Sermons on Joseph Smith:

The Wounded Healer

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 24, 2011

Jesus, going to the Cross, understands our aloneness and isolation, and heals it by identifying with it.

Calverton Baptist Church, April 4, 1982; Howard University Chapel, April 9, 1982; Takoma Park Baptist Church, March 31, 1985 Recently a Methodist pastor in South Carolina created something of a stir in his church, and all of it quite innocently. He asked a member of the congregation who was known ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Mourning The End Of Summer

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 26, 2011

We find that we have dallied or been irresponsible, and the things we said we want to accomplish are impossible at this late date. But God is capable of redeeming even that element of irresponsibility if we renew our commitment to Him.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, August 28, 1988 Here we are at the end of summer, or nearly so. It's the end of August, which is at least psychologically the end of summer. It's the end of the summer feeling, for now it's back to reality, now it’s back to business and a ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 8:18-22

Denomination: Baptist

The Word Made Flesh: A New Beginning

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 28, 2011

We cannot repair our mistakes alone, because we keep on starting at old premises. What we need, and receive in the Incarnation, is a new beginning, modeled and taught.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC, Nov. 30, 1986, Advent I One comic strip character aspires to be a writer. His crowning ambition is to write the definitive novel, the bestseller to end all best sellers. And so time and again he sits down at his typewriter, poises his paws (must be ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Joy On The Line Of Scrimmage

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 11, 2009

Even though we seem to be too few and too ill-prepared, if we engage this community for Christ there will be some victories and therefore joy.

This afternoon, when the saints come marching in, there will be several grades and degrees of happiness. Those ladies who remain football widows, who have not yet learned that if you can’t beat ’em, you have to join ’em – those who are football widows may be unhappy about the temporary loss of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Up And Down And In And Out

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 12, 2009

Calverton Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD: Worship involves four dimensions: UP toward God, our help; DOWN from our pride; IN toward a caring unity; and OUT toward a world in need.

When I was in college, I had a math professor who would write a problem on the board, and then with a few deft strokes of his chalk, write the answer: X equals 12. Somehow, no matter what the problem, it seemed as though X always equaled twelve. But how did he get that? From long and complex ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Peter And Cornelius: From Pronouncements To People

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 14, 2009

Prejudice deals only with groups, not with persons. Peter had to get beyond outworn principles, and both he and Cornelius had to learn to give and receive what was needed. All need Christ.

If you have to choose between principles and people, choose people! Do you agree? If it comes down to deciding whether to adhere to certain principles and thereby injure people; if it comes down to violating your beliefs or violating another person, what will you choose? The principle or the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:1-43

Denomination: Baptist

Snapshots In An Autumn Album

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 15, 2009

Contrasting Koheleth and Paul in the later season of their lives: one blames the young, the other gathers them; one mourns broken things, the other invests in ideas; one is anxious, the other trusts God for every need.

This past weekend, as a part of our brief getaway, my wife and I spent two nights in an old farmhouse. The farmhouse dated from 1704 and was partly furnished with antiques. Now my wife loves antiques; I guess that’s why she puts up with me. So we took the tour of the house, especially the parlor ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

The Ultimate Thanksgiving

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 17, 2009

November 1989: We are at bottom grateful for spiritual values rather than material ones. Ultimate thanksgiving will be to sing praises in a global community and in recognition of our deliverance.

On the surface, Thanksgiving seems like a holiday designed to celebrate the American experience of material fulfillment. On the surface, at least, it would appear that what we do at Thanksgiving is to celebrate our wealth, our material prosperity, and our achievements. We indulge in an orgy of ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 7:9-17

Denomination: Baptist

Touched: Joy Complete

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 18, 2009

Story sermon for Christmas Eve Communion: God has given us what we have always wanted, but it must be shared.

John had first learned about Nintendo games at the home of his friend David. David was the kid who always had everything first. All the other kids liked to go over there and mess with David’s stuff, so they could go home and whine until they got it too. John thought Nintendo games were the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

Tripping Over The Big Obstacle

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 21, 2009

We struggle against sins (actions), sin (attitude), and evil (forces greater than ourselves). We must have Christ’s help to keep from falling. (Delivered by gradually stretching down the chancel steps).

Walking looks like the simplest thing in the world, unless and until. Walking is something we do without even thinking about it, unless and until. Unless you are a toddler, just learning to use your legs; then walking becomes a matter of holding on to the coffee table for dear life, taking two ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:9-28

Denomination: Baptist

Troubler Of Israel

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 22, 2009

First-person monologue, as Elijah: the voice of God is not in the winds of popularity, nor the earthquake of instability, nor the fires of self-destruction. It is in the One in whom God has spoken and who will never leave us.

I’m so lonely. So desperately lonely. It’s been so long since l’ve seen a friendly face. So lonely. So completely alone. I feel … deserted. No one even cares whether I am alive or dead. After all I’ve done for them, would you not think that somewhere in Israel there would be a good word for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 18:17-18

Denomination: Baptist

Two Full Plates Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 23, 2009

We are given the plate of growth gifts: space, quiet, renewal, guidance; and the plate of opportunities: to be present at ultimate times, to enter dangerous places, to receive responsibility.

If you approach someone and ask him to take on a responsibility, but his answer is, "I have a very full plate," what does he mean? Does he mean, "I can’t do it right now because I just sat down to dinner. Let me finish eating and I’ll do it"? No, if you ask someone to do something and he replies ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Two Peoples, One Nation

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 25, 2009

Blacks and whites must develop together and learn from one another; we will also be judged together. Together we must work on issues of justice and righteousness.

The world is full of divisions. Every sort of difference and distinction you can imagine has been magnified. Who of us knew anything a few years ago about six or more different ethnic groups in Yugoslavia!? About all I knew about Yugoslavia was that they made a little car called a Yugo, which ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

To The Out Of Control: Son Of God Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 26, 2009

Christmas Eve 1989: The strong Son of God is what we need when we are out of control in terms of life direction, life circumstances, or sin.

May God help you if you are going shopping this afternoon! And may God forgive you if you woke up this morning and said, "I guess it’s about time I thought of something for her. “ The trouble is, most of us mere males are reduced to jelly by the trauma of shopping. In the first place, we don’t ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

For Such A Time As This

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 27, 2009

Compassion must be owned personally, and we must know that we do have the resources to meet needs. However, it will be costly to do so.

If we suppose that the essence of being compassionate is simply to have mushy feelings about somebody, we are dead wrong. If for us the word "compassion" suggests nothing more than feelings of sympathy and maybe the willingness to dole out a few dollars of welfare, then we’ve missed it. We’ve not ...read more

Scripture: Esther 4:11-16

Denomination: Baptist