In Sermon Illustrations: "Dr Dale Sides"

Stealing God

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Aug 20, 2019

A couple had two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were mischievous. They were always getting into trouble, and their parents knew that if any mischief occurred in their town, their sons were probably involved. The boys' mother heard that a Pastor in town had been successful in disciplining ...read more

Tags: Presence, God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Who Needs Twitter!

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Aug 20, 2019

We all want our lives to matter, and we believe they only matter if they are noticed by someone. I wonder if this desire for a witness isn't what fuels a lot of blogs, Facebook, and especially Twitter. We want someone, anyone, to take notice … to care about us … to watch us and by their ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-12

Tags: Communication, Self Esteem, Relationship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Obscurity

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Aug 20, 2019

In his book Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, Eugene Peterson recounts the story of the fourth century church father Gregory of Nyssa whose brother Basil had arranged for him to be made bishop of Cappadocia. "Gregory objected," Peterson writes. "He didn't want to be stuck ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-12

Tags: Obedience, Identity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Modern Day (Sports) Parable

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Aug 21, 2019

The Parable Of The Free Agent Hockey Players “For the kingdom of heaven is like a rich sports owner who went out at 6 AM on July 1st , free agency day, to find players for his hockey team. At the local Starbucks he found a Superstar player. He said, “I’ll make you a good offer. - $5 million per ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Grace, Gospel, Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Sin Problem

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Sep 12, 2019

Immanuel Kant. “Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, Romans 3:23

Tags: Forgiveness, Sin, Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Selfishness Test

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 6, 2019

Psychologists have a test for selfishness – it's called the narcissism test – they read people statements like these: “I like to be the center of attention” “I show off if I get the chance because I’m extraordinary” “Somebody should write a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Humility, Pride, Selfishness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Road To Character

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 6, 2019

“Humility is the freedom from the need to prove you are superior all the time, but egotism is a ravenous hunger in a small space – self-concerned, competitive, and distinction hungry. Humility (in contrast) is infused with lovely emotions like ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Humility, Pride

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Politics And Religion

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 19, 2019

Politics always competes with religion (joining it, tolerating it when it must, and absorbing it when it can) in order to promise, if not a life beyond, then a new deal on this earth, and a leader smiling charismatically from the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 21:1-4, Matthew 2:1-23, Luke 23:1-25

Tags: Hope, Politics, Culture

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love Or Achievement

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Dec 9, 2019

I once heard a woman give a remarkable account of achievement. An early feminist, she gained renown in the male-dominated field of endocrinology. She brushes shoulders with Nobel laureates and world leaders, and has lived as full and rich a life as any I have known. At the end of her story she ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, 1 John 4:7-8

Tags: Love, Success, Meaning Of Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christmas And Atheism

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Dec 16, 2019

The famed Austrian psychologist Carl Jung once wrote about a life without God: “Those psychiatrists who are not superficial have come to the conclusion that the vast neurotic misery of the world could be TERMED a neurosis of emptiness. Men cut themselves off from the root of their being, from God ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Faith, Atheism, Emptiness, Existence Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Magnificent Surprise

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Dec 17, 2019

The accumulation of surprises at Bethlehem, humble country characters, a young peasant girl, an animal stall, a manger, shepherds, Magi, the threat of Herod and fleeing as refugees, though fascinating- are all secondary matters. The ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Christmas, Incarnation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Crisis Of Covid-19

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 4, 2020

The 20th century... What if you were born in 1900 - my grandparents for example were born in 1904 in Newfoundland. At age 14 , World War I starts, and ends on your 18th birthday. 22 million people perish in that war. Later in 1918, the Spanish Flu epidemic kills 50 million people in those two ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6, Hebrews 12:28-29

Tags: Hope, Second Coming, Perspective, Crisis

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Power Of Singing

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 14, 2020

Its been observed that Singing Together Shapes Community. ***Songs are one way that a community has its identity and one way that individuals find their identity within a community. (therefore old songs –passed on to the next generation- help create community bonds) Baseball has a song – during ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Community, Church, Worship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Honor

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 28, 2020

Victor Frankl was a survivor of the holocaust. His famous book is called "Man's Search for Meaning." The reader they ask me why I did not try to escape what was in store for me after Hitler had occupied Austria. Let me answer by recalling the following story. Shortly before ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:1

Tags: Sacrifice, Honor, Family, Purpose, Meaning, Selfishness, 10 Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Happiness

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jun 11, 2020

Augustine on Depravity and Grace; “Without you what am I to myself but a guide to my own self destruction?” “... the self which willed to serve (God) was identical with the self which was unwilling. It was I. I was neither wholly willing nor wholly unwilling. So I was in conflict with myself ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:7-25

Tags: Grace, Sin, Depravity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Freedom

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jun 11, 2020

Freedom: “You feel you were hedged in you dream of escape; but beware of mirages. Do not run or fly away in order to get free: rather dig in the narrow place which has been given you; you will find God there and everything. God does not float on your horizon, he sleeps in your substance. Vanity ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:39

Tags: Freedom, Future, Self

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Leadership

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 14, 2020

“I firmly determined that my mannerisms and speech in public would always reflect the cheerful certainty of victory – that any pessimism and discouragement I might ever feel would be reserved for my pillow... I adopted a policy of circulating through the whole force to the full limit imposed by ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Leadership, Character, Discipline

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

For The Longest Time

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Sep 10, 2020

For the Longest Time Chorus Oh, oh, oh For the longest time Oh, oh, oh For the longest Verse 1 When you said goodbye to me in March There was still more worship left to bring What else could I do? I'm so inspired by you Church hasn't happened for the longest time verse 2 Once I thought ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:19-22

Tags: Church, Worship, Singing, Pandemic, Covid19  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Heaven Or Drake's Mansion

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Sep 14, 2020

Drake is a famous rapper from Toronto who lives is a mansion valued at $100,000,000. Measuring 50,000 square feet it includes a 3,200 foot square master bedroom; A basketball court and a "Great Room" with a 44-foot-high ceiling and containing a Bösendorfer concert grand ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:19-22, Matthew 16:18, John 14:1-7

Tags: Church, Heaven, Materialism, Mansion, Possessions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Happy Meal

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Sep 19, 2020

The McDonalds “Happy Meal” might be the most famous meal in all the world. It's a meal for a kid that’s served at McDonalds restaurants that promises to make them happy – at least for a few fleeting minutes! In the mid-1970s, a MacDonald’s restaurant in Guatemala offered a hamburger, small ...read more

Tags: Peace, Happiness, Joy, Holiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational