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David O. Bales

David Bales was a Presbyterian pastor for 33 years. He is a graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary. In addition to his ministry he also has taught college: World Religions, Ethics, Biblical Hebrew and Biblical Greek (lately at College of Idaho, Caldwell). He has been a freelance writer for Stephen Ministries. His sermons and articles have appeared in Interpretation, Lectionary Homiletics, Preaching the Great Texts and other publications. For a year he wrote the online column "In The Original: Insights from Greek and Hebrew for the Lectionary Passages." His books include: Gospel Subplots: Story Sermons of God's Grace, Toward Easter and Beyond, Scenes of Glory: Subplots of God's Long Story, and To the Cross and Beyond and Beyond: Cycle A Sermons for Lent and Easter. Dave has been a writer for the CSS online subscription, StoryShare, for five years. He can be reached at dobales.com.

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Mercy Triumphs -- Mark 7:24-37, Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, James 2:1-10 (11-13) 14-17, Psalm 125 -- David O. Bales, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Mercy Triumphs" by David O. Bales

SermonStudio

Rich And Poor Alike? -- Luke 6:17-26 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Lalia nagged Corin for weeks, "Come to church with me Sunday night.
And What Else? -- John 6:1-21 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
"The wind was squealing through the rigging," Peter said.
Dancing In Eden's Airport -- Genesis 2:7, 18-25 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Marriage Chapter 1
Third Voice In The Courtyard -- Luke 22:14--23:56 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Maundy (Holy) Thursday or Good Friday
Mid Cemetery -- 2 Samuel 1:1-17 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Grief Chapter 3
Seeing The End -- Revelation 1:4-8 -- David O. Bales -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2008
"At least the preacher wasn't too religious," James said.
Unanswerable -- Job 38:1-7 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Chapter 5UnanswerableJob 38:1-7
Setting: Corinth, Greece, 55 AD -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Christian Ethics
O People Walking In Darkness -- Isaiah 9:2 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Christmas EveChapter 6
The Twins -- Hosea 11:3 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Baccalaureate or Graduation
The Chief Magi's Son -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Epiphany Chapter 8
July Fifth -- Matthew 5:38-39 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Independence DayMatthew 5:38-39
By What Authority? -- Mark 1:21-28 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Chapter 10By What Authority?Mark 1:21-28
Jerusalem From The West -- Mark 1:40-44 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Chapter 11Jerusalem From The West
Althea Genler's Subtle Memorial Blessing -- Mark 4:10-12 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: PrayerChapter 12
Jesus' Questions -- Mark 9:30-37 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Chapter 13Jesus' QuestionsMark 9:30-37
Gravensteins -- Mark 12:28-34 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Chapter 14GravensteinsMark 12:28-34
Do This -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Maundy (Holy) Thursday Chapter 2
Solomon's Prayer -- 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Chapter 4Solomon's Prayer
Collision Course To The Cross -- Mark 15:21-26 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Resurrection SundayChapter 15
Signs -- Luke 21:25-36 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Chapter 17SignsLuke 21:25-36
Joseph Of Arimathea And Of Jerusalem -- Luke 23:50-56 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Resurrection SundayChapter 19
The Whole Truth -- Luke 24:36-48 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Resurrection SundayChapter 20
The True Israelite -- John 1:43-51 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Doubt Chapter 21
UPCOMING WEEKS
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Easter 4
28 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
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Easter 5
33 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
30 – Worship Resources
35 – Commentary / Exegesis
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Easter 6
30 – Sermons
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New & Featured This Week

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
In the sometimes-tiresome debate over science and scripture with respect to creation, it’s easy to become distracted. While the argument typically requires a focus on the how, we may lose sight of the what. And so, for just a moment, let me invite us to think for a moment about what God created.
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas
Acts 8:26-40
As a local church pastor, I was often asked if I would baptize a child whose family were not members of the church. Some churches rebelled against this, but I remember this scripture — the hunger for understanding and inclusion of the Eunuch and Philp’s response — to teach and share and baptize in the name of our God. How could we turn anyone away from the rite of baptism?

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Dad, I think you worked a miracle.” Rolf slowly walked around the tree. “After that windstorm, I assumed this tree was as good as gone.”

“We just needed to give the branches time to heal and come back,” Michael replied.

 “I know, but so many of them were battered and broken I figured that it couldn’t recover. Now though it looks just like it did before the storm.” Rolf paused. “Do you think it will bear any fruit this summer?”

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A live plant that produces fruit, and a broken branch from that plant. I used a tomato plant from a local greenhouse. Ideally, find a plant with blossoms or small fruit already growing. If you use a different kind of fruit-producing plant, just change the script to fit.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Elena Delhagen
Dean Feldmeyer
Quantisha Mason-Doll
For April 28, 2024:
  • On The Way To Gaza by Chris Keating based on Acts 8:26-40. On the way to Gaza, Philip discovers the startling ways the Spirit of God moves across borders, boundaries, customs, and traditions.
  • Second Thoughts: Abiding by Katy Stenta based on John 15:1-8.
  • Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin, Tom Willadsen, Elena Delhagen, Dean Feldmeyer.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. In our service today, let us absorb from the vine all the nourishment we need.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes our branches become cut off from the vine.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes our branches are withered.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we fail to produce good fruit.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Stan Purdum
We will meet Psalm 22 in its entirety on Good Friday, but here the lectionary designates just verses 23-31. The lectionary psalms generally illuminate the week's First Lesson, which in this case is about the covenant initiated by God with Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17. The nine verses from this psalm, while not inappropriate, nonetheless leave us looking for an obvious connection with the First Lesson.

John S. Smylie
I think some people are natural-born gardeners. Our Lord grew up in a society that was familiar with agriculture. The images that he used to explain the ways of his Father in heaven are familiar to his audience. Growing up, my closest experience to agriculture was living in, "the Garden State." Most people, when they pass through New Jersey, are surprised to see that expression on the license plates of vehicles registered in New Jersey. Most folks traveling through New Jersey experience the megalopolis, the corridor between New York City and Washington DC.
Ron Lavin
A pastor in Indiana went to visit an 87-year-old man named Ermil, who was a hospital patient. A member of his church told the pastor about this old man who was an acquaintance. "He's not a believer, but he is really in need," the church member said. "I met him at the county home for the elderly. He's a lonely old man with no family and no money."

Paul E. Robinson
"Love is a many splendored thing...." Or so we heard Don Cornwall and the Four Aces sing time and again. Of course you or I might have other words to describe love, depending on our situation.

Love. "I love you." "I love to play golf." "I just love pistachio lush!" "It's tough to love some people." "Jesus loves me, this I know."

Love.

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