As we move toward Christmas I would like to recommend Child in the Manger: The True Meaning of Christmas, by Sinclair Ferguson.

Whenever Ferguson puts his pen to paper, his focus on the centrality of Christ's person and redemptive work is a balm to my soul. I have read many books focused on the Christmas season and in my humble opinion, this work outshines them all (excepting the Gospels of course). 

Ferguson writes with the specific goal of unfolding the majesty and glory of Christ through His suffering and exaltation. He describes the glory of the eternal Son who stepped down into this sin-darkened world to save sinners and raise them with Him into His glorious presence. 

Our author traces the journey of Jesus, condescending from the throne room of heavenly glory, taking on human nature in the dark womb of Mary, serving as God's covenant Servant in a sin-cursed world, and stepping lower still to the wrath-absorbing, curse-receiving work of the cross by which He was laid in a dark tomb in the heart of the earth.

He explains that the dark setting and horrific context of sin and wrath at the cross serves as the background from which Christ's glorious person and work shine to the eye of the believing sinner. This chapter, entitled The Inside Story, is the height of the book. If this was the only chapter our readers could feast on, it is well worth the weight of the entire book. 

In chapter 4, Sinclair examines Christ's name Immanuel from the ancient library of Isaiah 9:6.

He observes that as the Wonderful Counselor, Christ announces the good news of Salvation; as the Mighty God, He justifies, sanctifies, glorifies, and powerfully creates new life and faith so that we might receive Him; as Father of our salvation, he leads us into his family; and as the Prince of Peace, He gives us rest.

In the second half of Child in the Manger, Ferguson traces the glory and blessedness of Christ through the journey of Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the magi, and finally concludes with observations from Herod's rejection of Christ.

He fittingly ends the book by looking at the heavenly scene in Revelation 12 wherein the power behind Herod, the Great Dragon, is thwarted by the child Messiah through his escape at birth, His victory over the Devil in His wilderness temptation, and His death blow of the dragon at the Cross.

What a journey! This work is a masterpiece, a faithful biblical theology that unfolds the redemptive storyline through Scripture from Christ's glory into heaven through suffering in His saving work to His ascended glory in heaven as the victorious King.

May our hearts be greatly encouraged this season as we look with fresh gaze at the beauty of Jesus, our Savior.