Sermons on Folly:

Don’t Deprive Yourself Freedom—but What If The Fullest Is The End Of You?

Contributed by Mduduzi Msongelwa Ncube on Jun 25, 2025

"Enjoy your life while it lasts." It's a common refrain among friends, emphasizing the pursuit of happiness and freedom. However, this led me to ponder deeply: What if our definition of "living life to the fullest" is misguided?

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 11:9 "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth... but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." This verse acknowledges the joy of youth but also serves as a solemn reminder ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 11:9

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

A Bad Bet

Contributed by Eric Hanson on Aug 9, 2007

This message Exposes the folly of organized gambling. It draws from many sources to build the case that the spread of gamblilng establishments is bad for individuals, families, and communities.

A Bad Bet Organized Gambling Pastor Eric Hanson I Timothy 6:9-10 People who want to get rich, fall into temptation and a trap, and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:9-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Who Needs Theology? Series

Contributed by Thomas Clawser on Jan 28, 2017

Knowledge is important, but insufficient. Man’s wisdom is folly compared to God’s. So, what good is knowledge if faith is all that we need?

The word theology comes from two Greek words: Theos (God) and logos (study, research). Thus, theology is the study of God. I am richly blessed to be a graduate of Evangelical Theological Seminary. My course of study (Master of Divinity) included five semesters in systematic theology, among the most ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Denomination: Other

"Leaning To The Wind"

Contributed by Thomas Bartee on Feb 4, 2011

This message vividly illustrates the folly of leaning too heavily on our own understanding, leaving God out of our lives.And the blessings of trusting God!

Introduction: My sermon title is, "Leaning To The Wind." If you have your Bibles, please turn with me to the third chapter of the book of Proverbs, verses five and six. (ILL). Circuses and carnivals often have a special attraction called, "The Tight Rope Walker." A ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Wisdom Of God And The Witness Of Martyrs

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 1, 2018

The wisdom of every age considers the Catholic faith a folly. The only promise Christ made about this life is that we would be blessed through the agency of persecution.

Thursday of the 22nd Week in Course 2018 St. Donatian of Africa The wisdom of any secular age considers the Christian faith to be folly. The reason for this is that the wisdom of a given secular age is focused on how to attain pleasure, status or power. It is essentially centered on the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11, 1 Corinthians 3:18-23

Denomination: Catholic

Listen

Contributed by Melvin Maughmer, Jr. on Dec 28, 2021

The medical professional will tell us to listen to our bodies because it will let us know if something isn’t right that’s the reason, we do self-examinations. The auto mechanic will tell you to listen to your automobile because certain sounds will indicate something is wrong.

Listen By Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr. OPENING: - As we come towards the end of 2021 and looking forward, to 2022 people are looking for things to be better in the coming year. We long to be able to have what we call normal back. We pray that the Covid pandemic will finally end, that there ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 85:8, Revelation 2:11, Revelation 2:17, Revelation 2:29, Revelation 3:6, Revelation 3:13, Revelation 3:22  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Apostolic

Nabal The Fool (1 Samuel 25)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 20, 2025

Which is better giving or getting? Let's examine 1 Samuel 25.

Is making rash decisions in anger foolish? Is giving more blessed than getting? Let’s look at 1 Samuel 25. Because they had given Nabal protection, did David ask him for food as a favor? Then Samuel died; and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him at his house in Ramah. And ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Foolish Husband's Choices Can Shatter The Family's Harmony. Series

Contributed by Shaila Touchton on Jan 20, 2024

Proverbs 14:29 tells us, "A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him." His foolish decisions bring pain and sorrow to his family.

I want to write to you about the importance of being a godly husband, by examining the traits of an evil husband as described in the Bible. In the book of Proverbs, it says, "A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands" (Proverbs 14:1). An evil ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 12:15, Ephesians 5:23-33, Proverbs 19:20

The Power Of The Cross

Contributed by Ian Lyall on Mar 14, 2009

A consideration of the power of the Cross; those for whom is is God’s power, those for whom it is folly. Shows what God did for us when Christ died on th Cross

I want to turn this morning to look at the passage from 1 Corinthians chapter 1, which places before us the power of the Cross, and as we journey through Lent toward Holy Week it is surely fitting to do so. The Cross is central to our faith as Christians- but I ask, do we always know and appreciate ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Playing With Fire

Contributed by David Owens on Sep 27, 2010

In this lesson, I discuss the folly of infidelity from Proverbs 5-7, and use Tiger Woods to illustrate how someone who had everything can lose so much.

A. The story is told of a man with two badly burned ears who went to the emergency room for medical treatment. 1. “What happened,” asked the doctor. 2. “Well, my wife was ironing while I was watching the ballgame on TV,” began the man. 3. “She put the hot iron near the telephone and when the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Cross

Contributed by Ken Mckinley on Sep 25, 2022

The message of the cross is a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are being saved it is the wisdom of God. Do we have a "cross centered" view today?

THE CROSS Text: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, 1 Corinthians 2:1-6 OPEN WITH PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING I love studying God’s Word. I absolutely love it. I would rather study God’s Word than watch football or go to a UFC fight, which is saying a lot, because I enjoy both of those things. I would rather ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, 1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Remember Who Is In Charge Series

Contributed by Larry Finley on Sep 29, 2009

God is always at work.

REMEMBER WHO IS IN CHARGE! 8/26/09 Esther 6:1-14 1. Always Remember – God IS AT WORK! a. Paul Harvey - story of God’s providential care bomber > island of Guam = Kokura, Japan, deadly cargo. clouds covered the target area, circled - fuel -danger point., frustrated - right over primary ...read more

Scripture: Esther 6:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

The Days Vanish Like Smoke

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 20, 2022

The young make mistakes, and if they don’t have a strong and self-controlled father figure in their lives, they often make rash decisions and hurt themselves and others in the act.

Saturday of the 25th Week in Course 2022 When we read this portion of the Wisdom book of Qoheleth/Ecclesiastes, it is always wise itself to remember who is writing it to whom. The “preacher,” Qoheleth in Hebrew, is a wise man of advanced years. The reader or listener is redundantly called, “O ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:43-45, Ecclesiastes 11:9-10, Ecclesiastes 12:1-8

Denomination: Catholic

Where Is Your Treasure

Contributed by Christopher Nerreau on Aug 6, 2007

(The Parable Of The Rich Fool) The Folly of the Fool 1. Could not see beyond Himself 2. Could not see beyond this life The Wisdom of God 1. Sees Beyond Self 2. Sees Beyond This World

Introduction: • A wise old man put up a sign on a vacant piece of property he owned that read, “I will give this lot to anyone who is really satisfied.”A wealthy man read it as he rode by and said to himself, “Since this old man is going to give this piece of land away, I might as well have it as ...read more

Denomination: Orthodox

A Final Personification Of Wisdom

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 15, 2015

Wisdom is compared to the virtuous woman in this closing poem of the book of Proverbs: the very personification of Christ, and of all that we all should be in Him.

A FINAL PERSONIFICATION OF WISDOM. Proverbs 31:10-31. The book of Proverbs closes with an acrostic poem which commends the virtues of a certain (literally) “strong woman” (Proverbs 31:10). If we have been reading through the book up to this point, we will find that we have met her already. This ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10-31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational