Sermon Central
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His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful
Contributed by Douglas Phillips on Jan 27, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: THIS IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES ON THE NAMES FOR CHRIST AS RECORDED IN ISAIAH. IT WAS USED DURING THE ADVENT SEASON.
HIS NAME WILL BE CALLED WONDERFUL
INTRODUCTION:
TODAY BRINGS TO THE BEGINNING OF A VERY EXCITING TIME ON OUR CHRISTIAN CALENDAR. IN FACT MOST LECTIONARIES START THEIR YEAR WITH THE ADVENT SEASON.
ADVENT IS A TIME OF PREPARATION. IT’S A TIME THAT WE FOCUS ON THE LORD’S COMING TO THE EARTH, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO US. IT ALLOWS US THE TIME TO QUIET OUR HEARTS IN THE MIDST OF THE BUSINESS, AND THE EXCITEMENT OF ALL THAT THE HOLIDAY SEASON BRINGS US, AND TO CONCENTRATE ON THIS EXTARAGANT EXTENT THAT GOD SHOWED HIS LOVE FOR US.
DID YOU EVER THINK OF WHAT JESUS GAVE UP TO COME TO THIS EARTH. WE KNOW THAT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING JESUS WAS WITH GOD.
JOHN 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
THIS MEANS THAT JESUS WAS WITH GOD BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. IT MEANS THAT THE PLAN OF SALVATION WAS FORMULATED BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH.
JESUS DWELT WITH GOD IN HEAVEN IN ALL ITS GLORY AND YET BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR A CREATION YET TO BE CREATED, KNEW THAT IN THE COURSE OF TIME HE WOULD LEAVE ALL THAT GLORY, TAKE ON THE BODILY FORM OF A HUMAN, WITH ALL ITS LIMITATIONS, AND EVENTUALLY BECOME THE PERFECT SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY.
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
TODAY WE BEGIN A VERY SPECIAL TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE WE CONCENTRATE ON WHAT JESUS DID AND HOW IT EFFECTS EACH OF US.
ADVENT SEASON IS NEW EACH YEAR. EACH YEAR WE DRAW MORE IN LOVE WITH THE LORD, MORE THANKFUL FOR THE GIFT OF SALVATION, AND AS A RESULT WE ENTER THIS SEASON IN THE WONDERFUL AWE OF HIS PRESENCE.
THIS ADVENT SERIES IS GOING TO LOOK AT THE NAMES THAT THE PROPHET ISAIAH USED TO DESCRIBE JESUS. IN THE BIBLE THERE ARE MORE THAT 256 NAMES GIVEN FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, BUT THE GREATEST OF ALL NAMES THOUGHOUT ALL AGES CAN ONLY BE ONE, “MY LORD AND MY SAVIOUR.”
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND:
LET ME GIVE YOU SOME OF THE BIBLICAL BACKGROUND TO THIS PASSAGE. THE PROPHET ISAIAH WROTE THESE WORDS DURING SOME OF THE DARKEST DAYS FOR THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.
THE PEOPLE WERE NOT WALKING WITH GOD. THEY HAD AN ENEMY PERCHED ON THEIR BORDER AND THEY WERE AFRAID. ASSYRIA’S POWER WAS GREAT AND THEY WERE A FIERCE ENEMY.
THE DAYS OF GODS NEARNESS,
GREAT WORKS
GLORY
WHERE A WORD FROM THE BOOK BROUGHT COMFORT
WERE ALL GONE AND REPLACED BY FEAR AND DARKNESS OF SPIRIT.
IN THEIR DESPERATION THEY TURNES TO MEDIUMS AND WIZARDS NOT GOD:
When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. 21 Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. 22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.
IN THE MIDST OF THIS DARKNESS ISAIAH BROUGHT THE GREAT WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT OF ISAIAH 9:1-5:
JOY WILL REPLACE DESPAIR: VERSE 2-3: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.
THE ENEMIES POWER WILL BE BROKEN: VERSES4-5: For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. 5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
