Sermons on Josephs Coffin:

The Talented Tenth

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 16, 2009

The old Wshington-DuBois debate is mirrored in Jacob: his trouble was from his own foolishness as well as from others’ deceit. The way out was to receive God’s promise of greatness and to act now to offer concrete help to those coming after.

Almost exactly a century ago, American listened to a debate between two great thinkers, two men who had unquestionable credentials, first-rate minds, and powerful pens. Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois. In September 1895, in a speech in Atlanta, Booker Taliaferro Washington advocated ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 28:10-22

Denomination: Baptist

The Anatomy Of Rebellion: Forehead, Heart, And Mouth

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 17, 2009

We rebel against God when we refuse to learn anything new, when we resist His love, and when we refrain from telling others about Christ.

Parenting is the toughest job in the world. Nobody has it harder than parents. Amen? Now this insight didn’t come out of a book somewhere. This is not just some Freudian theory, cooked up in the psychology lab. I learned this truth, that parenting is the toughest job in the world, in another ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Together In Sin, Alone In Jesus

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 18, 2009

Done as a pulpit dialogue between a spectator at the stoning of the woman taken in adultery and a prosecutor trying him for not sharing in the stoning. JMS, my initials; HM, initials of the church member who played the prosecutor.

JMS: What are you doing to me? This is outrageous! You have no business putting me on trial! I didn’t do any more than anybody else did. Let me go! This is crazy! HM: You know exactly why I’m putting you on trial. That woman was as guilty as sin, and so are you. You were with her. You ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

God's Nobodies

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 20, 2011

We as the church, facing today's challenges, think of ourselves as nobodies. But we are God's kind of nobodies, those in whom He has been at work to make changes, and we are needed by the world around us.

(Originally preached at Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD, Aug. 12, 1973; subsequently, with variations, at Woodbrook Baptist Church, Baltimore, MD, Aug. 19, 1973; Viers Mill Baptist Church, Rockville, MD, Sept. 9, 1973; Bethesda First Baptist Church, Bethesda, MD, Oct. 14, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10

Denomination: Baptist

We Have A Light To Shine

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 21, 2011

Stewardship message, designed as a dialogue between the pastor and a lay reader, and focusing on all the light we as a church now shed, but also could share, with adequate personnel and finances. Ends with a candlelighting ceremony.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, Nov. 11, 1990 Pastor: One Christian organization that is concerned with helping people who have emotional problems uses as its slogan, "It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness." Today we are going to test that theory. This morning we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Denomination: Baptist

Pain Turned Into Joy Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 12, 2009

It seems unreal that pain could be turned into joy. Yet pain is the very stuff of joy. It will come, not instantaneously, but completely. The risen Christ proves this, and can transform our disappointments, disillusionments, and shame into joy.

“You will have pain, but y our pain will turn into joy.” That brings back memories of the doctor’s office and that giant needle moving ever closer. “This will hurt a little bit.” A little bit! When you are a year old, it hurts a lot, and there is no joy in it. No, I do not remember being one ...read more

Scripture: John 16:17-24

Denomination: Baptist

In The Spin Cycle

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 13, 2009

Addictive behaviors are sins that we simply ought not to start; and they are sicknesses that stem from low self-esteem. Christ is able to deliver from both sin and sickness.

When washday comes at our house, I go on alert. I go on alert for a certain noise. If we are washing something heavy, like bathroom mats or a bedspread, I can predict that during the washing process, I will hear great clunks and thunks arising from the basement. It will sound as though somebody is ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 23:29-35

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

Overcoming Giants Of Life Series

Contributed by Joseph Marshall on Sep 15, 2014

We will see this morning how David overcame the Giant of Goliath. In the same way the he did, you and I can also overcome the many giants in our lives.

Introduction: Some background setting for the time and history leading up to this event: We learned from the book of Ruth that the period of Israel’s history before the time of the Kings was a very dark point. There was no law and order. Every man did that which was right in their own ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:19-30

Denomination: Baptist

Lessons From Job’s Suffering Series

Contributed by Joseph Marshall on Oct 9, 2013

Does Satan have complete access to try believers? Does God place a hedge around His children? What can we learn from suffering? If you have wondered any of these questions, join us as we study the life of Job to see how the Bible answers them and more.

Introduction: SO, YOU ARE HAVING A BAD DAY…… RIGHT? Today, I’d like to put your bad day experiences in the right perspective… Imagine with me if your will, Job living in the 21st century, in our day and time. Job a modern day business person, - his business is doing better ...read more

Scripture: Job 1:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

Glow 7– Rock And Role Ministry Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Apr 10, 2019

Why do people get upset over the mention of the name Jesus or Christian? The reason is found in our text today. Peter explains that for some people Jesus is a stepping stone and to others He is a stumbling stone.

GLOW – Rock and Role Ministry 1 Peter 2:4-14 If you’ve ever flown on an airplane, you’re familiar w/ the mandatory announcements – sometimes you’ll hear some funny comments – like these actual comments: • Welcome aboard Southwest flight 245. To operate your seat belt, insert the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4-14, Matthew 16:17

Denomination: Baptist

Identity 1– Created For Relationship Genesis 2 Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Apr 11, 2019

Who we are isn’t defined by our vocation or our successes, fears, or failures – our identity is so much more than these things. As Christ-followers, who we are, is determined by our spiritual birth.

If I were to ask – Who’s Billy Graham? Most would say – BG was a great evangelist. And that’d be correct. But would it answer my question? No. B/c being an evangelist isn’t who BG is – it is what he used to do. If the totality of BG’s identity is found in being an evangelist, then who is he now ...read more

Scripture: John 15:5

Denomination: Baptist

Identity 2 – The False Identity Philippians 3:1-14 Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Apr 11, 2019

The most critical teaching in the Christian faith – accepting and living in who we truly are in Christ. We call this our identity in Christ.

Last Sunday we began a series of lessons on what’s arguably the most critical teaching in the Christian faith – accepting and living in who we truly are in Christ. We call this our identity in Christ – and as I shared last Sunday – as believers in Christ – our identity is not determined by who we ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:1-14, Romans 8:5-9

Denomination: Baptist

M3 – Make Disciples 1 Matthew 28:19-20 Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Apr 11, 2019

The church exists and why God doesn’t beam us up upon salvation but leaves us here on earth.

Read Matthew 28:19-20 – Do you know what this is? This is one of the final statements Jesus made to His followers before His ascension back to the Father. We call this statement the Great Commission? But really what it is our calling card – our purpose statement – our elevator pitch! Last week – ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 28:19

Denomination: Baptist

M3 – Mature Disciples 2 Matthew 28:19-20 Series

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Apr 11, 2019

To MAKE a disciple begins w/ connecting someone to Christ through salvation and then connecting them to His church for ministry care and concern.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been sharing w/ you my heart as it pertains to God’s call on our lives to make disciples of all nations. And if you remember, a disciple is more than a convert, but a person who’s been saved and is now in the process of becoming just like Jesus. In Matthew 28:19-20 – ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20, Luke 2:52

Denomination: Baptist