Sermons on Empty Ritual:

Ishbosheth Assassinated (2 Samuel 4)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 1, 2025

Are mere words good enough or does God want us to obey? Let's look at 2 Samuel 4.

Do we rely upon a man to protect us or God? Did David support an assassination or punish those involved? Is doing God’s will more important than empty words? Let’s look at 2 Samuel 4. Did Ishbosheth rely on God or Abner for protection? When Saul’s son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Seriousness Of Our Vows Series

Contributed by Rolly Dominguez on Jan 29, 2025

The book of Ecclesiastes, written by Solomon, addresses the fleeting nature of life and the search for meaning in the midst of life's uncertainties.

Title: "The Seriousness of Our Vows" Text: Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 Introduction The book of Ecclesiastes, written by Solomon, addresses the fleeting nature of life and the search for meaning in the midst of life's uncertainties. One key area where Solomon emphasizes the need for wisdom ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

He's Not A Baby Anymore!

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Dec 15, 2001

The manger is empty as well as the grave. We are not dealing with a child.

He’s Not A Baby Anymore! We are in the season where everybody gets all mushy. Maybe it is because a baby in a manger brings out the paternal instincts in people. Maybe it is because a baby is not threatening. There is something about the Christ child that gets more attention than the day we ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

"The Promise"

Contributed by David Washburn on Dec 29, 2002

To what do we cling, now that the manger is empty?

Christmas Day has past, and it is now four days later. Had Mary been able to give birth to her son in a hospital, she would’ve already been discharged, probably sometime on Friday. She and Joseph would’ve checked out of the hospital and gone home. As such, the manger is now empty, much like the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 61:10-11

Denomination: Baptist

First Rock From The Sun

Contributed by Randy Croft on Mar 28, 2005

Because the tomb is empty, our lives can be full.

First Rock from the Son A few years ago, NBC launched a hit television show—a Though you’ll only find it on reruns today, in its heyday, it won the most Emmy Awards for a television series in 1997. It’s about a group of explorers that came to the third rock from the Sun (earth). Here they take ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Gideon’s Guerrillas: A Few Good Men Or One Good Lord? Series

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Sep 27, 2010

God empties us before he fills us.

The 2007 movie 300 was loosely based on the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. On a thin strip of land between the mountains and the ocean, 7,000 Greeks led by King Leonidas of Sparta and his 300 crack troops temporarily held off the Persian army and their hundreds of thousands of soldiers (some ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Lost At The Bottom Of The Well

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Feb 21, 2008

Only Christ can fill our inner emptiness.

LOST AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL John 4:4-14 (NIV) 4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was ...read more

Scripture: John 4:4-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Laboring For The Lord

Contributed by Brian Bill on Sep 5, 2015

Unless our labor is for the Lord our lives will be empty.

Laboring for the Lord Psalm 127 Rev. Brian Bill September 5-6, 2015 With six NBA titles, five MVPs, ten scoring titles, 14 All-Star appearances, and many stellar last-second shots, Michael Jordan’s legacy on the basketball court is unmatched. According to a post by Matt Smethurst called Do ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 127:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

What The Lord Requires

Contributed by Brian Gordon on Nov 7, 2011

What we learn from the empty religion of the Israelites

I. Introduction A. If you’ve ever taken any time to study the Bible (particularly the Old Testament) you may have noticed that it is not written in chronological order. a. Sometimes that makes Bible Study a little difficult, because it takes a little work to put what you are reading in the ...read more

Scripture: Micah 6:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

Theology Matters Series

Contributed by Keith Foskey on Apr 15, 2014

The Theology of the Empty Tomb is Foundational to All Christian Theology

Resurrection Sunday 2014 “Theology Matters” 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 QUOTE: RC Sproul “Theology is the queen of the sciences and all other disciplines are her handmaidens.” Throughout history, some of the greatest minds have devoted themselves to the study of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Risen Savior

Contributed by Anthony Zibolski on May 2, 2019

Easter Morning message. Come experience the empty tomb

The risen Savior Easter 2019 Luke 24:1-12 Prayer- Father, on this day of celebration, I am praying that we not forget what you have done for us. May we not miss your resurrection as a way for each of us to experience our own resurrection and freedom from sin and from death. Today would you speak ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-12

Denomination: Nazarene

"get Up Out Of That Grave" Series

Contributed by Perry Fowler on Mar 28, 2024

What's exciting about the empty tomb?

Last Christmas, our family decided to do something different. We decided to take a vacation together in Orlando. A few of us are runners and my Son wanted to run one of the Disney series of races so we went to Disney, camped out in Ft. Wilderness and had a “running vacation.” I chose to do the ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Dung Hill Christians

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jan 22, 2007

Has your life been a bit smelly lately?

Not many people think about dung beetles because frankly any animal that eats dung and carcasses normally does not end up on our most desired pet or entrée list. They are actually quite beneficial and can be admired for that. There are however quite a few Christians living and feeding in ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:4-11, Jeremiah 17:9, John 15:5, 2 Corinthians 1:8-10, Romans 9:4-8, Matthew 3:7-10, Luke 16:19-24, Daniel 11:36-39, Isaiah 64:6, Galatians 2:16, Romans 9:30-33, Romans 7:18, Galatians 3:10-14, Romans 10:1-4, Luke 13:28-29  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Restrictive Religion Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on May 3, 2018

If you want to be free from a guilty conscience, don’t depend on restrictive religion, which is limited by its procedures, its place, its people, and its purifying power.

Two neighbor boys were the best of friends on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On Sunday, however, they didn’t talk to each other, because one was a Catholic and the other was a Baptist. Their parents were concerned, so they agreed to let their sons visit each other’s ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:1-10

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Avoiding Anger: Doers Of The Word, Series

Contributed by Amiri Hooker on Aug 26, 2021

Avoiding Anger: Doers of the Word August 29, 2021, FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR B, While anger might not be the center of this text, it is one of those distractions that often keeps us from being doers of the word.

Avoiding Anger: Doers of the Word August 29, 2021 FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR B text James 1:17-27 While anger might not be the center of this text, it is one of those distractions that often keeps us from being doers of the word. Throughout this series, we are reflecting on how well ...read more

Scripture: James 1:17-27

Denomination: United Methodist