In the Bible, the story about the birth of Christ is actually Scandalous - “causing general public outrage by a perceived offense against morality or law.”

Think about it! It involves a young virgin; national politics, outlandish proclamations; the supernatural visitations and crazy gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

With what seems like an ever increasing marketing pressure around Christmas it has become easier to lose sight of the greater purpose of celebrating Christmas. And it is no surprise how each year the actual day of Christmas becomes buried under the growing demands around one’s life. The potential dilution of the celebration of the birth of Christ is not a modern problem. 

In the fourth century some Christian monks practiced a period of preparation for Christmas that is now called Advent. Which simply means “the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.”

Traditionally the Advent season begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. 
Advent lasts for four weeks, and it is considered a period of preparation for the coming nativity.

In this course Tim will guide you and your family through some of the classic Biblical passages about Christmas and give you some tips on how you can make your Christmas different.

The four weeks of Advent are broken down into the themes: Hope, Peace, Joy & Love.

The Scandalous Scriptures of Christmas Introduction 

How many times have you heard the Christmas story? This course is uniquely designed to help you see the familiar Nativity in a whole new light by revealing some of the scandalous scriptures of Christmas.

Do you dread the Christmas Season? What are you nervous about this coming Christmas season? Whatever you are feeling about Christmas? Does it bring worry about not having enough money for gifts?

Christmas for some does not bring a lot of joy. For some it is a sad season. Maybe the holiday season is a reminder about those who will no longer be around the Christmas table. Tim shares about an accident that killed his brother. Whether you are feeling differently about Christmas because of finances, or relationships or the loss of a loved one.

What are you in need of Hope for?

What do you need to believe in again?
No matter what dread you feel - there is still hope.
No matter what anxiety you are carrying - there is still hope.
Amidst your worst fears - you can literally light a candle of hope and believe in God again.

Let’s light a candle of hope!

The Candle of Hope 

Tim starts off this course reminding us that lights of Christmas shine like hope in a dark place.

Zechariah 9:9
9 "Rejoice, O people of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem!
Look, your king is coming to you.

The 9th Chapter of the Old Testament book of Zechariah is a prophetic oracle about the restoration of the exiled people of Israel who were in captivity under Cyrus II ruler over the Medo-Persian Empire. 

This Prophetic Gender Reveal was about a Messiah-King for the people of Israel. That is also recited in the New Testament by Matthew 21:4; John 12:14

The word “Shout” in this context is a reason to rejoice - it's a gender reveal!!

Jerusalem's time of waiting is over; the arrival of her King.
This Old Testament gender reveal is actually to Cyrus who was hailed as the “King of the Persians' - and that revelation was that Israel's captivity is over!

This birth announcement for the nation of Israel is to expect a new King!

“Expecting” = Pregnancy is a long process.
Tim reminds us that the arrival of a baby is still refer a successful pregnancy that leads to birth as the “miracle of birth”

What is scandalous in this passage is that this gender reveal comes over four centuries before Jesus is born!

This Advent you need to SHOUT “Look, your king is coming!”

Old Testament Gender Reveal 

Tim reads an Old Testament gender reveal that shook the ancient Persian empire!

The Malls start decorating for Christmas immediately after Halloween!

Tim teaches about the dysfunctional ways people prepare for Christmas

Going into debt Christmas shopping - average consumer goes about $10K in debt. There is a lot of pressure over buyng to impress someone.

Christmas Lights and trying to impress your neighbors - brings out the competitive nature in your neighbors.

What do you do each Christmas that reveals something about your expectation?

What are you thinking about during Christmas?
Tim shares that Christmas is about expressing love to his family.

He shares how he has become intentional and had a discussion with your family about their expectations for the holidays?
He shares how words of affirmation are his favorite gift!

**Ross Pro Tip**
In this Season, determine your reason.

Building Expectations in the Home

How do you build expectations in your house?

Isaiah Chapter 7:10-14 
10 Later, the Lord sent this message to King Ahaz: 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.”
12 But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.”
13 Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? 
14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

The King Ahaz chose to NOT ask for a sign, for he knew it would almost certainly be an embarrassment to him. 

