Table of Contents
Date: SUN 11:30am 1st February 2026
Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlin
Bible Reference: 1 Samuel 20:18
Podcast
Sermon Summary
The preacher uses this striking image — an empty seat at the table — to unfold three main lessons that the “silent speech” of absence communicates.
1. The Transitory Nature of an Empty Seat
An empty seat powerfully reminds us of the brevity and fragility of life. The preacher emphasises that:
- Life is temporary (“a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” – James 4:14).
- Everyone’s seat — in the home, workplace, church, or community — will one day be vacant through death, divorce, desertion, distance, or other life changes.
- Scripture urges us to number our days (Psalm 90:12), live with eternal perspective, and give account to God for our time, talents, stewardship, and thoughts (Romans 14:12).
- The preacher reflects on personal and universal experiences: the pain of empty chairs at family tables after bereavement, the changed atmosphere in homes without a father’s leadership or a mother’s love, or the absence of a child’s laughter.
Nothing in this world is permanent; death (or other separations) eventually empties every seat.
2. The Testimony of an Empty Seat
When someone’s seat becomes empty, it testifies that their life once mattered — “thou shalt be missed.” The preacher asks listeners to examine whether their own lives would be genuinely missed if they were gone.
He cites examples of godly lives that left a lasting impact:
- Robert Murray McCheyne (died aged 29), whose ministry so moved Dundee that crowds lined the streets at his funeral.
- Matthew Arnold, whose personal motto was “Live your life so to be missed.”
- Various Irish and Ulster ministers and saints (e.g., Dr Paisley, Dr Alan Cairns, Jim McLernon, Willie Hugh Baxter, Joe Chapman, William McKeown) whose empty seats now testify to faithful, influential service for Christ.
In the church especially, an empty seat silently declares:
- Someone once worshipped here.
- Someone once prayed, praised, gave, and served here.
- Someone radiated the beauty of Christ here.
The preacher stresses that only a life lived for God’s glory — seeking first the kingdom (Matthew 6:33) — produces a memory that is blessed (Proverbs 10:7) and leaves such a testimony.
3. The Tragic News of an Empty Seat
In the original context, David’s absence exposed serious spiritual and relational brokenness:
- Saul’s murderous hatred.
- A threatened kingship.
- A fractured friendship and family.
Applied to the church today, persistently empty seats (especially among those who are able-bodied and not providentially hindered) reveal deeper heart issues:
- Backsliding and spiritual neglect.
- Loss of love for Christ and His people (Matthew 24:12 – “the love of many shall wax cold”).
- Unresolved offences, hurts, or bitterness.
- Criticism, negativity, self-centredness, or prioritising personal convenience over consecration (the example of Demas in 2 Timothy 4:10).
- Indifference to the Lord’s Day, treating the Sabbath lightly rather than gathering with God’s people.
The preacher laments the spiritual drift that causes people to absent themselves from public worship, prayer meetings, and communion — and warns that such absence carries serious accountability before God (Exodus 20:8; Hebrews 10:25 implied).
Closing Application and Appeal
The preacher concludes by turning the image positively:
- An occupied seat strengthens fellowship, shapes a godly atmosphere, provides stability, and encourages others.
- Above all, there are no empty seats in heaven.
- The urgent need is to come humbly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), confess sin, trust Christ as Saviour, and receive His mercy through His blood.
- True believers come to God’s house out of love for Christ — not duty alone — and their presence testifies to a living relationship with Him.
