Sermons on Josephs Brothers:

Friend Of The Hopeful Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 22, 2009

In fearful times, there are also signs of hope. Some turn everything into a sign of fear and conflict. Others can see hope if they allow others to succeed. The child Jesus is a sign of such hope.

"The time of fear is over; now comes the time of hope." These words were spoken in the most unlikely of situations. A French novelist, Tristan Bernard, and his wife, were being put into prison by the Gestapo, after the Nazis had overrun France. They were being sent to a concentration camp; ...read more

Scripture: John 3:25-30

Denomination: Baptist

Living At Four Corners

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 16, 2009

Rewritten for Montgomery Hills Baptist Church: a Silver Spring intersection is a metaphor for priorities in giving, teaching young people, engaging in healing, and sharing the Gospel with all.

To be a Christian is to live in tension with the world around you. You cannot live out your spiritual life in a cocoon; you live it out in the real world, in a community. Some, it is true, go to convents or monasteries; but that’s not an option for most of us, is it? To be a Christian, living ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 11:10-13

Denomination: Baptist

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

Guiltless Grief

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 22, 2009

We can deal with grief if we allow ourselves to recognize its complexity, if we accept the love of caring friends, and if we permit God to use the grief to change us.

They stood at the gravesite, looking at the flower-covered casket of their father. The committal service had been over for ten or fifteen minutes. Everyone else had gone back to the cars. But the two sisters stood there, lingering long, staring into space. Their faces were masks: no emotions, no ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:5-11

Denomination: Baptist

Remembering, Reconnecting, And Rejoicing: Taking Charge Of Our Own Grief Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 26, 2009

We take charge of reducing our grief when we first trust ourselves, then trust others in redemptive relationships, and ultimately trust God, who raised Christ from the dead.

Granger Westberg, in his little book, Good Grief, says that when you have something worth grieving about, then go ahead and grieve, but grieve in a healthy way. Westberg agrees that the Bible says, "Do not grieve as those do who have no hope", but that does not mean we do not grieve. When you have ...read more

Scripture: John 19:25-27

Denomination: Baptist

Where Is The God Of Justice?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 25, 2010

For Martin Luther King Day 1988: It is irresponsible to continue to whine about God's absence in the face of injustice. He is refining His church to address justice, and will bless us when we give ourselves without reserve to His purposes.

Some twenty-four centuries ago, when the prophet Malachi's ears were assaulted by an impertinent question, he heard it as a confession of irresponsibility. When the men and women of Judah shouted at this prophet, who had accused them of wearying God, who had charged that their blabbering talk was ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

All I Need Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 7, 2010

Jesus’ healing of the man born blind forced his disciples to rethink their theology, forced his neighbors to rethink their perception of him as victim, and forces us to rethink our posture toward healing ministries.

Have you noticed that when you get sick, you get sick all over? When some part of your body isn’t up to par, then the whole person, the whole self, feels bad. When we get sick, we get sick all over. Now you may speak of having an upset stomach, but it’s really an upset you. The physician might ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-33

Denomination: Baptist

Unstoppable - The Unseen War Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Dec 10, 2018

The fifth message in a series on the book of Acts

Unstoppable – The Unseen War 10/15/17 Acts 4:32-5:12 If you’re just joining us, we’re in a series in Acts entitled – Unstoppable. From inception, God has intended that His church would be an unstoppable force to carry His good news of God’s love and Jesus sacrifice to the nations. Yet for ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:32

Denomination: Baptist

Narnia - Fairy Tale Or Reality? Series

Contributed by Robert Marsh on Dec 1, 2005

Second in the Series - Asks listeners to believe the unbelievable - to have faith in the fantastic claims of Christmas.

Christmas in Narnia FAIRY TALE OR REALITY? Matthew 1:18-24 During these days leading to Christmas, the world’s attention has been drawn back to a classic children’s tale written in 1950 by CS Lewis – The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. As we mentioned last week, Lewis was one of the great ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-24

Denomination: Baptist

The Hardening Of The Heart Of Pharaoh

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Dec 27, 2013

The idea of God hardening Pharaoh's heart gnaws at our sensibilities... but we know that the LORD is sovereign not only in His mercy, but also in His judgement.

THE HARDENING OF PHARAOH’S HEART. Romans 9:17-18. The book of Genesis ends with a delightful illustration of how God works all things, even bad things, for the good of His people. Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers, but found his promotion in Egypt. As Prime Minister he was able to bring ...read more

Scripture: Romans 9:17-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Learning To Forgive

Contributed by Tim Patrick on Jul 17, 2006

Learn to practice the grace of forgiving other people.

Introduction: Several years ago there was an article in the Tuscaloosa News entitled “Would you forgive these men?” The article mentioned Mohamed Atta, the man who led the attacks on the world trade center; Timothy McVeigh, who bombed the Federal Building in Oklahoma City; Ted Kaczynski, the man ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-22

Denomination: Baptist

The Parable Of The Lamp

Contributed by Freddy Fritz on Mar 1, 2014

This sermon will teach us how to respond to Jesus' message.

Scripture In our last study of the life of Jesus, we looked at Luke’s account of Jesus’ first major parable, the one we know as The Parable of the Sower. Jesus said that a sower went out to sow his seed. The seed fell on four different soils. The seed fell along the path, on the rock, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:16-21

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Slow Computers And Waiting Series

Contributed by Michael Karpf on Oct 6, 2010

We must be patient in everything as we anticipate Christ's return if we want to be mature.

SLOW COMPUTERS AND WAITING James 5:7-12 There are certain things in life I cannot live without. My computer is one of them. And of course I need to have internet access. Because what’s the first thing I do when I get up? Check my email and see if I have any messages. Especially with the ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7-12

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Facing The Realities Of Conflict And Getting Along Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 27, 2011

Resolving conflict, not knowing who to believe, living knowing people are bitter toward you – these are all a normal part of the Christian life; it isn't all pretty.

Facing the Realities of Conflict and Getting Along (Proverbs 18:17-19) 1. 2 Jews, 2 Catholics, and 2 Baptists were stranded on an island. 2. Sometimes people ask, "Why can't we all get along?" The answer is simple: it is not natural for people to get along with everyone. We are all kings and ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 18:17-19

Denomination: Independent/Bible

"Yes, God Is Working Even In That” - Part 1 Series

Contributed by Ed Taylor on Jan 29, 2009

Romans 8:28 is meant to be a comfort and encouragement to us.

1. Romans 8:28 is meant to be a comfort & encouragement to us. • It’s like a soft pillow to rest a weary head. • Yes, God is at work in this. Yes, God is using this somehow. • Yes, God cares about me. Yes, God hasn’t forgotten me. BUT… I know that it’s not always that comforting to hear this ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational