"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst" - 1 Timothy 1:15

Jesus was born to die. He came to be the Savior for us and for the whole world. Believers know this, but we tend to lose sight of it this time of year. We focus on the joy and the miracles and the celebration of His birth like somehow it's separate from His purpose. But God was planning this and foretelling it through the Law and Prophets for well over a thousand years, which means the Messiah's birth and death would always be linked. In order to save us and provide for our forgiveness, He had to shed His blood, something one can only do if they become flesh. This weekend at Friendship, we'll talk about "The Big Picture" of Jesus' birth for not only His own parents, but the whole world. If we want to wage war against the enemy, we must yield our own understanding to His; we must let go of our small picture of our circumstances and surrender to His big picture plan, even when we don't understand it.