Wonderful. (Hix)

One of the tasks that confront every parent is the job of coming up with a name

for their new baby.

Some names are immediately dismissed because they don’t sound right.

Some names are dismissed because you associate them with certain people who are weird, people you don’t like, or because the names have certain stereotypes that go with them.

The people of the Bible cared about what name was given.

Names were most often picked because of the meaning of the name.

We read several places where people had their names changed as a result of their new relationship with God (Abram became Abraham; Jacob became Israel, Simon became Peter, and Saul became Paul).

WONDERFUL-of a quality that excites admiration or amazement

Magnificent, Breathtaking, Amazing, Astonishing, Fantastic.

COUNSELOR-Why do we need a Counselor?

The world is often a confusing and overwhelming place.

We need someone to help us get through the fog.

We have a sin problem that we cannot handle by ourselves.

We may try to be good but we fail.

We need someone who can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

The first characteristic of a good Counselor is someone who is able to rightly identify the problem in the one they are counseling.

We have all had experience with people who tried to counsel us but didn’t have any idea what we were going through,

The single person counseling on marriage

The Childless couple counseling their friends on parenting

The person who doesn’t understand depression who tells a depressed person to “just straighten up”

The person who has never experienced loss who tells a grieving person to “get

over it.”

A person who has never struggled in life trying to counsel someone who has

struggled all his/her life.

Shirley-Just buy a new car! Gee, why didn’t I think of that!!!

Hebrews 2:17-18-For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 4:15-For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.

Do you understand that this is what Christmas is about?

God becomes man to face what we face, to walk in our shoes.

He knew what it was like to suffer.

He knew temptation.

He understood the desire to strike back, to give up, to despair.

The only difference between our experience and the experience of Jesus is that He got through the tempting times without giving in.

He was without sin but that doesn’t mean He was without struggle!

APPROPRIATE PRESCRIPTION

A good counselor is not just sympathetic. You can hurt with others and still not

be able to help them. A good counselor must know how to help. They must know

the appropriate prescription for the problem.

Our Lord does several things when we turn to Him.

First, He tells us the truth.

He tells us what is really wrong with our lives.

Second, Jesus tells us to trust what He has done for us.

In Matthew 20:28-The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”