Sermons on Joseph:

When To Be Stubborn

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 25, 2002

There are times to be definite, clear, even stubborn: when you know the truth, when you understand your own motives, and when you can turn your stand into good news. Parts of the sermon were drawn from testimonies solicited earlier in the service around

Indelibly etched on my mind is the photograph of one of our members, now deceased. If you go to Frances Flippen’s apartment, you can see a picture of her late husband, John, a military man, in full battle dress, helmet and all, standing with his legs spread apart and his arms folded, and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:14-17, Proverbs 25:25-26

Denomination: Baptist

Too Late

Contributed by Joseph Marshall on Aug 25, 2002

The rich man in hell did everything that the poor man did on earth; however he did them simply TOO LATE!

Introduction: As we look at this story in the Bible, we must realize that it is an aweful yet true story. It is aweful because one man had so much suffering in this life and the other man had so much suffering in the next life. It is aweful because one man ended up in hell. We know this story ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Baptist

Entering The Joy: A Five Talent Man

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 7, 2002

Funeral service for Robert Cecil White, poet, jazz musician, self-professed prodigal.

It’s hard to believe that it was only a few months ago when onto the scene, here at this church, there burst like a blaze of light a small intense man, dressed in a loose-flowing shirt, speaking up frequently. People took to him immediately; he was so open and so outgoing, and we at Takoma ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Windows Blown Out Or Open? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 8, 2002

God’s mercy is available to us, whether we call on Him in disasters only or whether we are constantly in His presence. But how much more ready we would be for disaster if we cultivated His presence. A sermon for the 9/11 anniversary.

(Singing): “Sitting by the window praying, waiting for the break of day; sitting by the window praying, hearing what God might say.” (Repeat) Of all the images which linger, a year later, of the events of last September 11, none is more haunting than the picture of people falling from the ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 6:1-23

Denomination: Baptist

All Your Diseases

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 12, 2002

Funeral sermon for Melvia Jean Harrison, victim of interstitial lung disease.

“Bless the Lord ... who heals all your diseases.” What an astounding claim! What an extravagant promise! The Lord heals all your diseases. Not some of them, not most of them, but all of them. Do we believe that? Do we think that is true? Then, if the Lord heals all our diseases, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:1-18

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

I Know Your Schemes Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 29, 2002

Poetic reflection for Maundy Thursday, in which the Jesus who is about to go to the cross tells His disciples that He knows their schemes to harm, their unwillingness to travel difficult roads, and their failure to accept the burden of testimony, so that

"Oh, I know your thoughts, and your schemes to wrong me. ... Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony?” ‘Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me." They began to be distressed and to say to him one ...read more

Scripture: Job 21:27-29, Mark 14:18-20

Denomination: Baptist

What Do You Know? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 29, 2002

An imaginative reconstruction of the dialogue between the repentant and unrepentant thieves, to be spoken by two preachers. Focuses on the old dilemma, whether God hears prayer.

Unrepentant Thief (U): "Should the wise answer with windy knowledge, and fill themselves with the east wind? Should they argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which they can do no good? ... What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not clear to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Denomination: Baptist

I Know My Redeemer Lives Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 30, 2002

Beyond all of the cultural reasons to come to Easter worship, we come to know that our lives are anchored. But it’s hard to know. Job points the way by affirming a redeemer despite the lack of evidence. Today we know a living redeemer, life changer.

 I If I were to ask you why you’ve come here today, how would you answer? Tell the truth, now; you’re in church. What do you expect and why are you here today? I’d guess that a number of us would give out what Mayor Williams calls the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:11-12, Job 19:23-27

Denomination: Baptist

Enron, Easter, And Eternity

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 8, 2002

Our church uses the Sunday after Easter for Remembrance, honoring those of our church deceased in the previous year. This sermon mines eternal values from each of their lives.

We are ready to fight for security. The one thing we all want, whether we be aggressive and hostile and always ready to strike out, or whether we be quiet and retiring and always ready to run – the one thing we all are ready to fight for is security. We need to know that our futures are ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2, 1 Timothy 6:6-19

Denomination: Baptist

A Prevailing Church: Binding Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 21, 2002

The guesses of the people about Jesus’ identity give us clues about their perception of His character. Jesus used their grasp of His similarity to John the Baptist, Elijah, and Jeremiah to focus on the authority to bind and loose. They, and He, bound rel

Have you ever needed to find out what somebody else really thought of you? Do you know what it is like to ask someone what their opinion is of you – and then you wait for what seems like an eternity for the answer, and when it comes, you are still not sure if it is good or bad? Do you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20

Denomination: Baptist

A United Team

Contributed by Joseph Louis on Apr 25, 2002

A Charge used during an Ordination of an Associate Pastor

A Charge for an Associate Pastor "A Unified Team" Exodus 17:9-13 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. [10] So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:9-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rsvp

Contributed by Joseph Johnson on May 3, 2002

God invites us to the greatest party of all time

R.S.V.P. Mark 3:1-12 During the Holiday season many of us will be doing some extra entertaining. We’ll take certain steps to ready ourselves for the visit of guests. The first thing we work on is the guest list: who can visit together amicably, ( in other words who can get along together) Then ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:1-12

Denomination: Methodist

Never Abandoned Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 19, 2002

Sermon for Pentecost Sunday, intended as the first of three on the Trinity, all based on John 14. The Holy Spirit does not abandon His church, but if we are not obedient before claiming His support, we may forfeit His power. And if we do not acknowledge

If you believe you’ve been abandoned, you have two choices: either you can indulge in something that may soothe you temporarily, or you can watch for the power that will lead you out to success. If someone that matters to you has walked off and abandoned you, you can either pretend ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15-17, John 14:25-27

Denomination: Baptist

A Prevailing Church: Loosing Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 20, 2002

A prevailing church is one which lives like those persons others thought Jesus might be -- like John the Baptist, loosing himself from tradition; like Elijah, living out of grace; like Jeremiah, let loose in the world.

I walked into the Baptist Student Center at the University of Kentucky, about to take over as chaplain. My predecessor was still on the scene, filling up garbage cans with files. In those pre-Watergate days, nobody had thought of shredders, I guess. He was throwing away every record, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist