John 1:12-13 (NIV)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed
in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not
of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Those who are a part of the family of Christ were not
natural descendants, but were adopted into the family of God by God’s grace,
mercy and love.
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!"
[A Knight's Tale (Columbia Pictures, 2001), directed by
Brian Helgeland; submitted by Lee Eclov, Vernon Hills, Illinois]
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