03/06/2023
It is common for me to come across a wonderful sermon illustration, but run
out of time to use it. In talking about the genealogy of Jesus in the first chapter of
Matthew’s gospel I would have loved to work the following in. Unfortunately, I’d
already said enough and I wasn’t quite sure where and how to work it in.
Nevertheless, it’s worth taking a look at and reflecting on.
The movie A Knight's Tale, set in medieval England, tells the story of a young would-be knight named Ulrich. In those days, men had to be descended from noble stock in order to become a knight. But Ulrich does not have a drop of
royal blood in him. Even so, he attempts to secure his place in history by winning a famous tournament.
It is traditional for the knight's squire to introduce him at such tournaments,
usually delivering a grandiose recitation of the knight's royal lineage. In this scene, Ulrich's squire is a young Geoffrey Chaucer. People in the audience smile as Chaucer cranks up the hype like a modern-day puffmeister:
“I cannot look upon my Lord Ulrich, for I weep to see his shining face. My
Lord is a gift to your eyes, for we shall never, ever see his like upon this Earth
again. I would list his lineage if it served to honor him. Most men here—it's sad,
but it's true—they look to their past to prove their worth; they look to the deeds of
their fathers.”
“Now, Sir Ulrich has great ancestors, make no mistake about that. Sir
Chirard von Richbach, Duke Guelph of Saxony, Van Misch IV out of
Brunswick—but these great, great men pale into insignificance next to him. I do
not list them to honor him; I list him to honor them!”
That was all hype, of course, but that last line captures the essence of
Jesus' genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3. Jesus Christ "has great
ancestors—make no mistake about that! But these great men (and women)
pale into insignificance next to him. I do not list them to honor him; I list him to honor them!"
(You need the DVD to see this. It’s under Deleted Scenes, "Chaucer's Second Speech")
Being a forebearer of Jesus is the true honor. Knowing that you helped bring
about the birth of the Messiah, who ended up being so much more than Israel’s
savior, is the greatest status any and all of these women and men could possibly
enjoy.
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Keeping the Church Doors Unencumbered
Sunday, we considered Jesus’ disruptive actions in the Temple in light of his frustration with keeping gentiles from worshipping in their designated courtyard. We then reflected on how we still tend to throw up roadblocks to those who don’t normally attend church. I found the following, but didn’t have space for it in the sermon. It’s provocative and worth chewing on for a while.