Sermons on Empty Ritual:

Better Together

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 17, 2025

Faith alive through love turns duty into delight and fear into joy, showing the world what Jesus looks like.

Introduction — A Love That Moves You A few months ago, a young man named Daniel was driving home from work late one evening when he saw smoke billowing from a house on the corner of his street. Most people would have slowed down, maybe called 911, and waited for someone else to handle it. But ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:6, James 2:17, Matthew 5:41, John 15:13, Romans 5:8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Thank You, God PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Nov 5, 2023

Explores finding hope in desperate circumstances through faith, grace, and trials, transforming us into true disciples of Christ.

Good morning, family. It's a beautiful day, isn't it? We gather here, in this place of worship, with hearts full of hope and spirits yearning for wisdom. Let's begin with a quote from G.K. Chesterton, a man of great faith and insight, who once said, "Hope is the power of being cheerful in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:51-56

Topics: Thanking God, Difficult Times

Have Faith In God PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Jan 12, 2024

This sermon explores how to actively foster, fortify, and fuel faith through understanding God's promises and practicing forgiveness in a fallen world.

Welcome, dear brothers and sisters, to another blessed day in the Lord's presence. It is a joy to gather together, to lift our hearts in praise, and to seek wisdom from God's holy word. Today, we find ourselves standing on the precipice of a profound truth, a truth that has the power to invigorate ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:20-26, 2 Corinthians 1:20

Topics: Faith Growth

A Time Of Testing PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Feb 18, 2024

This sermon encourages self-examination and reaffirmation of faith during the Lenten season, drawing strength and guidance from Jesus Christ's love and grace.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we gather here today, not as disparate souls, but as a unified body, bound by the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are here, not because we are compelled by ritual or tradition, but because we are drawn by the irresistible pull of His divine grace. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:5

Topics: Lent

How Broad Is The Kingdom Of God: Series Introduction Series

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on May 15, 2007

How should we worship? Nine Biblical characters debate what worship should look like. This was an intro to a series based on Gary Thomas’ "Sacred Pathways" and Richard Foster’s "Streams of Living Water"

How Broad Is The Kingdom Of God: Series Introduction various Scriptures Jan 8, 2006 Intro: • “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 • “David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might.” 2 Sam 6:14 • “Ahab went to meet Elijah. When ...read more

Scripture: John 4:21-24

Denomination: Baptist

Get Your Head Out Of The Sand Part Ii Series

Contributed by Bobby Roger on Feb 2, 2004

a message about the reality of God’s judgment

THE REALITY OF GOD¡¦S JUDGMENT or GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE SAND Part Ii Amos 3-5 ¡§Prepare to meet thy God¡¨ Amos 4:12 I. AMOS¡¦ FIRST MESSAGE: A WARNING OF GOD¡¦S IMPENDING JUDGMENT (chap. 3) II. AMOS¡¦ SECOND MESSAGE: A WARNING OF GOD¡¦S IMMINENT JUDGMENT (chap. 4) A. Because Of What They Had ...read more

Scripture: Amos 4:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Do Justice! Series

Contributed by Rev Dr Randall M Deal Sr on Jul 1, 2011

BIG IDEA: DO what God says is right and DEFEND those being wronged!

Outline, Devotional, Audio & Video available at http://bit.ly/m5nFsb. Micah 6:1-7 God wants relationship not ritual! Proverbs 21:3, Amos 5:21-23 Micah 6:8 Deuteronomy 10:12-13, Require: Ask vs. Demand Matthew 23:23 God is just and loves justice! Psalm ...read more

Scripture: Micah 6:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Return To Me Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Aug 11, 2023

In Joel 2:12-17, the prophet renews his impassioned plea to return unto the Lord through a call for repentance. This call has two facets in first a 1) Personal (Joel 2:12–14) then a 2) Corporate response (Joel 2:15–17) to God.

Joel 2:12–17. 12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:12-17

Denomination: Other

Apostolic Preaching

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jun 2, 2007

How did the message of the Apostles differ from the message of the religions competing with the Christian Faith?

“When [the Sanhedrin] had brought [all the Apostles], they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, ‘We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.’ But ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:27-32

Denomination: Baptist

Little Things Mattere

Contributed by Sheila Crowe on Apr 21, 2009

Human Obstacles to God

story begin with Naaman, commander of the army of the king, a great man in high favor with his master. The narrator paints a very big picture. This is an important man, a four-star general, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, decorated for military victories, in favor with the king, one of the inner ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 5:1-14

Denomination: United Methodist

The Quagmire Of Mankind’s Separation-3

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Oct 16, 2012

3 of 3. Genesis concisely details a separation of nations following the Flood. What defines the quagmire of mankind’s separation? The quagmire in mankind’s separation is in his...

The QUAGMIRE Of MANKIND’s SEPARATION-III—Genesis 10:1-32 & 11:1-9 Attention: Caught in traffic—My experience in Atlanta—the day I had to go thru Atlanta twice... Separated from family. Separated from obligations. Can’t fulfill obligations. Caught up in the momentary ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Bubbles Or Living Water?

Contributed by Ernie Arnold on May 16, 2019

This sermon is about the man being healed at the Sheep Gate. It is a miracle that steps away from being stuck, stumbling and staring into the waters and allowing Jesus to bring us to a life of victory!

Scripture: John 5:1-9 Bubbles or Living Water? John 5:1-9 New King James Version (NKJV) A Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda 5 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-9, Joshua 24:2-3

Denomination: Nazarene

The High Priest

Contributed by Kenneth Bailey on Jun 13, 2001

Study in the High Priesthood of Christ and our response to His Priesthood.

The High Priest Today is April Fool’s Day. I toyed with the idea of making some sort of ludicrous statement and then proclaiming “April Fool’s!” but decided against that since I don’t want to ever mislead you, even in a time of jest. But as I was debating on how I would begin the sermon, I ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:11-15, John 8:46-59

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Dancing With God

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Mar 5, 2009

Dancing with God begins when we realize that God chooses the music and the dance, but most importantly, God leads.

Dancing with God Matthew 6:1-6; 16-21 The Reverend Anne Benefield Geneva Presbyterian Church, Ash Wednesday February 25, 2009 Introduction: The passage we will read tonight is the traditional reading for Ash Wednesday. It focuses our attention on the three disciplines of Lent: Praying, Fasting, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-21

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Thanks Mom!

Contributed by Greg Nance on May 11, 2004

Motherhood is a major job. God’s commandment to honor our fathers and mothers invites us to explore the benefits and blessings they bring to us.

Thanks, in part, to my Mother, I had a drug problem when I was young. I was drug to church for Bible class on Sunday morning, and then drug to worship services and then drug to church again on Sunday evening. I was drug to Wednesday night Bible studys. I was also drug to gospel meetings ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-15, 2 Timothy 1:3-6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