In Sermons: showing 31-45 of 56

Dream Delay Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Feb 9, 2009

When your God-given vision is interrupted, it’s a part of God’s plan.

When you were young, what did your dream about? What did you imagine you’d do with your life? Who did you envision you’d be? As a follower of Jesus Christ, what do you dream about? Did you ever think about doing something great for God? Have you ever had even a fleeting thought that perhaps ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:1-36

Denomination: Baptist

The Road To Renewal Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Feb 9, 2009

Learn the steps on the journey BACK to God.

“William Hinson, Sr. retired pastor of First United Methodist Church in Houston, the largest church in American Methodism tells the story about a time when he was going to Columbia, South Carolina to preach in a revival. He had not slept well the night before and had gotten up that morning and ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 35:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Somewhere Between Quack And Quisling Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 24, 2009

The Christian life is a balancing act between syncretism and sectarianism.

When I was a teenager, I was one of the few students at West Davidson Sr. High School who listened to heavy metal music. Although my buddies enjoyed it to some extent, they were a little bit spooked by some of the darker groups I chose. This was mainly because they were all good church-going boys ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Going Forward With God Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 24, 2009

A rather mediocre sermon about Jacob’s facinating encounter with God at the Jabbok. The so-so title tells it all.

If you take the Bible seriously, it’s quite a frustrating book. Within its pages are outrageous commands like “be holy” (1 Peter 1:16) and “offer the parts of your body to [God] as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:13). Jesus laid a heavy burden on us when He said, “…be perfect, just as ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Crash Course In Character Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 14, 2009

God wants to shape your soul to be just like Jesus. Will you cooperate?

John Ortberg tells of a man in a church he once pastored whom he called Denny. Denny was not a happy man. He had attended church his whole life, but he had never been happy. Even the expression on his face was perpetually negative – so much so that one day a deacon asked him, "Denny, are you ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Reason For Hope On The Road Ahead Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jan 1, 2009

The road ahead is about to get rocky, but, we have reason for hope.

It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone. It’s 2009 and what makes this new year unique is there’s more reason for pessimism than optimism at what it will bring. Maybe you’ve heard some of the dire predictions about what the near future holds. A couple of weeks ago, economist and ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 28:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

Everything You've Heard About Christmas Is Wrong

Contributed by Joel Smith on Dec 18, 2008

Exposing the myths of Christmas in a lighthearted way

As you can see from the title of the sermon this morning, I’m going to attempt to overturn much of what you believed to be true about Christmas. Over the last several years I’ve become convinced that God created me to combat conventional wisdom. Why? Most of the time conventional wisdom is just ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Have A Scandalous Christmas

Contributed by Joel Smith on Dec 11, 2008

Mary was willing to be scandalized so that God would be glorified.

Isn’t it amazing how we have sanitized Christmas? Over the centuries we’ve cleaned up the story significantly. Christmas cards bear evidence of this. Most of them depict tinsel, holly, Christmas trees, bells, female angels, and Santa Claus. If they do get around to an image of the real ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-56

Denomination: Baptist

Disappointment With God Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Dec 4, 2008

Disappointments will come and we have the choice to let them bury us or buoy us.

Christmas is a season not only of joy, but, if we’re honest, also of disappointment. Sometimes we’re disappointed with gifts. When Laura’s brother, Grayson, was in Middle School he received one such gift. To appreciate this you have to get the image in your mind of the entire family gathered ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-25

Denomination: Baptist

When God's People Do Bad Things Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Dec 2, 2008

What’s going on when the saints sin?

When I put my faith in Jesus Christ decisively at the age of 21, God spoke a sentence into my consciousness that I will never forget: “You’re forgiven. Go and sin no more.” From the moment that lightning bolt realization struck, I’ve never doubted God’s complete forgiveness. That simple ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 27:1-46

Denomination: Baptist

Magnetic Faith Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Nov 20, 2008

Isaac reveals the ways of winsomeness.

Last Sunday the congregation of Mount Hope Church in Lansing, Michigan received several unwelcome protesters into their 11:30 AM service. On cue members of a gay rights activists group called Back Bash began disrupting the service. They were attempting to protest the passing of California’s gay ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 26:1-33

Denomination: Baptist

Disqualified! Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Nov 14, 2008

Don’t let a desire for instant gratification disqualify you from God’s best.

I think the five most nauseating words a person can hear are, “I’m sorry, you’ve been disqualified.” Disqualification means that no matter how hard you try or how well you’ve done, you will not reach your goal. There’s something that you can never have because you’ve been disqualified. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 25:19-34

Denomination: Baptist

Detecting The Fingerprints Of God Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Nov 11, 2008

Learn to pick up the C.L.U.E.s of our invisible God.

I think it’s safe to assume that everyone here believes that God exists. (Why waste your time in a Sunday morning worship service if you don’t have faith that He is real?) What Christians aren’t always convinced of is the reality of God in their every day lives. For most of us God exists, but ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 24:1-67

Denomination: Baptist

Now Matter Who Wins, You Will Lose

Contributed by Joel Smith on Oct 30, 2008

This sermon is a relentless drum beat of negativity concerning America’s political predicament with a brief flicker of hope at the end. Theme: Demigods disappoint and enslave.

In the early days of our Republic pastors would set aside the Sunday before election day to preach a sermon about the coming vote. In those days they would name names and tell the congregation who to vote for. Now, thanks to a 1954 law, churches can no longer speak out in the same way. If they ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 8:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

Leaving A Legacy Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Oct 25, 2008

You haven’t completed the race until you’ve passed the baton.

A number of years ago I heard about a survey of centenarians (people 100 years or older). The study asked these folks if they had any regrets about their lives. One of the top answers of the survey was: I wish I could leave something that lives beyond me. Another way of saying it is leave a ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 23:1-20

Denomination: Baptist