Matthew 1.18-25

At Christmas, we often focus on the birth of Jesus found in Luke 2. Matthew's story is often forgotten. The lectionary relegates Matthew 2 to Epiphany, after the twelve days of Christmas. Yet it is Matthew who tells us about Joseph and how Jesus descends from Abraham.

We are reminded first of Jesus genealogy (Matt 1.1-17). Note this inclusion of the four women; their stories are mostly scandalous (Rahab, Tamar, Ruth , and the wife of Uriah, Bathsheeba).

Jack Kingsbury reminds us that Matthew's story is about Jesus. It is easy to get lost in the settings, animals, and minor characters at Christmas, yet the story remains about Jesus.

It is easy for Jesus to get lost in the shuffle.

This Sunday's sermon focuses on one word in Greek - "genesis". The NRSV translates Genesis as "birth;" others argue that the broader sense of this word should be used. Jack Kingsbury says that this passage tells not of the birth of the baby Jesus, but the origin of the name Jesus. As Joseph struggles to accept and name this child, salvation history hangs in the balance....