Sermons on George Smith:

Come: To A Choking World

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 6, 2009

What chokes the joy out of life? Too many cares that major on minors, and the relentless pursuit of material success. Jesus came to be authentically human among us.

Nearly every time I take an airplane trip, I get a happy surprise. When we take off and rise through the congestion of earth and the grim gray clouds of our immediate atmosphere, there comes that astonishing moment when the plane bursts through the cloud cover into bright sunlight. I am always ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:3-22

Denomination: Baptist

The Orderly Family Series

Contributed by Duane Smith on Oct 6, 2009

The purpose of this message is to expound upon the God given order of the family and encourage us to live accordingly.

THE ORDERLY FAMILY COLOSSIANS 3:17-21 & 23-25 INTRODUCTION: A. Have you ever seen the Jerry Lewis movie "The Disorderly Orderly" 1. It’s a great comedy 2. Jerry just did not seem to be able to get things right - he was not very ordered. 3. It made for a good comedy in the movies, yet ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:17-25

Denomination: Baptist

Can I Get A Lift?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 6, 2009

August 1989: If we want to be lifted up out of our unhappiness through worship, we must bring our whole selves to the worship experience and must pray passionately even our negative wishes.

I recently became aware that some folks shop for a church much as you would shop for a car or a home appliance. In talking with some people about joining our church, they said that they were shopping – that’s their word, not mine -- that they were shopping for a church by systematically attending ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 28:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Candle And Cradle, Curse And Cross

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 6, 2009

Every positive experience has its negative side. Jesus’ coming was threatening to many, and His birth foreshadows a cross. The light of Christ, however, will never be put out.

Dr. Seuss knew that every Christmas has a Grinch. Every positive experience, it would seem, has a dark side, a negative side. Every Christmas has a Grinch to steal away its joy. Maybe you are one of those people, and there are quite a few of them, who just get tired of the whole murky business ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Conquerors All

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 8, 2009

We are bored. Feelings shut down because we strive for security and for status, and even for spirituality, but nothing works. Only allegiance to the risen Christ provides fulfillment.

Of all the diseases of our time, the most serious one is boredom. Of all the sicknesses this flesh is heir to, the most fatal is boredom. Not AIDS, not homicide, not heart disease nor cancer, but boredom. Oh, I don’t suppose any mortuary ever tagged a cadaver’s toe with "boredom". I don’t suppose ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:15-22

Denomination: Baptist

Dissin' The Homeboy Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 9, 2009

When we disrespect our own children, we disempower them, we give evidence that ours is a sick community, and we write off God’s ability to redeem.

The church was plagued with two bad boys, or maybe it was three. The two really bad boys offended nearly everybody in that church. They ran through the hails, rudely bumping those who were in the way. Elderly ladies cringed when they saw them coming. Small children screamed and hid behind their ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Completing Christ

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 10, 2009

Our lives find meaning and completeness if we first recognize what God has already done in us, if we see that God never stops working in any life, and if we devote ourselves to His purposes.

If I were to take you to my home this afternoon, I could show you a parable of the human condition. My house would tell you a whole lot about our family, of course, but it also would tell you about the whole human problem. You see, our house is unfinished. It is incomplete. Oh, it was built in ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:21-29

Denomination: Baptist

A Complete Hunger

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 11, 2009

It’s healthy to feel hunger and thirst, and if these are never satisfied, health will deteriorate. To satisfy spiritual hunger, do something for the Kingdom and for others, and you will feel fulfilled.

Hunger is something we feel at every stage of life and every day of our lives. In fact, when you are no longer able to get hungry, you know you are very sick. Being hungry is a sign of health. Hunger is something felt by the youngest infant, from the very beginning. I had the rare chance this ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6

Denomination: Baptist

A Dirty Altar

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 12, 2009

(Various objects on the altar). Our church altar is dirty with unresolved anger, put-downs, and prejudicial outreach. These things must be cleaned away before God accepts what we bring here.

Who says there’s nothing new under the sun? The pastor not accepting the offering! Lots of folks think that raising money is about all we ever do in church. Wish they could have seen that! But, you see, the problem is there isn’t any room up here on the altar. We have a dirty altar today. It’s ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Plundering The Enemies Camp

Contributed by Gregory Smith on Oct 12, 2009

Most Christians don’t realize how much the enemy has stolen. Even if they do, they often don’t know how to get it back. David "plundered" the Philistines camp after his victory over Goliath. We can do the same because Jesus has defeated our enemy.

Introduction: I have been talking about foundations for the entire year. Today I am going to share with you another foundational truth about warfare. When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, it is much like enlisting in the army. You become a solider whether you want to admit it or not. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:48-55

Denomination: Church Of God

The Difference Between Withstanding And Standing

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 14, 2009

August 1989: We need both defensive and offensive weapons in order to be effective Christians. In the end, a strong offense, making a difference in our world, is also the best defense.

With the opening of the Redskins season only a few days away, I really do need to get something straight, and I thought maybe I could get some help this morning. There is a rule of thumb, a maxim of football strategy, and I cannot figure out how it goes. I need some help. Is it that the best ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-20

Denomination: Baptist

Our Life For God: For His Glory Or Ours? Series

Contributed by Duane Smith on Oct 14, 2009

This message is intended to help us come to the understanding that we are to live for the glory of God and that our future rewards, or lack thereof, are dependent on how we do.

OUR LIFE FOR GOD: FOR HIS GLORY OR OURS? Colossians 3:23-25 INTRODUCTION: A. Folks, you are here this morning to bring glory to God! 1. That is what life is all about – God’s Glory! 2. I hope you do, but if not don’t worry, hopefully by the end of our time together you will. B. As we ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:23-25

Denomination: Baptist

Feelings, Prayer And Victory

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 15, 2009

September 1989: We can work through our feelings to victory if we are totally honest with God about what we feel, and then if we are able to praise Him joyfully when we are released.

Recently a television reporter followed up on the people who survived that air travel incident in which a huge section of the plane simply tore off, somewhere near Hawaii. You may remember that there was some kind of metal fatigue and a whole section of the plane suddenly broke out and about nine ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 38:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

First Stumbling Steps Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 16, 2009

We cannot live our lives without the guidance and companionship of Christ; but then, when we have that guidance, we will either share it for others’ benefit or we will let them stumble in the darkness.

Without question one of the most challenging periods of parenting is that time when a baby is first learning to walk. This is the time when you have to work at child-proofing the house. You put barriers across the stairs; you put stoppers in all the electrical outlets; you hide as many wires as you ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:3-11

Denomination: Baptist

Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 17, 2009

We damage ourselves as well as the others when we write off whole peoples through racism. When we see them as persons, with human faces, we discover that to write them off is to damage ourselves. Fellowship in Christ leads us to value difference.

A widow, shortly after her husband’s death, was going through his papers. She found a couple of old certificates, yellowed with age and crumbling into dust. They had been made out to her husband more than fifty years ago, and seemed to be some kind of promissory notes. Some sort of company had ...read more

Scripture: Esther 7:1-4

Denomination: Baptist