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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.
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
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...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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...

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The Immediate Word

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For July 6, 2025:

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Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

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2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

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(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

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