The mystery of Christmas:

The gospel of John records “In the beginning was the Word , and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” The NLT says “and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:1-5. Verse 14 of this same chapter declares” And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..”
The great apostle Paul who was the instrument God used to give us so great a portion of the New Testament, wrote the following lines in his letter or epistle if you like, to the church in Ephesus. It reveals this great mystery of what the Gospel is all about in regards to those of us who are not Jewish having a place in the Kingdom of God along with those who are Jewish and in chapter 3 starting at verse 1,” 1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.”
Paul explains his calling and the purpose of it in verses 8-13. Here is how that reads, “8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship[a] of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;[b] 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” Paul explains this mystery of the Gentiles being co-heirs with the Jews through Jesus Christ. And the intent is that every Christian would make known the fact that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh to save sinners of all races and creeds no matter who or what they may be. Verse 19 says “to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” This is what Christmas is for, not trees and mistletoe as pleasant as that may be, but that God became a man so that He Himself could become that ransom required for our sin. The God of the universe became a man. (to be cont’d.)