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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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Thorough Temptation Of The Thoroughly Human -- Matthew 4:1-11, Romans 5:12-19 -- David O. Bales -- First Sunday in Lent - A -- 2020
Contents"Thorough Temptation Of The Thoroughly Human" by David O. Bales
Called and Freed To Serve -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23), Romans 5:1-8 -- David O. Bales -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2020
Contents “Called and Freed To Serve” by David O. Bales
Less Than A Peaceable Kingdom -- Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 -- David O. Bales -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2019
Contents "Less Than A Peaceable Kingdom" by David O. Bales
Reflections of Grief / Bearing Our Infirmities / Abandoned? -- John 18:1--19:42, Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Psalm 22 -- Keith Hewitt, David O. Bales -- Good Friday - C -- 2019
Contents "Reflections of Grief" by Keith Hewitt
Waiting On the Promises -- Acts 1:1-11, Luke 24:44-53, Psalm 47 -- Keith Hewitt, David O. Bales -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2019
Contents “Waiting On the Promises” by Keith Hewitt

StoryShare

The Way Jesus Would Have Told It -- Hosea 11:1-11, Colossians 3:1-11, Luke 12:13-21 -- David O. Bales -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2019
Contents “The Way Jesus Would Have Told It” by David O. Bales
Self-Serving -- Jeremiah 2:4-13, Psalm 112 -- David O. Bales -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2019
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Self-Serving" by David O. Bales
The Prisoner’s Houseboat Habits -- Luke 16:1-13, 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- David O. Bales -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2019
Contents “The Prisoner’s Houseboat Habits” by David O. Bales
In The Heart Of The Sea -- Psalm 46, Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- David O. Bales -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 2019
Contents “In The Heart Of The Sea” by David O. Bales
Squabbling About Shorty -- Luke 19:1-10, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 -- David O. Bales -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2019
Contents “Squabbling About Shorty” by David O. Bales
Less Than A Peaceable Kingdom -- Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 -- David O. Bales -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2019
Contents "Less Than A Peaceable Kingdom" by David O. Bales
The Darkness -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20), Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14 -- Keith Hewitt, David O. Bales -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2019
Contents “The Darkness” by Keith Hewitt
Angel's Feet -- Psalm 148, Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 -- David O. Bales -- New Year's Day - C -- 2019
Contents “Angel’s Feet” by David O. Bales
First Corinthians Thirteen One Way Or The Other -- Luke 4:21-30, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- David O. Bales -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2019
Contents
A Messianic Message? -- Luke 6:17-26, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 -- David O. Bales -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C -- 2019
Contents “A Messianic Message?” by David O. Bales
Great-Grandma Hazel -- Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 -- David O. Bales -- First Sunday in Lent - C -- 2019
Contents “Great-Grandma Hazel” by David O. Bales
Second Cutting -- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32, Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32 -- David O. Bales -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2019
Contents “Second Cutting” by David O. Bales
Reflections of Grief -- John 18:1--19:42, Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Psalm 22 -- Keith Hewitt, David O. Bales -- Good Friday - C -- 2019
Contents "Reflections of Grief" by Keith Hewitt
Second Chance -- John 21:1-19, Revelation 5:11-14 -- David O. Bales -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2019
Contents "Second Chance" by David O. Bales
Waiting On the Promises -- Acts 1:1-11, Luke 24:44-53, Psalm 47 -- Keith Hewitt, David O. Bales -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2019
Contents “Waiting On the Promises” by Keith Hewitt
The Spirit's Guidance -- John 16:12-15, Romans 5:1-5 -- David O. Bales -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2019
Contents “The Spirit’s Guidance” by David O. Bales
Lonely Prophet -- Amos 7:7-17, Psalm 25:1-10 -- David O. Bales -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2019
Contents “Lonely Prophet” by David O. Bales
Further Visions To Follow -- John 1:43-51, 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20), 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 -- David O. Bales, John Fitzgerald -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2018
Contents "Further Visions To Follow" by David O. Bales
Visiting Asaph -- Mark 9:2-9, 2 Kings 2:1-12, Psalm 50:1-6 -- David O. Bales, Keith Hewitt -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2018
Contents "Visiting Asaph" by David O. Bales
Peter's Painful Memories -- Mark 8:31-38, Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16, Romans 4:13-25 -- David O. Bales, John Fitzgerald -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2018
Contents “Peter’s Painful Memories” by David O. Bales
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 16 | OT 21 | Pentecost 11
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 17 | OT 22 | Pentecost 12
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 18 | OT 23 | Pentecost 13
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For August 31, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
When one of our children was young, she pretended to throw something at me from close range, and then she cheerfully declared, “Ha! Made you flinch!” I remember from my own elementary years that that was always regarded as something of an achievement — to make someone blink or to make someone flinch. In reality, of course, it is little more than a test of one’s reflexes. It’s my reflex to blink or to brace when I think something is coming at me, and the reflex is a good one.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 2:4-13
Regarding verses 6-7 of the lesson John Calvin observes:

… there is nothing more common than for the ungodly when they are proved guilty, to have recourse to this subterfuge, that they acted with good intention, when they gave themselves up to their own superstitions. (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.IX/1, p.78)

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. (v. 2)

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children. You will want a container of some kind of treat to give to all of the children.

Note: This is a fairly brief message as presented, but that may help keep an emphasis on the simplicity of the message if you stress it.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! Let’s get started.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus knew the importance of humility and used a banquet to teach people about it. As we feast on him today, let us make sure we come to him with unassuming spirits.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we are unaware of our own arrogance.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we spot other people's haughtiness but fail to recognise it in ourselves.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are so humble that we become victims of inverted pride.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.
-- Hebrews 13:1-2

James Evans
The writer of Psalm 81 employs a most interesting mixed metaphor. It is not mixed, however, because the psalmist was careless and neglected his subject matter. On the contrary, it is because of an important insight into human nature that the psalmist has us "eating with our ears."

Verse 10 rehearses what was, and is, the most basic confession of faith for followers of the Lord. God speaks and says, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth and I will fill it."

Ron Lavin
There are three words I hope you will take home from church today. The words are "Only The Lonely." As you think about these words, the assurances of God's Word will comfort and strengthen you. But I'm getting ahead of my story. Before we get to these three words, we need to look at the full text of Luke 14:1, 7-14. That involves looking at three other words: humility, hospitality, and hope.

Humility
Chrysanne Timm
It is never a pleasant prospect to deal with someone who has a complaint with you. As a new pastor, and a very young one at that, one of the things I struggled with most was the experience of conflict with members. I remember as if it were yesterday a significant misunderstanding that developed between the congregation's "matriarch" and me very early in my time there. I prayed about the difficulty we were having, and I knew that I needed to go to her home and ask for the opportunity to talk things out.
H. Burnham Kirkland
Words Of Assurance
In this be confident: that the grace of God is active enough to forgive, and the love of God is powerful enough to transform.

Pastoral Prayer

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