Sermons on Empty Ritual:

Rejoice Not! PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Oct 16, 2025

God calls us to turn from empty pursuits and return to Him, the true source of joy, healing, and restoration through honest prayer and repentance.

Friends, would you take a deep breath and settle your heart for a moment? Picture a field at sunset. The stalks are golden, the air is warm, and the farmer stands at the edge of the rows with calloused hands and a quiet hope. He longs for a good harvest, a full barn, a happy table. We understand ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 9:1-17

Topics: Lost Joy, Spiritual Drought

Prayin’ Like A Pagan - Matthew 6:7-8 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Aug 30, 2024

How would you naturally finish this sentence: “God already knows what you need before you ask him, therefore ____.” The conclusion Jesus finishes that sentence gives us great insight into how to pray in a way that truly communes with God, rather than just saying dry words.

Matthew 6:5-8 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:7-8

Even The Religious Person Cannot Escape

Contributed by Paul Apple on Oct 18, 2000

EVEN THE MOST RELIGIOUS PERSON (DEVOUT JEW) CANNOT ESCAPE GOD'S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT--TRUE SPIRITUALITY IS MUCH MORE THAN POSSESSING RELIGIOUS PRIVILEGES AND PRACTICING RELIGIOUS RITUALS 1.

EVEN THE MOST RELIGIOUS PERSON (DEVOUT JEW) CANNOT ESCAPE GOD'S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT--TRUE SPIRITUALITY IS MUCH MORE THAN POSSESSING RELIGIOUS PRIVILEGES AND PRACTICING RELIGIOUS RITUALS 1. True Spirituality is much more than Possessing Religious Privileges (:17-24) a. Religious Privileges can ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:17-29

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Priority Of Justice And Righteousness

Contributed by Leonard Davis on May 29, 2009

The failure of Israel to make a connection between their religion rituals and their daily lives should serve as a warning for us in the church today that justice and righteousness are still priorities with God and judgment results with these are absent.

THE PRIORITY OF JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS Every now and then we come across stories that are both humorous and sad. During World War II in the Pacific Theater our forces set up a base on the island of New Guinea. We built an airport with runways, a tower, lights along the runways, and the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Paul's Focus: Souls Won Not How It's Done Series

Contributed by Bobby Stults on Jul 20, 2014

Paul did NOT believe we should stand on ceremony or ritual when it comes to sharing Christ, but that we should have an attitude of being willing to do ANYTHING to win people to Christ!

Sermon Brief Date Written: July 17, 2014 Date Preached: July 20, 2014 Where Preached: OPBC (AM) Sermon Details: Series Title: A Series in 1 Corinthians Sermon Title: Paul’s FOCUS –Souls Won not How it is done Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 [NLT] 19Even though I am a free ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Denomination: Baptist

Occupying In Prayer And Warfare Series

Contributed by Tesh Njokanma on Apr 27, 2018

Prayer is not a mere routine or ritual. Prayer is actually a spiritual confrontation with the kingdom of darkness. When we pray, we are wrestling; we are engaging in a fight, a battle or warfare with forces and powers of darkness.

Introduction In Luke 19:13, the King of Glory gave us a guideline to follow until Christ returns. This verse tells us what to engage in or spend our time on until we meet with the Lord. We are told to occupy till Jesus comes, to put what God has given us to work, to make profitable divine ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Problem Of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality Series

Contributed by David Flowers on Feb 2, 2011

Part 1 in the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality series, this message looks at signs of emotionally unhealthy spirituality, and examines these characteristics in the life of Saul in 1 Samuel 15.

The Problem of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, prt. 1 Wildwind Community Church October 10, 2010 We all know that some things look great on the surface, but they're a disaster underneath. For example, in Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, the radar was picking up ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:19-22

Denomination: Free Methodist

"Jesus Came To Meet People Where They Were.”

Contributed by Dr. Jerry Morrissey on Jun 3, 2002

June 9, 2002 -- THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST -- Proper 5 Matthew 9:9-13 Color: Green

June 9, 2002 -- THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST -- Proper 5 Matthew 9:9-13, Color: Green The Call of Matthew 9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. 10 And as he sat at ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:9-13

Denomination: Lutheran

Robinson Crusoe's Text

Contributed by Stephen Fournier on Sep 13, 2003

Sermon on prayer

ROBINSON CRUSOE’S TEXT PSALM 50:15 I want to begin today by reading to you some excerpts from Daniel DeFoes book’s Robinson Crusoe. If some people knew that the book Robinson Crusoe actually contained the gospel they might seek to have it removed from the shelve. What we see in the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 50:15

Denomination: Bible Church

Developing A Real Faith

Contributed by Ralph Juthman on May 16, 2002

Series from the Book of James

TITLE: Developing A Real Faith TEXT: James 1:18-27 THEME:James. Maturity, genuine faith, good works, service, growing on. P.S. The next part of the test is how our faith works itself in everyday life. James does not merely want believers to simply HEAR the truth, but also DO IT. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 1:18-27

Denomination: Pentecostal

When Fasting Becomes Feasting Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Nov 4, 2010

Zechariah announces the divine blessing of faithful obedience to be realized during that time & in full during the future Messianic Age. At that time God's people will rejoice with great joy, gladness & experience popularity.

ZECHARIAH 8: 18-23 WHEN FASTING BECOMES FEASTING In the previous chapter Zechariah proclaimed to the people the mere externals and empty ritualism in their observance of the fasts as well as pointing out to them the sins and transgression which caused their suffering (7:1-7). He also gave them ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 8:18-23

Denomination: Baptist

Timothy…what It Will Take For God To Use You!

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 28, 2022

Most of us refer to ourselves as being “NORMAL.”

It must be nice in this life when someone can be more than a NORMAL PERSON and become an “EXCEPTIONAL” PERSON. That is, when normal people die the preachers who do the eulogy can pretty much sum up their entire lives in 15 to 30 minutes. When the funeral is finished the family and friends can ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:2-26

Denomination: Baptist

Being Community Series

Contributed by Allan Quak on Jul 26, 2019

In Corinth the Lord’s Supper had become a place where privilege and class diversity was causing division. Through Paul’s rebuke we are called to examine whether our participation in the Lord’s Supper is unworthy.

Message 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Being Community The church in Corinth is well known as a church with issues. Let’s turn to 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 and read about an issue they were having with the Lord’s Supper. The news of Lord Supper chaos has come to Paul from Corinth through “some from Chloe’s ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Denomination: Baptist

Come And See

Contributed by Kyle Meador on Nov 28, 2000

This is the invitation of the post-modern church to a world hungry to experience something and somone beyond the empty promises of this world - Come and See!

“Come and See” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-42

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Whose Son Are You Like?

Contributed by Timm Meyer on Oct 10, 2004

PENTECOST 19(A)- Whose son are you like -- like the one son with empty words or like the son with repentance?

WHICH SON ARE YOU LIKE? - October 10, 2004 - Pentecost 19 MATTHEW 21:28-32 28"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, `Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29" `I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30"Then the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:28-32

Denomination: Lutheran