Sermons on Joseph Smith: showing 856-870 of 26,428

Pontius Pilate: Stuck In People-Pleasing Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 21, 2009

Pilate was a classic people-pleaser, who found that his behavior produced popularity that masked contempt, pessimism, and powerlessness.

The story has it that during creation, as God was sitting up in heaven turning out all these creatures, some of the angels asked if they could help. It looked like fun, making plants and animals, birds and beasts. And so God, who had just finished fashioning something, said, "All right. Come ahead. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Praise Is Comely

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 21, 2009

The King James Version word "comely" helps us see that praise and worship fit the reality of today’s world, but are attractive to those who need perspective by which to live.

Our members will know that I seldom use the King James Version of the Scriptures, except on certain occasions when the majesty and beauty of its language are desirable. We are a church which is generally committed to contemporary readings of the Bible because they are more accurate and are easier ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 147:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Moles Or Souls? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 21, 2009

Some of us choose darkness, like moles burrowing into the ground. Our behavior becomes obsessively demonic, for which there are consequences. The Gospel calls us to be what God has made us to be, creatures living in the light, with passion.

Well, now, are you a mole or a soul? I want you to identify yourself, clearly and unequivocally, are you a mole or a soul? I suppose that does require a bit of explanation. A mole is a little creature that lives out its life underground, in the darkness, endlessly burrowing to and fro and making ...read more

Scripture: John 3:11-21

Denomination: Baptist

Were You There? No, But We Are Here

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 21, 2009

To know real and lasting power means admitting that we fail at what we do (repentance), giving over the control of our lives to Christ (faith), and obedience.

The speech choir has asked us a pointed question, "Were you there?" "Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?" They went on, "Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?" And finally, "Were you here when He rose up from the grave?" Were you ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:4-11

Denomination: Baptist

Seeing Through The Darkness Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 22, 2009

This is a time of profound darkness, when many things we have depended on fail. We may be among the curious crowd or the concerned companions, but we will eventually see. Who will be the next converted centurion?

When you are suddenly plunged into darkness, that darkness is profound, and you cannot see anything. But wait a while, let your eyes adjust, and if there is a glimmer of light anywhere, you will begin to see and you will make your way through. The darkness will not be quite as dismal as you first ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:44-49

Denomination: Baptist

Wacky Wall Walkers

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 23, 2009

We Christians will be seen as wacky, using our own value system; we are wall-builders, giving the world something it really needs; and we are walkers, plodders, keeping at the task faithfully.

Anybody who is reading today’s newspapers can understand at least a part of Nehemiah’s frustration. The newscaster reported from Saudi Arabia this week that when fall comes in a few more weeks the midday temperature will drop all the way down to 110°! Tough times in the Middle East! But I’m sure ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 6:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Struggling To Work For Peace Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 19, 2009

August 1989, Day of Prayer for World Peace: Making peace in the world begins with making peace with God. It does not mean making peace WITH the world.

Just a few weeks ago they re-enacted, not very far from here, a small but crucial Civil War battle. The Battle of Fort Stevens did not get into a lot of the history books, but it was important in that it turned back the Confederate armies on the very edge of the capital city. Had the South taken ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 10:12-15

Denomination: Baptist

Struggling With The Pain Of Faithlessness Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 20, 2009

July 1989. Our sexual behavior matters to God, and He has expressed His will. When we go our own ways, it hurts Him as well as others and ourselves. He can and will redeem even from this most painful sin.

A number of years ago a friend of mine was teaching a group of children the Ten Commandments in Vacation Bible School. In order to teach the Ten Commandments, she says, she was given a set of pictures. Each of the pictures illustrated the bad behavior forbidden by the Commandment; each picture ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Struggling Even When The Good Times Roll Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 21, 2009

July 1989: When we are prospering, we are tempted into the idolatry of me-ism and self-congratulation. This is an opportunity to do more for others and for the Kingdom, for God is the source of our bounty.

About a year ago, toward the end of July, I placed one of these up here on the pulpit as the visible sermon for the day. Remember? Do you recall what we called that Sunday? Right: we called it "catch-up Sunday" …catch-up Sunday … and the idea was that if we were behind in our giving, if we as a ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 14:4-8

Denomination: Baptist

The Strength Of The Triangle

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 22, 2009

We like to think we can support our lives on love alone; but we first need hope, a healthy self-love; and fundamentally need faith, trusting in God’s empowering us.

With the summer coming on, we began to think about getting our deck ready for some serious use. It was built several years ago and needed a little repair work. Now I had been reading about some problems with deck construction. I had read of decks that had collapsed, and how the building ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Clean All Over Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 23, 2009

We are no good to anyone else unless first we have experienced cleansing. That rules out maternalistic protection or paternalistic inhibition. When we know we are cleansed, then we are useful to others.

I am beginning today a series of messages on the theme, "How He Helped Humanity." "How He Helped Humanity." The idea behind this is very simple, but it branches out in many different ways. The basic idea is that we are working toward becoming a helping church, a servant people. But we need ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Earth Yielding Increase

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 24, 2009

For Worldwide Communion Sunday: How can we, like the Psalmist, be optimistic in the face of international conflict, national dispute, racism, church tension, our personal conflicts? The Cross is God’s reaching out to heal.

It was an awesome ruin. A hulk of stone, a pile of rubble. Smoke stains clearly visible. Jagged edges its roofline. What once had been a magnificent building lay now exposed to the open air, useless, a scar on the horizon. What terrible thing had happened here to create this ugly defacing of the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 67:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Come: To A Harvested Self

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 5, 2009

Evil and good live side by side, so we need to accept our sinfulness in order to receive our salvation. God in Christ takes on Himself the penalty we should receive.

It would seem that the negative things in life grow of their own accord, but that the good things, positive things, take a lot of work. If you are at all a pessimist, you will agree that bad things, destructive things, just happen. Nobody has to make them happen. They happen on their own. But good ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30

Denomination: Baptist

Come: To A Choking World

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 6, 2009

What chokes the joy out of life? Too many cares that major on minors, and the relentless pursuit of material success. Jesus came to be authentically human among us.

Nearly every time I take an airplane trip, I get a happy surprise. When we take off and rise through the congestion of earth and the grim gray clouds of our immediate atmosphere, there comes that astonishing moment when the plane bursts through the cloud cover into bright sunlight. I am always ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:3-22

Denomination: Baptist

Can I Get A Lift?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 6, 2009

August 1989: If we want to be lifted up out of our unhappiness through worship, we must bring our whole selves to the worship experience and must pray passionately even our negative wishes.

I recently became aware that some folks shop for a church much as you would shop for a car or a home appliance. In talking with some people about joining our church, they said that they were shopping – that’s their word, not mine -- that they were shopping for a church by systematically attending ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 28:1-9

Denomination: Baptist