Celebrating the Coming of Jesus
Most Christians and their churches celebrate Christmas to commemorate Jesus coming to earth as a baby. And many build up to Christmas by observing Advent—the time that precedes our Savior’s birth.
This book is designed to guide us in this important season as we celebrate Jesus.
In doing so, we’ll take a holistic approach so we can better appreciate the coming of our Savior to earth. We’ll center on the gospel accounts in the Bible, giving primary attention to the beloved passage from the beginning of the book of Luke. Then we’ll incorporate Old Testament prophecy about the coming Messiah to deepen our understanding. Along the way we’ll tap into our imagination to better see things from the perspective of Mary and Joseph.
The goal is to consider Jesus’s arrival from several different vantages to offer a comprehensive Advent devotional. And for maximum flexibility, there are options to fit your preferences and schedule. Here’s why:
Traditionally, Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.
As a result, Advent can start as early as November 27 or as late as December 3. This means that the length of Advent varies from 22 to 28 days.
It ends with the celebration of Jesus’s birth on December 25, even though this date is one of convenience and probably does not mark Jesus’s actual birth.
In this devotional we’ll celebrate the arrival of Jesus for all twenty-eight days of Advent. You can start on November 27, regardless of the year’s calendar. Or begin on whatever date marks the beginning of Advent for the current year.
We’ll build up to the grand culmination of Jesus’s birth.
Then, if you want more, continue the celebration past Christmas to Epiphany on January 6, which traditionally marks the coming of the Magi to celebrate Jesus. This event serves as a fitting conclusion to the Christmas story.
To cover all the essential parts of the story, we’ll compress some parts of our timeline and expand others. For example, we’ll look at Jesus’s birth for five days, not just on Christmas. And we’ll do the same for Epiphany.
The result is a comprehensive devotional that celebrates Jesus coming to earth as an infant who grows up to save humanity. May God speak to you through this book during the Advent season and beyond.
