The Unexpected Savior: Unexpected beginning.

This is the first message in The Unexpected Savior teaching series.

We love a good underdog story – the team from the small school on the wrong side of the tracks wins the state championship, the shy girl is crowned prom queen, the mild-mannered guy saves the town.

But when it comes to God’s rescue plan for the world, people didn’t want an underdog. They wanted a warrior. God’s people had been waiting for centuries for the promised Messiah. What they expected was a military leader who would overthrow Rome, restore Israel’s former glory, and rule from David’s throne in Jerusalem.

But the Son of God showed up as a baby, born to an unmarried teenager in a cave used for farm animals.

Everything about Jesus defied expectations. His family’s past had some scandal. His first worshipers were blue-collar shepherds and pagan astronomers. The kingdom He announced had no army, no borders, and no throne. Every time He spoke, Jesus challenged what people thought they knew about God.

In the Christmas story, we discover that God’s greatest rescue mission didn’t look anything like people’s expectations, and how that’s the most hopeful truth of Christmas. Because if God can work through unexpected beginnings, messy families, unlikely worshipers, and an upside-down kingdom, then He can work through our unexpected, messy, unlikely lives too.

See you this Sunday at 10:30am - we’re located at 1001 Hoffner Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809.

Not sure what to expect? Visit gogenerationschurch.com/new for more info.