Matthew 2:12-13

Christmas is a time to celebrate the greatest gift of all, Jesus. Looking at the story of Christ's anticipated arrival at Christmas reminds us that Jesus came to be the fulfillment of God's promises and faithfulness. All our hopes and prayers are answered in the presence of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.

Every good story has a plot twist—an unexpected moment that changes everything. One of the biggest plot twists in the Bible is the Christmas story. Over the next five days, we’ll explore how this one event changed the world and how it can change your life today.

The Christmas story is so familiar to those young and old. The manger scenes, shepherds, and wise men are all a part of a narrative that has been retold for over two thousand years. It’s easy to think it has nothing new to teach us. Yet, the word of God is living and active - it works in us in new ways every time we digest it. -Vertical Worship

Our Christmas story starts with the angel’s annunciation to Mary and concludes with the visit of the Magi. In these reflections and applications of the Christmas narrative I will mostly refer to Luke, as his is the fullest of the gospel accounts.