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.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
All Saints Day
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 26 | OT 31 | Pentecost 24
31 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 27 | OT 32 | Pentecost 25
32 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
21 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
21 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
New & Featured This Week
CSSPlus
John Jamison
Object: An x-ray showing the human heart. I have attached a public domain image you may use if you like.
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The Immediate Word
Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For November 10, 2024:
- What We Keep For Ourselves by Dean Feldmeyer based on Mark 12:38-44.
- Second Thoughts: Creating Hope Where There Was None by Katy Stenta based on 1 Kings 17:8-16.
- Sermon illustrations by Tom Willadsen, Dean Feldmeyer, Chris Keating.
- Worship resources by George Reed.
StoryShare
John E. Sumwalt
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives sleep to his beloved. (v. 2)
While staying in a motel recently, I was wakened several times during the night by someone sawing wood in the adjoining room. At first I thought the sound was coming from outside. But when I peered out the window over the dumpster there was nothing but a weary raccoon on his way home after working the late shift.
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives sleep to his beloved. (v. 2)
While staying in a motel recently, I was wakened several times during the night by someone sawing wood in the adjoining room. At first I thought the sound was coming from outside. But when I peered out the window over the dumpster there was nothing but a weary raccoon on his way home after working the late shift.
Emphasis Preaching Journal
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas
Mark Ellingsen
Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17
Mark Ellingsen
Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17
The First Lesson is drawn from a short story set in the period of Judges (1:1), underscoring the loyalty and fidelity that binds families together. The date of the work is uncertain, a date prior to the Babylonian captivity in the sixth century BC indicates its purpose may be to establish David’s ancestry. A post-exilic date might indicate the author’s efforts to counter the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah which considered intermarriage wrong.
The First Lesson is drawn from a short story set in the period of Judges (1:1), underscoring the loyalty and fidelity that binds families together. The date of the work is uncertain, a date prior to the Babylonian captivity in the sixth century BC indicates its purpose may be to establish David’s ancestry. A post-exilic date might indicate the author’s efforts to counter the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah which considered intermarriage wrong.
The Village Shepherd
Janice B. Scott
A 91-year old man recently appeared in court, charged with causing death by careless driving. He was driving behind a lorry on a fairly narrow road, when to the horror of other motorists, he pulled out to overtake the lorry. The other motorists were horrified because they had all seen a motorcyclist coming in the opposite direction. The motorcyclist flashed his lights in warning and the lorry driver pulled as far to the left as he could, in the hope that the elderly motorist who was driving at 40 mph, would either speed up and get past or would take other evasive action. But it was too late.
SermonStudio
James Evans
It is not possible in a single sermon -- or even a psalm -- to answer the question, "What is the meaning of life?" That is one of those complicated and complex questions that require a lifetime of reflection, prayer, study, and some trial and error. However, it is possible to ask and answer a different question that may be just as important. The writer of Psalm 127 seems to be trying to answer such a question: "How do we find a life that is really worth living?"
Schuyler Rhodes
There is a well-worn axiom that warns against mixing religion and politics. It was probably devised in an attempt to help smooth the rough places in some of those long holiday dinners with seldom-seen relatives. Keep the conversation polite, vague, and unchallenging. That way, all parties can stay through the dessert course and get home in one piece. In truth, there is wisdom in such an unwritten law. However, a serious people of faith must contend with the time after dinner when the relatives have dispersed and it's back to business as usual.
Stephen M. Crotts
And he sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the multitude putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him, and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living."
-- Mark 12:41-44 (RSV)
-- Mark 12:41-44 (RSV)
Lee Ann Dunlap
Several years have now passed since the television series Survivor first debuted to become a summer ratings sensation. The concept was simple: place a group of individuals with diverse backgrounds, skills, and personalities into close proximity with a common purpose, namely survival on a deserted island, and let the audience watch as their relationships develop, or fall apart.
Mary S. Lautensleger
Fried green tomatoes were the house specialty at the Whistle Stop Cafe in Alabama during the 1930s. Evelyn is suffering through the growing pains of a midlife crisis when she and her husband come across the quaint Depression-era ghost of a town called Whistle Stop. Their destination is a nearby retirement home where Evelyn quite by chance meets octogenarian Ninny Threadgoode.
John R. Brokhoff
Robert W. Stackel
On August 20, 1977, there was launched an 1819 pound space craft, Voyager 2, at Cape Canaveral. At 61,148 miles per hour it was directed toward the planet Neptune. In 1989 it arrived, only twenty-one miles from its destination. From 2.8 billion miles from earth it sent back pictures of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Since it completed its mission, it was turned toward outer space, where it will float through the Milky Way forever and ever.
