This Advent Season we will utilize the work of Mike Slaughter’s concept and book, Christmas Is Not Your Birthday. It’s an amazing book that warns against the consumerism of Christmas and seeks to find the deeper meaning of the miraculous birth of Jesus and his mission and message. Jesus’ birth is only significant because of his death and subsequent resurrection. In this first message, we will examine the very realistic expectations of the Prophet Isaiah of the Christ being a figure that suffered rejection, derision, and finally crucifixion. To truly rejoice at this time of year we must recognize the truest miracle of Christmas: That Jesus came to give his life so that we may know life abundant and eternal!