But what if everything was not as it seems? What if Jesus actually challenged everyone’s expectations of what a Messiah would be like, how he should arrive, what he would do? What if he was born in a house with a family, in a noisy bustling town and not a quiet stable? What if he was more interested in those who were outside the religious and social establishment than those who were in it? What if looking closely at the scriptures overturns our expectations of Advent and Christmas in a way that changes us forever?