Sermons on Empty Ritual:

How To Enter The Kingdom Of God

Contributed by Tim Huie on May 7, 2009

Jesus taught us exactly what it takes to enter the kingdom: Childlike faith, empty hands, and the gospel of Jesus!

HOW TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD MARK 10: 13-25, 32-34 1. Illus. of traveling home from NC • When looking at 11-12 hours of travel, interested in best way. • Some told us, “take I-85 all way to Atlanta” while others said, “take I-95 and pick up I-20.” • Either way was ok, because in end got where ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:13-34

Denomination: Baptist

Power Of The Resurrection

Contributed by Anthony Zibolski on Mar 22, 2008

Easter message where we can learn from the empty tomb what Jesus has done for us.

THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION LUKE 24:1-12 EASTER SUNDAY 3/23/2008 INTRO LUKE 24:1-12 I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I SURE HAVE BEEN BUSY DOING EASTER STUFF. AT CHRISTMAS, WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF THE CHRIST CHILD WHO CAME TO THIS EARTH TO SAVE ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-12

Denomination: Nazarene

When It Happens To You (Or Me)

Contributed by Joe Mack Cherry on May 17, 2008

When our prayers leave us empty and we feel all alone in our troubles, we are not alone!

When It Happens to You (or Me) By Joe Mack Cherry I.   Introduction     A.  It Always Happens to Someone Else  1.  A life threatening illness  2.  A family member dies suddenly & unexpectedly (School Massacre at Uvaldi, TX)  3.  ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:26-27

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Secret To Church Growth - The Bible Is All About Jesus - Not Us!

Contributed by Dr. Craig Nelson on May 22, 2018

When a person preaches from the Bible, with their audience as the primary focus, it becomes an empty narcissistic and hedonistic exercise in futility.

I have watched, listened to, and read countless sermons in my 50+ years as a Born-Again Christian and I have noticed the continued increase in feel-good, self-help, multi-point motivational messages that are more focused upon fallen human beings than upon Jesus, who has become more of a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:14-15, John 5:39-40, Luke 24:27, 1 Corinthians 11:2, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Jeremiah 17:9, John 1:1  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Resurrection Series

Contributed by Freddy Fritz on Mar 25, 2016

The resurrection of Jesus in Luke 24:1-12 shows us what happened to the women at the empty tomb of Jesus.

Scripture The Gospel of Luke is one of four accounts of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament. Like the other Gospels, Luke gives almost one third of his Gospel to the final week of Jesus’ life. Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

More Christ Less Me

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Jun 4, 2025

Surprised to see an empty seat at the Super Bowl stadium, a diehard fan remarked about it to a woman sitting nearby.

More Christ Less Me “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:8-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

"Open Eyes And Believing Hearts" Series

Contributed by Marilyn Murphree on Apr 14, 2003

What starts the process of seeing eyes and believing hearts?

Easter Sunday Iliff and Saltillo United Methodist Churches April 23, 2000 “Open Eyes and Believing Hearts” John 20:1-18 INTRODUCTION: ILLUSTRATION: If you were asked to describe this Easter without using any words--just using only punctuation marks, what punctuation mark would you choose? ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-18

Denomination: Methodist

When Worship Songs Aren't Praise

Contributed by Mason Davis on Nov 5, 2025

churches are singing songs that aren't biblical

WHEN WORSHIP SONGS AREN'T PRAISE By: C. Mason Davis Recently, I came upon a church bulletin that had an unexpected chuckle. It read: "At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What is hell like?' So, come early and listen to our choir practice." Today’s ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 100:1-2

How To Approach God Series

Contributed by Rev. Samuel Arimoro on Feb 19, 2025

Approaching God is not merely a ritual but a privilege and a relationship. Whether with humility, confidence, prayer, worship, or repentance, each of these approaches allows us to draw near to God in a way that honors Him and opens the door for His grace.

HOW TO APPROACH GOD By Rev. Samuel Arimoro Main Text: Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Supporting Texts: Matthew 7:7-8, Psalm 95:6, James 4:8, Isaiah ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:16, Matthew 7:7-8, Psalm 95:6, James 4:8, Isaiah 55:6-7  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Mystery Of The Messiah

Contributed by Cesar Verdeflor on May 10, 2007

The mystery of the Messiah is not referring to secret or hidden things that man can discover later through some kind of clues or mystical rituals but that God has already revealed in the pages of Scriptures . . .

THE MYSTERY OF THE MESSIAH (Galatians 3:26-4:1-7) “. . . when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” (Gal. 4:4,5) THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH WAS NOT ONLY UNIQUE BUT THERE WAS ALSO A ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Meaning Of The Lord's Supper

Contributed by Grant Adams on Mar 21, 2021

They that worship God must worship in spirit and in truth. Not by rituals or ceremonies or traditions. Today we are going to see that the true meaning of the supper is not about ceremony or tradition, but all about are Savior.

Jesus was a man who cut across the grain of His day. He had little or no use for rituals and traditions, that has little or no meaning. They that worship God must worship in spirit and in truth. Not by rituals or ceremonies or traditions. These are just outward signs. Worship is a personal, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23-32

Denomination: Baptist

Communion And Passover

Contributed by Adam James on Oct 23, 2016

Every ritual of the Old Testament was completely fulfilled by Christ's finished work on the cross. There was significant meaning in the bread and the wine in the Passover meal, which Jesus reinterpreted with his new covenant.

One of the great and exciting challenges we have as Christian readers of the Old Testament, is to find Jesus in every book of the Bible. All of the festivals and rituals prescribed in the Old Testament point directly to, and are completely fulfilled by the finished work of Christ on the cross. One ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:14-20

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Signs Of Life

Contributed by Mark Opperman on Jan 15, 2014

Easter sermon. 5 basic signs of life that helped His followers see that Jesus, their hope and source of life, was no longer dead. 1. The Rock that Rolled. 2. Empty Tomb. 3. Empty Burial Clothes. 4. Two Angels. 5. Physical Appearance of Jesus to Mary

Signs of Life John 20:1-18 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-18

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Repent - The First Message Of Lord Jesus Series

Contributed by Andrew Dixon on Jun 3, 2021

In this period of 400 years when the Lord chose to remain silent, everything in the temple continued as it always had. The rituals of worship, sacrifices, feasts and festivals were carried out with regularity, but the dismal part was that the Lord was not in it. Why?

Repent - The first message of Lord Jesus Matthew 3:1-2:“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (RSV) Matthew 4:17: “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:1-2, Matthew 4:17

Denomination: Other

The Covenant Series

Contributed by Patrick Mead on Feb 20, 2006

The Covenant

The Covenant Genesis 17:1-27 Introduction An overriding theme throughout the scriptures is that of covenant. The term covenant, as it is used in the Bible, describes how God relates to man. The theme of covenant runs from the Genesis to Revelation. In fact, one could say that at the heart ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 17:1-27

Denomination: Baptist