

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.
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
120+ – Illustrations / Stories
40 – Children's Sermons / Resources
25 – Worship Resources
27 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
120+ – Illustrations / Stories
39 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
120+ – Illustrations / Stories
31 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
25 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
New & Featured This Week
The Immediate Word
Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
Christopher Keating
- Which Empire Are You Serving by Tom Willadsen based on Matthew 4:12-23, Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Psalm 27:1, 4-9.
- Second Thoughts: Can We Learn From Our Divisions? by Nazish Naseem based on 1 Corinthians 1:10-18.
- Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin, Dean Feldmeyer, and Chris Keating.
The Village Shepherd
Janice B. Scott
Jesus called Simon and Andrew, James and John, to follow him. They immediately made their decision and dropped everything, for they knew the importance of their call. When Jesus calls us, do we hear him and do we respond?
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, when I'm busy I find it difficult to hear you.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, when I'm busy, I find it difficult to respond to you.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, when I'm busy I'm not sure whether I want to follow you.
Lord, have mercy.
Janice B. Scott
StoryShare
John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt
What's Up This Week
A Story to Live By: "Angel of Mercy"
Shining Moments: "A Dog's Life" by David Michael Smith
Good Stories: "God's Call" by Stephen Groves
Scrap Pile: "The Way Less Taken" by Garry Deverell
What's Up This Week
by John Sumwalt
C. David Mckirachan
Sandra Herrmann
"Ordinary Time" by C. David McKirachan
"Who's the Fool?" by C. David McKirachan
"Sharing the Light" by Sandra Herrmann
* * * * * * *
Ordinary Time
by C. David McKirachan
Isaiah 9:1-4
SermonStudio
John N. Brittain
Linda Schiphorst Mccoy
Dallas A. Brauninger
From: KDM
To: God
Subject: In Christ's Name
Message: What on earth will bring us together, God? Lauds, KDM
How long must we wait, God,
for people to stop fighting
nations and nations
buyers and sellers
big ones and little ones
in-laws and relatives
husbands and wives
sisters and brothers
for me to stop fighting with me?
How long must we wait, God,
before we let the Christ Child come here?1
William B. Kincaid, III
R. Glen Miles
In one sense these verses offer a summary of the overall message of the scriptures, "The darkness will pass. The light of a new day is dawning and there will be joy once again." At the end of the Bible, almost as if the original collectors of these sacred texts intended to remind us again of this word of hope, the Revelation of John tells us:
Robert A. Beringer
John T. Ball
Amy C. Schifrin
Martha Shonkwiler
P: Discord, dissention, strife,
C: anger, violence, hatred;
P: we confess to you, O God,
C: our schemes, our willful rebellion,
our hidden hostilities toward your children.
P: We confess to you, O God,
C: our lack of trust in your presence,
our need to control, our insatiable appetite for praise.
P: We confess to you, O God,
C: our fear of speaking the truth in love,
our self-hatred, our moments of utter despair
when we no longer believe you are at work in us.
Wayne H. Keller
Invitation to the Celebration
Beverly S. Bailey
Canticle Of Light And Darkness (UM205)
To Us A Child Of Hope Is Born (CBH189)
God Of Our Strength (CBH36)
Beneath The Cross Of Jesus (CBH250, UM297, NCH190, PH92)
In The Cross Of Christ I Glory (CBH566, UM295, NCH193--194, PH84)
Lord, You Have Come To The Lakeshore (CBH229, NCH173, PH377, UM344)
Where Cross The Crowded Ways Of Life (PH408, CBH405, UM42, NCH543)
Jesus Calls Us, O'er The Tumult (UM398, NCH171--172, CBH398)
Anthems
Emphasis Preaching Journal
Wayne Brouwer
Wayne Brouwer
In one of his essays, Albert Camus describes a powerful scene. John Huss, the great Czech reformer of the church, is on trial. His accusers twist all his ideas out of shape. They refuse to give him a hearing. They maneuver the political machine against him and incite popular passion to a lynch-mob frenzy. Finally, Huss is condemned to be burned at

