is possible to avoid and overcome offense.

Don’t Take the Bait James 4:1-3 Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567 Whom amongst us does not know that we are one body of Christ, instructed to love, support and build each other up in the faith? And yet whom amongst us does not have one or several other ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

A Famine In The Land

Contributed by Danny Presswood on May 7, 2002

Could ther be a SPIRITUAL FAMINE in the United States today? If so, what can we do about it?

A FAMINE IN THE LAND Genesis 41:53-42:3, Amos 8:11-12 Have you ever been REALLY hungry or thirsty? Can you think of a time when you were REALLY, REALLY hungry or REALLY, REALLY thirsty? I can honestly say I KNOW REAL THIRST! As you know I keep a glass of water handy when I preach – I have this ...read more

Scripture: Amos 8:11-12

Denomination: Baptist

The "One" Thing Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jun 5, 2017

Families can often be shattered by pain and anger and bitterness. There's only one thing that heal those broken homes and fix what has been damaged by the abuse, neglect and selfishness that family members often inflict on each other. What is that?

POEM: If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it is yours, if it doesn't, it never was. (Pause) But, if it just sits in your living room, messes up your stuff, eats your food, takes your money, and doesn't appear to realize that you've set it free... you either married it or ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Give Thanks For The Fleas

Contributed by Terry Spriestersbach on Nov 22, 2021

In her book, THE HIDING PLACE, Corrie Ten Boom tells about an incident that taught her to be thankful for things we normally would not consider to be a blessing.

GIVE THANKS FOR THE FLEAS PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7 4 REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS. I WILL SAY IT AGAIN: REJOICE! 5 LET YOUR GENTLENESS BE EVIDENT TO ALL. THE LORD IS NEAR. 6 DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERY SITUATION, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Philippians 4:4-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Forgive Or Not Be Forgiven (Part 3) Series

Contributed by Art Benavidez on Nov 7, 2002

God’s has a plan for your life.

Gen 50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, NKJV I have always loved this story. It deals with the guy who was wronged. There is something in us that says “life is not fair” What happen to Joseph was not fair and we want justice and we want it now! We can ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:15

Denomination: Pentecostal

When Our World Crumbles Series

Contributed by Steve Bond on Aug 16, 2007

When our world crumbles, we need to embrace the new life God gives us.

On Monday, April 16th, Virginia Tech was rocked by the most murderous rampage on a college campus in our nation’s history. It began in the early morning hours when two students were killed in a dormitory. A short time later thirty more students and faculty were killed across campus. Then the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:12-28

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Building Stronger Families

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Dec 9, 2002

What can we learn from Jacobs family about building a stronger Family

This message began with a clip from Joseph and the Technicolor DreamCoat. The clip was when the brothers sold Joseph into Slavery and then told Jacob the news. Wow that is the family that put the fun in dysfunctional. My Daddy told me once that everybody is good for something even if it’s to ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 50:22-26

Denomination: Wesleyan

God’s Providence Is Practical – Genesis 45 Series

Contributed by Scott Turansky on Sep 24, 2021

Wisdom has this idea that God has this amazing ability to put it all together in ways that are wise.

The word ‘providence’ is not a word found in the Bible. However, it is a word that describes a very important group of things about God in the scriptures. We're going to take three things. It combines the wisdom of God. Wisdom has this idea that God has this amazing ability to put it all ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible