Sermons on Joel Smith:

Heaven Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

Is heaven real and what is heaven like?

Heaven John 14:1-7 Eben Alexander is a neurosurgeon at Harvard. He thought everything had a scientific explanation including out of body experiences until in 2008, when he slipped into a coma for 7 days after contracting bacterial meningitis. During that time, he had an out-of-body experience of ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-7

Denomination: Methodist

Two Lost Sons Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

In this lesson we learn what it means to be lost through the eyes of the younger son

Two Lost Sons Luke 15:11-32 Do you know what the worst feeling is? It’s not the Saints losing twice in Seattle ending their playoff run. The worst feel is being lost. When I was six, my parents took me to a carnival. It was a kid’s dream: games, rides, cotton candy, hotdogs, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Methodist

Pharisees, Tax Collectors And Sinners Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

This sermon looks three groups of people mentioned in the Scripture Pharisees, sinners and tax collectors

Pharisees, Tax Collectors and Sinners Luke 15:1-2 Luke’s Gospel was originally written on a scroll. He assumed his readers would always start at the beginning of his Gospel and read through to the end. Thus, in recording what we now know as Luke 15, Luke’s readers would have just heard ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-2

Denomination: Methodist

The Lost Sheep Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

This sermon looks at the parable of the Lost Sheep

The Lost Sheep Luke 15:1-7 There are two questions I want you to wrestle with this season of Lent: What’s the most important thing to you? And what’s the most important thing to God? It is that second question that Jesus seeks to answer with the teaching of three parables in Luke ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-7

Denomination: Methodist

The Lost Coin Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

This sermon looks at the Parable of the Lost Coin

The Lost Coin Luke 15:8-10 When my son Luke was a toddler, my wife and I took him to the beach in Gulf Shores, AL. We had a wonderful time but finally check out day arrived. I was in the kitchen packing up all of the refrigerator items when I heard my wife cry out, “I can’t find my ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:8-10

Denomination: Methodist

Hollywood Endings Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

Sometimes, we want a Hollywood ending in life and we don’t get one. This is the problem with the Parable of the Prodigal Son as we look atb it from the older son

Hollywood Endings Luke 15:25-32 How many of you like Hollywood endings when you go to the movies? You know, the joy-filled, love engaged and relationship mending that leaves you with a warm, feel-good heart and smile on your face? The problem is, life doesn’t always give us a Hollywood ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:25-32

Denomination: Methodist

Finding What We’ve Lost Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

This sermon focuses on the question of “How do you find something that’s lost, especially if you’re the one that’s lost?

Finding What We’ve Lost Luke 15:11-32 A couple of years ago, I was blessed to win tickets to the practice round of The Master’s golf tournament. The Masters is one of four majors in professional golf and is considered to be hallowed ground to golfers. It’s in Augusta, GA in the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Methodist

The Wilderness Experience Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

This sermon is about Elijah the Prophet and the result of his defeat of Jezebel

The Wilderness Experience Matthew 26:69-75 When Jesus finished sharing the Passover with the disciples, he took Peter, James and John with him to the Garden of Gethsemane. The Gospels describe Jesus as “sorrowful and troubled.” The Gospel of John in chapter 21 reports that Jesus ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-12, Matthew 26:69-75, Matthew 26:29-75

Denomination: Methodist

King David’s Story Of Sin And Redemption Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

This sermon looks at another type of wilderness experience, one of our own making.

King David’s Story of Sin and Redemption 2 Samuel 11:1-5 In this series, we’re looking at five OT characters who experienced the wilderness in their lives, both physically and spiritually. The Judean wilderness was rugged and barren and it was a place of hopelessness and despair. It ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:1-5

Denomination: Methodist

In Need Of A Redeemer Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

This sermon is about Ruth and Naomi's wilderness experience through death and loss

In Need of a Redeemer Ruth 4:13-15 When you hear the word wilderness, some of your may think about the barren landscape of the desert, others the swamp or the jungle far removed from any human being. For the Israelites, they thought of the Judean wilderness, a barren place of very little water or ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 4:13-15

Denomination: Methodist

The God Who Sees Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

This sermon focuses of Hagar's wilderness experience

The God Who Sees Genesis 16:1-10 We’ve been looking at people in the Old Testament who passed through the wilderness, some literally and physically and others spiritually and emotionally. The Judean wilderness was a barren, harsh, bleak place and became a Jewish metaphor for the painful and ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:1-10

Denomination: Methodist

Vision Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

God's unique vision for the church

Vision Sermon When I arrived here 7 years ago, I met with the congregation in small groups of 10-12 people and asked 3 questions: What do you love about Gretna UMC? What do you want to change? And what do you want to keep the same? In those meetings, I remember Judy North making a statement that ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 17:17

Denomination: Methodist

Strategy Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

This sermon discuss how to implement God's unique vision for the church

Our Strategy Proverbs 14:15, 16:3, 9 Stanley Tippet tells of visiting with two young men from Nagaland, a northeastern region of India. God had moved in a mighty way in the region sending revival to the area. Almost the entire population of the region had come to faith in Christ and as a result, ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Values Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

God’s unique vision for a church is like the sail of the ship, catching God’s wind or spirit and moving it forward. But every boat must also have a rudder helping to guide the direction of the ship. Values are passions that rudder or direct a ship

Values Sermon What’s your passion in life? I mean what gets you really excited? Everybody has something which drives them in their lives. It could be your kids, your work, a hobby, a cause, a mission or even a ministry. What drives us is often reflected in how we spend our time, our money and ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 17:7

Denomination: Methodist

Keys For The Journey Ahead Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

In our Scripture today, Moses shares the news with the Hebrew people that He will not be leading the Hebrews into the promised land. With his words, he seeks to prepare the people for the next leg of the journey

Goodbye Sermon Deuteronomy 31:1-8 Have you ever thought about what you want on your tombstone? On a windswept hill in an English country churchyard stands a drab, gray slate tombstone with an epitaph not easily seen unless you stoop over and look very closely. The faint etchings read: ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Denomination: Methodist