Text: Isaiah 9:6
OPEN:
God’s greatest gift to people is often overlooked at Christmas. We focus our attention on the gifts the good and gracious heavenly Father sends our way. The prophet Isaiah foretold the giving of God’s greatest gift—his only begotten Son. "For a child has been born for us, a son given us" (Isa. 9:6).
I love this time of year. I love Christmas music, Christmas lights, Christmas shopping, Christmas movies, Christmas gatherings.
But I also have a great burden during Advent each year:
It is a tragedy of tragedies that so few have properly related themselves to the Christ who was born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger.
It is a really god time to face up to life's most pivotal question: Is Jesus Christ merely a mythical or legendary figure? Is Christ simply the most notable figure on the pages of history?
His birthday gave the world a new era dividing the past from the future at a focal point. His spirit has given the world its most immortal paintings. His love has inspired the world’s masterpieces of art, sculpture, and music. His influence has inspired earth’s greatest philanthropies. More books have been written about him than have been written about all of the kings who have ruled from earthly thrones.
Who is this Son whom God has given?
The prophet Isaiah is speaking prophetically about Israel's coming Messiah. A study of the messianic titles bestowed on the wonderful Savior by the prophet Isaiah can help us enter the Christmas season with reverence and awe for Christ. Christmas should cause us to focus our attention on Christ and on God’s great redemption of us through him. The names that were given to him can help us to understand God’s gracious and loving purposes for us.
Names do not hold the same significance for us as was true in biblical times and is still true in other cultures. We use them merely as labels to identify one person in contrast to another. In the land and time of our Savior, this was not the case. Names were significant. The name given to a child might be an expression of gratitude, the declaration of a hope or dream, or even a prayer on behalf of the parents. Occasionally parents would give to their children a name of prophetic significance. Some names were deeply religious in nature. The name of a city, a mountain, a village, or a home was often an indication of some spiritual experience that the individual or the people had had with God.
The names and titles given to God contain a revelation of his person, his character, and his purposes toward humankind. The names by which God chose to make himself known to his people are part of the self-revelation by which he led his people to get to know him.
The First Name of the Messiah is "Wonderful."
Commentators Keil & Delitzsch tell us: "This first word is not to be taken in conjunction with the next word. There is nothing at all to prevent our taking "wonderful" and "counselor" as two separate names."
I. He is wonderful because of who he is.
"Not only is this or that wonderful in him; but he himself is throughout a wonder."
Who is this Jesus Christ whose birth we celebrate in December?
Is he to be thought of only as the best man who ever lived on earth? He was.
Are we to think of him only as a remarkable teacher who taught with authority as no one had ever taught before? He did.
The Scriptures teach us that Jesus Christ was uniquely different from all other people.
1) Jesus Christ was the God-man. He was the eternal God clothed in human flesh (John l:1; 14:9). He came to reveal the nature and character of God to man.
2) Jesus Christ was the eternal God who came to be our Savior (Phil. 2:5–11).
He did not begin to be when he was born and laid in Bethlehem’s manger.
This was but the beginning of the visible manifestation of the eternal God who clothed himself in human flesh for the suffering death on the cross. Paul speaks of this “self-emptying” of the Savior who laid aside his divine glory in order that he might become incarnate.
Because of his sacrificial, substitutionary death on the cross, Christ has been exalted to the right hand of God and should be the object of our worship and adoration (Phil. 2:9–11).
II. He is wonderful because of what he said.
Through the centuries some people have gained immortality through the words that fell from their lips.
Patrick Henry will always be known for saying, “Give me liberty or give me death.”
John F. Kennedy’s words “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” will be quoted as long as free people live.
And Martin Luther King will be known for “I have a dream.”
Because the words that fell from Christ’s lips contained divine truth concerning eternity, they continue to live to bless the lives of people. His message is as relevant now as it was when first spoken: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me."
III. He is wonderful because of what he did.
The Scriptures tell us that he went about doing good.
The unique ministry he performed was that relating to his substitutionary death on the cross. The prophets had foretold how he would deal with human sin (Isa. 53:5–6).
After “Christ died for our sins,” he validated the act in his resurrection. He proved that he has power over death and the devil. This is our Gospel: born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, raised the third day and lives forever more.
IV. He is wonderful because of what he can do for you.
All of us are indebted to others who have and who will continue to render valuable service to us. Most of us owe a debt of gratitude to former teachers, our family physician, our banker, or others who might have assisted us in a time of need.
To Jesus Christ we owe our greatest debt of gratitude.
1.He can forgive your every sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.
2.He can bestow upon you the wonderful gift of eternal life.
3.He can provide you with guidance and help as you face the future.
Is he wonderful to you?
CLOSE:
Because Jesus is Wonderful—wonderful in his person, in his purpose, in his presence, and in his power—you would be wise to trust him and yield your heart and life to him.
(Dr. Dane Fowlkes)
No comments:
Post a Comment