Christmas is a very familiar event for us. It’s a time, like Easter, when we stop to remember the most important story of this time of year – The birth of Jesus. This baby, that we know and believe to be the Son of God, was prophesied and predicted for centuries before his humble arrival in a stable.

December is a time when we pause and give thanks for the most important things in our lives like family, friends and our faith in God. Each of these appear on our annual radar as we stop work routines to give time to priorities.

In this shortened series we’ll be focusing upon some of the characters of Christmas. Zechariah, with his wife Elizabeth, present before God their child, John. John will precede Jesus by six months in birth but also precede Jesus’ ministry with a call to repentance.

What about Jesus’ mother, Mary? In many ways, a misunderstood woman. But a woman of divine character who was chosen to bear the God-child, the Savior Jesus. Where does she fit into the story after Jesus’ birth? What made her so unique as to be chosen for this royal task?

Providing the glue for the birth story of Jesus must be the Angels who work tirelessly behind the scenes bringing all the characters together that cooperate within this story. What was this season of ministry like for them?

Finally, in this series, we’ll meet Simeon & Anna who confirmed all that had been said about Jesus. These two elderly saints dwell within the Temple in Jerusalem. Attuned to hearing God’s voice, they identify Jesus as the Messiah when he arrives in the Temple eight days after his birth. The words they speak of Jesus to Mary are profound at every level and set the scene for Jesus’ future ministry. So, let’s get started.