Sermons on Joe Smith:

The Strength Of Fellowship

Contributed by Christopher Smith on Aug 24, 2003

Why is it so important to go to church and have christian friends? Beacuse of the strength we gain from them.

This week is perhaps one of the most important topics that I’ve discussed so far, although it may not seem like that to most. It is the importance of church, more specifically the fellowship we gain from it. As it says in verse 9 of the reading, “Two are better than one…”, but how much better ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Deep River, Deeper Foundation

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 30, 2003

Funeral service for Flenoid Bettis, carpenter and home improvement craftsman, former chairman of the church’s Residential Properties Committee.

It seems perfectly right that Flenoid Bettis should have passed away in the month of August, the month of stormy weather. He was born on August 15, 1926, and entered eternal life on August 23 of this year. It seems perfectly right, because this is thunderstorm season, and during this season we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:46-49

Denomination: Baptist

You Were Shaped For God's Service Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 6, 2003

Part of a series on Rick Warren’s The Purpose-Driven Life. Worship without service is idolatry; fellowship without service is self-indulgence; discipleship without service is perfectionism. Pay the price of service.

Not long ago an insurance salesman called, wanting to sell me long-term care insurance. I was tempted to tell him I had an unbeatable plan for long-term care, called heaven, but I didn’t. Not this time, anyway, because some aches and pains we had been feeling did remind us that we might actually ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

You Were Made For A Mission Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 13, 2003

One in a series on Rick Warren’s Purpose-Driven Life book. Our mission is to drive with others toward a destination. But between invitation and destination there is hesitation, born of diversion, dissension, and dissipation.

People who are on a mission move; people who are on a mission let nothing stop them. They are not distracted by side issues, they focus all their energies on getting their mission accomplished. People who are on a mission do whatever it takes to get to their goal. But people who are not on a ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 22:16-21

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

Choose To Change

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Dec 3, 2002

Study of two men who had the opportunity to change but only one had the courage to do so.

CHOOSE TO CHANGE Luke 18:18-23 - 19:1-10 Introduction: Our world has changed dramatically in the past 100 years, and futurists predict that even greater changes are coming. Consider these facts: We now watch as routine as space shuttles propel people into space and land routinely, yet it ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:18-23, Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Christian Church

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

The Prophet Jonah

Contributed by Ken Smith on Dec 19, 2001

During the reign of Jeroboam II God sent Jonah to Nineveh to call its people to repent of their sins; Nineveh surprisingly repented but Jonah was unexcited about God’s grace.

Jonah was a prophet sent by God to proclaim a message in a foreign land of Assyria, unlike other prophets who voiced their message to their home lands of Israel and Judah. Assyria was a constant threat to the people of Israel. To the Israelites, Nineveh was a byword for evil. Famous for their ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 4:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

In Terror, Peace

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 23, 2001

Our times of terror are like those into which Jesus was born. Then and now we try to carve out peace with government, wealth, ingenuity. But Jesus is the source of peace because His life was given to service, His dependence on things was nil, and He ope

And on earth, peace. What an ancient longing! What a long-standing frustration! On earth, peace. I don’t know what language angels sing in, and I suppose the shepherds would have known only Aramaic, but we have grown accustomed to choirs singing the angelic words in Latin: “Gloria in excelsis ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Looking Forward

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 23, 2001

Funeral sermon for Edward D. Mitchell -- accountant, musician, deacon; age 85

That classic spiritual writer John Bunyan ends his Pilgrim’s Progress with a triumphant note, saying that after Pilgrim had traveled many miles and fought off many adversaries, when he got to the other side, the angels came out to welcome him. John Bunyan knew that if your lifestyle is that of a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:25-32

Denomination: Baptist

The Works Of A Sower

Contributed by George Smith on Jan 9, 2002

A look at how we need to prepare the ground to sow seed.

PARABLES OF THE SOWER (Effects of Preaching Gospels truths) MATTHEW 13:3-8 & 18-23 (Study reference Mark 4:3-8; Luke 8:5-8) Mark8:13-20 ; Luke8:11-15 Intro. WE have work to do but it seem that no one is willing to put there hands to the plow. BUT WE ARE LIKE FARMERS V. 3 And he spake many ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:3-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Three Plus One Equals Infinity Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 14, 2002

Dramatic monologue, done as if I were Daniel, reporting on his three friends in the fiery furnace. Focus on spiritual identity in a power-hungry world.

(Singing) “When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, His grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply. The flame shall not hurt thee, He only designs thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.” Whew! Does it seem hot in here to you? Does it feel as though the very fires of hell are about ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 3:1-30

Denomination: Baptist