Sermons on Joseph Remembered:

Sending Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 11, 2003

For Reformation Sunday: Luther’s reform taught us that the church has an apostolic gift, whereby each of us -- the priesthood of all believers -- can break new ground for the Kingdom. Sometimes, however, we send back the gift!

Have you ever had the experience of sending a gift, only to have it returned? What does it feel like? Somebody’s birthday is coming up – and you’ve found just the perfect gift. You wrap it up, you package it securely, and you trot off to the post office. She’s going to love this! Three days ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-12

Denomination: Baptist

Peace Pottage Hot Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 19, 2003

What is peace, how do we get it, and what are the consequences if we do not obtain authentic peace?

Peace. All I want is an hour of peace! If I could just shut out the noise, pull the plug on the telephone, and send everybody packing for a couple of days, I’d be all right. Have you ever said that? Have you ever felt as though you were on the very edge of falling into an abyss? You were in ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:14-29

Denomination: Baptist

You Missed The Point

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 23, 2003

Why do we scold fathers on Father’s Day, when it is often that their children simply miss hearing their counsel. The sons of Josiah ignored their grounding in God’s word and the support of the Temple and misunderstood the value of hard work.

The difference between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day is that we honor our mothers but we scold our fathers. We talk of saintly moms, who wore their fingers to the bone to cook and clean and sow for us. We honor them for their industry, their mother wit, and their prayer life. And that is as it ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 22:11-23

Denomination: Baptist

Finally Ready: Or Are You?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 24, 2003

For Ascension and for Graduate Recognition: when we think we are ready for life, we may be the least ready! Trusting the Lord, however, will provide a challenging life plan. The church can and will support young adults who dream great dreams for the Lor

Every year about this time we engage in a little ritual. In May or June, proud families drive off to some distant university, there to celebrate with a young adult who has finally slugged through four or more years of classes, writing papers, taking exams, and surviving all-nighters, and who is ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Time For New Clothes Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 27, 2003

Midlife feels like a time for new clothes .. signs of mortality are showing up. We need new "shoes" to climb out of self-centeredness, and a new "coat" to enable us to travel out of our comfort zone.

I’ve always been glad that in this church we wear pulpit robes. I’m glad of that because pulpit robes keep you from noticing what the preacher is wearing. I don’t want you to think about what I am wearing. I don’t want you to think about my clothes because you are likely to discover that my ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 102:18-28

Denomination: Baptist

Snakes, Scorpions, And The Spirit Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 26, 2003

Jesus’ parable helps parents distinguish between the needs and the wants of their children, and teaches us how to invest attention in them.

Several years ago a mother wrote to “Dear Abby”: “Dear Abby, My son is in jail for running his mouth at a cop. They’ve given him one phone call a day, and he’s calling home to ask us to bring him things. His dad has gone over there with whatever he has wanted: two Big Macs on Monday, a pizza on ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:9-13

Denomination: Baptist

Time To Go To Egypt

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 17, 2001

Fathers today, like Jacob, have been irresponsible; but, like him also, we can see that God is giving us another chance to redeem our relationships with our children, to allow Him to keep His promises, and to use major resources for Kingdom business.

This past Monday was our son-in-law’s birthday. We’ve cared about this young man for a long time, but now he’s even more special. He is our granddaughter Olivia’s father. And that makes him extra special. So we sent Don a birthday card and a little gift, and got an email response. In part, it ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Pain Ignores The Appointment Book Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 20, 2001

Many of us dislike dealing with unplanned events, but those who need us need us now. So either we paralyze or we panic, unless we learn to work together inside God’s grace and unless we discern that He is giving us time in which to grow our faith.

I have the utmost admiration for anybody who can live amid constant crises. I cannot do that very well. If you are the kind of person who can keep your sanity when there are ten unplanned things happening around you, I salute you. How do you do it? That’s not me. That’s not my skill. I like ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:30-56

Denomination: Baptist

Diagnosing Illness Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 11, 2001

Jesus diagnoses our illnesses as primarily spiritual and/or connective; the fatal illness He diagnoses is the one which cannot see God at work.

We all know people for whom illness is a way of life. It is not just incidental, it is every day. Every day is spent dealing with sickness or pain. Every day is invested in physicians, treatments, medications, therapies. People who struggle just to stay alive, or to manage pain. Their lives ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:1-17

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

Insults Or Joy? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 11, 2008

Annas and Caiphas exhibit the truth that if we do not know God, we do not know ourselves. That produces insecurity, which, in turn, yields destructive defensiveness.

A riddle to begin with today. Can you answer this question? How do two porcupines hug one another? Very carefully! It’s one of those encounters in which, no matter how you approach it, somebody is likely to get hurt. And we all know some porcupines. Any one of us can be a porcupine on any ...read more

Scripture: John 18:12-24

Denomination: Baptist

Legions Lost, Language Loosed Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 9, 2008

If we are captured by a demonic past, then we will try to break our chains and will seem to succeed. But the old demons come back to haunt us, for we have not yet turned to the One who gives permission to send them away.

She drifted into my office on a stormy afternoon, much like those we’ve just gone through. She had no appointment, nor did she even ask if I had time to talk. She just drifted in and hovered over my desk, tears in her eyes, lip quivering. I invited her to sit down and tell me what was wrong. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

A Rebuke Turned Back Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 22, 2009

Jesus turns from silence about His achievements to open speaking about His death. He will not follow the ambition path, the pleasure path, or the easy spirituality path.

You can admire Jesus, you can think well of Jesus, you can even love Jesus. But you cannot domesticate Him, you cannot tame Him, you cannot make Him sweet and nice and pretty. He is who He is and He says what He says, and sometimes it’s hard to take. In my experience, just about everybody out ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:31-38

Denomination: Baptist

Moving Out In Endurance Series

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Mar 25, 2009

The 4th part of a 5 part series on giving God room to work in our lives

When We Move Out, God Moves In Part 4 “Moving Out In Endurance” (All my sermons use illustrations from sermoncentral.com and the Scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted.) As Easter approaches we are wrapping up this series of sermons about giving God room to work in our lives. John the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Within, Without Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 11, 2008

Paul and John Mark, a study in maturing relationships. John Mark starts out young and conflicted; he is insecure around the powerful Paul; but Paul grows to accept him and think of him as useful.

The Scripture texts I will be using today are scattered through several chapters in the Book of Acts, plus other locations in the New Testament. And so instead of simply reading passage after passage, let me put together a vignette, a character sketch, in order to make the life of John Mark ...read more

Denomination: Baptist