Wonderful Counselor

December 4th, 2022

Series: God with us!

Sermon Title: Wonderful Counselor

Topic: Christmas series.

Key Passages: Isaiah 9: 2-7

Sermon Blurb: There are many titles given to Jesus. In this message we look at what it means that Jesus is a wonderful counselor.

Sermon:

Family Moment

Well, it is officially here!

The Christmas Season has begun at Family Church!!!!!

For the newer families around here…..

While Pastor Matt puts his tree up in September….we as a church family always decorate and start our Christmas series the Sunday after Thanksgiving!

But I am curious today…raise your hand if you had your tree up before Thanksgiving?

Raise your hand if you put your tree up this weekend!

Now for everyone else…raise your hand because you are a Grinch!

LOL

PAUSE

If you are like me…..

You are finalizing all your Christmas plans!

You are getting excited about those special Christmas traditions!

Thank goodness Black Friday is behind us….but Cyber Monday is ahead if you missed it…

Christmas music is playing everywhere you go

And if you’re like most of our pastoral staff your looking forward to that Vintage Christmas Blend at Starbucks!!!

PAUSE

Today we kick off a Christmas Series that we’ve entitled, “God is With Us.”

The next 4 Sundays we will be looking at a well-known passage from the Old Testament and emphasizing 4 Promises that are specific to Christmas!

PAUSE

But before we get into that I want to take a minute and explain a few things about how we approach all holidays at Family Church because I know we have a lot of newer people here.

We are a FAMILY-focused church.

That means we actively try to NOT compete with family-related holidays but instead all you to have margin during busy family times of the year.

That means whenever a major holiday, like Christmas this year, lands on a Sunday….we do NOT have services.

I know that might sound crazy to some of you.

But the reality is we do not want to add more complications to a time in your life that is already to busy.

So we choose to give margin back to you.

That being said I know there are some of you who REALLY want a service on Christmas day or Christmas eve.

So if you are newer let me elaborate.

Our Christmas service is always the week BEFORE Christmas.

So that means on Thursday, December 15 and Sunday, December 18th at all services we will have a traditional Christmas service

We will sing Christmas Carols!

We will share the Christmas story!

We will end with candle lighting!

We will give everyone a great present!

And I promise you will all love it!

PAUSE

Now I know some of you will want a service on December 24th or December 25th so what we are going to do is we are going to put together an amazing service that will be available for you to watch through our website, app, or Facebook.

It will be what we are calling our Family Christmas Experience.

I would encourage you to invite family to watch and worship with you.

We think it could be powerful for you to lead a worship service in your home with your family.

Stay tuned for more about that in the weeks ahead!

PAUSE

So, let’s shift now and get into the foundation of the best news ever.

That God sent his son to earth!

That God’s son Jesus came to set us free from our sins!

PAUSE

Where I want us to focus today is on a passage from the Old Testament.

What we will be reading is a prophecy spoken by a guy named Isaiah more than 700 years before Jesus was born!

Did you know there were hundreds of prophecies about the coming of Jesus before He arrived on earth….

All of them are recorded in the Bible…

And 100% of them were ALL fulfilled.

Isn’t it remarkable???

I mean if you want something cool to study…

Study Jesus and all the prophecies he fulfilled.

It is an amazing thing to study!

PAUSE

If you brought your Bible, we’re going to look at Isaiah 9 together.

If you grew up in church, you’ve probably heard this passage before.

But this will be a focal verse for the next 4 weeks.

Again, we could go to many other passages in either the Old or New Testament, but this is where I want us to park for this series

PAUSE

Let’s start with some background on this passage.

Isaiah was a prophet, or spokesperson for God, during a time when both Israel and Judah were caught up in SUPER sinful lifestyles.

Isaiah was sent by God to warned both kingdoms to turn back to God.

But they did not listen.

So…… God temporarily lifted His protection from them and ultimately it led to their nation being conquered by another.

And here’s where it gets interesting

In the midst of Isaiah’s warnings, Isaiah foretells a coming Messiah or savior!

Isaiah said there would come a person who would save them from their “about to come captivity!”

In other words, Isaiah already knows they aren’t going to turn but still preaches repentance because he also knows the story isn’t over!

Isaiah goes on to tell them…

Even though I know you won’t repent….

Even though you are digging your own graves…

He tells them that God is good and will ultimately send someone to save them!

PAUSE

And here is where the Jewish people got things mixed up, then, and still today.

The Jewish people thought Isaiah was speaking about a physical deliverance from other nations.

But Isaiah was talking about a spiritual savior!

He was prophesying a coming Messiah!

Messiah means Savior or promised deliver

PAUSE

Isaiah chapters 1-5, he is speaking about the coming for Israel if they don’t realign themselves with God.

He is proclaiming “woes” left and right…read it later today!

In Isaiah 6, he gets to experience the presence of God …

Now, we don’t know if Jesus spoke to Isaiah…..

Maybe Jesus told him, “I’m coming soon!”

Maybe Isaiah saw the plans laid out on the table…

We just don’t know much about the details other than what is written…

But we do know whatever it is that Isaiah observed in that vision led him to confidently declare the coming of a Savior, up to the day of his death.

That one vision… changed his life and his ministry forever.

PAUSE

So, with that background let’s look at Isaiah 9…..

Isaiah 9: 2-7 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness 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 warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.

4 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.

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.

7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

Let’s stop reading there….

Isaiah said a King is coming!

A Savior!

A deliverer!

He is on His way!!!

And His Kingdom is a permanent one!

And to those living in that time, they would’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this King.

For us today, we look back and see that it actually happened!!!!!!

PAUSE

See today we KNOW!!!

And that is what the real celebration of Christmas is all about!

A Savior was born!

