Sermons on Joseph Stowell:

Who Is My Next-Of-Kin?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 26, 2008

The world needs Boazes, who will see others as ntext-of-kin who create opportunities for ministry, not merely depersonalizing obligations.

It’s summertime, and various ones have been telling me about their vacations and their trips. One thing I keep hearing over and over again is the phrase, "family reunion". Lots and lots of you have attended family reunions. Now there are family reunions and there are family reunions. For Margaret ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 3:10-13

Denomination: Baptist

You Can Just Fill In The Blanks

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 27, 2008

The work of Christ is not complete until we fill in the blanks of justice not yet done, kindness not yet given, and witness not yet shared. He wants our very cores.

To do anything these day, you have to fill out a form. Have you noticed? To get anywhere with anything you want to do, you have to fill out an application. Some of you have been job-hunting. So what happens? You go to the personnel office, you pull out your beautifully polished resume, the one ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:15-29

Denomination: Baptist

All Things New: Even Me

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 28, 2008

Interactive sermon, asking the people to identify what old things God is taking away, what new things He is leading us toward, what evidence there is of His work in the world and the church, and to what we will commit in prayer for 2009.

You would have to be obtuse indeed not to notice that the Bible is all about making old things new. The early pages of Genesis tell the story of our expulsion from the garden of delights because of our disobedience, and we discover how it so pained the heart of God for us to ignore Him that He ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Denomination: Baptist

You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 30, 2008

For Graduate Recognition Sunday, June 1989. Christ promises that if we ask, we will do greater things than He. Trusting Him means that in this room there are those who can heal, can bring life, can teach, can exceed all expectations.

The most memorable line spoken by singer Al Jolson in the 1927 movie classic The Jazz Singer was the ungrammatical but prophetic word, "You ain’t seen nothin’ yet". I don’t remember what that line contributed to the story, but it was really there as a kind of canment about this wonderful new ...read more

Scripture: John 14:8-15

Denomination: Baptist

You're Fired

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 30, 2008

Pentecost: When the Holy Spirit comes, He fires us from past traditions, old exclusivism, and tepid temperatures,and gives us passion for the future.

If you have ever suddenly and unwillingly joined the ranks of the unemployed, how did that feel? When you got that pink slip, what was that like? Oh, you jumped up and down and shouted, "Oh, goody, I don’t have to get up early tomorrow morning! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord, I’ve always ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

Your Life Is Hidden

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 31, 2008

For Remembrance Sunday, commemorating members who have died the previous year. All want significance; some try to be remembered with material things, some with reputation. But the only lasting memory is to be hidden in Christ.

My father-in-law had an irritating habit of trying to identify and pigeonhole people. If you mentioned to him the name of someone he didn’t know, he would invariably ask, "Who is he?" "Who is he?" The question, "Who is he?", I soon learned, really meant, "Where did he come from, who are his ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

When Jesus Went To College

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 2, 2009

Student Day at Christmas message. Jesus demonstrated curiosity, He shared what He knew, but above all He understood that relationships are paramount.

Aren’t babies wonderful? Babies are so sweet and so soft and cuddly. Everybody loves babies. Never mind, as some wit has put it, that a baby is nothing but a digestive system with a loud voice at one end and total irresponsibility at the other! Despite all that, everyone loves babies. That, of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:41-52

Denomination: Baptist

Making Sense Of Life And Death

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 3, 2009

Life has to be more than what many in our time think it is. It does have meaning, as does death, if we live out of our sense of the purposes of God and if we have Christ as our constant companion.

He was all of thirteen years old, just beginning to emerge from boyhood and to fill out a little. He seemed, to look at him, alert, intelligent, full of the mischief you would expect from somebody entering the awkward years. His voice wavered between high-pitched laughter and the creaking croaking ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Of Superstars And Starlight Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 4, 2009

We have not yet learned the difference between superficial superstars and the starlight wisdom of Jesus. He transforms gold into Kingdom power, frankincense into respect, and myrrh into the preface for resurrection.

In 1970 Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber brought out a rock opera with the provocative title, Jesus Christ Superstar. Predictably, not everyone was amused. Some condemned it as sacrilegious. But if you listened carefully and let your defenses down a notch or two, their work communicated the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Making Peace When There Is No Peace

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 7, 2009

We would like to contribute to world peace, but how? Confront others with their wrongness; but before that, understand your own heart; and before that, be reconciled to God.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." Well, who wouldn’t like to be that?! Who wouldn’t want to be a peacemaker and be rewarded by God and by a grateful world? "Blessed are the peacemakers." The trouble is, it’s not that easy. You and I may fantasize ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:9

Denomination: Baptist

What To Do About A Broken-Down Church

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 7, 2009

God is not committed to maintaining a church just because it is there. His commitment is to maintain us if we show compassion, particularly on the young. Restoration of our church life in challenging times begins with repentance, self-examination.

Two or three weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, I noticed several of you staring straight up here, right into the notch of this arch. I too looked up there, and what we all saw was a sizable piece of paint and plaster hanging there by a mere thread. It looked as though it was poised and ready just in ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

What To Pack In Your Travel Bag

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 7, 2009

Service recognizing students as they leave for school: Pack in your travel bags warmth for others, but no destructive attitudes; and pack gifts to share but no self-destructive feelings.

Everyone say with me the key verse, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Getting ready is the biggest part of taking a trip. It takes almost as long to get ready to leave home as it does to take the trip itself. Around our house, when we’re getting ready to go away, we have ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:9-21

Denomination: Baptist

What's Done Is Done

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 9, 2009

For Christmas Eve Communion: what God has done in Christ means that peace has been accomplished, and this world’s contradictions have been resolved. The Father’s love has embraced us.

“What’s done is done." We say it when we want to pronounce the final words, when we want to speak the ultimate truth. "What’s done is done", as if so obvious a truth really needed stating. "What’s done is done.” It becomes a way of insisting that there is no more to be said, no more to do, no ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2-7

Denomination: Baptist

When All Else Fails, Read The Instructions

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 9, 2009

The Bible gives us understanding of human life and relationships, it equips us for effectiveness, and it is the standard by which a church becomes great.

Why do we prefer to stumble along and do a job halfway, when, with just a little effort, we could do it well? Why is it that we will take a stab at something we don’t know how to do, .we will fool with it, we will mess with it, but, if it takes some study to learn to do it right, we’re not ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

Denomination: Baptist

When All Is Said And Done, It Isn't

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 10, 2009

We come to a point when we feel depressed and think our lives have no meaning. Then God blesses us with physical, spiritual, and emotional sustenance, and sends us out to bless someone specific.

"What are you doing here?" What a question! Has anyone ever asked you that? "What are you doing here?" You were some place where nobody expected to see you, but you turned up, and that was the reaction. I have heard it in the grocery store. I cannot go to this Safeway up here without running into ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-18

Denomination: Baptist