Who is Jesus to you?
What informs and shapes your view of Jesus and his work?
We are all the product of our origins. Our ancestors, families, cultures, and historical backgrounds all influence who we are, how we see the world, what we do with our lives, and how we relate to the people around us. If we can accept that Jesus was also fully human, then the same must be true for him.
This means that, if we want to know Jesus better and follow his way more closely, we need to know what shaped who he was.
In the ancient world, women weren’t usually considered in ancestral records. But in Matthew’s Gospel, the genealogy of Jesus includes five hidden women with important stories.
Clearly, the writer believed that these women had something important to tell us about Jesus as Messiah.
The Making of a Messiah combines the stories of the five ‘hidden’ women in Matthew’s genealogy (and one additional woman from Luke) with the Lectionary readings for Year B to dive deep into the forces that shaped who Jesus was. Together, these six women lead us on a journey, through Advent and Christmas, to encounter Jesus in a new way and to understand both who he was and what his life means for us today.
The Making of a Messiah is both a guide for worship and a manual for following the way of Jesus intentionally and practically. It is both an inspiring journey to prepare for Christmas and a deep exploration of the meaning of Jesus’ incarnation and life. And, as the focus of your Advent and Christmas worship, The Making of a Messiah sets the course for the entire year ahead.
$25 – The Making of a Messiah Liturgical Guide includes:
● Purpose written prayers and liturgies for all four Advent Sundays, Christmas Day and the first Sunday after Christmas;
● Sermon starter chapters for every service of the series;
● A ‘Hanging of the Greens’ meditation for Advent Sunday and Advent Candle lighting liturgies for all services from Advent Sunday to Christmas Day;
● A theme-based Table Liturgy that can be used at any service in the series;
● A scripted, purpose-written Nine Lessons and Carols Liturgy;
● Theme-based graphics for your projection software, including welcome screens and backgrounds for song lyrics, liturgies, and sermon notes.
$15 – The Making of a Messiah Devotional Guide includes:
● Preparing, responding, and integrating practices for every day to help you enter into your devotional practice as deeply and mindfully as possible;
● Copies of the Sermon Starters for each week for easy reference while doing your daily practice;
● Daily reflection questions to enable you to listen more deeply to the message of the Scriptures and apply it to your life and relationships.
THE MAKING OF A MESSIAH includes the following chapters:
Advent Sunday: Tamar’s Legacy of Hope
The story of an abandoned widow who found hope in the face of despair by boldly challenging her culture and changing her circumstances. And what she teaches us about following Jesus as a Messiah of Hope.
Advent 2 Rahab’s Legacy of Peace
The story of a marginalized innkeeper who found peace for herself and her family in a time of war by building relationship with the enemy. And what she teaches us about following Jesus as a Messiah of Peace.
Advent 3: Ruth’s Legacy of Joy
The widowed immigrant who found a life of joy in the face of grief by caring for her grieving mother-in-law. And what she teaches us about following Jesus as a Messiah of Joy.
Advent 4 / Christmas Eve: Bathsheba’s Legacy of Love
The victim of rape who found love by defying her trauma and keeping her heart open. And what she teaches us about following Jesus as a Messiah of Love.
Christmas Day: Mary’s Legacy of Incarnation
The unmarried teenager who became the mother of the incarnate Christ. And what she teaches us about following Jesus as an Incarnate Messiah.
Christmas 1 / New Year’s Eve: Anna’s Legacy of Presence
The homeless widow who found fullness of life by staying present to her world and becoming a life-giving presence to those around her. And what she teaches us about following Jesus as a Messiah of Presence.
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