Sermons on Joel Smith:

Disqualified! Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Nov 14, 2008

Don’t let a desire for instant gratification disqualify you from God’s best.

I think the five most nauseating words a person can hear are, “I’m sorry, you’ve been disqualified.” Disqualification means that no matter how hard you try or how well you’ve done, you will not reach your goal. There’s something that you can never have because you’ve been disqualified. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 25:19-34

Denomination: Baptist

Magnetic Faith Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Nov 20, 2008

Isaac reveals the ways of winsomeness.

Last Sunday the congregation of Mount Hope Church in Lansing, Michigan received several unwelcome protesters into their 11:30 AM service. On cue members of a gay rights activists group called Back Bash began disrupting the service. They were attempting to protest the passing of California’s gay ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 26:1-33

Denomination: Baptist

When God's People Do Bad Things Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Dec 2, 2008

What’s going on when the saints sin?

When I put my faith in Jesus Christ decisively at the age of 21, God spoke a sentence into my consciousness that I will never forget: “You’re forgiven. Go and sin no more.” From the moment that lightning bolt realization struck, I’ve never doubted God’s complete forgiveness. That simple ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 27:1-46

Denomination: Baptist

Disappointment With God Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Dec 4, 2008

Disappointments will come and we have the choice to let them bury us or buoy us.

Christmas is a season not only of joy, but, if we’re honest, also of disappointment. Sometimes we’re disappointed with gifts. When Laura’s brother, Grayson, was in Middle School he received one such gift. To appreciate this you have to get the image in your mind of the entire family gathered ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-25

Denomination: Baptist

Have A Scandalous Christmas

Contributed by Joel Smith on Dec 11, 2008

Mary was willing to be scandalized so that God would be glorified.

Isn’t it amazing how we have sanitized Christmas? Over the centuries we’ve cleaned up the story significantly. Christmas cards bear evidence of this. Most of them depict tinsel, holly, Christmas trees, bells, female angels, and Santa Claus. If they do get around to an image of the real ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-56

Denomination: Baptist

Everything You've Heard About Christmas Is Wrong

Contributed by Joel Smith on Dec 18, 2008

Exposing the myths of Christmas in a lighthearted way

As you can see from the title of the sermon this morning, I’m going to attempt to overturn much of what you believed to be true about Christmas. Over the last several years I’ve become convinced that God created me to combat conventional wisdom. Why? Most of the time conventional wisdom is just ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Resisting Thought Assault Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 30, 2009

God created you for a calling, but you’re going to have to fight for it.

When I read this Paul’s final teaching in the book of Ephesians. It reminds me of George C. Scott in that classic movie “Patton.” He’s standing in front of an enormous American flag rallying the men to fight the battle before them during WW II. In he utters one of the best lines I’ve ever heard ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-20

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

Twittering Ourselves To Death Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 8, 2009

Put on the new self by getting your mind right with God.

An article appearing in the August 11, 2007 edition of World Magazine entitled, “Sex and the evangelical teen” suggests evangelical teenagers on the whole may be more sexually immoral than non-Christians. “Christian parents and churches need to face up to a problem long hidden in the dark: ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-24

Denomination: Baptist

Return The Favor Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 8, 2009

If you’ve received the grace of God return the favor to everyone else.

Let’s begin this morning with a little check of your vocabulary. Can someone give me a defining of the word nag? If someone accuses you of nagging them, what are they trying to tell you? Nagging is when you tell someone something that they already know. And you tell them over … and over … and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32

Denomination: Baptist

Reason For Hope On The Road Ahead Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 1, 2009

The road ahead is about to get rocky, but, we have reason for hope.

It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone. It’s 2009 and what makes this new year unique is there’s more reason for pessimism than optimism at what it will bring. Maybe you’ve heard some of the dire predictions about what the near future holds. A couple of weeks ago, economist and ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 28:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

A Crash Course In Character Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 14, 2009

God wants to shape your soul to be just like Jesus. Will you cooperate?

John Ortberg tells of a man in a church he once pastored whom he called Denny. Denny was not a happy man. He had attended church his whole life, but he had never been happy. Even the expression on his face was perpetually negative – so much so that one day a deacon asked him, "Denny, are you ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Going Forward With God Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 24, 2009

A rather mediocre sermon about Jacob’s facinating encounter with God at the Jabbok. The so-so title tells it all.

If you take the Bible seriously, it’s quite a frustrating book. Within its pages are outrageous commands like “be holy” (1 Peter 1:16) and “offer the parts of your body to [God] as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:13). Jesus laid a heavy burden on us when He said, “…be perfect, just as ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Somewhere Between Quack And Quisling Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 24, 2009

The Christian life is a balancing act between syncretism and sectarianism.

When I was a teenager, I was one of the few students at West Davidson Sr. High School who listened to heavy metal music. Although my buddies enjoyed it to some extent, they were a little bit spooked by some of the darker groups I chose. This was mainly because they were all good church-going boys ...read more

Denomination: Baptist