The Plan: How God got the World ready for Jesus

by Sinclair B. Ferguson, Angelo Ruta (Illustrator)

Before the dawn of time a plan was made… a plan to save and a plan to love, a plan to rescue and a plan to send. One after the other people were sent to be where they were needed to be. In the distance wise men ride camels through the desert. A star glimmers in the night sky. They have a long way to go and many months of travel ahead of them. Some shepherds stand guard over their flock of sheep as a young couple struggle the last few miles of a tiring journey desperate for shelter and a place to sleep. All have been sent to one place for one event that will change the world forever. The one and only saviour of the world will be born that night in a stable, in a little country called Israel in a little town called Bethlehem. The key part of the plan is a baby and His name will be Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Sinclair B. Ferguson is Associate Preacher at St Peter's Free Church in Dundee and also Distinguished Visiting Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was Senior Minister of First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, South Carolina and prior to that, he was minister of St. George's-Tron Church in Glasgow.

Reviews

[Denise Forrest · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and unusual retelling of the nativity story. This version focuses on God’s plan and getting ready. God needed to have everyone in the right place at the right time. The story is told in reverse, starting with the wise men because they had the furthest to travel and would take the longest (except the Bible tells us that they didn’t arrive on the night Jesus was born but when he was older), then the Shepherd and finally Mary and Joseph. I quite like the reversal of the story.

When it comes to the actual birth though, the events are almost glossed over. The author then goes on to talk about Jesus’ death and God’s plan for salvation. This is done quite well but I was disappointed that for a Christmas book, there was hardly any mention of Jesus actually being born.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

God had a plan.
And children have a chance to see all the pieces that God had to pull together to make that plan work.
Combine that with excellent illustrations, and child-friendly text, you have a winner in a christmas story for children. Helping children to see the bigger picture.
Prayer rounds out the story.