Class Lesson December 2, 2018

I wear this phrase out every December. I enjoy saying it partly because - like so many people - I love this time of year. People of all ages love all the Christmas festivities: the parties, the pageants, and the presents.

However, a certain hollowness can ring through all the trappings of Christmas. While the world is abuzz with Christmas frenzy, they're missing the full picture of what it is all about: the birth of Jesus, the long awaited Messiah - Immanuel, God with us.

We see the full picture of Christmas in God's Word. In this study, we're going to move alongside six individuals and groups and look at Christmas from their perspective. Seeing the celebration of Jesus' birth from their vantage points will be like observing a vivid Nativity scene. Even those who may feel quite familiar with the biblical account will discover details of this miraculous picture they may not have seen before.

Be prepared, though. As you look at the full picture of Christmas, you just may see how God wants that picture to be reflected in you.

The Full Picture of Christmas

6 Lessons:

1. Isaiah’s Prophecy | Isaiah 7:10-14; 9:6-7; 11:1-5 The birth of Jesus was no mere circumstance. It was planned by God.                                                                                                                        
2. Joseph’s Obedience | Matthew 1:18-25 Following God’s plan will require change in your life, but it’s worth it.                                                                                                                                              
3. Mary’s Trust | Luke 1:26-38 Embrace God’s call on your life.                                                                                                
4. The Angels’ Announcement | Luke 2:1-14 Jesus came for our salvation.                                                                                       
5. Simeon’s Proclamation | Luke 2:25-35 We have a sure hope when we trust in Jesus.                                                                                                                                                                         
6. The Wise Men’s Worship | Matthew 2:1-11 Jesus is Lord and He deserves our worship.                                                                                                                                                             

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE 

When I took my sons to their first NBA® game, it was a game between the Dallas Mavericks, who were having a great season, and one of the worst teams in the league. However, that night the Mavericks were not doing well. Their coach, Don Nelson, was fed up with the mediocre efforts of his players, so when he disagreed with a call the referee made, he stepped on the court and screamed at the ref. The ref gave Coach Nelson a technical foul, but he kept screaming. Nelson received his second technical foul and was kicked out of the game.

In a post-game interview, a reporter asked Coach Nelson about the technical fouls. Smiling, he insinuated he did it on purpose to fire up his team. And it worked! The Mavericks won.

Something that appeared “off the cuff” was actually planned all along! 

Some “coincidences” are not coincidence at all. They were planned. The life and death of Jesus Christ were no mere afterthoughts of God; He planned them all along! The Old Testament is full of prophecies that point to the coming of Jesus Christ. 

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Isaiah 7:10-14

10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test.” 13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 

If God came to one of us and said we could “ask for a sign”—any sign, even a sign as “the deepest depths or in the highest heights,” I wonder what most of us would ask for. The Lord gave King Ahaz that opportunity, but he put forth a false humility and wouldn’t ask for a sign. Here was a king whose country was under attack and his people were terrified. (See 7:1-2.) God offered to give Ahaz a sign that He was powerful enough to take care of their enemies. Ahaz, however, may have been planning already to ask Assyria for help and therefore didn’t think he needed God’s help. 

Upon hearing King Ahaz’s refusal to ask for a sign, Isaiah the prophet broadened his audience beyond the king. He told the whole faithless house of David that God would give a sign anyway! The house of David’s wickedness had tested God’s long-suffering patience, but God had a sign for them: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” 

Prophetic passages in Scripture can have multiple meanings: an immediate meaning for the initial hearers and an added meaning for future generations. Isaiah 7:14 has just such a double meaning. 

1. The prophecy was a word of comfort and hope to the original recipients of the prophecy. It’s not clear who the woman and child were, but perhaps it was a child born in the king’s house. The birth of this child was a reminder of God’s prophecy and the comfort that “God is with us.” 

2. The second meaning involves a prediction of the future virgin birth of Christ. Matthew quoted this prophecy word for word as he gave an account of Christ’s birth. “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means ‘God with us’)” (Matt. 1:23). 

Historically, this phrase was intended to convince King Ahaz that God could rescue him from his enemies. Our sovereign God spoke something to encourage ancient Israel and inspire generations to come with the hope of the Messiah: Jesus. 

What captures our attention in this passage is that “the virgin will conceive.” The virgin birth of Christ is an important truth; Jesus had to be one of us—human—to die in our place, but He couldn’t offer the perfect sacrifice if He was like every other human with sin nature. The virgin birth means Jesus had no human father—God is His Father—therefore, Jesus was born without sin nature. Jesus is fully man and He is fully God. God is with us! 

