Sermons on Josephs Brothers:

The Power Of One

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 12, 2004

One person can work tremendous damage; can one person also create great positive change? She/he can if empowered by the One, who is teacher, forgiver, and conqueror of death.

The other day, my son was visiting his fiancee, and heard a noise outside. It sounded a bit like thunder. So he went out to investigate. There he found a mess. The fellow who lives across the parking lot from Jackie had come home after an evening of “celebrating”, and was driving, if you call ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:12-21

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Chilling Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 10, 2002

Jesus understood when, how, and why to "chill": when His emotional energies had been drained; how to back off the need to be needed; and for the purpose of providing a still point of healing for others.

If there is any one thing that distinguishes my generation and later generations, like the Gen-xers, it is that we have totally different attitudes about work and play. We are light years apart about what we expect from work or what we want from play. People born before and during the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:45-56

Denomination: Baptist

In The Nick Of Time Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 8, 2003

Sermon illustrated by Chrismons: Jesus came at the right time, into a world of spiritual hungers, social unrest, devaluation of life. So He comes to our time, when ultimate questions are being asked, when much seduces us, when we are weak. He will be Lo

Infants, not yet born, seem to have a mind of their own. Infants, not yet born, pay very little attention to the doctor’s predictions, the mother’s preferences, or the father’s fears. When they want to arrive, they arrive; and if they don’t want to emerge into this cold, cruel world, they don’t, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

School Supplies

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 17, 2003

Drama dialogue, written as if a conversation between Paul, a tribune, and a narrator, with "chorus" lines for the children of the congregation. Supplies we need for learning are a listening mind, a loving heart, and a desire to grow.

Narrator: I knew very little about the people of the Way, but I did know that everyone in Jerusalem was talking about one of their leaders. We were all most upset about Paul. You see, Paul – actually we knew his name as Saul – Paul had been such a mighty force in our community only a few short ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Skepticism Or Commitment? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 30, 2003

You can read "What is truth?" as cynical skepticism, as playful intellectualism, as the plaintive cry of a battered soul, or as the hopeful sound of a hungry heart.

It was our first Thanksgiving on our own; always before we had traveled to our parents, but now, with a baby in the house and with other responsibilities, we had elected to do it our own, complete with a full-fledged roasted turkey. Margaret had done a magnificent job. Brother turkey presented ...read more

Scripture: John 18:28-38

Denomination: Baptist

Dissatisfaction Or Fulfillment? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 2, 2003

Like Judas, despite all we have, we feel dissatisfied. Dissatisfaction comes from too small a vision of where our lives must go or depending on others to give us meaning. A relationship with Jesus gives us redemption and release.

Willy Loman is the central character in Arthur Miller’s play, “Death of a Salesman”. Willy had known only one thing all his life, and that was selling. Selling, pitching, cajoling, persuading, making the sale. That was it. His wife played second fiddle to selling. His children tried to please, ...read more

Scripture: John 18:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Available For Liberation Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 5, 2003

When God called Moses to the task of liberating a people, Moses felt self-doubt, uncertainty about God, and unreadiness. Actually these are positive values that will lead us as American Christians to take our place in the world.

How do you feel about eager volunteers? What’s your reaction to the kind of person who is always ready to step up to the plate and take a swing at some issue? How do you really feel about those who quickly volunteer when something needs to be done? Maybe you remember what it was like to ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:1-14, Exodus 4:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Available For Impossible Dreams Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 19, 2003

In observance of my 17th anniversary as pastor; to worship is to become available for God’s purposes, which mean being sent to unreceptive and impossible situations. Can we dream impossible dreams about our church’s building, properties, ministries with

If what you expect to receive and what someone wants to give you are not the same thing, you are doomed to disappointment. If you want a particular thing, but the person you are dealing with is determined that you shall have something else, it is going to be tough. The other day ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Lily: Sprawling Weed Or Medicinal Herb Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 2, 2003

God comes in Christ to heal our disloyalty, to judge and yet cure our sin, to help us flourish. Illustrated with Chrismons.

When I was twelve years old, our family moved to a house larger than the one we had been in. With a larger house came more yard, and with more yard came more plants to care for and more lawn to mow. If anybody was going to do any gardening at our home, it would have to be my father. My mother, ...read more

Scripture: Song of Songs 2:1, Hosea 14:4-7

Denomination: Baptist

You Were Shaped For God's Service Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 6, 2003

Part of a series on Rick Warren’s The Purpose-Driven Life. Worship without service is idolatry; fellowship without service is self-indulgence; discipleship without service is perfectionism. Pay the price of service.

Not long ago an insurance salesman called, wanting to sell me long-term care insurance. I was tempted to tell him I had an unbeatable plan for long-term care, called heaven, but I didn’t. Not this time, anyway, because some aches and pains we had been feeling did remind us that we might actually ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Consequences Or Freedom Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 15, 2003

Jesus gave Barabbas the chance not just for a shortened sentence, but for a rebuilt life. When we break the law, we will face consequences; but our experiences can become the basis for redemption from what has happened to us.

Let’s play Jeopardy this morning. I’ll be Alex, you can be the contestants. The category is institutions. The answer is: The following people all spent time in this kind of institution: the prophet Jeremiah; Al Capone; the apostle Paul; Marion Barry; Bugsy Siegel; Nelson Mandela; John Dillinger; ...read more

Scripture: John 18:38-40

Denomination: Baptist

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

Time Out, Time In Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 24, 2003

After vacation -- time out -- it would be ridiculous if there were no "time in", engagement. God calls us to full engagement with Himself, which in turn calls us to live in newness and not in old habits. There is no time for anything that is not a serio

There are certain intense situations in which the best answer, maybe the only answer, is to take a “time out”. Time out, to get perspective; time out, to get emotions under control; time out to back off and take a better look. There are certain serious situations in which your instincts tell you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Window Of Opportunity Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 15, 2002

Through prayer, God will open a window of opportunity for us to work past our stresses, our conflicted feelings, and even our sins and shortcomings.

Life is tough. Am I going to get any argument about that? The philosopher Thomas Hobbes said that human life was solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. Wow! Not the kind of stuff we expect on Sunday morning. Supposed to be all, “Praise the Lord”! But deep down, lots of people do ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:21-33, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Denomination: Baptist

How Did All This Happen?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 26, 2001

For the Festival of Christ the King, and in celebration of a round of studying Blackaby’s "Experiencing God". God empowers His church by cutting away barriers, supplying resources, and giving His own presence.

This morning I invite you to a football game. Thanksgiving Day wasn’t enough! I see the men grinning and I hear the women groaning. What, football, again, even at church? But imagine this morning a very peculiar football game. On one side you have our Redskins. The Redskins of the last ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 45:1-8

Denomination: Baptist