That Messiah had come, some knew.
That He was born a babe was understood.
In those Judean hills, His real purpose
was still a secret to -
angels and men,
women and priests.
A hidden mystery, even
to all who knew the Baby who came.

The good news was that Messiah had come.
The small group who knew had yet to understand
the how good the news was:

Messiah had come. The King of the Jews arrived . . .
yet Messiah was a person like none other. Ever.

Jesus was God invading creation,
wearing the garment of unexceptional humanity.
Yet He lived as no other human ever had or ever could.
He lived the life of His Father from within, not above.
His earthly shell was the container of Another.
 
Jesus was a Son begotten, not created.

All else that exists, came into being by Word.
The Son of God being the Voice of God was
the spokesman of creation.

". . . all things have been created by Him and for Him."
Col. 1:16b NAS

But this Son - exquisitely cherished of His Father -
was not spoken into being, He was Fathered.
There is no Other such in the universe.
He is distinguished as the . . . Only One.

The Uncreated, Procreated Son of the Most High God.

"Before Abraham was, I AM."

Abba God gave away this favored Son and sent Him with joy,
to a destiny of perishing that we who know Him
might not . . . perish!

God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world     
that He (even) gave up His only begotten
(unique) Son, so that whoever believes in
 (trust in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish
(come to destruction, be lost)
      but have eternal (everlasting) life.
John 3:16 Amplified Bible

There is still a secret of the Messiah and of the Christ.
The Good News is better than we thought.
More amazing that we could imagine
by wildest dreaming.

A secret treasure God kept for this day,
and kept FROM his choice spokesmen.
No prophet spoke of this secret.

Then to the Apostle Paul it was revealed.
A mystery so astounding that he had to
remain 14 years in the desert to comprehend and
live out its implications.

In it I became a minister in accordance     
with the divine stewardship which was
entrusted to me for you
(as its object and for your benefit),
to make the Word of God fully known (among you) -

    The mystery of which was hidden for ages and generations
(from angels and men) but is now revealed
          to His holy people (the saints).
    Col. 1:25 Amplified Bible

A mystery God planned.
A perfect holy plan He hid in His
great Heart of compassion,
pitying poor fallen Adams and Eves.

His profound secret of redemption was to
beget "many sons" - literal children of God
with His very nature imparted to their spirits.
And we are now, not merely created persons,
but begotten beings . . .
"We are partakers of the divine nature."(2 Peter 1:4)

  "You have been regenerated (born again),       
not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm)
but from one that is immortal
         by the ever living and lasting Word of God."
I Peter 1:23 Amplified Bible

The incorruptible seed is Christ Himself,
the ever living Word of God.

Christians are born again,
not figuratively, but factually.

Being born again is not a decision nor a realization.
The new birth is the invasion of a new existence.
A God existence.
It is a radical act of God.
A begetting of God.

Christ was born not only TO the world
but would be born all new . . . WITHIN those
who are touched from Above,
captured by the Word.

Christ Jesus implanted into His own creation
the seed of His holy being,
making us a new creation:
humanity living by, through,
and from the indwelling divinity
of Christ Himself.

The new creation has a new nature. His!

That is the mystery now

"manifested to His saints, to whom      
God willed to make known what is
the riches of the glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles, which is:
       Christ in you, the hope of glory."
Col. 1:27 NAS

Again in the next chapter of Colossians 2,
Paul recounts the struggle for his followers
to know this glorious indwelling of Christ, this
mystery that He lives within and will live out,
His very life instead of ours.

(T)hat they may come to have all       
the abounding wealth and blessings
of assured conviction of understanding,
and that they may become progressively
more intimately acquainted with
and may know more definitely and accurately
and thoroughly that mystic secret of God
(which is) Christ (the Anointed One).

The mystery of Christ within is still secret and
unknown to most who call His name.
He has "begotten us again unto a living hope."

He is born again into the world INTO every
child of God who is begotten from Above.

. . . to as many as did receive and welcome Him,      
He gave the authority (power, privilege, right)
to become the children of God, that is,
to those who believe in
(adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name.
Who owe their birth neither to bloods
nor to the will of the flesh
(that of physical impulse) nor to the will of man
(that of a natural father)
but to God.
        (They are born of God!)
John 1: 12, 13 Amp. Bible

Jesus was born to this dark place in an
obscure hole of a stable,
in the barren hills of Bethlehem.

And He is still being born . . . again and again,
bringing "many sons" to God.

The shepherds could not have guessed such a marvel.
The wise kings worshiped and beheld the Mystery
but did not know the "secret."

Mary never dreamed as "Mystery" lay in the manger.
that she too must receive Him and
be indwelt by Him through God.
Mother she was in Bethlehem, but new creation
she was not . . . yet . . . .

None understood that He was first of many.
Firstborn, first fruits, bearing sons for God.

For it was fitting for Him,    
for whom are all things
and by whom are all things,
in bringing many sons to glory,
to make the captain of their salvation
perfect through suffering.
For both He who sanctifies and
those who are being sanctified are all of one,
for which reason
         He is not ashamed to call them brethren . . . .
Hebrew 2:10, 11 NKJ

We celebrate the birth of the Savior.
Let us celebrate the new birth
of Christ within our spirit and
rejoice over Him who is Our Actual Brother,
come to dwell and live permanently,
resting satisfied in the manger of our heart!

Copyright © 2003 Martha Kilpatrick