Sermons on Margaret Sanger:

Bring It On? Series

Contributed by Steve Lawson on Jan 7, 2004

How do I make it through all of life’s struggles without killing myself, or someone else, in the process?

My brother-in-law is building a cabin in New Mexico. He decided to do the general contracting himself to save some money. What he’s finding out is that it’s not worth it. General contractors don’t make enough to compensate for the headaches they deal with. What David is experiencing is the ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Bookkeeping Method Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 6, 2004

Unlike the world, which assumes that we must make a profit and we get what we pay for, God’s bookkeeping says that giving is receiving, and you get more than you pay for. You get grace paid for by the blood of Jesus.

In the last several months I have learned more about bookkeeping than I ever wanted to know. Because the church is converting from bookkeeping by hand to an accounting software, and because our financial leadership does not yet have access to all of that, I began to record transactions on the ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:13-18

Denomination: Baptist

Hooker Mom

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Dec 9, 2002

A look at the Prostitutes who came to Solomon to decide the fate of their child

She was just a hooker, a lady of the night. And normally we wouldn’t even consider her to be in the running for “Mother of the Year” but then again, it’s not wife of the year we are looking at, it’s mother of the year and the two aren’t always the same. Maybe you know the story, maybe you don’t. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 3:16-28

Denomination: Wesleyan

Shaping The Clay

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 20, 2005

Inauguration message for new role as Executive Director of the D. C. Baptist Foundation: the treasure we have is the gospel, which supports, guides, empowers, and gives life. Like disposable clay pots, we are to be impervious, transporting, and shaped fo

Despite what you may feel in the air this morning, spring is coming. It really is. Spring IS coming. How do I know that? Have I consulted the wooly-worms? No, I wouldn’t know a wooly-worm if it bit me. Have I studied the groundhog and its shadow? No, since my birthday is the day after ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Values Of The Kingdom

Contributed by Allen Patterson on Mar 17, 2005

In the days before he arrived at Jerusalem for the last time, Jesus taught his disciples some very important lessons.

Values of the Kingdom What Jesus Taught in His Last Days on Earth Sunday, March 13, 2005; Wayside Community Church; Grove City, PA Growing up in the circles of Evangelical Christianity, we never observed the season right before Easter known in Orthodox circles as Lent. We had family and friends ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-52

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Don't Be Afraid

Contributed by William Nieporte on May 17, 2005

Sermon about communicating the gospel to our culture

Don’t Be Afraid! Text: 2 Kings 18:17-37 They sure were cute! They were the children’s choir of the Colonial Beach Baptist Church. Each member of the choir was age five or younger. As they entered the choir loft they began to sing: Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen. Nobody knows my ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 18:17-37

Denomination: Baptist

Tired Of Too Much Church Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 4, 2004

It is easy to be tired of church if church does not connect with integrity, compassion, or fundamental life change. But you will not grow weary if you will work for the good of all.

Several years ago I officiated at a wedding at National Cathedral. At the rehearsal an official of the Cathedral explained why the service would be held in just the Great Choir of the Cathedral, and not out on the main floor, and why we would have to be exactly on-time, no exceptions. He said that ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 1:12-18

Denomination: Baptist

Down To Earth Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 4, 2003

Spiritual laziness comes from poor theology and from creating the illusion of activity, leading to burnout. The grace of Christ takes us beyond such posing.

My topic today is spiritual laziness. Spiritual laziness. Now we are all familiar with physical laziness. Physical laziness is like spring fever, when the warmth of the air and the sound of the birds is far more attractive than the piles of paper on your desk or the lectures in your classroom. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

Denomination: Baptist

Survivors And Castaways Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 24, 2000

The fundamental stance we have before God is critical to everything else in our lives, for personal idolatries, failed intimacies, and low self-esteem are all results of our not experiencing salvation.

When I was young, and riding a bicycle, we didn’t wear helmets. Nobody had thought of such a thing. And even if they had, no government was telling us we had to wear helmets. I haven’t even worn so much as a hat since I reached the age of 13, much less a helmet. So when we spilled, we spilled, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Denomination: Baptist

Laughing Away The Burdens

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 4, 2000

Abraham laughed in the cynicism of old age; Sarah laughed in the denial that defends against what is inevitable; but beyond both of them God laughed in joy at the triumph of His purposes, fulfilled in two aged followers.

You have heard it said, “He who laughs last, laughs best.” Let me expand on that: I may laugh, you may laugh, but God will have the last and best laugh, for God’s purposes will be served. Laughter. There are all sorts of reasons to laugh. Some will laugh out of frustration; unable to do what ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 17:15-17, Genesis 18:10-15, Genesis 21:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Another Day, Another Millennium

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 4, 2003

If the Lord were to ask what we have done with the last millennium, we would have to report that we never learned peace instead of war or love instead of hate. Our agenda for the new millennium needs to be justice, peace, and mission.

Here it comes again, the end of another year! How soon it gets here after Christmas! Isn’t it astonishing? Don’t you wish they could throw in another week or two before the end of the year? We need to get over the rush of Christmas before we have to face the year’s end? I know the Post Office ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:1-12, 1 Peter 3:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Bridges Swamped, Swamps Bridged

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 10, 2003

In times like these the very things we have created to solve human problems are easily swamped; but God wants His people to flourish and will build bridges over the difficulties.

In June of 1972 I was standing in the middle of Colesville Road, not far from my home. I was standing safely in the middle of the road because no traffic was coming through. Why not? Hurricane Agnes had done. Remember Agnes? We’ve had a lot of storms around here, but not many that did as much ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Carry Me Back To Old

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 18, 2003

Nostalgia is a fatal disease, because the burdens of the past are idolatrous and wearisome, and will bring us down with them. But remember who God is and what His purpose is.

This past February I received a diagnosis, and, I’m sorry to say, it’s serious. I have a disease, commonly fatal. If it is not treated, it will destroy me, and I will gradually lose my abilities. I’m telling you about it, because, if we do not take some protective efforts, it will become ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 46:1-4, Isaiah 46:9-10

Denomination: Baptist

It Was A Setup Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 30, 2003

We set ourselves up for failure if we are afraid to risk using all we have been given, if we are shy about our average-ness, and especially if we are ashamed of our poverty. Sermon for Martin Luther King Sunday

On one of our trips to Louisville to see about my mother-in-law, we stayed at a motel right next to a Baptist church. It happened to be a church which had been started as a mission congregation by my home church back when I was a teenager. I told Margaret that I remembered that vacant lot between ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:11-27

Denomination: Baptist

Heavenly Minded, Earthly Good Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 9, 2003

Introductory sermon to a series on the Purpose-Driven Life: the world says life’s purpose is having things or impressing people. But we are empowered when we use our lives for the purposes for which they are intended.

The choir began to sing, “This earth is not my home”, and I began to be uncomfortable. The more they chanted, the more I squirmed. “This earth is not my home, I am a stranger here, but I am bound for heaven, whence I shall never roam.” Well, yes and no. It is true that this earth is not our ...read more

Denomination: Baptist