Sermons on The Big Empty:

Apostles Sent To Preach The Good News

Contributed by William Baeta on Jan 24, 2014

“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” (1Cor 1:17)

Theme: Apostles sent to preach the Good news Text: Is. 9:1-4; 1 Cor. 1:10-18; Matt. 4:12-23 The meaning of the word apostle is one who is sent - a messenger or an ambassador. In the Christian sense, anyone sent by God on a mission is an apostle. John the Baptist was sent to proclaim the good ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:12-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Father To Pharaoh

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 16, 2009

There is pain in family relationships. Jacob’s emptiness created Benjamin, the zero. Judah repeats parental manipulation. But Joseph shows that God’s grace can turn family pain into accomplishment.

The emotional scene we are about to confront comes out of a long history of deals and double deals. When this man stands before his brothers and weeps, his tears flow out of a whole reservoir of pent-up feelings. When this man, this strong, savvy, sophisticated official, cries out in a pain so ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Road Signs

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 12, 2010

A sermon on 2 Kings 4:1-7 on filling up empty vessels (Much material and title taken from "One Month to Live" Day 22 by Kerry and Chris Shook)

Sermon for 1/10/2010 Road Signs (Day 22 of One Month to Live) 2 Kings 4:1-7 Introduction: A. If we had only a limited amount of time to live, the temptation might be to plead with God for a miracle to extend our lives. This is called bargaining. God doesn’t work that way. Oh, God might ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Ruth Rejoicing Series

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Feb 21, 2010

In four short chapters we move from tragedy to triumph, from despair to joy, from emptiness to fullness. This book begins with famine and funerals, and concludes with a wedding and the joyful birth of a son.

The final chapter of this quiet drama takes place before the town gate of Bethlehem, where all important transactions were conducted. Here is where the matter of Ruth the foreigner would be settled. After the late-night rendezvous of chapter 3, Boaz goes right to work; he finds his kinsman and ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 4:1-22

Denomination: Congregational

Seeing Is Believing Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 27, 2021

Peter, John and Mary Magdalene all saw the empty tomb... but they all came away with different conclusions. What can we learn from these first three witnesses of the risen Christ?

On May 4, 1865, after weeks of his body being on display in Washington D.C. and a few other cities, Abraham Lincoln was “laid to rest” in a cemetery near his home in Springfield, Illinois. But Lincoln didn’t "rest in peace." In 1876, there was a plot to raid his grave and steal his ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sermon: "teach Us To Made The Most Of Our Days"

Contributed by Otis Mcmillan on Sep 19, 2024

Moses had witnessed those who had lived many years, carrying the wealth and riches of Egypt, but they all died in the wilderness and failed to receive the promises of God. They were living on empty!

Subject: "Teach Us To Made The Most of Our Days" Text: Psalms 90:12 “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Introduction: Moses dealt with Israel for more than 80 years. Just think about all that has taken place in the last 50 years. During the last 50 ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:12, Hebrews 9:27, Psalm 116:15, Job 14:1

Denomination: Methodist

The - First Light - Factor Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 5, 2008

To some people, the world is a dark and difficult experience. But in the midst of their frustration, there is the hint of eternity that makes them hope that there is something more than they are presently experiencing.

(Twenty years ago I heard a preacher give a sermon with the same kinds of opening and closing illustrations. It left such an impression on me that I have waited all this time to preach this specific sermon.) OPEN: Nine men lay trapped more than 200 feet beneath the ground in a coal mine in ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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

How To Be Like Jesus

Contributed by Mark Aarssen on Feb 1, 2008

The search for answers begins when we are young. We all want answers to the big questions of life. Jesus starts by giving us answers and not questions. He already knows the things we want to know about.

How to be like Jesus This simple sermon title involves a lot of profound teaching from Jesus. A lot of people today and in Jesus time too were looking for the fast solutions to the problems of life. Life was no less complicated for the people of Jesus time than it is for us today. We all want ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Living A Life Of Sexual Purity Series

Contributed by Thomas H on Oct 4, 2010

Sex. It is big in today’s world. As Christians we are constantly pressured to conform to the world’s low sexual standards. But we must resist and in this passage Paul gives us God’s standards for sexual purity.

Ephesians 5:3-14 Living a life of sexual purity Sometimes when watching the news on TV some footage might be coming up - say a bomb explosion or war scene - and before they show the footage there is an announcement something like this: This footage contains scenes which may offend some viewers. In ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:3-14

Denomination: Baptist

Finding Joy: Easter, 2003

Contributed by Rick Duncan on Apr 28, 2003

Do you ever feel like this? Emptiness? Exhaustion? Feeling trapped? We’ll meet two people in the Bible who felt this way. But because they met the Risen Jesus, they found joy. And you can, too!

(I used several ideas from Rick Warren’s Easter messages over the last few years for this message. Thanks, Rick! 1980 people attended our services and 63 people prayed to recieve Christ at CVCC this Easter!) * * * I’ve lived in NE Ohio 17 years and I’ve personally talked to hundreds of people ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Baptist

Celebrating A Timeless Jesus At Christmas Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Apr 7, 2024

Christmas was just the beginning of a round-trip that Jesus took from heaven to earth and back to heaven. Jesus went from sitting on a throne, to laying in a manger, to hanging on a tree. He went from being a king with a crown, to a baby with diapers, to a criminal on the cross

Christmas kicks off at Cross Church officially today! I hope this is the best Christmas for your family and you have experienced. Now perhaps the best news concerning Christmas came from our friends at Hallmark. Hallmark announced they are really close to developing a second movie ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-5, John 1:12-13, Genesis 1:1

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus’ Final Instructions, Part 1

Contributed by Craig Condon on Sep 15, 2015

Jesus went to heaven to prepare a place for us to go to when we go to our heavenly home. Going home fulfills the longing we have for God. Only God can fulfill the emptiness of our souls.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-14

Denomination: Anglican

And Now, The Weather Series

Contributed by James Jackson on Jun 22, 2020

The Big Idea: We don’t always like the warnings Scripture gives us. In the parable of the wicked tenants, Jesus warns the religious leaders of of the consequences of not bearing the fruit God is looking for.

Since we’ve titled this series “Good News,” a lot of the sermon titles have related to the news—“The most trusted name in News,” “A Slow News Day,” “The Rest of the Story—” stuff like that. So that’s where this title comes from, and I’ll talk more about this later. An interesting thing about ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:1-12, Mark 12:26-34, Isaiah 5:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Walking With Jesus In God's Plan

Contributed by Jon Mackinney on Apr 26, 2011

We expect the big things from Jesus, and are thrilled with them. But here he is, doing a rather small miracle that seems a little out of place. But what is going on, and what can we learn from it?

Passage: Matthew 21:18-22 Intro: We are getting a glimpse today into the everyday life of the two natures of Jesus Christ. 1. theologians will tell us that Jesus walked on the earth as a fully human being. 2. and at the same time, He was fully God. 3. so this little event of the withering ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:18-22

Denomination: Evangelical Free