In Sermons: showing 1-15 of 56

Lessons Learned From The Village Atheist

Contributed by Joel Smith on May 25, 2015

Atheism has its reasons. This sermon examines the circumstances which contribute to the illogical choice for atheism.

Lessons Learned from the Village Atheist (Open with image of Christopher Hitchens) Can you identify the man on the screen? This is the famous or infamous Christopher Hitchens. He died on December 15th of last year. Hitchens was a gifted writer who notably transitioned from early Marxist ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:18-32

Denomination: Baptist

Navigating The Waves Of Doubt

Contributed by Joel Smith on May 25, 2015

A little doubt will do you good if you learn to navigate its waves.

Navigating the Waves of Doubt John 20:24-31 This morning I want to introduce an idea to you that is so counterintuitive, you won’t believe me when I first tell you. I’m going to talk to you about doubt today and you’re going to doubt the truthfulness of my main point. Here it ...read more

Scripture: John 20:24-31

Denomination: Baptist

Somewhere Between Quack And Quisling Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on May 25, 2015

Somewhere between quack and quisling is the remnant. Strive to be among that number.

Somewhere Between Quack and Quisling Ezra 9 and 10 Before we read Ezra 9 and 10 let's back up and get a broad overview of what happened to the Jews up to this point. I'm going to back up and then go slightly ahead because it will matter when we consider Ezra's response to God: 605 BC - ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Hell

Contributed by Joel Smith on Apr 16, 2011

Hell is the eternal, conscious, tormenting state of existence of those separated from God.

The summer of my seventh year I attended a Vacation Bible School at Grace Baptist Church in Tyro, North Carolina. My family attended a United Methodist Church in the neighboring community and this VBS was quite similar to what I was used to: games; sugar wafers; cherry Kool-Aid; flannel-graph; I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

Denomination: Baptist

Resisting Thought Assault Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 30, 2009

God created you for a calling, but you’re going to have to fight for it.

When I read this Paul’s final teaching in the book of Ephesians. It reminds me of George C. Scott in that classic movie “Patton.” He’s standing in front of an enormous American flag rallying the men to fight the battle before them during WW II. In he utters one of the best lines I’ve ever heard ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-20

Denomination: Baptist

Never Trust A Charismatic With Marriage Problems Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 27, 2009

A Spirit-filled Christian chooses to be under the influence of God.

I love idioms. Idioms are local or cultural words or phrases that have dual meanings. If, for example, someone says that you are cool or hot, they’re not talking about your body temperature. Cool means unaffected by pressure or it describes a certain winsome personality or just means good. Hot, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Leave The Light On Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 27, 2009

God calls His children to go into the darkness and leave their light on.

Light has amazing qualities. It attracts and transforms. Turn on a light in the darkness outside and watch what happens. Every flying critter within range will flock to it. Turn out all the lights at night in your safe, comfortable house and what happens? It becomes a treacherous obstacle ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:7-14

Denomination: Baptist

Coup De Moi Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 13, 2009

If you want to know if you’ve truly been born again answer the question: "Who is your spiritual daddy?"

I guess it’s a sign of the times in which we live, but a couple of years ago I saw a billboard on I-85 in Charlotte that said, “Who’s the daddy?” There was a picture of a baby and an ad for a genetic testing lab beneath the picture. It’s sad that young folks are so promiscuous they have to have a ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Return The Favor Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 8, 2009

If you’ve received the grace of God return the favor to everyone else.

Let’s begin this morning with a little check of your vocabulary. Can someone give me a defining of the word nag? If someone accuses you of nagging them, what are they trying to tell you? Nagging is when you tell someone something that they already know. And you tell them over … and over … and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32

Denomination: Baptist

Twittering Ourselves To Death Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 8, 2009

Put on the new self by getting your mind right with God.

An article appearing in the August 11, 2007 edition of World Magazine entitled, “Sex and the evangelical teen” suggests evangelical teenagers on the whole may be more sexually immoral than non-Christians. “Christian parents and churches need to face up to a problem long hidden in the dark: ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-24

Denomination: Baptist

Settle Down, Lord! Settle Down! Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jun 15, 2009

Most of this sermon was ripped off from the pamplet "My Heart, Christ’s Home."

This morning’s sermon is going to be dramatically different from what I’ve presented so far. In just a few minutes I’m going to get you to use your imagination and go on a tour with Jesus Christ. I think you’ll be convicted, challenged, and encouraged, but to get there you’ll need to put aside ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21

Denomination: Baptist

The Power Of The Call Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jun 15, 2009

God’s call sets the course for your life.

‘Tis the season for graduation! It’s a bittersweet time. One chapter of life ends while a new one begins. The door closes on friendships that have lasted a decade or more, but just ahead are relationships that will probably last a lifetime. There’s some anxiety at moving into the unknown, but ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Veni, Vidi, Velcro Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on May 24, 2009

I came, I saw, I stuck. Choosing Velcro over Teflon.

The Baptist Standard of last year made this sad prediction: “The Southern Baptist Convention is dying rapidly, and resistance to change could kill more than half the denomination’s churches by 2030, SBC President Frank Page said. Unless something is done to reverse the downward trend, Southern ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

Denomination: Baptist

What's In It For Me?

Contributed by Joel Smith on May 18, 2009

If you will live for Christ like no one else, later you can live with Christ like no one else.

Today I speak to you as a free man. School is out for summer. I haven’t had this much freedom since I was a teenager. It’s been a good year, though. Not only have I learned to rely on God and witnessed more of His faithfulness, I learned a lot about my subject areas. I was truly challenged ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:27-30

Denomination: Baptist

God's Opinion Of Popular Opinion

Contributed by Joel Smith on May 18, 2009

If you will let Christ change your mind, through you He will change the world.

This year has been quite a learning experience for me. I’ve learned much about World History and American Government because those are the two main subjects I teach, but I’ve also learned a lot about the why the church in America is so ineffective in our modern culture. I’ve gained this knowledge ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1-10

Denomination: Baptist