Sermons on Joseph Smith:

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

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

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

Presenting Arms: Embrace For Life Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 1, 2001

Incredible numbers of people are falling, and we have contributed by pushing them to the edge and failing to listen. But at the Lord’s Table we see the embracing arms of Christ and are empowered to lift the fallen and give them life.

Those of you who were in my Vacation Bible School class know what happened – the class was supposed to run from 7:15 until 9:00 each night. At 8:57, what did I say? Something like: I know you have to go, but there are just a couple more points I want to make. And so, at a few minutes after 9, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:7-12

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer, Power, Politics, And Plagues

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 1, 2001

Election eve sermon -- there are plagues in the body politic, created by inauthentic leadership; the best gift we can give to our national leadership is prayer, though we will likely see the haughtiness of politicians and smell the stench of plagues again.

He sat on his elegant furniture, in his fabulous house, surrounded by the glories of a wealthy nation, attended by efficient servants, powerful enough to command just about anything. But today he was miserable, miserable beyond words, because everywhere he looked they were there. In his way, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 8:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

A House Is Not A Home

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 3, 2001

Christ comes to dwell in our messy, imperfect homes, just as they are, to build love, not a museum-like perfection.

A house is not a home. A house is not a home. A house is a house, and it may be lovely to look at and fine to visit, but a house, by itself, is not a home. What is the difference? Let me tell you a tale of two houses. These are the best of houses, these are the worst of houses. See if you ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:1-17, John 1:1-14

Denomination: Baptist