The arrival of God to earth could have been the most extravagant welcome ever seen—an all-out effort for an over-the-top celebration. But it didn’t happen that way. A few private announcements confirmed the arrival of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah. But the Savior’s coming was, for the most part, hidden in obscurity and ordinariness. It’s almost like God was trying to keep the whole thing a secret. But salvation through Jesus is hidden for all to see—hidden until we respond to Him and look in His direction.

Discussion Questions

God’s plans often confound human ingenuity and reason. What details of the Christmas story do you find surprising or strange?

How do you find hiddenness and ordinariness in the following elements of the Christmas story: Mary, shepherds, Bethlehem, and a manger?

Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-8. How does Paul describe God’s wisdom? Also take a look at Proverbs 25:2. Why does God seem to like to hide things?

Maybe God seems hidden sometimes because we like it that way. How do personal pain, doubt, disappointment, self-sufficiency or inadequacy keep people from seeing God? When has God seemed the least visible to you? How about the times you have seen God most clearly?

The Book of Colossians is a magnificent tribute to the person of Jesus. Read Colossians 1:15-18. How does Jesus reveal God the Father who is described as invisible?

Read Titus 3:4-8. Pay close attention to the description of Christ’s coming for humanity. Describe the details of salvation from these verses and notice the believer’s reason for living for God. When were you saved by believing in Jesus?

Further Reading

The Gift of Christ

The love of material things often steals our attention. This leads us to focus on growing our collection of possessions, even thinking that those items can somehow provide authentic, deep life satisfaction. And when our idea of Christmas revolves around a misplaced...

It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas

We generally associate Christmas as being a season of joy and celebration, but many of us experience deep feelings of grief and loneliness during Christmas. That grief and loneliness grows as we tell ourselves we should be feeling positive emotions instead. If that’s...

Make Room for Jesus

The story of that very first Christmas includes chilling words for any family trying to deliver a baby: “There’s no room for you.” Truth is, that’s not the last time that sentiment would be spoken in Jesus’ direction. Life wants to crowd out Jesus. The pace. The...