Isaiah 9:6-7

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

The long-awaited Messiah has been given to us. And there’s something wonderful about Him: “The government will be on his shoulders.” This statement implies that this son will be the royal son of King David, with rights to the Davidic throne. 

Isaiah used four terms to describe the Messiah.

• Wonderful Counselor. Since His name is “Wonderful,” then nothing will be dull about His reign! As Counselor, He has the wisdom to rule effectively. Messiah’s wisdom is in stark contrast to Ahaz, king at the time this prophecy was given, who ruled his kingdom foolishly. 

• Mighty God. “Mighty” means impressive in power, strength, and size. The Messiah will have all the power to execute His wise plans. This term also emphasizes His divine power as a warrior. The Messiah will accomplish all the military exploits previously mentioned in Isaiah 9:3-5. 

• Everlasting Father. The title “Everlasting Father” describes the Messiah’s relationship to time, not His relationship to the other Members of the Trinity. Messiah is said to be everlasting, just as God the Father was described as “the Ancient of Days” (Dan. 7:9,13). The Messiah would be an enduring and eternal provider and protector. 

• Prince of Peace. Jesus is the Son of the One true God. The Messiah will bring wholeness and general well being to individuals and to society. The Messiah will set people’s warring hearts at rest by forgiving their sins. God’s peace is the inner-spiritual harmony we experience by being rightly related to God. We can take great comfort in the fact that Christ will keep us “in perfect peace” (Isa. 26:3)

Isaiah 11:1-5

1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD— 3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. 

At first glance, verse 1 doesn’t sound like the Messiah comes from very strong stock. “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse.” A shoot was a small reed—just a twig—and, of course, a stump implies that the dead tree had been cut down. Essentially, this verse teaches us that the line of David was on its way out until the Messiah was born. 

Isaiah showed us three significant characteristics of the Messiah.

• He rules by the Spirit of the LORD. The Spirit of the LORD came upon David when he was anointed king. (See 1 Sam. 16:13.) In the same way, God’s Spirit would rest on His Messiah.                                                                                                                                                              
• He judges rightly. The Messiah would not judge by what He sees and hears. These are typical ways for a king to gain information to help him lead, but the future Messiah would know all.                                                                                                                                                                       
• He wears a belt of righteousness. When a man prepared for action, he tied up his loose garments with a belt. The belt held everything in place; in a similar sense, the Messiah’s righteousness holds all Messiah’s other qualities. Everything Christ does is right, true, and just. When we trust in Christ, the Messiah, He gives His righteousness to us.  

LIVE IT OUT

The birth of Jesus was all part of God’s plan for Him to bring us salvation and righteousness. How will you actively trust the sovereign plan of God this week? Consider the following suggestions: 

• Praise. God has intricately planned the glory of salvation. Praise God for providing salvation to you. Thank Him for putting His perfect plan in place so long ago to save you.                                                                                                                                                                    
• Give. Many people have never heard the name of Jesus. Your church likely has a special offering to help take the message of the Messiah to the nations. Give to this special missions offering and invest in the lives of others who need Christ.                                                          
• Share. Ask God for the opportunity to share the good news of the Messiah with someone this week. God will supply the wisdom, compassion, courage, and words if you will be sensitive and obedient to Him. 

There are certainly plenty of coincidences in life, but Christ’s coming wasn’t one of them. Neither is the offer He makes to you to receive His free gift of salvation. 

Hope to see you on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Teacher's Notes:

The thought of Christmas evokes different images for different people. 

• A time of family, tradition, and going home to special memories. 
• Christmas is all about Santa Claus, holiday songs, parties, and exchanging gifts. 
• Christmas is about Jesus coming to earth to bring salvation. 
• Christmas is a combination of all of these images! 

The life and death of Jesus Christ were no mere afterthoughts of God; He planned them all along! The Old Testament is full of prophesies that point to the coming of Jesus Christ.

The Full Picture of Christmas

1. The birth of Jesus was no mere circumstance. It was planned by God. – Isaiah’s Prophecy 
2. Following God’s plan will require change in your life, but it’s worth it. – Joseph’s Obedience 
3. Embrace God’s call on your life. – Mary’s Trust 
4. Jesus came for our salvation. – The Angel’s Announcement 
5. We have a sure hope when we trust in Jesus. – Simeon’s Proclamation 
6. Jesus is Lord and He deserves our worship. – The Wise Men’s Worship

I.God promised a Son – Immanuel – would be born of a virgin.         Isaiah 7:10-14 

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.” Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

What was the historical setting for this sign that was given to Ahaz? What was going on and what was the intent of the sign?

• Isaiah served as a prophet in Judah during the reigns of four kings: Uzziah (783-742 BC), Jotham (742-735 BC), Ahaz (735-715 BC), and Hezekiah (716-686 BC). Though Uzziah’s reign was prosperous and mostly peaceful, later kings witnessed the seeds of danger arising as Assyria, under the leadership of Tiglath-pilesar III (745-727 BC), grew stronger and more influential. Isaiah recognized that God’s people had sinned and were facing judgment from God, just like the Northern Kingdom, which had already fallen to Assyria in 722 BC. Isaiah preached that God would intervene and bring hope to His people.

Why did Ahaz not take the Lord up on His offer for a sign?

Why was the virgin birth so important?

Points: God invites us to test the veracity of His Word and the promises He gives. God is patient, but His patience can be exhausted by our disobedience to His Word, leading to His discipline. The promises of the Lord are fully revealed and fulfilled in Jesus who indeed is "God with us."

1. The prophecy was a word of comfort and hope to the original recipients of the prophecy. It’s not clear who the woman and child were, but perhaps it was a child born in the king’s house. The birth of this child was a reminder of God’s prophecy and the comfort that “God is with us.”

2. The second meaning involves a prediction of the future virgin birth of Christ. Matthew quoted this prophecy word for word as he gave an account of Christ’s birth. “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means ‘God with us’)” (Matt. 1:23). 

[Verses 10-11] Isaiah 7 takes place during the reign of Ahaz, who continually did evil in the sight of the Lord. (See 2 Kings 16:2.) The events occurred when two neighboring kingdoms joined together to attack Jerusalem. This resulted in great fear for Ahaz and the people of Judah. (See Isa. 7:2.) Isaiah met with Ahaz and tried to comfort him (see vv. 3-4), but Ahaz turned to Assyria, a much greater threat than either of the smaller kingdoms. The Lord spoke again with a message intended to bring hope and comfort. God invited Ahaz to ask for a sign He would be with the nation. The sign was to have two characteristics. First it had to be from the Lord your God. God encouraged Ahaz to request a sign that could only be explained by the power of the God of the Hebrews. Second, the sign could be from the deepest depths or as high as the highest heights. This was a Hebraic way of saying from heaven to the place of the dead; nothing was out of bounds for the sign. [Verses 12-13] Ahaz responded with false humility. He would not ask for a sign. Ahaz knew he didn’t need to test God as the Israelites in the desert had done, but was he really sincere or had he already decided to trust Assyria rather than God? God had specifically asked Ahaz to request a sign; to do anything less would have been disobedience. Ahaz’s false humility prevented him from obeying the Lord. Isaiah rebuked Ahaz with a question. By referring to the king as the house of David, Isaiah stressed both the promise of God’s covenant with David (see 2 Sam. 7:11-17) and the recent failure of this king to stand competently and courageously in that line. The king’s stubborn refusal to trust the Lord’s protection tried the patience of men and of God. By using my God, Isaiah contrasted his calm belief in God’s deliverance with Ahaz’s frantic trust in Assyria. The problem was not refusing a sign but Ahaz’s refusing the Lord who offered a sign. False humility does not fool the Lord. [Verse 14] In spite of Ahaz’s false humility, God would send a sign anyway. God would reveal His plan whether Ahaz was ready to receive that sign or not. The sign would begin with a virgin. The term usually referred to a young woman who was ready for marriage, and it was expected she would be pure until she married. Though some scholars argue this term could refer to a young woman without reference to her virginity, the Gospel accounts make it clear Jesus was born of a virgin. (See Luke 1:34; Matt. 1:20.) The angel clearly cited Jesus’ birth as fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14. (See v. 23.) This special child would be Immanuel, meaning “God with us,” which would provide confirmation to doubters like Ahaz that God had not abandoned His people. Though Isaiah’s prophecy may have had an immediate fulfillment through a special child in Ahaz’s day, the ultimate fulfillment was in the birth of Jesus Christ. Old Testament prophecy often had a dual fulfillment, speaking to the current time but also reaching ahead to a special time in the future. 

II.God promised a child would be born who is the mighty God.                   Isaiah 9:6-7 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government `and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

What appears to be the historical setting of this verse and promise?

• Assyria continued its march to annex its neighboring nations. Through a series of oracles, Isaiah spoke of a time of great darkness caused by the unfaithfulness of he people (Isa. 7:17-8:22). However, emerging from this time of darkness was a promise of a great light (9:2). Because some regions of Israel, the Northern Kingdom, had already been taken, this message of hope was directed to Israel more than Judah. He spoke of the promise of the birth of a ruler, a king who would be the kind of leader they needed.

Which of these names for Jesus is most meaningful to you right now?

Points: In darkest times, God promises hope. Hope is embodied in the ideal King who comes from the Lord. The titles and attributes of the ideal King point to Jesus in whom complete fulfillment is found.

[Verse 6] That this special child would be born is a clear reference to His humanity. His human nature seems normal at the beginning of this passage, but later words provide the shocking conclusion this child is also God. Isaiah emphasized the child would be born for us. He was sent for the people of God. The prophecy continued, to us a son is given. While born by natural childbirth, He also was a gift of God. He was born and given. The government would be on the shoulders of this child. Other kings had struggled to provide the peace and protection the nation desired. This child would provide lasting peace and lasting protection. This authority unfolded in four names. First, Isaiah called this child Wonderful Counselor. The first word described the ability to work supernatural signs. (See Ex. 3:20.) The emphasis with this name is the supernatural nature of His wisdom. God would demonstrate supernatural wisdom in His wonderful plan to redeem humanity. Second, Isaiah called Him Mighty God. He would be God Himself. Later this same name was used for God. (See Isa. 10:21.) Though many people were associated with God, no other person had God’s name. Indeed, this child would be different than any other. Third, Isaiah called the child Everlasting Father. The fact Isaiah was predicting the child would be a Father—like a wise tribal leader—would not be so surprising except that it is coupled with Everlasting. This child had a beginning on earth, but He always existed in eternity past. (See John 1:1.) No human ruler was spoken of as eternal, though the promise to David was that a coming ruler would establish his throne forever. (See 2 Sam. 7:16.) Jesus would come as a child and establish the throne of David forever. Finally, Isaiah referred to the child as Prince of Peace. Though peace included the absence of war, it meant so much more than that. It included the ideas of well being and prosperity, fulfillment, and hope. Through this child’s reign, God’s people would finally experience what they longed to have—freedom from their enemies and a sense of purpose. Jesus accomplished this peace. (See John 14:27; Rom. 5:1.) [Verse 7] This verse emphasizes the work this child would perfectly accomplish. First, the child would have a dominion that Isaiah described as vast but His kingdom would be larger than one geopolitical country could contain. The Hebrew word expressing this vastness is often translated “increase.” It had the idea of something that was multiplied, or many times bigger. The child’s kingdom would be so large that none would have the authority to oppose it. Second, the child would establish a kingdom where its peace … will be no end. The Hebrew word used (shalom) means both prosperity and peace. In addition to peace from war or from enemies, it means completion or fulfillment in a total sense. Shalom included wholeness and unity, or perfect peace in every area. This child would not only conquer the enemies of His people, but He would also make them whole. The emphasis of this kingdom would be to establish and sustain the qualities of justice and righteousness.

I.God promised a descendant of David would judge with righteousness.       Isaiah 11:1-5 

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

How do we see Jesus fulfilling this prophecy in the gospels?

He rules by the Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord came upon David when he was anointed king. (See 1 Sam. 16:13.) In the same way, God’s Spirit would rest on His Messiah.

He judges rightly. The Messiah would not judge by what He sees and hears. These are typical ways for a king to gain information to help him lead, but the future Messiah would know all.

He wears a belt of righteousness. When a man prepared for action, he tied up his loose garments with a belt. The belt held everything in place; in a similar sense, the Messiah’s righteousness holds all Messiah’s other qualities.

Points: Even in the darkest times, God was at work to fulfill His holy purpose. God sent an almighty King filled with His Holy Spirit to do His holy work. Jesus is the King who reigns with righteousness and faithfulness.

[Verses 1-2] In chapter 10, Isaiah spoke of how God would chop off the branches of the great trees of Assyria. (See v. 33.) At some point, the tree of Jesse, who was the father of David, would experience a similar fate as only the stump remained. David’s family line would be in apparent jeopardy. However, a shoot would grow from the stump of Jesse. A Branch would arise from the roots of the stump and bear fruit. Though God’s people would face judgment and be cut down, He was not finished with them. A descendant of David would arise and have perfect access to the Spirit of the Lord. This included wisdom and … understanding. His knowledge would be perfect, causing Him to make right judicial decisions. He would have access to counsel and … might. This ruler would have the power and might to carry out His decisions. A person who knows what to do but is unable to implement those rulings is impotent as a ruler. This descendant of David would also have access to knowledge and fear of the Lord. He would have access into the mind and heart of God in a previously unknown way. [Verses 3-4] Unlike previous rulers, this Davidic descendant would not rule by what he sees with his eyes or what he hears with his ears. He has a greater source of justice and righteousness than his own senses. This ruler rather took delight in the Lord. The Hebrew literally meant to smell an odor, associated with the delight someone might experience in smelling a favorite food. Like the smell of one’s favorite food, the descendant of David loved the fear of the Lord, which Proverbs describes as the beginning of wisdom. (See Prov. 9:10.) His justice would not be based on human observation and estimation but on the principles outlined by the Lord. Under His leadership, justice would come to several groups of people. The needy would no longer suffer injustice because of their poverty. They would have righteous judgments even if they had no wealth to offer. The poor would not lack justice because they had no social standing. The messianic ruler would provide justice for those who could not provide it for themselves. Conversely, the wicked of the land would be slain by the rod of his mouth and the breathe of his lips. The wicked, who were apparently in positions of power to oppress others, would face judgment from this ruler of David’s line. Justice would be meted out to all. [Verse 5] The reign of David’s descendant would bring righteousness and faithfulness. The former word referred to conformity to an ethical or moral standard. The root of the word meant to be straight. David’s future ruler would establish right morals and actions in the community of God’s people. The second word was a reference to the idea of firmness or certainty. It was a reference to the stability of the reign of the Messiah. These two qualities would be like the belt that held one’s clothing in place. In Isaiah’s day the kings lacked righteousness and stability, but the future ruler, Jesus, would provide what had been lacking.

When have you been surprised to find out a coincidence was actually planned all along?

The birth of Jesus was no mere circumstance. It was planned by God.

How much does God control the events in history? 

1. At one end is the idea that God totally controls every event, every action in the universe, down to the box of Raisin Bran Crunch you had for breakfast.                                                                                                                              
2. At the other end is the idea that, while God is sovereign over all things, He chooses to stand back and let the universe run on its own. God only steps in when we plead for His intervention.

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

We face a tension in this issue we can’t fully resolve on. But there are two truths in this tension I can stand on with full confidence and faith:

1. God allows tragic events to happen. We live in a fallen world of our own making. Even so, we don’t fully understand why God prevents some things from happening yet allows others to proceed and bring grief to our lives.

2. God’s sovereign plan will not be thwarted. God orchestrates some events for His divine purposes. At these times, nothing can stand in the way of what God wills. The tension comes in discerning those things God allows and those things God orchestrates.

God’s sovereign plan includes our salvation. His plan from the very beginning was to rescue us from our sinful state and bring us back to Him. God’s plan for our salvation for not tied to God looking down on the earth, searching and hoping for the right opportunity. The birth and life of Jesus was not just some serendipitous occurrence; as if everything just fell into place by happenstance. No, God was determined to bring about our salvation, and He orchestrated events to see that everything fell into place.

“But when the set time had fully come,God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship” (Gal. 4:4-5).

Throughout the Old Testament, God “dropped hints” of what He was planning: prophecies. He spoke through multiple people over hundreds of years, pointing to what the Messiah would do “when the time had fully come.”

Here’s just a tiny list of those prophecies:

• Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-7)
• Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23)
• Born as a descendant of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 22:18; Matthew 1:1; Galatians 3:16)
• Born of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Luke 3:23, 33; Hebrews 7:14)
• Born of the house of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Matthew 1:1)
• Taken to Egypt (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:14-15)
• Performed miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6; Matthew 9:35)
• Cleansed the Temple (Malachi 3:1; Matthew 21:12-13)
• Entered Jerusalem as a king on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:4-9)
• Died a humiliating death (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53)
• Betrayal by a friend (Psalm 41:9; Luke 22:3-4; John 13:18) for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:14-15)
• Crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38)
• His side was pierced (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34)
• Buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60)
• Rose from the dead (Psalm 16:10; Mark 16:6; Acts 2:31)

We are approaching the Christmas season. As we ponder the gift of salvation and the arrival of Jesus Christ as a baby, hold on to this essential truth:

The birth of Jesus was no surprise to God. He was behind it all the way!