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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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Rich And Poor Alike? -- Luke 6:17-26 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Lalia nagged Corin for weeks, "Come to church with me Sunday night.
Dancing In Eden's Airport -- Genesis 2:7, 18-25 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Marriage Chapter 1
And What Else? -- John 6:1-21 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
"The wind was squealing through the rigging," Peter said.
Mid Cemetery -- 2 Samuel 1:1-17 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Grief Chapter 3
Third Voice In The Courtyard -- Luke 22:14--23:56 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Maundy (Holy) Thursday or Good Friday
Unanswerable -- Job 38:1-7 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Chapter 5UnanswerableJob 38:1-7
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.
O People Walking In Darkness -- Isaiah 9:2 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Christmas EveChapter 6
Setting: Corinth, Greece, 55 AD -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Emphasis or special occasion: Christian Ethics
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
Upside Down -- John 2:13-22 -- David O. Bales -- 2008
Chapter 22Upside DownJohn 2:13-22
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Lent 2
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Lent 3
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Lent 4
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
27 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A rock about the size of a tennis ball, baseball, or even a softball.

* * *

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

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
For March 30, 2025:

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
Paul reread the parable again and sighed. Why had he agreed to lead the Bible study this week? When Pastor Luke asked him, he had been all excited and enthusiastic. He knew the parable of the prodigal son inside and out having read commentaries and stories about it before. He had actually preached a sermon on the passage when Pastor Luke was away and received great feedback from the congregation.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Joshua 5:9-12
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Joshua 9:5-12

SermonStudio

Bonnie Bates
It is a well-known cliché that “God never gives us more than we can handle”, but I have sometimes found that not to be so. When my youngest brother died of brain cancer at age five, it was more than I could handle. When my first husband was emotionally and physically abusive, it was more than I could handle. When my second husband and I lost our twin sons at birth, it was more than I could handle. The COVID pandemic was more than we could handle. Wars and violence are often more than we can handle. Homelessness, poverty, grief, and loss are often more than we can handle.
John N. Brittain
I suppose we are all a little bit nervous about the prospect of a sermon on a Bible story as familiar and sometimes as overworked as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. "What can I possibly say that hasn't been said before?" And I know what's going through your minds: "Are we going to be subjected to the same old sermon yet another time?" Confronting a familiar Bible passage like this mid-Lent really serves to address the discipline of reading Scripture as part of our devotional life, particularly passages that are very familiar.
Charles D. Reeb
A. A. Milne, the creator of Winnie the Pooh, wrote a simple, yet telling poem in his work, Now We Are Six:

When I was One, I had just begun.
When I was Two, I was nearly new.
When I was Three, I was hardly Me.
When I was Four, I was not much more.
When I was Five, I was just alive.
But now I am Six, I'm as clever as ever.
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.1

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to worship:

 While the Prodigal Son was still far off, his father saw him, ran to him, put his arms around him and kissed him. In our worship today, let us turn to God so that he may run to us, put his arms around and kiss us.

Invitation to confession:

 Jesus, for the times when we run away from you,

Lord, have mercy.

 Jesus, for the times when we have wasted our inheritance on dissolute living,

Christ, have mercy.

 Jesus, when we return to you,

Lord, have mercy.

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