Sermons on Mufti Ebrahim Smith:

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

Storms & Questions Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jul 6, 2009

That day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let’s cross to the other side." So they left the crowd and took him along in the boat just as he was. Other boats were with him. A violent windstorm came up, and the waves began breaking into the boat, so

I’m conscious this morning that we’ve had another baptism, which is wonderful, but I do get the feeling sometimes that when parents bring a child to baptism they are sort of quietly hoping that the experience might have a soothing effect on the child. After all, isn’t that part of what good ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Downward Mobility Of Jesus Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jul 6, 2009

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Although He was rich, for your sakes he became poor, so that you, through his poverty, might become rich. “

I thought it was about time I began a sermon with a joke, and today’s passage did make me think of that story about the world’s leaders at prayer, asking God when their countries would repay their national debts. As the story goes, President Obama prays to God, asking when the US economy will ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Is It The Thought That Counts?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 6, 2009

Jesus’ parable of the dishonest but shrewd steward shows us that what people want is something real, not just nice thoughts; and that the use of God’s money is our finest responsibility.

My brother-in-law has a unique ability, a very special talent. He has the ability to go into a men’s clothing store, size up all the merchandise available, and cane out with the very worst, the most atrocious looking stuff that money can buy. What is worse, he does that when he is shopping for me. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Joy Plus Poverty Equals Wealth

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 7, 2009

World Hunger Sunday, 1989: We will find joy in giving if we make our giving a priority, if it is done proportionately and sacrificially, and if we see it as a privilege.

The notion is going around in some circles that poor people are happy people. Have you heard that? It’s a kind of romantic idea, that poor people are happy people, that when you have nothing you at least have each other, you at least depend on God … you know all the usual things that are said. I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Judas Iscariot: Stuck In Frustration Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 8, 2009

Frustration means that we forget about others in our need to do what we want, and it means we are tempted to abandon God’s way. The model is Jesus, whose obedience gave Him the ultimate accomplishment.

God must have a sense of humor, don’t you think? God must do some things just because they are fun to do! Several years ago, I thought I saw God’s funny bone at work overtime. Margaret and J were members of Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church in Silver Spring, and I was serving as the chairman ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Twittering Ourselves To Death Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 8, 2009

Put on the new self by getting your mind right with God.

An article appearing in the August 11, 2007 edition of World Magazine entitled, “Sex and the evangelical teen” suggests evangelical teenagers on the whole may be more sexually immoral than non-Christians. “Christian parents and churches need to face up to a problem long hidden in the dark: ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-24

Denomination: Baptist

Return The Favor Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 8, 2009

If you’ve received the grace of God return the favor to everyone else.

Let’s begin this morning with a little check of your vocabulary. Can someone give me a defining of the word nag? If someone accuses you of nagging them, what are they trying to tell you? Nagging is when you tell someone something that they already know. And you tell them over … and over … and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32

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

Coup De Moi Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jul 13, 2009

If you want to know if you’ve truly been born again answer the question: "Who is your spiritual daddy?"

I guess it’s a sign of the times in which we live, but a couple of years ago I saw a billboard on I-85 in Charlotte that said, “Who’s the daddy?” There was a picture of a baby and an ad for a genetic testing lab beneath the picture. It’s sad that young folks are so promiscuous they have to have a ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Mary's Instructions Series

Contributed by Jerry Smith on Jul 13, 2009

Focus on the dialogue between Mary and Jesus and principles we can learn from it.

Series ---- People Jesus met as recorded in Gospel of John Title: Mary, the mother of Jesus Text: John 2:1-11 Introduction: We continue our series of messages on people Jesus met as recorded in the Gospel of John. Today we shall study about Mary the mother of Jesus. Obviously, Jesus met His mother ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11

Denomination: Baptist