Welcome to Pastor Jack Buckley's weekly blog and podcast.
You have three ways to hear his weekly message:
- Read Pastor Jack's GODblog.
- Listen now to an audio of the scripture reading and Pastor Jack's sermon.
- Listen anytime. You choose the time and place. Download Pastor Jack's GODcast to your MP3 player.
Monday, June 26, 2006
When God Takes a Nap
Psalm 9:9-20; Mark 4:35-41
A violent storm came up on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus' disciples were sure their boat would sink and they'd wind up dead in the briny deep. What did Jesus do? He slept through the whole thing. They shook him awake with the question "Don't you even care?!" Ever feel that way yourself? All on your own, with God off somewhere taking a divine nap?
Listen to the GODcast!
_______________
My granddaughters graduated back-to-back recently, one into middle school, the other into high school. Grampajack attended both ceremonies and breathed in the youthful enthusiasm like spiritual oxygen.
The meetings were brimming with pride and joy, fulfillment and anticipation. The speeches vibrated with hope for a future filled with these young people's accomplishments and talents working to make the world a better place.
I listened with both optimism and pessimism.
Optimism, because that kind of young faith in human potential is just the thing that keeps us all moving forward into good new possibilities. These kids are tomorrow's teachers, inventors, healers, potential saints -- our very future in tender flesh and blood.
But pessimism, too, wondering how grounded in reality my optimism could possibly be. For I saw, even in the bright springtime sunlight, a shadow of uncertainty across those kids and their happy guests. It was the shadow of September 11, 2001 -- that terrible dividing line between confident assumptions and terrified suspicions.
In five years we've grown so used to wondering where another terrorist attack might come from. By whom... when... and for what reason? I was grateful the children seemed unfazed by all this. But my heart went out to them for the dark world they're inheriting.
Throw in global warming, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Add droughts and plagues, insurgencies and civil wars on most every continent. Doubts and fears are standing by to take your call.
I believe we tremble most at life's external threats when we're already troubled internally about some very real personal threats.
It's hard to feel strong and confident about this morning's headline news when last night you had a fierce argument with your husband or wife. Or when your teenager, finding his or her sea-legs for stable adult life, treats you like the dumbest human being who ever walked the face of this planet.
You're licking your wounds, wondering how to patch up your relationships with the most important people in the world. And now you're supposed to do something about deaths and maimings and assorted acts of Congress?
Does your faith have what it takes to help you now? And where is God in all of this? Asleep? Aware? Does God really care?
And so we come to the disciples, on the edge of capsizing and drowning in a fierce sea storm. Jesus lies sleeping in bone-tired exhaustion, at the end of a long day's work doing what Messiahs do.
They shake him awake, yelling, "Don't you even care about us?! Do something, man! And do it now!!!"
And he does. No wasted effort, no long speech. Like a 5th grade school teacher, he stands front and center and simply says, "Shush." The gale force wind, the slashing rain, the hard rocking waves, all sit down with folded hands. Peace. And amen.
Even if God did take naps while life's storms rage around and inside us, it would only be because God knows everything is ultimately under control. But God doesn't really do that. God is always on the job.
Even though God is not above random miracles here and there, I'm convinced the way God usually works in this world is through average people who believe enough in God's way with the world that they're willing to partner up with God to get it done right.
None of us on our own will change the pessimistic problems of the world. All of us together will never turn them all around or wipe each one out, either. But we have no realistic option but to do our own small part in creating righteousness and peace, truth and justice every way we can.
The Talmud says it like this:
"Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it."
posted by Jack Buckley at
11:31 AM
Monday, June 19, 2006
Patience -- God At Work
Psalm 20; Mark 4:26-34
It's called Ordinary Time, a so-so season between special church festivals. Ho hum? Not according to Jesus' little pair of parables about seeds and such. God's always up to something good, he says, even when it looks like nothing much is happening.
Listen to the GODcast!
_______________
I think Jesus would have made a tremendous Dad.
Yeah, I know... Dan Brown thinks he did do just that. But we don't have any record of it, so I'm pretty leery about jumping to conclusions.
What we do have are a lot of stories and sayings from Jesus' mouth, vivid word pictures any kid would love to hear and play around with. I mean, who needs Dr. Seuss, Good Night, Moon, or Harry Potter?
Jesus had a wonderful way of pointing out some familiar part of real life and saying, "That's what God is like. Imagine...." And, sure enough, if you let it, your imagination is off and running toward some new spiritual light.
For instance, he said God's way with the world was like a farmer planting a seed and letting it do its work growing up into a fruitful plant. When it's fully ripe, he reaps the harvest. And that's that.
Hmmm. What does that mean?
On the heels of that one, he said God's way with the world was like a tiny mustard seed growing into a huge bush (make that a tree) whose spreading branches form a welcome shelter to all kinds of birds, to say nothing of a feeding place. Mmm mmm, a little honey dijon, anyone?
So. What does that one mean?
