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Thursday, February 04, 2010
The Adventure Begins
Psalm 71:1-6; Luke 4:21-30
My Scout Sunday sermon went pretty well, I thought. The congregation seemed to agree, if laughter at the right time, attentive body language, and staying awake are any indicators. But the worship meeting had been quite busy before I started preaching, and time constraints made me delete the dramatic punchline I'd planned for the occasion. About Scouting. Let me explain...
Our church sponsors Boy Scout Troop 2. Once a year we host the boys, their leaders, and their families for Sunday worship. Selected members of the troop present the colors, read the lessons, and lead our prayers. In exchange, I shape my message to connect with Scouting from start to finish.
The start part went fine. I told the story about a Scout taking a tour of the church building with his pastor in preparation for the God and Country project. When he asks about an old plaque on the wall, the pastor explains, "Those names represent people who died in the service." To which the boy replies, "Which service, the one at 8:30 or the one at 11:00?" Ah, from the mouths of babes and young boys...
The sermon text was Jesus' rejection by his hometown synagogue as he began his ministry. The people there couldn't conceive that God would do new things through someone they'd known since he was just a boy. When he told them why they were so wrong about that, they in essence said, "Wait just a minute, Jesus!" and tried to toss him off a cliff in the bargain.
Like those people, you and I sometimes wonder, "Wait a minute, Jesus! What are you trying to do to me? This isn't what I signed up for!" Come on, admit it. Yes you do. Sometimes. And my big finish would have brought home to our Scouts that so do they, sometimes. Here's the story I was going to tell them...
A boy named Russell, a Wilderness Explorer, lacks just one merit badge -- Assisting The Elderly. He sets out to help Carl Fredricksen, a grumpy old man who just wants to be left alone. One thing leads to another, until one day Carl's old house goes airborne, powered by 1,000 and more helium balloons! And poor Russell is on the front porch when it happens. In his heart he screams, "Wait a minute! This isn't what I signed on for!" But by the time the movie Up ends, Carl and Russell have found a precious treasure, defeated a very bad villain, saved a strange and glorious bird named Kevin, and floated back home just in time for Russell to receive his coveted merit badge!
So, to the Scouts of Troop 2, the members of First Presbyterian Church, and you who read these words just now -- repeat after me: "Wait a minute, Jesus! I want to come with you! This is going to be way too good to miss out on!"
Listen to the GODcast!
posted by Jack Buckley at
11:19 AM
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
What Jesus Came To Do
Psalm 19; Luke 4:14-21
The New Orleans Saints had the home-field advantage on Sunday, January 24. And Brett Favre and his Vikings knew that from long before the starting kickoff. I can't count the number of times a camera closed in on Brett et al. fiddling with their earplugs, trying to muffle the constant roar of the Superdome crowd. All to no avail, finally, as the Saints prevailed to win in overtime with a picture-perfect field goal.
That morning I preached on Jesus' hometown disadvantage in the Gospel story for the day. Here's the scene...
He attends worship in the neighborhood synagogue where he'd grown up, back in town for a visit bringing with him a growing reputation as an up-and-coming new religious teacher. The leader of worship invites him to read the day's lesson, which he gladly does. After which, he sits down and begins his commentary on the text (Isaiah 61, some surprising news about the Messiah's coming mission).
"This prophecy is coming true today, right here and now, in me!" And that's as far as he gets before the congregation starts buzzing about his statement.
From oohs and aahs of fascination, their words quickly turn to anger. "Who does he think he is?! We know who he is! He's Joseph's kid. Remember his runny nose, his skinned knees, his smart-alecky attitude..." Like the man said, You can't go home again.
Next thing you know -- Well, to find out for yourself...
Listen to the GODcast!
posted by Jack Buckley at
5:00 PM
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Pastor's Annual Report to the Congregation
Our church's Annual Congregational Meeting just ended, with good vibes all around about where we've come to and where we're headed in the new year. Here's my report from the printed booklet we distributed to every member and guest who attended. 'Tis grace hath led us safe thus far, and grace will lead us home.
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18
How do you make your pastor happy? Any number of ways, truth be told. I do hope I have been faithful in letting so many of you know the so many times when your good words and works have lifted my heart with grateful joy. But the greatest blessing of all for your pastor comes through seeing all the ways in which you fulfill 2 Peter's twofold call: to get to know Jesus Christ more fully; and to live out that knowledge in a gracious Christ-like way.
It's akin to a teacher's joy at witnessing a former student grow so proficient in the discipline at hand as to surpass the teacher's own ability. A grateful spirit gladly celebrates the accomplishments of a friend as though they were one's own. That is exactly how I feel as I read the reports that we've collected in this booklet for the Annual Congregational Meeting of our church family.
You will find on page after page reminders of God's blessing on our life and work in the past year. And you will read numerous projections of good things to come as we work together in the days that lie ahead. I invite you to pause now and then in your reading, to give God thanks for the gifts of grace and knowledge we've all received in 2009, and to ask God's help in discerning where you will fit best among the ministries of grace and knowledge yet to come in 2010.
Our Annual Meeting includes not only these many written reports, but also a few oral presentations that celebrate some new developments in our ongoing efforts to know Christ better and embody his grace at work. I believe you will be encouraged, even excited, when you hear the good news about: our ministries to our children and youth; creative new connections between our older adults and the younger generations of our church family; and our renewed program of field trips that combine continuing education with pleasant fellowship for all ages. And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. If time allowed, you would see and hear much more about our overflowing menu of meaningful ministries. All the more reason to keep this book handy, take in all its news, and heed its invitations to get involved.
The Annual Meeting will also include the election of new Elders and Deacons, and a financial report including the 2010 budget adopted by your Session at its last meeting. Regarding the former, I am confident that your new officers are well gifted by God to lead you in ministries of mercy (Deacons) and careful oversight of our church's life and work (Elders).
About the latter, I am sure you all rejoice with me at the way God blessed our sacrificial efforts, in November 2009, to overcome a substantial deficit in the operating budget. Thanks be to God, and thanks be to each one of you who dug down deep to give extra funds that helped us end the year successfully. The national economy in this new year is still overshadowed by uncertainty, of course; and yet our faith is strong that God will provide all that we need to continue our numerous programs of training God's people in knowing Christ and living by his grace.
posted by Jack Buckley at
1:31 PM
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