Sermons on Greg Smith:

Touching The Cloak

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 9, 2001

Funeral message for Mrs. Thora Mohler, a long-time member of our mostly African-American Baptist church, but proud of her Swedish Lutheran heritage, and devoted to certain tasks in the life of our church.

Anyone who ever counted money with Thora Mohler will tell you that she was a woman with a determination to get things right. She would not let go until she had the right answer. On Mondays, Mrs. Mohler, until recent months, was one of those faithful behind-the-scenes workers our church has, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:14-22

Denomination: Baptist

A Long Night's Journey Into Day

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 9, 2001

Funeral message for Mr. Wadell Wilkins, who had been comatose for years, following an apparent reaction to an anesthetic administered for orthopedic surgery

A LONG NIGHT’S JOURNEY INTO DAY Numbers 9:15-23 When our children were small, our family would take trips back home to Kentucky. We discovered that a six hundred mile journey was better if we traveled at night. We would pack our bags, make a big thermos of coffee for me, and set out in the ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 9:15-23

Denomination: Baptist

In The Spotlight

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 9, 2001

Funeral for Stephanie Parker, a jazz and blues singer and spiritual seeker, done at the request of her sister, a member of our church.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Henry David Thoreau, in Walden, wrote, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” He saw that most of us seem destined to live in frustration. Most of us will never be able to do what we would really want to do. Most of us will never truly fulfill what we believe God ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6-12

Denomination: Baptist

Sharing The Journey

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 9, 2001

Funeral message for Mr. David Broadnax, a Broadway actor and filmmaker, who died in Spain. He was the brother of one of our members, who requested that we do the funeral.

I desire, as I have for many years, to come to you when I go to Spain. For I do hope to see you on my journey and to be sent on by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a little while. Our lives are journeys, with a beginning and a destination. Many roads can be used to take those journeys. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:23-28

Denomination: Baptist

God's Unbroken Family

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 9, 2001

Funeral message for Mrs. Annie McNeile, the mother and aunt of members of our church.

Everyone who lives in a family knows what it is to be responsible for another family member. If you are a mother, you feel responsibility for those whom you brought into the world; in fact, some mothers spend their whole lives and much of their energy feeling utterly responsible for everything ...read more

Scripture: John 19:25-27

Denomination: Baptist

The Song Of Triumph Has Begun

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 9, 2001

Funeral for Mr. Arthur Capehart, a pioneering jazz musician and public school music teacher

Exodus 14:10-15:3 passim Message: THE SONG OF TRIUMPH HAS BEGUN But Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Wings Of Refuge

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 9, 2001

Funeral message for Mr. Ekerete Akpaete, a Nigerian immigrant who died very suddenly, in the arms of his infant daughter.

To experience great loss is difficult enough. To experience that loss in a far country, with few who understand, few who are close, is even more difficult. And when that loss means that those who depend on you will need you even more, yet the resources to help them will be scarce – that is truly ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 2:11-12, Psalm 57:1

Denomination: Baptist

I Can't Hear You

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 9, 2001

Funeral message for Mr. William Powell Garrett, our Minister of Music and an official of Montgomery County Government

Scripture: Philippians 4:1, 3-9 Message: I CAN’T HEAR YOU I want to ask our children’s choir to help me with the message today. I want to ask all of you a question. Whenever you would come up here to sing, and you would start out, what did Mr. Garrett always say to you? What did he shout out ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

A Work In Progress Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 14, 2001

When the real Jesus is seen, he presents problems -- either he is too difficult for us to accept, or he is offensive to our sloppy ways of doing church, or we are just too tired of churchiness -- but his words of life revive our weariness.

I notice that they’ve revived one of the old-time television shows. We can once again see, “To Tell the Truth”. The idea of “To Tell the Truth” is that three people come out, and they all stand and give a name – the same name. Then someone reads a few sentences about the person who actually has ...read more

Scripture: John 6:60-69

Denomination: Baptist

Agenda Anxiety Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 22, 2001

When Jesus speaks to the church, as to ancient Jerusalem, he gives us agenda anxiety, for we fear that we are not going to get done what we want to do, since his agenda is far different.

The campaigns are over. So are the celebrations and the inaugural balls. The toasts, the handshakes, the good wishes are about to fade into memory. Today, for George Walker Bush, the work begins. Today, the list of things to do takes on shape. Today, the agenda becomes different. Yesterday he ...read more

Scripture: John 7:14-46

Denomination: Baptist

Believing Is Seeing

Contributed by Bob Smith on Jan 27, 2001

Respond to life’s doubts with active faith in God

How many people have seen the movie, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”? You may recall or be able to picture the scene I am about to describe. Indiana Jones is proceeding through an obstacle course of sorts as he draws nearer to the location of the “Holy Grail”, the prize which he seeks. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:14-30

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Blessings Greater Than The Bounties

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 27, 2001

Funeral for Robert Hamilton, Jr., a Georgia farmer and retired cook/chef for National Naval Medical Center, who left four accomplished sons and whose spiritual legacy focused on each one’s unique needs.

A man reaches maturity when he recognizes that he is not the center of the universe. In our younger years, we tend to think that it’s all about what we want, all about our wishes and our whims. But you are growing up when you recognize that the world is a great deal larger than what you want; ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 49:26-28

Denomination: Baptist

Getting It Right

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 17, 2002

Pulpit monologue-drama, in which "Solomon" describes how his father’s example influenced him negatively, but his father’s repentance redeemed him.

“A wise child makes a glad father, but a foolish child is a mother’s grief.” Would you agree? I wrote that, you know. “Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.” Ah, but how do we train them? That is the question. Just by commands? Or do we train them by ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Some Assembly Required

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 1, 2002

Designed for a day devoted to reclaiming inactive members, this sermon argues that the spiritual life is like a piece of equipment: unpack, read the instructions, assemble, plug in the power.

Nothing you purchase comes ready to go. You can’t buy anything ready to use. Everything takes finishing and finagling before you can use it. You would think that when you have paid good money for your purchase, it would be ready. But not so. Something else always has to be done. You ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-25

Denomination: Baptist

It Ain't Over

Contributed by George Smith on Jul 2, 2002

Being full of the Holy Ghost

IT AIN’T OVER INTRO: Something happen on the Day of Pentecost, Acts 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. [2] And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-4

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational