Sermons on George Smith:

Smyrna: Some Things Money Cannot Buy Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 19, 2003

Money may actually distract us from Kingdom priorities. Some things money cannot buy are compassion for the needy, passion for the lost, and love for one another.

I begin this morning with an invocation from my favorite poet, the bard of Baltimore, Ogden Nash, who addressed our favorite god in prayer: “Oh, money, money, money; some may think thee holy. But I cannot figure out how thou goest out so fast and how thou comest in so slowly.” Ogden Nash, ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11

Denomination: Baptist

God Wants You To Succeed

Contributed by Gary Smith on Jan 25, 2003

There are many people today who find themselves wondering if God is willing for them to be successful or if He has destined them for failure. This sermone gives encouragement

“God Wants You To Succeed” TEXT: Jer. 29:11, Deut 28:13, 2 Chron 26:5 Jer 29:11 (KJV)11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Deut 28:13 (KJV) 13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11, Deuteronomy 28:13

Denomination: Church Of God

Thyatira: 'tis The Gift To Be Simple Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 3, 2003

True simplicity is a focus on the fundamentals of love, faith, service, and patient endurance. Getting caught up in theological guesses or emotional highs diverts us from "this one thing I do".

Some things are so simple they are hard to understand! Some things are so direct and obvious that we don’t want to accept them as they are. We want to make them complicated. Have you ever tried to describe to someone how to tie a shoestring? It seems simple until you start to teach it. Left ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:18-29

Denomination: Baptist

But God!

Contributed by David Smith on Feb 8, 2003

No more powerful conjunction is found in the scriptures. These two words will climb any mountain, cross any river, traverse any valley, and give you a song to sing at midnight.

Introduction: No more powerful conjunction is found in the scriptures. These two words will climb any mountain, cross any river, traverse any valley, and give you a song to sing at midnight. The devil may have told you to give up, but that book of miracles that you hold in your hand is still as ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:9, Ephesians 2:3-6

Denomination: Church Of God

The Meaning Of Man Series

Contributed by Chris Smith on Feb 11, 2003

What does it mean to be created in the Image of God, and the institution of the cultural mandate to fill and subdue the earth.

The Meaning of Man Job 7:17 "What is man that You magnify him, And that You are concerned about him, Psalms 8:4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Psalms 144:3 O LORD, what is man, that You want to know him? Or the son of man, that You think of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-28

Denomination: Baptist

The Power Of Intercessory Prayer

Contributed by Gary Smith on Feb 14, 2003

This sermon offers encouragement to all who are praying for the salvation or for the healing of a loved one.

“The Power Of Intercessory Prayer” TEXT: John 4:46-54 Introduction: At first glance this may seem like a strange text to use with the subject of “Intercessory Prayer,” but I think that there arefew scriptures that do a better job illustrating all the elements involved in intercessory ...read more

Scripture: John 4:46-54

Denomination: Church Of God

Laodicea: Things Spoil At Room Temperature Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 16, 2003

The world will invade us with its values. But we are called to be "hot" to pursue such things as compassion and evangelism and "cold" toward such things as hostility and prejudice. We can sustain these values if we are connected to one another and to Go

The Harlem Renaissance poet, Langston Hughes, speaks to me. I trust he also speaks to you. In fact, that is the very title of his poem! “To You” To sit and dream, to sit and read, To sit and learn about the world Outside our world of here and now – our problem world – To dream of vast horizons ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Chilling Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 10, 2002

Jesus understood when, how, and why to "chill": when His emotional energies had been drained; how to back off the need to be needed; and for the purpose of providing a still point of healing for others.

If there is any one thing that distinguishes my generation and later generations, like the Gen-xers, it is that we have totally different attitudes about work and play. We are light years apart about what we expect from work or what we want from play. People born before and during the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:45-56

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus In Love Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 18, 2002

Jesus, in dealing with sexual sin, did NOT make an object out of the woman involved, nor did He feel it necessary to do anything but give her space to work out her own spiritual issues. He DID determine that His aim was redemption, not shame, and He love

All these years of preaching and teaching, and no one has ever asked me why Jesus didn’t have a wife or a girl friend. No one has even so much as wondered out loud whether Jesus the man felt what most men feel. Are you afraid of that question? Or do you just suppose that, after all, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Partying Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 24, 2002

We have taken our cues about how to have fun from the wrong places. When Jesus parties, he includes rather than excludes the misfits; he goes not to participate nor to criticize, but to listen and redeem; and when you party with Jesus, you have joy and z

Suppose you gave a party and Jesus showed up! What would that do to your party? He wasn’t on the invitation list, He didn’t RSVP, but here He comes, making a beeline straight at you, with arms outstretched in greeting, and about twelve of his best buds looking eagerly at the buffet table. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:27-38

Denomination: Baptist

Strange Land, Foreign Land, Promised Land Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 1, 2002

A poetic, impressionistic rendering of Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus, presented by two readers in dialogue

Every day is unique, every time is new. Never before have these same things happened, never again will this moment come. But the one who made this day, the one who is ever new, knows this moment. And knew that moment in which all things would be fulfilled. Each day is a gift. And each ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

All I (Really) Want For Christmas Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 8, 2002

Joseph thought he knew what he wanted: freedom from embarassment, a normal life, a few friends to support him. But in listening to the Spirit he found that what he really wanted was to love and to be loved, to be significant, and to be understood by God.

What do you want for Christmas? I hope there’s somebody in your life who is asking that question. I am not one of those curmudgeons who thinks we should do away with giving gifts at Christmas. Yes, it gets out of hand. And yes, it’s all very commercial. But still, gift-giving is a part ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Denomination: Baptist

Be Careful What You Pray For, You Might Get It Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 15, 2002

There are only two motives for prayer: fear and hope. If you pray and live in fear, you will live a lie and deny God, and you will become destructive. But if you pray and live in fear, you will find satisfaction and will become a life-giver.

God answers prayer. Let there be no doubt about that. God answers prayer. God responds to what His people ask. So it has often been said that you had better be careful what you pray for, because you just might get it! There is something awesome, something even dangerous about prayer. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-16, Psalm 106:15

Denomination: Baptist

Discerning The Body

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 6, 2003

The Lord’s Table is a place of connection and community, not of individuality and isolation; a place where one can be understood in the midst of an overwhelming world. It is a place of acceptance.

A number of months ago, Margaret and I had the privilege of touring Italy, along with several of you and a number of other people. It was a wonderful experience, most of it. Most of it, but not all. The part that was less than wonderful came early in the tour, when we had a few free hours in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Denomination: Baptist

How Much Is The Fare To Tarshish? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 6, 2003

Jonah refused to go to Tarshish because emotionally he felt unwelcome and theologically he thought he could escape God’s oversight. He paid hidden costs, in vain: the loss of a vessel, the loss of joy, human wreckage, reckoning with eternity.

When I travel, I don’t want to spend too much money on the travel itself. I’d rather spend my money on whatever there is to buy where I’m going. I don’t want to hand much over to the airline or the railroad. I want to travel cheap. But I sometimes miss an important fact – that when I try to ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-16

Denomination: Baptist