Sermons on Josephs Brothers:

Greater Things 3 - The Great Surrender Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Dec 13, 2018

God is great and greater things are yet to come! Oh how I want to be a part of something so great that the only explanation for it is God?

Greater Things – The Great Surrender 8/23/15 Luke 9:23-26 Sunday AM Bumper – Debbie Roof God is great and greater things are yet to come! Oh how I want to be a part of something so great that the only explanation for it is God? Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-26

Denomination: Baptist

Greater Things 5 - The Great Privilege Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Dec 13, 2018

God is working in amazing ways in our church family – and even greater things are yet to come – Read John 14:12-13.

Greater Things – The Great Privilege 8/30/15 Matthew 28:16-20 Sunday AM Video – Ben Brezina God is working in amazing ways in our church family – and even greater things are yet to come – Read John 14:12-13. For the past few weeks we’ve been discussing the (4) most critical ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Denomination: Baptist

Building A Daring Faith Series

Contributed by Joseph Marshall on Sep 15, 2014

Today, we see two different people from completely different backgrounds. One is a very religious man and the other is an outcast of society. Each had had a very public encounter with Christ that would cause them to build a daring faith.

A young teenage boy had just gotten his driver’s license. When he got home, he asked his father, who was a minister, if they could discuss the use of the car. His father took him into his study and said to the boy, “I’ll make a deal with you. If you bring up your grades, study ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:40-56

Denomination: Baptist

Live Until You Die, Die Until You Live

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 23, 2009

We admire those who pursue life goals as long as they can; but our calling is to die to self. It will mean a change of values and of attitudes, but it will give us true life.

I’m pretty sure that we can make a case for living until we die. It would not take a lot of effort to convince one another that we can approach life with gusto, squeezing every ounce of juice out. There’s a strong compulsion in us to extract all the value and the vitality we can get out from ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Opposition, Prayer, And Victory Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 30, 2009

Preached in 1989. Sometimes opposition is deeply destructive and isolating; the only answer is through prayer, for ultimately integrity is given by the risen Christ.

Opposition comes in all shapes and sizes. Opposition: feeling that somebody is out to stop you -- it takes many different forms. Sometimes it is just outright, straightforward, political campaigning. Sometimes folks choose up sides and define the issues and go after each other, and that‘s all ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Not Perfect, Just Forgiven

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 30, 2009

Jesus’ call for us to be perfect is complemented by the Lord’s Prayer’s petition for forgiveness. "Trespasses" and "debts" are different nuances, and both need to be forgiven.

He marched up to me, stopped me in my tracks, fixed my eyes with his eagle look. And then slowly he raised both arms and clapped both hands on my shoulders, cleared his throat slightly, and intoned, "I forgive you.” And then, as quickly as he had encountered me, he walked away. Just dropped his ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Having, Losing, Choosing

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 31, 2009

Whatever we think we possess can be lost. God gives it to us for only so long as we need it, but after that it becomes an idol. We must choose to give away time, talent, treasure for things that do last, and for life itself.

Almost nothing that you and I count on to be permanent really is permanent. Almost everything that we think will last forever, it turns out, can be destroyed. Anything we have we can also very easily lose. We live in a monumental city. Capitol Hill, the monuments, the Federal Triangle, the White ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:19

Denomination: Baptist

God Using A Two-By-Four

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 4, 2009

The cross hits us like a two-by-four to get our attention and remind us of our sin, teach us how God suffers for that sin, and show us how far He will go to call us back to Himself.

There is an old story -- so old, in fact, that I will not ask you to stop me if you’ve heard it before, because you have heard it before. But the story concerns a fellow riding on a cart, pulled by a stubborn old mule. It seems that this fellow liked to brag that he never had to whip the mule, he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 20:9-17

Denomination: Baptist

The World Turned Upside Down Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 5, 2009

An adaptation of the Seder service: Jesus turns upside down all our common values: sorrow for slavery becomes sorrow for sin; common issues become community; and wandering becomes salvation, all through the Cross.

When great crowds gather in city streets, it is either for a celebration or for a revolution. Throngs do not come together without a purpose; they come together either to celebrate a great occasion or to agitate for what they want. They come to see evidence of a world turned upside down. In ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Having Is Losing

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 6, 2009

In times of financial stress, God knows the pressures on us. Our problem is that we want both material and spiritual security at the same time. The answer is faithfulness to the core values of ministry and witness.

A little snatch of dialogue from a television show caught my attention. Could it be true, or was it just so much pretentious hype? Could it be right, or was it just another exercise in excuse-making? The character who spoke, I noticed, was dressed tres chic and lived in a lavish house with a ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11

Denomination: Baptist

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

The Wounded Healer

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 24, 2011

Jesus, going to the Cross, understands our aloneness and isolation, and heals it by identifying with it.

Calverton Baptist Church, April 4, 1982; Howard University Chapel, April 9, 1982; Takoma Park Baptist Church, March 31, 1985 Recently a Methodist pastor in South Carolina created something of a stir in his church, and all of it quite innocently. He asked a member of the congregation who was known ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Mourning The End Of Summer

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 26, 2011

We find that we have dallied or been irresponsible, and the things we said we want to accomplish are impossible at this late date. But God is capable of redeeming even that element of irresponsibility if we renew our commitment to Him.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, August 28, 1988 Here we are at the end of summer, or nearly so. It's the end of August, which is at least psychologically the end of summer. It's the end of the summer feeling, for now it's back to reality, now it’s back to business and a ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 8:18-22

Denomination: Baptist

The Word Made Flesh: A New Beginning

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 28, 2011

We cannot repair our mistakes alone, because we keep on starting at old premises. What we need, and receive in the Incarnation, is a new beginning, modeled and taught.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, Nov. 30, 1986, Advent I One comic strip character aspires to be a writer. His crowning ambition is to write the definitive novel, the bestseller to end all best sellers. And so time and again he sits down at his typewriter, poises his paws (must be ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Safe At Home

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 1, 2011

Interactive sermon, asking what more we can be for our children: mutual submission means respect; parenting means sacrificial love; the church has a responsibility to provide safety.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, August 31, 1997: audience response involved There are times when all of us need to participate, times when no single person can speak all the truths or do all the work. There are times when a community of people must come together, and think together, pray together, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4

Denomination: Baptist