Explores understanding Isaiah's prophecy about Jesus, recognizing His divine presence, and proclaiming Him as the source of our peace.
Welcome, beloved family of faith, to this blessed gathering where we seek to draw closer to our Creator, our Savior, and our Guide. We gather not just as individuals, but as a community, united by a common love, a common faith, and a common purpose. We are here to celebrate the love of God, to understand His word, and to seek His guidance in our lives.
Today, we turn our hearts and minds to the profound words of Isaiah 9:6,
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isn't it awe-inspiring to realize that these words, written centuries before the birth of Christ, foretell the coming of our Savior? The prophet Isaiah, inspired by God, saw the future and prophesied the coming of a child who would change the world. A child who would grow to be a man, a man who would carry the weight of the world on His shoulders, and yet, would be our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, and our Prince of Peace.
As we meditate on these words, let's remember the wise counsel of Watchman Nee, who once said, "A born-again person ought to possess unspeakable peace in the spirit." Indeed, as we grow in our faith, the Scripture reveals more of its depth and breadth to us, and we feel more of the Lord’s perfect peace.
Today, we will focus on three main points: Perceiving the Promised Prince, Pondering the Powerful Presence, and Proclaiming the Peace Provider. As we unpack these themes, let's open our hearts and minds to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, trusting that He will guide us to a deeper understanding of God's word.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your word, which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. As we reflect on the words of the prophet Isaiah, we pray that You would open our hearts and minds to understand Your truth. Help us to perceive the Promised Prince, to ponder Your Powerful Presence, and to proclaim You as our Peace Provider. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Let’s get started!
When we look at the words of Isaiah, we find ourselves standing on the edge of a great prophecy. A prophecy that speaks of a child to be born, a son to be given. This is no ordinary child, no ordinary son. This is a child who will carry the government on his shoulders. This is a son who will be known by many names - Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
What does it mean to perceive this Promised Prince?: To perceive is to become aware, to understand, to recognize. So, when we talk about perceiving the Promised Prince, we're talking about recognizing Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. We're talking about understanding that this child, this son, is indeed our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, our Prince of Peace.
How do we do that?: How do we perceive the Promised Prince? Well, the first step is to open our hearts and minds to the truth of God's word. We need to read the Scriptures, to meditate on them, to pray over them. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to us, to help us understand what we're reading, to guide us in our understanding. When we do this, when we open our hearts and minds to the truth of God's word, we begin to see Jesus in a new light. We begin to see Him not just as a historical figure, not just as a good teacher, not just as a moral example, but as the Promised Prince, the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.
Understanding what He came to do: Isaiah tells us that the government will be on His shoulders. This means that Jesus came to establish a new kind of government, a new kind of kingdom. A kingdom not of this world, but of heaven. A kingdom not based on power and wealth, but on love and justice. A kingdom not ruled by force and fear, but by grace and truth.
This is the kingdom that Jesus came to establish: This is the kingdom that He invites us to be a part of. But to be a part of this kingdom, we need to perceive the Promised Prince. We need to recognize Jesus as our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, our Prince of Peace.
How do we do that?: How do we recognize Jesus as our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, our Prince of Peace? Well, the first step is to acknowledge our need for Him. We need to admit that we can't do it on our own, that we need His guidance, His strength, His love, His peace. We begin to see Him not just as a distant deity, not just as a religious figure, but as a personal Savior, a loving Lord, a caring Counselor, a mighty God, an everlasting Father, a prince of Peace.
Accepting His offer of salvation: Isaiah tells us that to us a child is born, to us a son is given. This means that Jesus was born for us, that He was given for us. He was born to save us, He was given to redeem us. This is the gift of salvation that Jesus offers to us. But to receive this gift, we need to perceive the Promised Prince. We need to recognize Jesus as our Savior, our Redeemer, our Lord.
How do we do that?: How do we recognize Jesus as our Savior, our Redeemer, our Lord? Well, the first step is to confess our sins. We need to admit that we have fallen short, that we have missed the mark, that we have sinned against God. We begin to see Jesus not just as a judge, not just as a lawgiver, but as a Savior, a Redeemer, a Lord.
Committing our lives to Jesus: Isaiah tells us that He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. This means that Jesus wants to be our Counselor, our God, our Father, our Prince. He wants to guide us, to strengthen us, to love us, to give us peace. This is the relationship that Jesus offers to us. But to enter into this relationship, we need to perceive the Promised Prince. We need to recognize Jesus as our Counselor, our God, our Father, our Prince.
As we continue to reflect on the words of Isaiah, we find ourselves drawn to the powerful presence of the child foretold ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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