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.
Archived Posts
What just missed the cut for Sunday’s Sermon
Naaman’s servants may actually become one of the hidden gems of the sermon. They say, essentially: “If the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it.”
One of the Longest Benedictions I Ran Out of Time to Share
Maybe you know the story of how Joseph and Mary accidentally left Jesus at the gas station on their way home from Jerusalem. Well, not the gas station bathroom in Jesus’ case. Joe and Mary are far down the road before they realize Jesus isn’t with them...
So many quips and quotes...
So little time to preach
I wonder what Mary and Martha’s phones might look like:
* Martha = the open browser with 27 tabs
* Mary = the single window that matters
* Psalm 46 = God saying, “Close the tabs.”
Quotable Outtakes That Didn’t Make the Sermon This Week
“When you try to control everything, you don’t just exhaust yourself—you quietly replace trust in God with trust in you.” & more
There is a challenge when it comes to preaching the Word of God.
Preachers are called to open up and interpret the word—inspired and written down thousands of years ago—and make it relevant to a very different world. On top of that there’s a degree of persuasion that goes along with the process.
What Jessica Really Meant to Say in Her Sermon…
When Jessica or Rick or a guest preacher takes the pulpit it’s hard for me to write a One More Thing Blog. I can’t share with you what didn’t make it into the sermon because I have no idea, not having written or delivered it.
Jesus Keeps On Ruining Funerals!
I didn’t have anything this last week that didn’t end up in the sermon. No catchy illustrations that didn’t make the cut. No theological insights that slowed down the main point. No one can ruin a funeral like Jesus. Told as I saw it and that was it. So I did some quick research and I thought I’d share just a reminder of what Easter is all about.