December 17, 2007

Grateful

There are certain moments in ministry when you are really grateful for certain courses you took in school, like today, when you get up in morning and find yourself having to preach on Matthew's version of the Lord's genealogy at ten minutes to seven in the morning.

So I was glad for the class notes that reminded me that the three sets of fourteen generations that begin the New Testament are more than a catalog of funny names.

Against all who complain that the Abrahamic traditions are nothing but patriarchy, Jesus' genealogy reminds us of four special women among the Lord's ancestors: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and finally, Mary.

Against those who want a god who is only interested in the pure or the holy, we are reminded that Jesus' was descended from a line of kings who were both good and bad.

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