But God chose to provide a sign that could not be overlooked by the king or his advisors in the house of David. The sign would be the birth of Immanuel. Fulfilled in Matthew 1:20-23.

The Hebrew word for sign is “ot” requires a reasonably early fulfillment; a prediction may be long-term, but a sign is by definition a pointer to an event.

The key miraculous sign would not be the child’s conception or birth but the billboard sign was actually the name “Immanuel”

Ahaz had refused to seek a sign, since he knew in his heart that such a sign would prove that Isaiah was right. 

But the sign that confronted him was that nine months could elapse and the Syrian and Israelite invaders would have departed. 

AND so dramatically that many mothers-to-be in Judah would name their newborn sons “Immanuel” - God is with us. 
The choice of the name Immanuel would be a mark of faith on the part of the mothers, in contrast to King Ahaz’s lack of it.

The Name Is Immanuel 

Tim reads teaches about the backstory behind one of the most famous Christmas scriptures found in Isaiah.

What are the signs you see at Christmas?
XMas??
Where did the X come from?
Why are people so offended by the word of Christ that means anointed one?
It leads to “Imbroglio” - “an extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation.”

Tim teaches about how God asked King Ahaz to ask the Lord for anything and completely whiffs on the opportunity.
There are still some modern day Ahaz’s who don’t want anything to do with Christmas?
Tim jokes that Ahaz was probably the first King Scrooge = Bah Humbug!

What sign do you put your trust in? The 40% off sale sign? What sign do you put your trust in?

Tim says that he hopes that the sign that you choose to put your trust in does not have to do with anything tangible. And everything is intangible yet tangible. Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen.”

Jesus invites us to ASK !

**Ross Pro Tip:**
In the Ross family all the Christmas decorations in their house remind them about the extravagant gift that God gave us in his son Jesus Christ, the literal fulfillment of Immanuel - God with us.

The truest sign is not about the decorations that you put on your tree but the love that God put on that Tree.

Signs of the Season 

What are some of the craziest Christmas decorations/signs have you seen?

Isaiah 9:6 
6 For a child is born to us,
  a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
  And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
	
What we miss in reading this popular Christmas passage is that when it was written in Hebrew as poetry.

Hebrew poets often use words to paint pictures on the pages like Japanese Haiku poetry that is recognizable from its format on the page.

Isaiah writes a prophetic poem about the birth of Christ.

If you read these verses in Hebrews you would see them arranged in a special chiasm format that links these for titles. The Chiasm in Hebrew looks like the English letter “X”. This X arrangement in this Hebrew poetry links these four titles of Jesus.

When this prophecy was given to Isaiah it was well known that the Pharaohs of Egypt would take on THRONE NAMES that would promote their status as a god. For example Pharaoh Ramses = “Sun god”. 

The chiasm poetry of these four titles would literally jump off the page as titles that also described the divine as a prophetic description of the incarnation of the Christ child. 

Wonderful Counselor in Hebrew would be understood as the Counselor who does Wonders (Miracles). 

Mighty God - pronounced in the Hebrew “El Gebor” = Warrior God - again mix of the qualities of human and divine nature

Everlasting Father = Eternal Progenitor 

Prince of Peace = Shalom

Reading these in the Hebrew text we would not only immediately see these THRONE NAMES as interrelated but also interdependent. That means that Jesus can also be your Everlasting Peace or Mighty Counselor…

What do you need Jesus to be this Christmas?
Remember the chiasm and that it forms an “X” is for you to fill in the blank that you need Jesus to be in your life.
Merry XMas! He is whatever we need him to be.

Throne Names 

Tim reads one of the most famous Christmas passage from a well known chorus in Handel’s Messiah.

What is one of the weirdest things you have received as a Christmas gift? 

Why do the gifts under the tree only have a name tag - who the gift is for? And we leave all the feeling and sentiment about who the gift has been assigned to and leave the work to be done by the gift itself as if the gift is what is to articulate about the one who receives it.

**Ross Pro Tip:**
Maybe try adding a card with each gift where you can write about the qualities you see in the person that you are giving a gift for. Go the extra step and add a card that tells them “the why” you wanted to give them that particular gift. John 3:16 simply wraps “the why” - “For God so loved the world that He gave the most extravagant gift anyone could ever receive. He simply didn’t give Jesus, He also told us why. Let’s do the same.

