Isaiah 9:6-7
“A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace. His power will never end; peace will last forever. He will rule David’s kingdom and make it grow strong. He will always rule with honesty and justice. The Lord All-Powerful will make certain that all of this is done.”
As we continue on our prophetic journey,paving the way for that glorious arrival of our Savior, I think we must first address the truth of Christmas. Look at the beginning of our focal passage:
“A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler.”
From the beginning of time, Jesus has been God’s plan for all men. Jesus came that we might follow Him and serve Him as Lord of our lives. From the start Jesus was the key to restoring our broken relationship with God. These are the important foundational truths that we have discovered over the past few weeks. Today we will be looking at the names and attributes of this promised Saviour.
Let’s talk about the importance of names. Names define a person’s authority. Some common examples would be the following:
Officer
General
President
Names also define a person’s skills. By knowing these skills we know who to turn to with specific needs. A few examples would include:
Master electrician
Surgeon
Chef
Names can also set a person apart. Some of the names I’ve listed below show a distinction or specialization. For example:
CPA
PhD
M.D.
Names define personal attributes. If I ask you to describe your next door neighbor, you might use terms like these:
Strong
Compassionate
Humble
Names define our interpersonal roles and relationships. I’ve listed some of the names and roles that I maintain with different individuals in my sphere of influence. These include:
Dad
Husband
Employer/Employee
Broker
Pastor
Friend
Son
Uncle
Nephew
Grandson
Neighbor
Coach
Even though I am just one person. I am not the same person to each individual that I relate to.
Now that we have a basic understanding of the importance of names, let’s take a look at the names and titles associated with Jesus in our focal scripture.
The first name we see is that of "Wonderful Advisor" (Conselor). A counselor is someone who gives us objective advice regarding our choices in life. Some of the more common counselors we are aware of are: Financial Planners, Career Counselor and Family Counselors. Now if we understand what a counselor or advisor is, we need to examine what kind Jesus is. "Wonderful", that means Jesus is the supreme Counselor. His is the best kind of advice and guidance. He takes an interest in every aspect of your life. The problem is many of us do not seek His counsel. We need to realize that Jesus would like to give you advisement on all matters that you face.
Unlike other professionals, Jesus charges no hourly consultation fee, and His advice is always accurate.
Next we see that Jesus is "Mighty God." The term mighty designates strength beyond measure and power beyond comprehension. Jesus’ power is beyond our full understanding. In His life Jesus demonstrated the power to heal, the power to forgive, the power to raise the dead, power over nature, power over death and hell. More importantly we need to look at the second part of this name. Jesus was not only man, but He is God. He was not a good man, a prophet, another god. He is God Almighty. Yaweh, Jehovah, I Am...Mighty God. Jesus power deserves both our reverence and respect.
The next name we are given is "Eternal Father."
Jesus has been here throughout all eternity. He has no beginning and He has no end. Based on this we need to understand something. In John 14:9 and 11, Jesus responds to a request to see the Father. We learn two very important things. First of all to see Jesus is to see God – John 14:9. Secondly, to know Jesus is know God – John 14:11. Many of us have skewed perceptions of our Heavenly Father, due to the failures of our earthly fathers. We need to realize that Jesus is perfection defined when it comes to fatherhood. As a father, Jesus cares about every aspect of your life. He wants to comfort you, provide for you and love you unconditionally.
The final name we are given is Prince of Peace. We all know that the title Prince is a designation of royalty. The title of a Prince also includes his area of rule. "The Prince of Wales" for example. The Bible shows us that Jesus controls all peace. What so few of us realize is that without Jesus there is no peace internal or external. Because Jesus controls peace, He is your resource for peace. If you need to find peace, then you need to find Jesus.
I want to leave you with a question this morning. What Do You Call Jesus? Can you call Him your Savior? Oh sure, He’s the Savior....but is He your Savior? Is He your Lord? Sure, He’s the Lord...but is He Lord of your life? Is He your best friend? Well of course Jesus is the best friend a person could have....but is He your best friend? Are you called by His name? I go to church don’t I?.....But does Jesus consider you His child?
If you can’t answer yes to these questions, then you’ve missed the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus came that you might have a loving relationship with Him. He died for you, that you might live for Him.
