Sermons on Emptying Oneself:

Resurrection: Fact Or Fiction?

Contributed by Scott Maze on Apr 16, 2025

Some of you have played Jenga with your family, right? You seek to pull piece after piece out without the tower collapsing. If Christianity were a Jenga tower, the resurrection is the one block that, when pulled, the tower comes crashing down every single time.

Dead people stay dead.1 “Nobody goes to funerals and says, ‘What’s the over/under if this person comes alive again?’” I have yet to see one dead person come back to life. I doubt you have seen any dead person live again, either. Once people have gone down the road of death, they just don’t return.2 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Washing The Disciples Feet - An Acted Parable

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Jun 16, 2001

The washing of the disciples’ feet by Jesus was his way of teaching them humility in serving others, a dramatised parable of his submission to death, an anticipation of the Cross and the Empty Tomb abd a message for us today.

WASHING THE DISCIPLES’ FEET - AN ACTED PARABLE On the night before His Passion Jesus spoke some wonderfully prophetic words: "You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand" (John 13:7). These are the words of Jesus addressed to His disciples. The scene is the room in ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

A Sense Of Accomplishment

Contributed by Jon Mackinney on Apr 29, 2003

What did Jesus feel in the pre-dawn darkness as He stood outside the empty tomb? Elation, a sense of victory? Yes, but even moreso, a sense of accomplishment for what He had done.

Passage: Isaiah 53:10-12 Intro: It has to be one of the greatest feelings there is. 1. you fill in the last figure on the spreadsheet and click on “print” 2. you finish the last part of the wall, clean up the mess, and then stand back to admire the new look because of the paint you have app. 3. ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:10-12

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Alive, Obediant And Loving! Series

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Nov 2, 2011

John described the saved and who they are, how they love God and their fellow humans - there is no empty words, they act to bring others to a relationship with the one who matters most, the one they really do love!

Sermon 1 John 5:1-12 You most likely know I’ve just returned from holiday and have that post holiday fuzziness thing going on, I spent a great time with Terry the first week doing the whole father son catch up road trip up around Nelson and over Takaka way, we managed to walk to Harwood’s Hole ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:1-12

Denomination: Salvation Army

This Advent Come Into Our Lives

Contributed by Gerald Roberts on Dec 3, 2014

WE invite God to render the Heaven come down and shake the mountains that we might hear, that we might pray, that we might become vulnerable, because we are so desolate or empty.

Isaiah Chapter 64 “This Advent come into our Lives” 1. The gist of this reading is an appeal to God for help and mercy for a worshiping community that finds itself in dire circumstances. • The Text Begins with the mighty works of God 63:7-14 Great acts in Egypt of ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 64:1-12

Denomination: Methodist

The Rest Of The Story

Contributed by Perry Greene on Apr 2, 2015

This Easter sermon focuses on the resurrection of Jesus and the potential resurrection of his followers which complete the story of Jesus. We often focus on his death, but the empty tomb is good news that requires a response.

1. The Rest of the Story was a Monday-through-Friday radio program originally hosted by Paul Harvey. Beginning as a part of his newscasts during the Second World War and then premiering as its own series on the ABC Radio Networks on May 10, 1976, The Rest of the Story consisted of stories presented ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Every Spiritual Blessing In Jesus Series

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Feb 10, 2022

Many Christians today have their eyes set on rolling hills of worldly blessings, never realizing we have within our grasp the richest reserve of blessing in Jesus that will never go empty.

Dr. Bradford Reaves Crossway Christian Fellowship Hagerstown, MD, USA www.mycrossway.org View this and other messages at: https://mycrossway.churchcenter.com/channels/8118 I want to ask for some license for just a moment to revisit a story I put into the newsletter last Sunday. It is about the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14, Ephesians 2:10, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, John 15:16, Matthew 25:34, Colossians 2:14, Galatians 3:26  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Brethren

Martha Syndrome Series

Contributed by John Huyser on Nov 29, 2022

Entering into the first Sunday of Advent, hope outshines disappointment. At some point of all of have come down with Martha Syndrome. When our caring and compassion tanks are nearing empty - Watch Out!

