Sermons on cleverness: showing 31-45 of 2,622

A Gracious Master / The Meaning Behind The Parable Of The Unjust Manager

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Sep 22, 2013

This parable is deeply embedded in Middle Eastern tradition and culture, and it is to that culture that interpreters should turn.

By the fourth century the parable of the unjust manager ..... which we read today ...... and the parable of the prodigal son were separated by ..... a chapter division. If the monks who established those divisions ...... had kept the two parables in the same chapter, ....... The entire history of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:13-19, Luke 16:1-13

Denomination: Anglican

The Word Of The Cross Series

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Jul 22, 2004

God’s Word will do God’s work, in you, and through you.

“For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside”. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Denomination: Orthodox

Sound Doctrine Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 5, 2021

The stability of the church depends on the leaderships commitment to the Word of God. The orthodox doctrines, or teachings that come from Christ and his Apostles is the foundation that can never change.

Rusty Stevens, a Navigator Director, tells this story. He was pushing the lawn mower around his yard trying to get done before supper was on the table. His 6 year old son Mikey came out and stepped in front of him, grabbed the handle of the mower and started to push. The father quit pushing and ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:15-16

The Quagmire Of Mankind’s Separation-2

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Sep 26, 2012

2 of 3. Genesis concisely details a separation of nations following the Flood. What defines the quagmire of mankind’s separation? The quagmire in mankind’s separation is in his...

The QUAGMIRE Of MANKIND’s SEPARATION-II—Genesis 10:1-32 & 11:1-9 Mankind became separated into various nations following the Flood. Genesis details the origins of the nations following the Flood. Genesis concisely details the separation of the nations following the Flood. Genesis concisely ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Simplicity Versus Complexity

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 13, 2021

We need to see that the primary problem of the Pharisees was that they were too religious. Some people go bad because of their vices, and others because of their virtues.

Human nature loves to magnify the minute and give significance to the insignificant by the simple method of stretching the truth. An army cook, for example, feed a mob of men with scrambled eggs, and then he sat down and wrote to his girl friend: "Dearest, for two hours shells have been ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:33-37

"Verbi Domini Minister” Series

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Aug 21, 2004

The Christian is called to give one, simple message to the unchurched. It is the gospel in its simplicity.

“For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” In his commentary on I Corinthians, Simon J. Kistemaker documents that in earlier centuries it was common for preachers of the gospel to write the letters, “V.D.M.” after their name. The letters stand for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:2

Denomination: Orthodox

A Perplexing Parable Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 26, 2021

Jesus is saying to His disciples that they can learn from non-Christian dedication, even the dedication of crooks. Look at the world and learn something from their commitment to their evil goals.

Have you ever heard or read of such a unique and perfectly planned crime that you said to yourself, "That was really clever"? For example, was it not amazing that that group of men in England could steal millions of dollars without firing a shot? We have to admit it was a bad thing well ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-15

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

Man Has Twisted, Contorted, Inverted, And Opposed All God’s Creation – Part 1 – Genesis Chapter 1 Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 27, 2023

Every aspect of God’s perfect creation in Genesis 1 has been inverted by man to make monstrosities out of what God created and said, “It is good.” Satan is the one who will destroy and mangle all for evil. We look at these items Satan has mangled, twisted and inverted.

MAN HAS TWISTED, CONTORTED, INVERTED, AND OPPOSED ALL GOD’S CREATION – PART 1 – GENESIS CHAPTER 1 We are now living in a twisted, contorted and inverted world. In fact the change has not been a slow creeping of the years, but a very rapid convolution that has ascended from the pit and into the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:1, 1 Corinthians 1:25-27, Colossians 2:8-9, John 1:3-4, Hebrews 11:6, Revelation 21:1, Philippians 2:9-11  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Fool Series

Contributed by Victor Yap on Dec 20, 2007

God of Wonders, Pt. 2

THE FOOL (PSALMS 14) A college student was in a philosophy class, where a class discussion about whether or not God exists was in progress. The professor had the following logic: “Has anyone in this class heard God?” Nobody spoke. “Has anyone in this class touched God?” Again, nobody spoke. “Has ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 14:1-7

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Fool Series

Contributed by Victor Yap on Apr 19, 2006

God of Wonders, Pt. 2

THE FOOL (PSALMS 14) A college student was in a Philosophy class, where a class discussion about whether or not God exists was in progress. The professor had the following logic: “Has anyone in this class heard God?” Nobody spoke. “Has anyone in this class touched God?” Again, nobody spoke. “Has ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 14:1-7

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Give Us The Wisdom Of Jesus

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 30, 2023

We ask for the wisdom to know God’s will, and the other virtues needed to carry it out in our day and time.

Saturday of 8th Week in Course 2023 Wisdom. Holy Wisdom in Greek is Agios Sophia. The word is in the feminine gender not only in Greek but in Latin, so the pronoun is “her.” Sophia is a she, and we’ve probably all known women and girls who carried that very Christian name. Jesus ben Sira, the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 19:8-11, Mark 11:27-33

Denomination: Catholic

The Fox Out-Foxed

Contributed by D Marion Clark on Aug 8, 2016

If there is one trait of Jacob that stands out, it is his craftiness. Our chapter presents another crafty fellow who will out-fox Jacob.

Genesis 29:1-30 The Fox Out-Foxed 8/7/16 D. Marion Clark Introduction When I moved to Lake Oconee and learned that I was living in the land of Br’er Rabbit, I decided I should read Uncle Remus. It doesn’t take long to size up the primary character of Br’er Rabbit. He is crafty ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 29:1-30

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Answering The Skeptics Series

Contributed by Derek Geldart on Mar 5, 2016

This sermon outlines five ways in which Christians can present the Gospel message to unbelievers in a God-fearing manner.

ANSWERING THE SKEPTICS So far we have answered some really difficult questions that are often posed by non-believers. First, how can God be just when he allows the innocent to suffer and second, is our faith blind. Today we are going to look at the third difficult question: Question #3: How ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Denomination: Baptist

How God Turns Things Around For Our Good

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

Too many people live with a feeling of fatalistic pessimism that adversely affects their thinking, emotions and behavior. The Lord has a way of turning around the most difficult situations for our good. Pessimists think their circumstances are the worst p

1. Too many people live with a feeling of fatalistic pessimism that adversely affects their thinking, emotions and behavior. The Lord has a way of turning around the most difficult situations for our good. Pessimists think their circumstances are the worst possible because they believe that the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:23-30, Acts 9:23, Psalm 126:1

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational