What if the traditions we believe about the birth of Jesus are preventing us from seeing God's hand throughout the story?

Nativity scenes are an iconic and beloved tradition of the Christmas season. However, most Christians have never realized how much the accounts about Jesus' birth in Matthew and Luke do not match the story we tell and portray every year at Christmas time. With these traditions dating back almost 2,000 years, it can make it hard for us to separate biblical fact from fiction and prevent us from seeing how God was at work when His Son came into the world. That's why in The Arrival of Emmanuel, you will:

• Explore how traditions not based on Scripture were added to the nativity story
• Go through fourteen devotionals that each explore a section of the nativity story that is often misunderstood or misinterpreted
• See these parts of the story from a different point of view through fictionalized narratives based on biblical study and research
• Examine what the Scripture does and doesn't tell us about the events surrounding Jesus' birth
• Look at biblical research to see what was likely to have occurred over two thousand years ago versus what has been traditionally assumed
• Be challenged through devotional thoughts and reflection questions at the end of each chapter

This Christmas devotional, which can be used for group or individual study, will inspire you to see the nativity story in a whole new light as you see how even in the difficulties the characters faced, God's hand was at work before, during, and after the birth of His Son. Then, you can shift your focus to celebrating the miracle of the incarnation, which should cause us to celebrate every day of the year.