Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, Mary by Sallie Poet

As we enter Advent to await the coming of Christ, it is important for us to remember who Jesus was. I offer this snippet from an Advent sermon given by Bishop John Shelbly Spong on the first seventeen verses of the Gospel according to Matthew. After exploring the lives of the women the gospel writer includes in the genealogy of Jesus, Bishop Song invites us to re-think our image of Jesus. You can read a rough transcript of Bishop Spong’s sermon here There have been several Advent seasons when we have gone off lectionary in order to facilitate a re-thinking of our traditions. Using Matthew 1 as a gospel lesson has worked well for the first Sunday of Advent.

In this snippet, Bishop Spong invites us to re-think our image of God in light of our knowledge of Jesus. 

You are the Bethlehem point.

Let the power of God in Christ enable you to live and to love and to be.

Let the God presence within you flow through you so that the love of God might

be known among all the people that God has created

and that God still loves.

Be the light and love of the world,

In the name of Yahweh,  Christ, and Spirit, One

Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus.   Amen.