Sermons on Joseph Biden:

We Know In Part Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 10, 2003

We know little about life after death, but we do know that heaven is not possessing things, that hell is about separation from God, and that the love of God will reach even to the most alienated.

We think that having things will make us happy. The truth is that happiness comes from sharing what you have with someone you love. Fulfillment is not measured by how much you have. Genuine fulfillment is measured by who you have it with. That is true in this life. I believe that is also true ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, 2 Timothy 1:3-7

Denomination: Baptist

Understanding From The Whirlwind Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 11, 2003

First person pulpit drama, with "Job" responding to Elihu’s counsel and God’s probing. Designed to lead worshippers to the Communion Table as a sign of God’s understanding of human suffering.

Do you hear? Do you see? The wind, the wind, the whirlwind?! Do you feel it? Is its hot breath on you as it is on me? The whirlwind, the whirlwind! I can scarcely stand up, it is so strong! Are you not blown away with these winds? Are you not devastated? No. No. I suppose not. Few there ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Doing A Slow Burn Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 12, 2003

Elihu listened to Job as long as he could, but finally erupted with the contention that Job had too little faith, was too hypocritical, did not know how to cry out to God to ask for help with his needs, and offered no witness.

32:1-10 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became angry. He was angry at Job because he justified himself rather than God; he was angry also at Job’s three friends because they had found ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Available For Life-Shaping Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 12, 2003

If we want to be worthwhile, trustworthy, respected people, we must be available for life-shaping. That means to downplay disappointment, pick perceptive people, consider consequences, and accept affirmation.

Worthwhile lives are made, not born. No one gets to get be great just by dumb luck or by the genes they inherited. Worthwhile people, trustworthy people, respected people are made. They are formed. They are shaped. Somebody has to take raw material and shape it into something useful. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

No Better Than We Are Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 13, 2003

It is a dangerous illusion to excuse our selves by claiming that we are no worse than anyone else. We find faults in people who look too perfect or who don’t give us what we want when we want it. But help comes from Jesus, who IS better than we are.

When you get caught in some sort of blunder, how do you get out of it? How do you take care of your guilt when you are weighed in the balances and found wanting? Let’s say, just for the sake of argument, that you’ve shaded the truth. I will not suggest that you have lied; you have shaded the ...read more

Scripture: Job 22:1

Denomination: Baptist

Yearning To Breathe Free

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 14, 2003

We yearn to be free. In Christ we can be transformed from a slave mentality, we can become agents of liberation, and we can come forth from self-imposed bondages. For Transfiguration Sunday and for Black History Month; uses poems (not replicated here)

The plan of God is that all should be free. All free. Free from the things that keep us from what God intends us to be. Free from oppression, free from hostility. Most of all, free from sin and death. That is the ultimate plan of God. We who have yearned to breathe free have not been ...read more

Scripture: John 11:38-44, Ecclesiastes 3:10

Denomination: Baptist

Slippery Rocks

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 15, 2003

Even the fundamentals of our faith -- the Bible, prayer, the church, spiritual experience -- can become slippery, unsure. The way to certainty is through obedience.

Although generally I stay away from stories that begin, “There were a Baptist minister, a Catholic priest, and a Jewish rabbi,” today I’ll make an exception. Sometimes you just have to be corny to get your point across. So, sure enough, there were a Baptist minister, a Catholic priest, and a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27

Denomination: Baptist

It's Not About Power Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 16, 2003

In the Kingdom of God, the rules about power are different. We value humility, spiritual security, and service. Sermon for Deacon Ordination and for Super Bowl Sunday!

May I take you on a small fantasy this morning? May I just tease your imagination a little? It is a 6:30 this evening. You are seated in Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The ritual coin tosses have been performed, the national anthem has been sung, and we are ready to start Super Bowl 32. Out ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Down The Jericho Road Again Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 17, 2003

Sermon for Martin Luther King Day: we must go "down the road" of compassion, understanding that human hurts are both physical and spiritual, that we must see hurting people as our neighbors, and that we must devote substantial resources to caring for them

There’s something we say every time we find ourselves repeating an unpleasant experience. Whenever you see yourself about to get into the same trouble you’ve already been in, you say, “I don’t want to go down that road again.” For example: Some fellow comes to your door and says, “We’ve been ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Denomination: Baptist

On Time At The Door

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 18, 2003

Funeral sermon for Frank W. Jackson, Sr., former church sexton (janitor) and van driver.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness. I Frank Jackson was the very soul of dependability. If he was to be at a certain place at a given time, he was there. He was on time at the door, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 84:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Nothing Is Impossible

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 18, 2003

Preached at a rescue mission. When we think that not even God can do what He has promised, He will silence us so that we can listen. When we experience God’s power, we will be empowered to give our testimony and to stand for what we know is right.

There are a whole lot of things which yesterday seemed impossible, but which today are not only not impossible, but also are everyday, ordinary. A hundred years ago, who would have thought it would be possible to send pictures through space? Who would have imagined that somebody standing in front ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-66

Denomination: Baptist

Available For Impossible Dreams Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 19, 2003

In observance of my 17th anniversary as pastor; to worship is to become available for God’s purposes, which mean being sent to unreceptive and impossible situations. Can we dream impossible dreams about our church’s building, properties, ministries with

If what you expect to receive and what someone wants to give you are not the same thing, you are doomed to disappointment. If you want a particular thing, but the person you are dealing with is determined that you shall have something else, it is going to be tough. The other day ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

God Pursues A Love Relationship Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 21, 2003

Part 2 of a series on Blackaby’s Experiencing God: when God pursues us, we can either keep on running, hoping that He cannot catch up, or we can hide, hoping He will not find us. We need to let His love catch us.

A few weeks ago I was driving down Fifth Street, on my way to a hospital visit. Just this side of the Soldiers’ home grounds, I became aware that some driver was right on my back bumper, weaving back and forth, his engine roaring, his horn blowing. Somebody was in a very big hurry. Well, as we ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 30:10-15, Jeremiah 30:31

Denomination: Baptist

God Speaks To Reveal Himself Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 21, 2003

Part 4 of a series on Blackaby’s Experiencing God: God speaks through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.

The children were gathered for Sunday School, and the teacher knew that she had a particularly hard lesson to teach that day. She was to teach about the Trinity. She was supposed to teach the children that God is one but in three persons, and how do you explain the concept of the Trinity to young ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 4:2-18

Denomination: Baptist

God's Invitation Leads To A Crisis Of Belief Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 21, 2003

Part 5 of a series on Blackaby’s Experiencing God: when God invites into some new truth, the first crisis will be one of personal belief; the second is one of tension between old patterns and new options; and the last comes in the temptation to fall back

There’s an old, old story about the time a crowd had gathered to watch a stunt man perform at Niagara Falls. It seems that the fellow had rigged up a wire from shore to shore, right across the falls, and was wowing the crowd by riding a bicycle along that wire. Back and forth he went, several ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:11-21

Denomination: Baptist