Giving Gifts 

Tim tells us how the Ross family exchanges gifts at Christmas.

On the second Sunday in the season of Advent it is tradition to light a purple candle to represent peace. 
This candle may also be called the “Bethlehem Candle” - Christ's birth in a manger in Bethlehem.

This may bring up memories of Christmas Carols like “Away in a manger” or Victorian Dressed Carolers and Salvation Army Kettle at the Malls.

What Christmas music do you remember the most growing up?
Mariah Carey - “All I want for Christmas is You” reaching one billion streams on Spotify.
Tim’s favorite Christmas song is “Silent Night” by the Temptations

When we read the Christmas passages we see that this was not a “Silent Night” - in the midst of a stable of animals. Not in the midst of uncertainty. This is what makes these Christmas scriptures so scandalous. Marketing advertising paints the scene in Bethlehem as peaceful. The reality was that there were no rooms available for Joseph and Mary to give birth to Jesus. 

What uncertainty are currently facing? But with that you can have profound amounts of peace.
What are the loud voices drowning out your peace? What are some things that come around you during Christmas that causes you to forget the Prince of Peace? What do you need to set your mind on to fully know and rest in the fact that you have a savior who is willing and able to bring you peace during some of the most uncertain times in your life.

Make no mistake that we are talking about “sweet baby” Jesus who is capable of bringing you peace. 
Just like God was being crowned coming into this earth in the form of a man to be the Immanuel who is God with us. In the same way in the moment that you put your faith into Jesus Christ the crowning of your faith ushers in a peace.

So as you remember where your peace truly comes from the person of Jesus Christ you can light that candle and receive His peace - a flame that will never cease.

The Candle of Peace 

Tim introduces the second advent candle of peace.

Matthew 1:18-25 
18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
  She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
  which means ‘God is with us.’”
24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

The angel refers to Joseph as a “son of David” to emphasize Jesus’ legal Davidic status. Jesus received a claim to the Davidic throne through his connection to Joseph being his legal heir, and accepting “adopting” Him as his son. 

After the angelic visitation in Joseph’s dream, he marries Mary and does not consummate his marriage but instead abstains from sexual relations with her until after Jesus was born.

Through this adoption Joseph became his father in every way except procreation.
God is intentional and deliberate in keeping his word and using who he has available at the time.

A father’s acceptance of their son as well as daughter is extremely significant in the development of their identity.
Joseph’s marrying Mary, Jesus is given full access to the royal lineage of King David.

Ephesians 1:5
5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.

We all needed for God to adopt us into the family of God through Jesus Christ. For us who are believers in Jesus Christ we have been engrafted into a family. You don’t have to be on the outside. God invites us to have a seat at his table. And to tell others that there is room for you. As the scripture says that we have an opportunity to be heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), in a kingdom with the royal family.

Accept this adoption to be a part of God’s family.

Angelic Adoption 

The beautiful thing about adoption is that it makes room for every person from every kind of background to be invited to the most extravagant and elaborate family reunion that there has ever been.

hat are the roles dads are to perform at Christmas?
Is it the responsibility of dads to assemble all the Christmas Toys
Is it the responsibility for dads to dress up as Santa Claus

What role does a Father have in celebration of Christmas?

What is your earliest memory of your dad during Christmas?

What family tradition can the father play a role in?
Tim reflects on how his father Charles Edward Ross was the “dad for the community”. He adopted people and made them feel special.

What could you do to make someone's Christmas special?

**Ross Pro Tip:**
Adopt someone for the holidays
In the same way we have been adopted into God’s family by embracing people. As fathers we have the opportunity to extend that love to those who are outside of our nuclear family to an expression of love as well. Participate in this act of “adoption” and see God work through you to bless someone's life too.

The Role of Dads and Christmas 

What are the roles that dads play at Christmas?

