Sermons on Empty Seat:

The Story Of Zach Series

Contributed by Matt Keller on Sep 30, 2010

Many times we look at the story of Zach as being just for kids. However, I believe there are some interesting observations can be made from the text.

“The Story of Zach” Beyond Flannelgraph: Treasured Stories, Timeless Truths – Week 2 Sunday, September 12, 2010 Text: Luke 19:1-10 C.S. Lewis says of true friendship, “True friendship is rare on earth. It means identifying with someone in thought, heart, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Grumpy Ole Church People

Contributed by Joseph Stapleton on Jul 14, 2011

Where is the joy in our church? There is so much frowning and silence in a place where there is so much reason to celebrate. This sermon explores the problem.

GRUMPY OLE CHURCH PEOPLE (All my sermons use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted.) Through the many years that I have preached and taught from the Word of God I have made one very disturbing observation about the churches in our ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Divine Appointments Series

Contributed by Kevin L. Jones on Feb 18, 2019

A sermon examining certain moments that God has ordained in our lives.

DIVINE APPOINTMENTS Ruth 4:1-22 My Grandmother was born and raised in North Carolina, my Grandfather was from here in Talladega. One day I asked Grandma how the two of them met since they lived hundreds of miles apart. The story that followed absolutely fascinated me. It seems that Grandma was ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 4:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

Cross Purposes 3: Redemption Series

Contributed by Vic Folkert on Dec 13, 2019

Redemption is like purchasing a slave to free them. Jesus 1) made a personal investment, and 2) paid a price. We are free as we 1) recognize our worth, and 2) chooses to be slaves of God.

CROSS PURPOSES 5: REDEMPTION For the past 4 weeks, we have been asking, “Why did Jesus Christ, the Son of God, die on the cross for us?” We keep asking the same question, because the cross impacts our lives in so many ways, that we can’t exhaust them all: The cross shows the love of God. ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-36, Philippians 2:6-8, Leviticus 25:47-49, Mark 10:45, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Exodus 6:6-7, 1 Peter 2:16, Romans 6:16-22  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Sharing The Passover Meal With Jesus Series

Contributed by David Dykes on Jan 28, 2018

How the elements of the Jewish Passover meal communicate powerful symbolism in the Lord's Supper.

INTRODUCTION I spent the last week in Hong Kong with Dale Pond and Greg Smith at a very strategic international church conference. I was able to be one of the speakers and introduce the Healthy Church training. I was the small print on the program because the keynote speakers were Ravi Zacharias ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:12-31

Denomination: Baptist

Summer Of Love, Through The Glass Darkly Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Sep 3, 2017

Even when we can't understand why and life is a puzzling reflection we have to believe that a day will come that we will understand and that in the end love wins.

Summer of Love 10 Seeing clearly By September of 1967 the residents of Haight Asbury had fallen out of love with the 100,000 hippies and flower children who had descended on their neighborhood for what had come to be known as the Summer of Love. The bloom was coming off the rose for the ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Fool That Jesus Loved Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 1, 2012

What makes a man a fool? And what could this young fool have done to actually inherit eternal life?

OPEN: On April 1st 1976 British astronomer Patrick Moore made an announcement on BBC Radio 2: “At 9:47 a.m. today there will be a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ astronomical event occurring.” The planet Pluto would pass behind Jupiter, he said, temporarily causing a gravitational alignment that would ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-31

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Search For Meaning Series

Contributed by John Hamby on Feb 8, 2016

Principally and introduction to the study and the exposition of first eleven verses

A study of the Book of Ecclesiastes Finding Satisfaction In Life ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Suppose You Were The Devil

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Apr 30, 2022

One of the alarming things that is taking place today in America is the amount of businesses that are closing down daily.

Some are closing: (1) Due to Covid 19 (2) Some due to the shipping of jobs to other countries (3) Some due to inflation (4) Some due to supply If this trend continues some fear there will not be enough businesses for the citizens of this country to find a place of employment to feed their ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:25, 2 Corinthians 9:7

Denomination: Baptist

No Real Progress Series

Contributed by Troy Borst on Dec 29, 2021

Much of life is temporary, perishable, unsatisfying, and mundane. What we will dig into in these weeks as we focus on the Book of Ecclesiastes is how to live wisely when life is pretty much unsatisfying.

WISE LIVING: NO REAL PROGRESS Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 #wiseliving2022 READ ECCLESIASTES CHAPTER 1 [person from congregation] INTRODUCTION… Hollywood remakes (insider.com/most-remade-movies-of-all-time) If you watch movies, you will notice that most stories or movies are remakes of previous stories ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

06 A Worshipful Response Series

Contributed by Seth Lawson on Apr 7, 2025

Worship is our joyful response to Christ’s finished work.

A few weeks ago, our Montgomery County boys’ basketball team punched their ticket to the state tournament in dramatic fashion. With the game tied and only seconds remaining, MOCO launched a deep three—as the buzzer sounded, the ball banked through the rim. Game over. The crowd went crazy. The Arena ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 21:1-23, Leviticus 22:1-33, Leviticus 23:1-44, Leviticus 24:1-23, Hebrews 12:18-29  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Wisdom PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Sep 24, 2025

The sermon invites us to move beyond surface knowledge, accepting God’s personal invitation to find true fulfillment, nourishment, and life in relationship with Him.

Some of you walked in today with a full calendar and an empty heart. Some came carrying quiet questions that whisper in the night. Others arrived with hope flickering like a candle in a drafty room. Friend, you’re in the right place. Today, Scripture opens the door to a warm kitchen where Wisdom ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:5

Topics: Wisdom, Living

Truth: Gospel, Not Emotion PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Sep 26, 2025

True worship happens when our hearts and minds align with God’s truth, allowing authentic praise regardless of our changing feelings or circumstances.

Friends, pull up a chair and take a deep breath. Some of us walked in today with hearts humming like a racing engine, others with batteries barely blinking. Some of us feel God’s nearness; others wonder if our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling. Can I encourage you? You are not here by accident. ...read more

Scripture: John 4:24

Topics: Emotion, Faith

Forgiveness And Love PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Oct 6, 2025

God’s grace is a free gift we cannot earn or buy; it transforms our hearts from striving and bitterness to rest, faith, and love.

If you’ve ever tried to buy a birthday gift for someone who already has everything, you know the head-scratching feeling it brings. What do you give the person who lacks nothing? Now lift your eyes a little higher and imagine bringing your best to the God who has never needed a thing. We sometimes ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:20-23

Topics: Bitterness, Sin

The Greatest Gift At The Best Time PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Oct 12, 2025

God’s perfect timing brings us from slavery to beloved family, granting us adoption, identity, and intimacy with the Father through Christ and the Spirit.

Friends, pull up a chair and take a deep breath. Some of us arrived today with a smile; some of us arrived with a sigh. The week may have felt heavy, hurried, or hollow. And yet, here we are. What if—right here, right now—this simple moment belongs to God’s perfect timing for your heart? What if ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:4-7

Topics: Redemption, Adoption