Sermons on Joseph Smith:

School Supplies

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 17, 2003

Drama dialogue, written as if a conversation between Paul, a tribune, and a narrator, with "chorus" lines for the children of the congregation. Supplies we need for learning are a listening mind, a loving heart, and a desire to grow.

Narrator: I knew very little about the people of the Way, but I did know that everyone in Jerusalem was talking about one of their leaders. We were all most upset about Paul. You see, Paul – actually we knew his name as Saul – Paul had been such a mighty force in our community only a few short ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Playing Follow The Leader Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 18, 2003

Leaders must lead with truth instead of deception, with grace instead of power, and with unswerving commitment to the the least and the lost.

Several things prompt this message. First and foremost, I bring this message because I know that it is crucial to teach and re-teach our church’s vision. Everyone needs to understand what we are trying to do as a church. Just saying it once or twice does not get the story told. I want to ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:7-19

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

Receiving Constructive Criticism Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 20, 2003

The way in which we hear others’ criticism is a measure of our own spiritual maturity. Some criticism is intended only to hurt, and reveals the critics’ issues. But we need to hear the truth, and if we see the suffering of Christ, that puts into perspec

How would you feel about taking a psychological test today? Sort of a verbal Rorschach. Let me paint a word picture for you, and then we’ll see what comes to your mind. You are running a marathon race. You have practiced hard, and have now entered a 10K race. You have been told that it is ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Mixed Signals: Awesome And Owesome

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 21, 2003

A banner was posted with a misprint: owesome instead of awesome. But it is nonetheless true: we owe some love to one another, we owe some urgency to ourselves, and we owe some loyalty to Christ.

As some of our youth discovered last week, it is not as easy as it looks to preside over a worship service. It is not as easy as it looks, because you have to read signals. You start to do something, and someone in the back waves at you. Meanwhile, someone else on the front pew is ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:8-14

Denomination: Baptist

The Whole Secret Of Strength

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 21, 2003

Ordination sermon, involving a play on the names of Samson in the Bible and Sampson, the ordinand, an entertainer, puppeteer, and beauty pageant winner. The whole secret of strength is in using the gifts God has given for ministry and not for one’s self.

The world didn’t give it, and the world can’t take it away. Isn’t that what we sing. I’m not so sure. What do you think? The world didn’t give it? I agree. That’s true. But the world can’t take it away? I am not at all sure. We are here today because Yolanda Sampson has heard the ...read more

Scripture: Judges 16:4-30, Hebrews 12:12

Denomination: Baptist

Of Florida Swamps And Brooklyn Bridges

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 23, 2003

As Jeremiah risked everything to buy some apparently worthless real estate in order to give a sign that the Lord would triumph, so I also asked our church to adopt a new but venturesome vision for its life.

Could I offer you a real estate deal this morning? Oh, it will be the deal of a lifetime! You can’t pass this up! Can I get you to buy a piece of land, sight unseen, in a sort-of shaky area? True, it might be taken over by the military, but, hey, who’s worried about that? Come on and buy! ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 32:1-41

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

Lord Of The Dance

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 25, 2003

There is joy in losing things because ultimately you find them! We, like the elder brother, do not even know what we are missing by not experiencing conversionsn, nor are we in touch with everyday grace. Celebrate! (Congregation invited to sing, severa

The older I get, the more I lose things. I leave a file on that ridiculous garbage heap I call my desk, and two minutes later it has buried itself three layers down. I set my keys on the table to free my hands for something else, and when I turn my back, those keys take flight. It’s amazing. I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:25-32

Denomination: Baptist

Has My Life Been A Failure? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 26, 2003

Joshua’s life reveals that success in old age is measured by faith and not sight, by what we have left for the next generation to complete, and by passing on a warning about the lessons he had learned.

And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one thing has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you; all have come to pass for you, not one of them has failed. Not one thing has failed. It would ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 23:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Without A Trace

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 18, 2004

Funeral sermon for Paul Quick, member of the cleaning crew. A gentle spirit without a trace of negatives help others, labors in the house of God, and has received gentle treatment from a Christ who understands our weaknesses.

Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom ... the wisdom from above is ... gentle ... without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. He is able to deal gently with the ... wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness. In this noisy world, it is easy to miss ...read more

Scripture: James 3:13-18, Hebrews 5:2

Denomination: Baptist

God's Bookkeeping Method Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 6, 2004

Unlike the world, which assumes that we must make a profit and we get what we pay for, God’s bookkeeping says that giving is receiving, and you get more than you pay for. You get grace paid for by the blood of Jesus.

In the last several months I have learned more about bookkeeping than I ever wanted to know. Because the church is converting from bookkeeping by hand to an accounting software, and because our financial leadership does not yet have access to all of that, I began to record transactions on the ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:13-18

Denomination: Baptist

Blending Into The Woodwork Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 13, 2004

A quiet, introverted people can still bear witness if they will first determine to be obedient, and then will affirm who they are, where they are, as an opportunity for witness.

One of the defining moments of my life the day I was the first to arrive for class. I sat for a couple of moments alone in a corner of the classroom, waiting for others to show up. A young woman came in the door, looked around, and then said to someone behind her in the hall, “There’s nobody ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 2:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Especially Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 21, 2004

Three times the word "especially" appears in the New Testament, prompting us to be intentional in fellowship, to emphasize family life, and never to forget the centrality of the message of the Cross.

Dealing with people is always messy. There is no way you can work with human beings and have everything neat and clean. When you deal with people, you get a mess. They misunderstand, they misinterpret, they make mistakes, they get it wrong. And that’s just on Sundays! The rest of the week is ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:10

Denomination: Baptist