Luke 1:26-45
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

The author of this gospel is Luke who is a medical doctor and uses his knowledge to explain two different pregnancies of Mary and her aunt Elizabeth. These are two generational miracles - with a teenage girl who is a virgin who becomes pregnant with a child and a woman in a very old age becomes pregnant with a child. This is prophetically done to let us know that God is not done with any generation. Both women miraculously conceived with children. And when they come into each other’s presence there is a literal moment that is absolutely powerful. For the baby inside of Elizabeth to leap at the presence of the baby that is in Mary is absolutely profound for one reason. Mary has just conceived and Elizabeth is six months pregnant with a child. This means that at this moment Jesus was only a zygote baby.

Mary goes and stays with her aunt for 6 months and gets to see Elizabeth give birth to his cousin John. 

Zygote Jesus meets a six month old fetus baby and there is already an interaction between these two. We get to see these movements happening generationally. Each generation is giving birth to their promise from God.

Do you know what season that you are in? Do you know exactly where God has you in the promise that you are carrying?

What zygote of Hope are you carrying inside you?
It doesn’t need to be something big. It doesn’t need to be something that is fully formed. Faith gives us the opportunity to come in with the tiniest glimmer of hope knowing that God is going to do something for us. We know that God’s promises are true and that you keep all of them because we know that you are with us.

Carry the seed of faith inside of you even if it is small as a zygote. God will respond.

God's Blessings For All Generations 

Tim teaches about the scandalous scripture of Christmas found in Luke 1:26-45.

What are the different ways the generations celebrate Christmas?

What are some of the cultural differences you have seen how Christmas is observed?

Be curious about the different ways others celebrate Christmas. 

How does Christmas bring together the generations in your home?

Tim is intentional to celebrate Christmas with children to observe the pure joy and shares a video of kids tearing open a gift.

**Ross Pro Tip:**
Intentionally create a moment for elderly members of your family to share about their childhood Christmas.

Video Source: n64kids.com

Multicultural Multigenerational Christmas 

Tim gives some practical applications on how Christmas is celebrated differently. Specifically how you can be intentional to celebrate Christmas with different generations.

On the Third Sunday of Advent we light the rose candle. This rose colored candle symbolizes an anticipation that the birth of the Christ baby brings joy.
The lighting of this candle marks the shift from our repentance to rejoicing. The rose candle also symbolizes the rejoicing the shepherds

Statistics show commonly show a spike in depression during the holidays
“Holiday Blues.”

For some it might be difficult for you this Christmas
* Grief
* Family Dysfunction
* Debt and Finances

Tim considers himself a literalist as he Re-minds us to Re - Joice this means that we get have joy again.

No matter what you feel maybe going wrong or what you feel that you cannot control now - REJOICE! There is something to celebrate. There is something to give God glory for. There is something that you can be reminded of even in the series of losses that there are some wins. 

Light a Candle and be REminded to REJOICE!


The Candle of Joy 

Before you get trapped in a cycle of belief that a better day is not coming for you. Tim wants to Re-mind you that you can have joy - again!

Luke 2:8-20
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
  and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

After seeing baby Jesus the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angels had told them. 

Now check out Verse 14 - “and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” 

Textually the verb has a genitive case - “of” good will. 
So it best english translation is found in the Revised Standard Version - “good will among men” or “to men of good will”

Who are these “men of good will?”

Only good will originates from God and never originates from men.
It is those with whom God is pleased.”

Shepherds in this culture were seen as marginalized and of lower social status. Shepherds were watching their flocks in a pasture near Jerusalem to provide flocks for sacrifice.

The shepherd’s are the first Christian evangelists. Give a “sign” as it was usually given to the prophets.
Yet, God selects the shepherds as “those with whom God is pleased.”

How do you see yourself?
Marginalized?
Used by others?

God sees you as one who has good intentions
He sees you as “those with whom God is pleased.”

Consider the fact that God is pleased with you. 
Don’t allow bad circumstances of your past to define you. You are God's son and daughter of whom he is well pleased and in this season be reminded that He finds you as a person who is filled with good will.

Good Shepherds

Why was the shepherd's story so astounding?

Tim reflects how growing up in California affected his Christmas experience. He remembers the first time you remember seeing snow up in the mountains and the memories of drinking hot apple cider.

What can you do to bring your Christmas outside of your home?
What are ways that we can see and experience what we believe

The Ross family during the Christmas season volunteer at food lines and share a smile and hug and the gospel. They feel seen.

