There is an old joke of the Australian lad who asked his father where he came from. His father sat him down and tried to explain about the birds and the bees. When he was finished the lad said, “that’s interesting Dad but my mate Patrick says he is from Ireland and I was wondering where I came from!” We all want to know where we came from, so much so that the RTE TV is running a popular series called “Who do you think you are?” In it celebrities are assisted in the task of tracing their forebears on both sides of the family. The uncovering of family secrets under the eye of the camera makes the unscripted show compelling viewing. Last year we gave a lift to a young American student who had fallen asleep on the bus and ended up a few miles from her hostel. She had come from South America where she traced her father’s roots and now she was in Ireland to see where her mother came from. The fact that her parents had separated in no way lessened her desire to know where her family originated. What light does the Bible throw on family trees? We find that Scripture has a high regard for lineage. In particular the human ancestry of Jesus is well documented. It is as if the human writers of the Bible were looking for the promised One who was to bruise the serpents head, Genesis Chapter 3 verse 15. As the years rolled by prophetic predictions sharpened the focus till the arrival of the Christ child came as foretold. Then the question was articulated by John the Baptist, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” In reply Jesus identified himself by the miracles and the preaching of the gospel as the Messiah – God had visited earth. So when was the mortal blow delivered to the serpent? It was at the cross where the last enemy, death, was defeated by the resurrection. As the poet put it:- The reign of sin and death is over, And all may live from sin set free; Satan has lost his mortal power It is swallowed up in victory. In the end of the day our earthly roots don’t matter. What matters is whether we are rooted in Christ. St Paul’s description of the Christian’s new family relationship says it all: “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians Chapter 3 verses 17/19.