Let's try this: From one lonely teacher in a remote Roman province, God's will being done on earth as it is in heaven grew and grew into a worldwide movement called the Christian Church. For 2,000 years its spreading branches have welcomed people of all complexions, accents, and cultures.
So, right here in Alameda, our congregation shares space with a church full of Korean immigrants -- two churches, two languages and lifestyles, serving one Lord and Savior.
So, my first detailed news of the tragic Indonesian earthquake came from Presbyterians living and working right there.
And, so, I read an e-mail last week inviting me to join in with West African Presbyterians gearing up for yet another campaign to treat and defeat the AIDS pandemic.
To say nothing of Christians all around the world wearing various brand names, or generic believers who love the one same God.
What about that other little story?
Let's try this: You can't make a plant grow. It does that on its own, at its own pace. You can't even see a plant grow. Except in stop-action photography: Look, a sprout, I mean a stalk, oops a bud, now a blossom! No, plants do their thing while nothing much seems to be happening.
Same with God's work in the world.
It's easy to get worked up about special days and seasons. Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, and such. But most of the year is pretty ordinary. In fact, the church calendar term is "Ordinary Time." Just counting the days and weeks when nothing very special happens.
But, guess what... God's work is going on all the way through the most mundane times, too. I wonder if we're not called to help God most when it looks like nothing much is going on. Like, watering the plants, pulling up weeds, tending and pruning, and fending off critters who'd damage the crop if given half the chance.
No, I don't wonder at all. From Jesus' little stories, I'd say it's as clear as day.
Any day. And every day. That's the way it is in God's way with the world.
posted by Jack Buckley at
11:22 AM
Monday, June 12, 2006
101 Ways to Say "Hallelujah!"
Psalm 148; Colossians 3:12-17
This Sunday we celebrated our church's musical ministries. The chancel choir got one last wonderful chance, before a well earned summer break, to lead our hearts and voices in praise to God. Pastor Jack and a special guest put in a few choice words about it all.
Listen to the GODcast!
_______________
I get a kick out of visualizing all the critters of Psalm 148 raising a chorus of "Hallelujahs" in all their different voices. Everything from humpback whales to creepy crawly caterpillars, from loud crashing thunderstorms to whispering snowflakes, and everything in between -- each in its own way singing praise to God who made us all.
This isn't the psalm that says it, but I also have fun with the Bible phrase, "Make a joyful noise to the Lord." I mean, there's your written permission to sing out with everything you've got even if you can't carry a tune in a bucket.
It's pretty clear that God enjoys your honest praise whether you're a baritone or a monotone, a coloratura diva or a non-sight-reading soprano, tone deaf or perfectly pitched... whether you play 12-string guitar or pipe organ or tambourine... The plan is just to tell God -- and each other -- how much you appreciate God's good gifts.
Music has a tremendous power not only to express the state of our souls, but also to transform it.
I remember one day when I was just testing this thing of believing in Jesus as a living presence in my life and not merely a nice religious idea. My father and I were both deep in the throes of hoping against hope that God could change our wayward lives, yet wondering how it all fit together and how it might really work. We talked together about all this, sometimes laughed and cried about it, and certainly prayed about it a lot.
One thing Dad told me was, "Try talking to God like you would to me or anybody else. Tell God what you want, ask for what you need, in plain English and see if you get it. If so, then you'll know God has listened to and answered your prayer." Now that's a down to earth reality check for faith's validity.
So, on this one day, as I walked across town to my high school campus, I was in a deep blue funk. Just as grouchy as can be. Muttering my way along, I knew I didn't want to feel that way all day. So I asked God, "Please make me happy. Amen." A naive, no-frills prayer.
A block or so later, I suddenly realized I was singing to myself. The song: "How Great Thou Art"! Whoa -- God had not only answered my little prayer but set me to singing about it, too. I smiled ear to ear for the rest of my trek, and on throughout the entire day.
Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast, they say. And the moody soul of a teenaged boy as well.
Hey, guess what... This Saturday night (June 17) our church family will put on a talent show -- First Pres Follies. I'm not sure about the monotones, but I know for a fact we'll see and hear a lot of joyful noise as a dozen and more acts present their musical offerings. I understand there'll even be a hula in the mix. Woo hoo. The show starts at 6:00, preceded by a potluck dinner at 5:00.
Come on down! And bring your voice and happy feet along with you!!!
posted by Jack Buckley at
11:30 AM
Thursday, June 08, 2006
God of Good Surprises
Acts 2:1-21
Pentecost was the Birthday of the Christian Church. There they were, Jesus' followers, holed up in Jerusalem, waiting to see what in the world God would do next. Then, on that festival featuring sacrifices of the spring harvest's first fruits, came the biggest and best surprise of them all!
Listen to the GODcast!
_______________
Hey! Our Web connection was down all week and only now is up and running again. Instead of waiting for my blog post, why not just listen now to the podcast?
Grrrr....
posted by Jack Buckley at
12:49 PM
|
