The Real Godsend
The stories of Jesus' birth are probably the most familiar parts of the Bible - and this book argues that they need rescuing from Christmas, a season which, as often as not, stifles rather than clarifies their meaning. Our understanding of them is so overlaid with sentimentality and legend that we can struggle to hear the word of God through the text.
How can we preach and teach these well-known and well-loved narratives so that we draw out their powerful witness to the uniqueness of Christ, rather than presenting them as little more than seasonal stories for children?
This verse-by-verse exploration of the birth narratives reveals them as carefully crafted works of theology, written in the light of the resurrection and drawing on the Hebrew scriptures to reveal the nature of the God who sent his Son into the world for our salvation.
They do not simply relate ancient history but invite us to believe in the risen Christ who is alive now, the real Godsend who comes to us as God's greatest gift. And as we understand these texts at a deeper level, so we can use their vivid imagery and richly textured themes to communicate these most profound of truths.
The Real Godsend is ideal for preachers seeking fresh approaches to the narratives of Jesus' birth, as well as tutors and students on lay ministry training courses and at theological college. Any growing Christian wanting to study these familiar passages at a deeper level will also benefit from this book.
Praise for God on the Inside:
'Well written and well balanced...helping us understand God's work in us in relationship to his place within the life of the Trinity'
- Evangelicals Now
Dr Nigel G. Wright is Principal of Spurgeon's College, London and a former president of the Baptist Union of Great Britain. He has also worked in two churches in the north of England, and written extensively on issues of church renewal. Most recently he has written God on the Inside (BRF, 2006) and Free Church, Free State (Paternoster, 2005).
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