And just as Pharaoh that cruel king had tried to destroy Israel, so another cruel king by the name of Herod

was attempting to kill the Son of God.

Just as God protected his Son Israel in Egypt and delivered them, so God protected Christ his Son in Egypt and delivered him.

The Messiah is a recapitulation of the picture in Israel!

There are many miracles that get our attention at Christmas, the virgin birth, the star of Bethlehem, the angels appearing to the

shepherds, and much more.

Yet even more important than the miraculous circumstances of Christ's birth is the reason that he came.

And that's John MacArthur's focus today on Grace to You as John continues his series titled The Birth of the King.

Before the lesson though John, it won't be long before many in our listening family start heading to Christmas celebrations with their own families.

And so with that said, what encouragement would you have for our listeners as they look toward December 25th?

Well I think again it's the one time in the year when it's sort of allowed to talk about Christ, even in the most resistant environment, even in the face of people who really don't have any interest in Christ.

It's an unavoidable reality at Christmas and I think it just reminds us of the advantage that we have, as long as this is the conversation anyway, you need to turn that conversation to the realities of why he came and make sure you prepare the

gospel.

I think you can be circumspect in the way you do that.

It's wonderful to ask questions. Do you know about Christmas? What do you think about the realities of Christmas?

Did you know for example whatever you might want to tell them that isn't common knowledge? Maybe you know some of the backstory of Christmas?

I just think you need to introduce the conversation at a time like this because this is the time when it's in the general conversation anyway so it's not an intrusive time.

And I also think very often we pass each other like ships in the night and we don't get the time to sit down and really talk and interact over things because life is so busy.

But this season seems to put people in groups for a longer period of time. Maybe it's a party, maybe it's a family visit, maybe it's around a table and a meal, and it lends itself to a more full and rich conversation about Christmas which can lead to you explaining the significance of Christmas.

I would just add as a footnote, don't expect an immediate response because the task is to start by sowing the seed and then maybe God comes along and waters it and eventually God may choose to give the increase.

So make sure you take the opportunity to speak of Christ and see how the Lord might use that.

That's right. And thank you John.

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