**Ross Pro Tip:**
Who might be “unseen” - that you can include your holidays?
Maybe that one family member that no one wants to have over. Maybe a neighbor who feel unseen.
This applies for more than the Christmas season.

Tim remembers a time when he was able to visit the campus of ORU and how he gave a hug to a student that later he found out that his father was a friend of his. 

Tim has an unwritten rule for his life that no one will go unseen or unheard in his presence. Because no one will ever go unseen or unheard in God’s presence. 

This Christmas let’s play “hide and seek” with those who feel unseen.

Christmas Outside 

Like the Shepherds who became the first Christian Evangelist it is time to take Christmas Outside!

On the fourth Sunday of Advent it is tradition to light a white candle representing love (adoration). It is a white candle. It is also known as the “Angel's Candle”. White is used to symbolize purity, restoration, light, and holiness.

Are Angels for real?
Tim shares how when his mother was pregnant with him he was visited by an Angel who told him that his name will be Timothy. Which in the Greek language means one who will honor God and will be honored by God. This angelic visitation was especially miraculous because his mother’s pregnancy was filled with medical challenges of which the doctor advised her to abort Tim. Thankfully, his mother believed in this promise given to her from this Angelic promise.

What is the role of Angels?
Tim teaches us that Angels protect, defend and give us messages from God.

We don’t worship Angels because they are not God. We never worship what God has created - we always worship the Creator. 

Who do you love and adore?
What do you love and adore?
Is God number one on your list?
Put God back at the top of the charts.

The Candle of Love 

When you light the candle of love you are choosing to express our adoration to the one who first loved us. Light your candle and let your love shine bright.

Luke 1:46-49 
46 Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
 and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
 and he has done great things for me.

The Magnificat is in the form of a beautiful lyrical poem uttered by a Jewish girl who has a spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling - but also because Mary knew the Old Testament thoroughly, and many portions, especially the more lyrical ones, by heart. 

Their language became the natural vehicle of her praises.

Mary’s song resembles the praise song of Samuel’s mother, Hannah, in 1 Samuel 2:1-10; Hannah celebrated when the Lord opened her barren womb.

Hebrew poetry commonly uses synonymous parallelism 
(in which a second line reiterates the statement of the first line).

VERSE 46 Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

Soul and Spirit are used interchangeably here as well as Joy and Praises.

Principle of God exalting the humble

God sees your faithfulness.
God notices the humble and feeble and blesses them.

Maybe you are in a place where you do not feel and know that God sees you.
Do what Mary does and recite some of the Promises of God over your life and He will Bless you!

Tim made a commitment to learn scripture that speaks to him. You can find verses in the Bible that apply to your life. So that when times get tough and challenges get hard, you can recall scriptures that will speak to your circumstance.

Be like Mary who found herself in the most pivotal moments in human history what came out of her mouth was deep well of scripture that was committed to memory.

David said - Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)
God told Joshua to study His word day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. ( Joshua 1:8)

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

Mary’s Magnificat Rap

Tim teaches how Mary’s Magnificat is like a rap.

Do you have a “drunkel” - A drunk uncle that always spoils the holidays?

What are your holiday office parties like?

What can’t you stand about holiday parties?

How can this Christmas become a season where we can partner with God to lift someone up?
Tim and his father met someone who needed some groceries for his family and took him shopping. That moment he remembered that the promise that God gave Abraham to be blessed to be a blessing to someone.

**Ross Pro Tip:**
“Pay it forward” gifting.

Jesus said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35) 
When God puts you in a position to give - give because He loves you and He knows exactly how to use you to be a blessing to someone else.

Lift Someone 

How can this Christmas become a season where we can partner with God to lift someone up?

The Christ Candle
* Birthday Candles
* Birthday Parties
* Not the real date for the birth of Christ - does not stop you from celebrating the Gift of Jesus

Christmas Eve can be a very special time.

What memories do you have for Christmas Eve?
In the Ross family they take the time to remember the reason that they gather around the gifts. To pause and reflect about the gift that Christ has done in your life. 

Christ in Christmas or as Christ-Mass we can be reminded of his goodness
Maybe you can take a moment about the sacrifice that Jesus Christ gave to us through celebrating Holy Communion
When you take communion remember that Jesus’ BIRTH = CALVARY.
Jesus literally means God saves.
Thank God that the birth of Jesus changed human history.

The Christ Candle

Some add a fifth candle known as the Christ Candle, usual in the middle of the wreath, to be lit on Christmas Eve or Day.

Matthew 2:1-2 
1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

Matthew 2:10-12
10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

In this passage Matthew clearly writes that the wise men come to the house of Mary and Joseph, not the “Away in the Manger” moment.

Who are the people who came with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh?

The Greek word Magoi = Magi were astrologers who believed that the movements of heavenly bodies and the destinies of men were linked. They observed the rising of his star and connected it with the birth of the expected Jewish king. 

The story is prophetic because of what was about to happen to the Holy family.

Jesus who was foreshadowed by Israel, now recapitulate the history of Israel - going down to Egypt. 

On this trip the Magi’s gifts were divinely provided to pay for this trip!
God can provide for you!

How has the Lord provided for your future?

God has all the provision that you need for your life.
What do you want for Christmas?

What is something you want for Christmas that money can’t buy?

What are the gifts that the Lord has given you for your next season?

Tim shares how his friend Preston prays for a spiritual gift.
In 2021, Tim prayed this prayer and the Lord answered in an amazing way.

Whatever you are believing God for, simply know that God is your provider.
I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. (Psalm 37:25)

Miraculous Provision

What would you think if I told you that all of the nativity scenes that are set up during Christmas are wrong? 

How can you invest today in someone’s tomorrow?

Tim teaches us that the promised blessing to Abraham was given to bless others. He shares how he is teaching his sons about blessing others through a story about tipping at a restaurant and how they explain why they have agreed on the amount of the tip. His son, Noah always wants to give a big tip. Because he knows that his dad is good for any amount.

What gift have you been given that provided for a need before you knew you had it?
God has always been with you every step of the way and that His provision has been there.

**Ross Pro Tip:**
Give a gift that you can’t wrap!
A word of encouragement
An extravagant deed
Or a hug
There is something that can come from you that is inside of you to someone you know or love that no one else can give.

Prophetic Gifts 

What way can our gifts be prophetic provision for other’s future?

Tim remembers his teaching on Mary’s Magnificent Song.

Hopefully this course has opened your heart to the messenger of God when you are invited to ASK the LORD for ANYTHING in his name! Rather than trying to do it all on your own.

Remember you are ADOPTED into the family of God.

Allow the presence of zygote Jesus jump start the dream in your life.

God still does the impossible!

Make this Christmas season be a time to RE-JOICE!

Or like the Advent Wreath to light some candles of Expecting
HOPE,
PEACE, 
JOY & LOVE!

The flames in our souls never have to die out.
Trim your internal wicks and allow God to make an eternal fix.

The Scandalous Scriptures of Christmas Conclusion 

Course Epilogue

Tim reviews the highlights of his course.

The Scandalous Scriptures of Christmas 

Tim will help you prepare differently for Christmas through 22 segments that shed light on what we commonly understand about the season and reveal how many of these Christmas scriptures have not been taught correctly or fully. In the Bible, the story about the birth of Christ is actually Scandalous. It causes general public outrage by a perceived offense against morality or law. Think about it! It involves a young virgin; national politics, outlandish proclamations; the supernatural visitations and crazy gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

Tim not only upsets many of the popular Christmas passages found in the Bible, but he also upsets many of the traditional ways that we have celebrated Christmas and gives practical tips on what you can do differently this year.

Tim-Ross.jpg

Tim Ross

International Speaker | Podcast Host

Tim teaches about a traditional Christmas practice of lighting five Advent candles to frame a course on how the many traditional explanations for popular Christmas scriptures are actually scandalous in the way they upset many Christmas traditions and understandings.

How Many of the Traditional Christmas Scriptures Are Misunderstood 

The Significance Behind the Name Immanuel 

How Mary's Magnificant Was a Song of Joy and Praise That Reflects Old Testament Scriptures 

How Jesus Received a Claim to the Davidic Throne Through His Father, Joseph 

Your guide, Tim Ross