Sermons on George Smith:

Men And Their Macho Machines

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 4, 2009

Men have sadly learned to use machines as status symbols and instruments of power, but that only leads to destruction. Learn from Him whose ride was a lowly beast and whose symbol is a cross.

I had been away from home for about three months, working in Akron, Ohio, as an engineering student. The three months were over, and it was time to go back home. I went back the way college students traveled in 1957 … not in a plane, not in a car of my own, not with my father coming to transport ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 9:14-28

Denomination: Baptist

Pressing On Or Just Pressed

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 4, 2009

Remembrance Sunday: living out of others’ expectations for us just makes us feel pressed. Relief from grief comes when you pursue what you know God wants for you.

One place I am quite sure I can stay away from is the National Museum of Beverage Cans. No matter how many times I may travel to and through Nashville, Tennessee, whether it be on Baptist business or as an accidental tourist, I feel quite certain that I can avoid even so much as a swift glance ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Playing The Fool

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 5, 2009

Sarcasm betrays anger at ourselves or at others, but we cannot let it fester. We need to come to the Cross, where there is reconciliation.

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 other do ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:21-24

Denomination: Baptist

Ignorance Is Bliss -- Not!

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 14, 2009

First Baptist Church of Gaithersburg, MD: We avoid too much information because we know we will have to respond. Some escape into private piety; some escape from knowing themselves. But true bliss comes from knowing how to invest in Kingdom concerns.

You can buy it anywhere in Pennsylvania Dutch country – a banner, an apron, a towel, anything really – and it proclaims, in pidgin German, “Ve get too soon oldt und too late schmart”. Your preacher this morning is a walking example of that ancient truth. Too soon oldt und too late schmart. The ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 92:1-15

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

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

How Much Do We Care About God?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 15, 2009

We can measure our care for God by our willingness to equip ourselves for witness and to share the Gospel with our neighbors and to be missions supporters.

The plumber came this week. You remember, those of you who were here last Sunday, how I was waiting for the plumber to come and solve our drainage problems? The plumber did come this week. He did the job I wanted, and even did it better than I knew it could be done. Not only did he unstop the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:9-15

Denomination: Baptist

I've Fallen And I Can't Get Up

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 16, 2009

Sin at its worst is the inability to understand ourselves and to control ourselves, leading to separation from self, others, and God. The cross, the empty tomb, and Christ’s life rescue us.

Well, are you ready today for the fourth step, the step that’s all the way down at the floor level? Those who were not here last Sunday do not know what I’m talking about. Those who were here will need a little review. Let me explain. Last Sunday we walked the first mile on the Roman Road ... ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:15-25

Denomination: Baptist

Trusting God Who Can Heal Series

Contributed by Clinton Smith on Jun 16, 2009

God can heal you!

Does God will heal today? This has been a debatable question down through the years among theologians and religious teachers. Some say “YES” and others say “NO”. But my follow-up question is simple, what guides our understanding of healing to lead us to believe that God is still healing today? Is ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 15:22-27

Denomination: Baptist

There's Room For Everybody!

Contributed by David Smith on Jun 18, 2009

"When the day of Pentecost came, all of them were together in one place. Suddenly, a sound like the roaring of a mighty windstorm came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated, and

Wind and Fire - the two elements of Pentecost - and a dynamic duo they are! In my naivety I had thought until recently that these two elements were natural opposites that cancelled each other out, such as when you blow on a birthday candle and the wind puts the fire out. And then we all ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-11

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Jesus Shares His Scars Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jun 18, 2009

Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called the Twin, wasn’t with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples kept telling him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he told them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger into them, and put my hand i

We’re in John chapter 20 this morning - the familiar story of ‘doubting Thomas’ - and, as I’ve noted many times before, this is one of those few passages in the Bible that the church in her wisdom suggests that we should read every year at this time (rather than every three years, which is the ...read more

Scripture: John 20:24-29

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Choosing The Path Of Most Resistance Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jun 18, 2009

When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never bee

I’m sure we all know the joke about how many social workers it takes to change a light bulb. It only takes one, of course, but the light bulb has got to want to change. I think it was social workers that were the target of that joke, but it could equally well have been psychotherapists, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:1-11

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Jesus Is Angry Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jun 18, 2009

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the shee

We’re in John chapter 2 today, following the Lentern pattern of jumping around into different sections of the Gospels and landing upon passages that are appropriately sombre and challenging. And we’ve landed on a dousie this week - a passage that contains not one but two rather unique and entirely ...read more

Scripture: John 2:13-25

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Jesus Teaches Us To Dance Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jun 18, 2009

Jesus and his disciples, including James and John, left the synagogue and went straight to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and as soon as Jesus arrived, he was told about her. He went to her, took her by t

We are in the latter part of the first chapter of the Gospel according to St Mark this week, and it’s a scene that I think would make very acceptable day-time television. It is very ’G’ rated. This is not typical of the Gospel stories, despite what you might have heard. Mark’s Gospel in particular ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:29-31

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Parable Of The Two Sons Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jun 18, 2009

Jesus said "What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ’Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ’I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered

My friend Kon used to say ’the more I see of kids today, the more I think about getting a dog’. Then he had a son. He doesn’t say that quite as much any more. His other great saying was ’I love children, but I can never finish a whole one’. He doesn’t say that much any more either. He might think ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:28-31

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican