Sermons on Joseph:

Playing The Fool Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 1, 2001

Words do hurt when they come from our unresolved anger. That anger is about our own issues, it requires accountability when it hurts others, it separates us from God when it is deliberate. Reconciliation is a priority.

Words have power. The things we say to one another have power. Kids may deal with smart-mouths in the schoolyard by chanting, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” But that’s rubbish! Don’t you believe it. Names do hurt. Words hurt. The things we say to each ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:21-24

Denomination: Baptist

A Sinners Prayer

Contributed by Joseph Sykes on Apr 14, 2001

The only case in biblical history of death bed salvation is rendered to a crook on a cross.

A Sinner’s Prayer Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:39-43, 1 Corinthians 2:6-8

Denomination: Baptist

When The Preacher Don't Want To Be Bothered

Contributed by Joseph Sykes on Apr 14, 2001

The cause of the Word of God being shut up in your bones is of man and not God.

When The Preacher Don’t Want To Be Bothered Jeremiah 20:7 O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. 8 For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 20:7-9

Denomination: Baptist

Crisis: Dangerous Opportunity

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 14, 2001

Jesus precipitated a crisis for others around Him: for Judas, for the disciples, for Peter. Their reactions are like ours -- confused -- but Jesus knows who He is in the midst of the crisis.

I’m sure that you have heard many times now that the Chinese character that is usually translated by the English word “crisis” is actually made up of two components – one character that means “dangerous” and the other that means “opportunity.” Put “dangerous” and “opportunity” together, and you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:14-46

Denomination: Baptist

Living Beyond Fear

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 14, 2001

There are two sources for fear: when we are caught up in something we did not count on, and when we are not in control. There are two ways in which living in Christ helps us live beyond our fears: knowing that He is completely trustworthy, and doing as He calls us to do.

Did anything frighten you this morning? Did you feel any kind of fear? Before you answer “No” too quickly, consider that we cannot live without fear. We cannot live without fear. You do not want to get rid of fear entirely. You must be afraid of some things, or else you will be in trouble. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

24 Karat

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 22, 2001

For our Remembrance Sunday, when we honor the memories of those members who died since Easter a year ago. God refines each life so it is prepared to receive something imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.

There have been hints of late that something shiny would be nice. No outright demands, you understand, and no whining. Just a hint that as our wedding anniversary approaches, a little chip of something shiny might be appreciated. Now fortunately we are not yet at the fiftieth year, so it will ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-9

Denomination: Baptist

Everything Is Failing, But Nothing Has Failed

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 5, 2001

Sermon for Senior Adult Sunday; Joshua’s "retirement speech" identifies his sense of God’s promises kept and focuses on claiming the future for the next generation.

Are you a little tired of all the pious platitudes about failure? You know, the folks who tell you that failure is a good thing because you will grow from failure and you will be a better person? I am a little tired of that. I do not want to grow from failure. I want to be a success. I do not ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 23:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Jump-Starting Jabez

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 13, 2001

We have learned, thanks to Bruce Wilkinson’s writings, to treasure the prayer of Jabez; but what can we intuit that Jabez’ mother did for him: she honored his uniqueness, she owned her own pain and shared it with her son, and she move him toward faithful prayer.

You know how they say that behind every good man there is a good woman? Well, they used to say that. That is a pre-feminist proverb. Now they say that alongside every good man there is a good woman, like Newton’s Law, equal in force but opposite in direction! But I certainly find it true that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Denomination: Baptist

The Power Of A Wind-Driven Fire

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 5, 2001

The Spirit comes to the church as fire, passion, energy, but He comes as energy to follow the Lord’s directions, not merely as excess motion.

My grandfather’s workshop held an item that was of special interest to me when I was a boy. Sitting off to the side of his cluttered workbench was a wonderful object – a model railroad locomotive. It was black with silver markings painted on it, dusty and dull by now, but obviously once shiny and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

The Parable Of The Ten Virgins - A Picture Of The Second Coming

Contributed by Joseph Wallis on Jan 24, 2002

A message from God to us on His Coming and our responsibility which is evangelistic in nature.

THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS - A PICTURE OF THE 2ND COMING TEXT - Matt. 24:37 - 25:13 INTRO. - The Second Coming of Christ is the next event on the calendar of God. One out of 25 verses in the whole Bible is about the Second Coming. when Jesus was here on earth he promised that at the end of ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Sin Of Settling Down

Contributed by Joseph Wallis on Jan 24, 2002

A sermon on the need to press on in our Christian lives and not settle down and become inactive in the Lord’s service

THE SIN OF SETTLING DOWN TEXT - 2 Kings 2:1-14 INTRO. - We are living in difficult times. There are many temptations we all have to face. One of these temptations is for God’s people to go to sleep spiritually. It is the temptation to settle down spiritually and never go on to take and possess ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 2:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Restored By The King

Contributed by Joseph Wallis on Jan 24, 2002

A pictures of salvation illustrated by Mephibosheth - Evangelistic

RESTORED BY THE KING TEXT - 2 Sam. 9:1 - 13 INTRO. - The background for this message is found in 2 Sam. 4:4. When the news came back from the battlefield that Saul and Jonathan had been killed, a nurse grabbed Mephib-o- sheth, the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul and ran with him to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 9:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

The Curse Of The Barren Fig Tree

Contributed by Joseph Wallis on Jan 24, 2002

Sermon on the parable of our Lord on the barren fig tree.

THE CURSE OF THE BARREN FIG TREE TEXT - Luke 13: 1-9 INTRO. - There is a message to everyone in this great parable of Jesus. God extends mercy and grace to all. He provides and meets needs. He loves and cares. But God has his limits. He looks to see what we will do with what he has given us. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-9, Luke 13:6-9

Denomination: Baptist

Be Of Good Cheer

Contributed by Joseph Wallis on Jan 24, 2002

A short devotional sermon on the 5 times Jesus tells someone to "Be of good cheer..."

DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE TITLE - Be of Good Cheer TEXT - Matt. 9: 1 - 22 In our text we find a statement mentioned twice. Here are two of the five times Jesus mentions it. They are found in Matt.9:2 and in Matt. 9:22 (in the Greek). The statement is "BE OF GOOD CHEER" God is saying," BE HAPPY!" It ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

Numbered, Weighed, And Given Away Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 27, 2002

Sermon for Deacon Ordination service; we obsess on things that do not matter and ignore things that do make a difference. Our sin is using holy things for our own pleasure, compounded with a failure to read the signs of the times.

We give too much of ourselves to things that do not last. We give too little of ourselves to things that will endure. It is easy to obsess on things that don’t matter. It is tempting to ignore things that really count. If something does not change that pattern, at the end of the day, we are ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 5:1-31

Denomination: Baptist