Sermons on Joseph The Dreamer:

How Much Does God Care About Us?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 9, 2009

The word "while" alerts us to the sources of our frustration: weakness, pride, and broken relationships. But God in the crucified Christ has an answer to each of these issues.

Why are so many people so unhappy? Why is it that there are so many people with so much ability and with so many resources, but they still feel profoundly unhappy and frustrated? A great many people do, you know. Some of them show it in the obvious ways; some of them are angry and even ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Ignorance Is Bliss -- Not!

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 14, 2009

First Baptist Church of Gaithersburg, MD: We avoid too much information because we know we will have to respond. Some escape into private piety; some escape from knowing themselves. But true bliss comes from knowing how to invest in Kingdom concerns.

You can buy it anywhere in Pennsylvania Dutch country – a banner, an apron, a towel, anything really – and it proclaims, in pidgin German, “Ve get too soon oldt und too late schmart”. Your preacher this morning is a walking example of that ancient truth. Too soon oldt und too late schmart. The ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 92:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

How Much Do We Care About God?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 15, 2009

We can measure our care for God by our willingness to equip ourselves for witness and to share the Gospel with our neighbors and to be missions supporters.

The plumber came this week. You remember, those of you who were here last Sunday, how I was waiting for the plumber to come and solve our drainage problems? The plumber did come this week. He did the job I wanted, and even did it better than I knew it could be done. Not only did he unstop the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:9-15

Denomination: Baptist

I've Fallen And I Can't Get Up

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 16, 2009

Sin at its worst is the inability to understand ourselves and to control ourselves, leading to separation from self, others, and God. The cross, the empty tomb, and Christ’s life rescue us.

Well, are you ready today for the fourth step, the step that’s all the way down at the floor level? Those who were not here last Sunday do not know what I’m talking about. Those who were here will need a little review. Let me explain. Last Sunday we walked the first mile on the Roman Road ... ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:15-25

Denomination: Baptist

Is It Worth It To Disciple Everybody?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 18, 2009

The death and resurrection of Christ give Him the authority to command us to disciple beyond superficiality, to reach even the marginal, and to have a global scope to our mission.

Somebody out there has a plan for your life. Somebody has a plan for the world you live in. Time and again I see evidence that there are those who believe that with enough planning, enough energy, and enough work, they will get you into their orbit. They have a plan for your life and for your ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Denomination: Baptist

It's All So Simple Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 19, 2009

To the issue of why bad things happen to good people, Eliphaz’s answer is spiritually lazy and assumes that we can earn God’s favor. Job’s response is to have faith in a God who will ultimately accept responsibility for sin.

You and I are about to enter the realm of mystery together. I know of nothing which challenges the mind and the imagination quite so much as the mystery of human suffering. Why men and women should have to suffer physically or emotionally – that has never been answered completely. In recent weeks ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Hiding Place With Noble Plans

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 20, 2009

We all need a place of quiet in which to hide and reflect; it will be the community of faith. Here we know one another as we really are, but love one another anyway. That is transformative.

Just a little less than a month ago, as many of you know, my wife’s father passed away very suddenly. Of course, we all hurried to get together, and then, as families do in times like that, we began to tell stories. We remembered how he used to say this or how he once did that. And one story we ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 32:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Paternal Pleas To Posterity

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 21, 2009

Calvary Baptist Church, Washington, DC: We will never achieve maturity until we come to terms with our paternity and accept our posterity. Understand that those who shaped us were also maturing; the transforming power of Christ will open wide our hearts.

All of us aspire to maturity. All of us hope to become mature and complete, grown up in every way, accomplished, respected, and honored. It’s a worthy goal. It’s a proper ambition. But we will never achieve maturity until we come to terms with both our paternity and our posterity. Our ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Guiltless Grief

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 22, 2009

We can deal with grief if we allow ourselves to recognize its complexity, if we accept the love of caring friends, and if we permit God to use the grief to change us.

They stood at the gravesite, looking at the flower-covered casket of their father. The committal service had been over for ten or fifteen minutes. Everyone else had gone back to the cars. But the two sisters stood there, lingering long, staring into space. Their faces were masks: no emotions, no ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:5-11

Denomination: Baptist

Handling God's Success When We Wanted It For Ourselves Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 29, 2009

Ministry looks impossible, and we want to run the other way. But when we do finally tackle it, and God redeems, then we want the credit. In His grace He assures us that we are not forgotten even though we are inappropriate.

All during this month we’ve worked together on the theme of compassion. Because we are a church which urgently needs to do ministry in this community; because we are a people with much to give and much to share, and with a place to share it, by the time this week is over we will have invested four ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Raising The Roof: Sickness Down, Dander Up

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 29, 2009

It will be necessary to do some unusual things that will raise the anger of some Christians and will not be understood in the larger community. But the bottom line is getting help to those who need it.

Several years ago, when housing prices began to shoot up into the stratosphere, we began to see something new in my neighborhood. We saw many of the houses being opened up from the top, and then construction of new second stories or new dormers or even decks and balconies, way up high. What was ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Pharisees: Stuck In Correctness Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 30, 2009

It is easier to be smug than satisfied, to be correct than compassionate, to be religious than real. What we need to do is to cry, "Lord forgive my sin."

The surest formula for unhappiness is have to be right, all of the time. If you are expected to be one hundred percent correct, never making a mistake, no blunders allowed, then you are asking for a serious heart attack, for high blood pressure, and for plain old unhappiness. It’s an awesome burden ...read more

Scripture: John 10:31-39

Denomination: Baptist

Rare Words Yield Worthless Children

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 1, 2009

Eli’s two sons were counted "worthless", and the fault can be traced to "the word of the Lord was rare in those days". Eli did not connect "church" and home for them. We must teach our children Biblical truth or face the consequences.

Nothing delights us any more than the birth of a new baby. Everybody gets sort of squishy and sentimental around a baby. And I suspect that it is not only because they are cute and cuddly and helpless and small, but also it is because they are full of promise. Babies are nothing more than a bundle ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Official Language: Spirit

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 2, 2009

The church’s communication medium is the Spirit, who understands us and allows us to understand one another.

Of all the achievements of human genius, nothing is more wonderful than language. And yet, it is also true that nothing is more destructive than language. For language unites us and yet, language also separates us. Of all the gifts we have been given, nothing is more useful than language. With ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

I Refuse To Grow Up

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 4, 2009

Jesus’ admonition to become like a child blends with Proverbs solemn command to get wisdom. Refuse to become bland and careful; to be closed to new truth; to be cynical.

Without question the clowns were the hits of our Vacation Bible School a month or so ago. Fonzie the clown got things off to a rollicking start on Monday night, and the kids cackled at his fright wig and squealed with astonishment at all the wonders of his brown paper bag. Every joke was hilarious, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-4

Denomination: Baptist