Sermons on Empty Vessels:

Easter Sermon With Surprise Ending

Contributed by Spencer Homan on Nov 19, 2009

This sermon has a little fun with the "short" ending of Mark. We stand at the empty tomb... and it is up to us to finish the story.

The Lady or the Lion By Frank Stockton (edited and revised) In the very olden time there lived a semi-barbaric king, whose ideas were indeed semi-barbaric. The king had a daughter, beautiful and fair… the envy of every woman in the nation. She could have any man in the kingdom… but her heart ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Great Expectations Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Apr 9, 2007

The disciples were confronted with what to do with an empty. Seeing the power of the resurrection in their lives gives us cause for great expectations.

John 20:1-8 “Great Expectations” INTRODUCTION What do you do with an empty tomb? John is very brief in his description of the events of Easter morning. Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and found it empty. She ran to Peter and the beloved disciple to tell them that someone had stolen Jesus’ ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-8

Denomination: Lutheran

Faith And Works

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Dec 31, 2013

The practical faith of Rahab stands in contrast to the platitudes of the person who sent the hungry empty away, and failed to clothe the naked.

FAITH AND WORKS. James 2:14-26. A person is making what seems to be a credible claim to “faith” - but (as yet) there is no evidence in their lives of their allegiance to Jesus Christ. They seem to have all the right words, but (so far) “works” are lacking. James 2:14. What is the profit in the ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Crisis Of Christian Identity Theft

Contributed by Dr. Craig Nelson on Oct 9, 2020

People who feel a deep emptiness or a great deal of self-doubt can also feel as if their identity is being stolen

I have always been a 'car guy.' I have had a serious interest in them for as long as I can remember. I also worked in the Automobile Industry and wrenched on so many vehicles I owned over the years that I have lost count. Countless years ago, when I was a teenager, I had a car that was ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:9, John 3:3, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 3:12-14, 1 Corinthians 13:11-12  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Go! And Proclaim: He Is Risen Indeed! (Easter Sunday) Luke 24:34 & Acts 4:33 Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Apr 12, 2025

The empty tomb is not just a historical fact; it is the foundation of our hope, the assurance of our salvation, and the power behind our proclamation.

Go! And Proclaim: He Is Risen Indeed! (Easter Sunday) Luke 24:34 & Acts 4:33 Introduction: Today we gather to celebrate the cornerstone of our faith—the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The empty tomb is not just a historical fact; it is the foundation of our hope, the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:34, Acts 4:33, 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, Romans 8:11, Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 10:9, John 1:5  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Double Or Nothing

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 4, 2023

Ignorance of God’s character and law often renders our loving feelings toward our neighbors empty or misguided.

There used to be a terrific program on PBS called the Religion and Ethics Weekly. They covered everything from Pentecostals to the Pope. I’ve seen programs on Jews and Buddhists and Hindus and Islam. One time they reported on a rise in Hindu fundamentalism. I wasn’t paying as much attention as I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Where Lonely Hearts Belong

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 25, 2025

The Beatitudes reveal a Kingdom where Jesus blesses the broken, welcomes the lonely, and fills empty hearts with joy that cannot be stolen.

Picture a hillside in Galilee. The day is beginning to soften. The sun hangs low, brushing warm gold across the lake. People settle into the grass, shifting and stretching to find a comfortable place, hoping they arrived early enough to hear every word. Some came curious. Some came ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 34:18, Romans 8:15-17, John 16:33  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Overlooking The Obvious PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Feb 13, 2024

This sermon explores the dangers of spiritual blindness, the emptiness of misdirected religious activity, and the necessity of recognizing and accepting God's divine intervention.

Good morning, beloved, and welcome. We stand here today at the threshold of a divine revelation, ready to open our hearts to the wisdom of the Word. We are about to immerse ourselves in the sacred text of Luke 19:41-48, a passage that, like a mirror, reflects our human frailty and God's divine ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:41-48

Topics: Jesus Wept, Blindness

The Meaninglessness And Mundanity Of Life - Week 4 PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Feb 28, 2024

This sermon explores the emptiness of earthly pursuits and the importance of finding joy and meaning in God, as illustrated in Ecclesiastes 9:1-18.

Good morning, beloved family in Christ. It's a beautiful day to gather together in the name of our Lord, to share in His Word and to find comfort, guidance, and edification in His eternal truth. Today, we find ourselves turning to the pages of Ecclesiastes, a book often misunderstood, yet rich with ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:1-18

Topics: Life And Death, Meaningless, God

From The Book “the Master's Indwelling” By Andrew Murray Series

Contributed by David Leach on Jan 13, 2014

From the book “The Master's Indwelling” By Andrew Murray Chapter 2 – THE SELF LIFE (words in italics added)

From the book “The Master's Indwelling” By Andrew Murray Chapter 2 – THE SELF LIFE (words in italics added) Matt. 16: 24. (Jesus) If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. In the 13th verse we read that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Realities Of The Holy Spirit In Our Christian Life!

Contributed by Tony Abram on May 6, 2012

In this outline we share 7 realities in our live as we live and grow in the Lord. "May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love and joy of God's presence and not a moment without the entire surrender of my self as a vessel for Him

Realities of the Holy Spirit in our Christian Life! In this outline we share 7 realities in our live as we live and grow in the Lord. "May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love and joy of God's presence and not a moment without the entire surrender of my self as a vessel ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-16

From Rags To Riches

Contributed by John Lowe on Jul 16, 2014

When the curtain lifts on 2 Kings Chapter 4, we see a scene of misery, poverty, and despair. But, as the story progresses, the widow, who is one of the main characters, finds her way from rags to riches.

1-14-05 Title: From Rags to Riches Text: “” (2 Kings 4:7) Bible Reading: 2 Kings 4:1-7 Introduction I want begin today with a joke about preachers. One Sunday a woman thanked the pastor for his sermon. The pastor tried to be humble and replied, “Don’t thank me, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Give Me Oil PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Oct 18, 2025

True readiness for Christ means keeping our spiritual lamps burning with the oil of God’s presence, desiring Him above all, and faithfully waiting for His return.

If you listen closely tonight, you can almost hear the soft shuffle of sandals and the whisper of wicks. Lamps are being lit. Hearts are being lifted. Hope is being rekindled. The Lord paints for us a picture that smells like olive oil and sounds like midnight—the kind of hour when the air is ...read more

Topics: Oil, Preparation

A Letter To Me

Contributed by James White on Mar 31, 2011

HOW you were born the 1st time makes no difference… OH but WHAT a difference being Born Again makes. It doesn’t change your past, but it releases you from it. It will change your present and make you brand spanking NEW.

Brad Paisley wrote and sings a song which I am borrowing the title from today. “Letter to me” speaks of a desire to send a message to his own past self. It’s a note of encouragement…words to the wise and hope for the future. From the moment of our birth, we begin a lifelong ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-10

Denomination: Pentecostal

Honest To God Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 5, 2021

Dishonesty will hinder the work of God in the soul of any man, whether they be believer or unbeliever. Honesty, therefore, or facing up to the full truth about ourselves in relation to God and the world, is a subject we cannot afford to neglect.

Branch Rickey use to coach the University of Michigan baseball team before he became manager of the Dodgers. One day they were playing Brown University, and the Brown catcher, Walter Snell, hit what might have been a three bagger, but he stretched it into a home run. The first baseman, however, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:6