It was Junior High in the mid 1980’s when the Wilder family opened up Tokens Video Arcade in my home town of Lansing, IL. Today, you can go to Google Play or the Apple Store to download a pinball game, but it is nothing like the original. The pull of the spring tensioned launch button, the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:28-31

What Is Greatness?

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Oct 10, 2024

Jesus our God came to serve. And even to die, to give his life as a ransom for many! To die for us, to empty himself of divine power and authority and serve those in need. That is true greatness.

I recall a meme I saw online, it had a picture of a janitorial supply cart and it said, "Called to ministry? This will be your first pulpit." Truer words were never spoken. My first five years in ministry I mopped a lot of floors, and believe me, I expect more floors in the future. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:20-21

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Dead Hear His Voice And Live

Contributed by Reuben Bredenhof on May 9, 2021

The day will come when all the graveyards and all the cemeteries in the world will be emptied out. They will give up their dead, who will live again. And those who have believed in Christ will live forever with him.

The apostle John records seven miracles (or signs) from Jesus’s public ministry. Today we come to the seventh sign, and it is without question the greatest sign. For in John 11, the Lord Jesus powerfully restores the life of Lazarus. And it’s actually a miracle that we can relate to, in the sense ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-44

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Remember The Lord!

Contributed by Larry Grant on Aug 16, 2025

We have already allowed the enemy to: Silence our praise, Empty our altars & Extinguish our testimony! But its not too late! Our Faith is worth fighting for!

Nehemiah 4:10-15 “Remember the Lord!” 8/17/2025 Intro: Nehemiah was neither a prophet nor a scribe. He was the cupbearer for the Persian King Artaxerxes. After Ezra the scribe led a group of Israelites back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. The Persian King allowed Nehemiah to lead another group ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 4:10-15

Denomination: Baptist

God Is Holy, And God Is Coming (Revelation 4:1-11) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Oct 27, 2025

As an encouragement, Jesus gives John a vision/revelation of heavenly reality. There is a throne higher than Caesar's. That throne isn't empty. And our holy God is coming soon.

Today, we find ourselves in the first of two chapters in Revelation, that I consider to be at its very heart. Revelation 4, and 5. Arguably, these two chapters in their own way are the very heart of the Bible, as well. There are things in these chapters that are not necessarily obvious, that ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 4:1-11

Going Beyond Human Sickness

Contributed by Derek Geldart on Jan 22, 2022

Where do you go when your mind is broken, you feel empty and without a sense of purpose, incapable of finding any joy in your life? You seek a cure from the Great Physician Jesus whose demand to deny self and follow Him is a yoke that is light in His sustaining grace and strength!

Going Beyond Human Sickness Matthew 11:28-30, 16:21-27 Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567 What do you do when you get sick? For many of us our first response is to look for an “over-the-counter” solution to see if we can find a cure for whatever ails us on our own! I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16:21-27

Denomination: Baptist

Partaking Of Christ

Contributed by David Swensen on Dec 20, 2001

Have we gone astray, feeding and feasting on all the empty, fleeting things this world offers? Let’s learn how to partake of Christ so our deepest hungers of our soul will be satisfied

PARTAKING OF CHRIST John 6:35-51 INTRODUCTION In his latest book, Jesus Among Other Gods, Ravi Zacharias tells of a 1996 expedition to Mt. Everest. His information came from the book, Into Thin Air, that chronicles the hazards that plagued the climbers. “The expedition was a disaster and many ...read more

Scripture: John 6:35-51

Denomination: Baptist

Helpful Routines For A New Year

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Jan 6, 2007

Jesus and his family went to the Passover Feast according to custom. It was a helpful routine and not an empty ritual for them. This talk offers four helpful routines for the Church: Praying, Eating, Worshipping and Serving Together (PEWS).

Luke 2: 41-52 Midnight mass – Church on Christmas Day – Presents all opened before 6am – No presents until after Christmas lunch – Turkey with all the trimmings – A family walk in the afternoon – A football match on Boxing Day – Turkey sandwiches for a week – New Year resolutions – A special diet ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:42-52

Denomination: Anglican