The government of all the world now rests on Him!

There is no end to His Kingdom!

We live on the back side of this prophecy

We live under the rule and reign of this Great King!

PAUSE

Write this down, and let it remind you of God’s great love toward you…

For us, Christmas is about Jesus! For Jesus, Christmas is about US!

Repeat!

Think about it!

Jesus’ decision to leave His heavenly home and join the ranks of humanity was His decision to BE WITH US!

This is what John 3:16 declares!

That is what Isaiah says!

Jesus….his name will be called Emmanuel - God is with us

PAUSE

And let’s clarify the meaning in verse 6…..

Isaiah 9:6 The government upon His shoulders.

That phrasing here indicates authority and supremacy.

It is implying that this child, this Savior, will also be a King!

Jesus will take the oppression and burden off the shoulders of all peoples in all countries and places it upon His own shoulders!

He will free us from all the spiritual things that bind us and set us free.

It does NOT mean he will overthrow the leaders we do not like…

That is what the Jewish leaders wanted….

And when Jesus did not do that….they didn’t want Jesus.

We have to make sure we don’t read the Bible and add our preferred lens to it!

PAUSE

But that does beg the question…..

What does King Jesus’ Kingdom look like?

What qualities and characteristics will this King Jesus’s kingdom possess?

If you study history at all, you’ll note that every ruler, regardless of his/her civilization, is remembered and known for certain characteristics and defining qualities.

Historians always note the great conquests.

The accomplishments.

The advances.

Or the deficits or failings.

PAUSE

And I find it interesting that Isaiah defines for us the type of ruling the Messiah would be defined by BEFORE he ever lived!!!

Isaiah gives us 4 defining characteristics of Jesus’ Kingship.

4 promises of Christmas that are given to us and all are listed in verse 6!!!!

Put that on the screens…

Isaiah 9:6, he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Today, we’re going to discover what it means to have a King Who rules as a Wonderful Counselor.

PAUSE

Now part of being a counselor is having knowledge and wisdom….

People can possess knowledge and not have wisdom.

We can be very knowledgeable without being at all wise!

For example:

You might know how to hold a gun; but wisdom is knowing when to use it and when to keep it holstered.

You might know how to create a budget; but wisdom is knowing how to stick to that budget….even when black Friday sales seem irresistible!!!

You might know the speed limit; but wisdom is resisting the urge to break the law….even when you’re late, or everyone else is speeding so you’re just keeping up with the flow of traffic…

Knowledge knows the light is turning red; wisdom applies the brakes

Can I keep going…

You might know the potential harms of having sex outside of marriage; but do you have the wisdom to avoid and abstain?

You might know full well the potential hazards of drinking or smoking, but do you have the wisdom to avoid it?

You might know that person isn’t good for you, but do you have the wisdom to stay away?

Write this down:

Knowledge learns the commandments of God, wisdom obeys them.

Repeat

See, knowledge and wisdom are not necessarily synonymous

Simply knowing facts about God or the Bible is good and all but there’s more to it….

When we live wisely….

When we apply the truth of God to our lives…

That is when we walk in the abundant blessings of each promise…

PAUSE

There are far too many Christians who miss this truth.

So many Christians want to claim God’s blessings and abundance and then sit around waiting on them to magically fall from the sky!

But Scripture teaches us that many of God’s blessings aren’t the byproduct of claiming them but are simply the result of living wisely.

You see, many of God’s blessings are obtained through simply living wisely……. living the way God instructs.

PAUSE

We’ve heard before that we reap what we sow, right?

Be kind - you’ll find people enjoy your company.

Be honest - you’ll find people trust you.

Don’t cheat - and you’ll avoid accusation.

Don’t get drunk - and you’ll avoid potential hazards.

Manage your money wisely - you’ll avoid debt and enjoy your life.

Honor your parents - life will go well!!!

Here’s the point:

We can confidently claim the promises of God in our lives when we consistently apply the principles of God to our lives.

Repeat

PAUSE

So how does this tie to Jesus as a Wonderful Counselor?

Wonderful Counsel defines how Jesus will rule!!!

Ruling from knowledge that leads to Wisdom!

And the only place we can gain this wisdom is going to the source of wisdom…..

God himself!!!

And see what Jesus came to do was an usher in His NEW kingdom….

And in this kingdom what does Jesus offer us?

He offers us God’s Spirit..

The Holy Spirit to live inside us!

And the Holy Spirit will guide us…..like he guided Jesus!!!!

PAUSE

Write this down…..

This is the incredible gift of Jesus being our Wonderful Counselor!

As a Wonderful Counselor, Jesus offers us two gifts: 1. Salvation through His sacrifice. 2. Wisdom through His Spirit living inside us.

Jesus gives us a higher perspective.

Jesus becomes for us a counsel which stands in our defense against the judgment for our sins before God the Father.

I didn’t really hit on this much today, because that wasn’t the direction I was taking us…but I want to make sure to add this in because it is super important!

Jesus Christ acts as our defense lawyer!

Jesus is our advocate for us and He defends us from our guilt and sin.

PAUSE

We all to talk about sweet baby Jesus this time of year.

But baby Jesus….

The manger…..

It was all just the beginning point of the road to the cross….

Jesus ultimate reason for coming…

And the real reason why we celebrate Christmas…..

Christmas is really about unlimited forgiveness ….

Freedom from oppression!

Freedom from our past!

Eternal life with our creator!

PAUSE

So….with our time left today……

Here is what we are going to do…..

I’m going to list a few areas where you may be in need of wisdom in your life.

Areas we need a wonder of counsel & supernatural wisdom!

And again, knowledge and wisdom are not synonymous.

But knowledge can lead us to wisdom when we desire to apply that knowledge.

So your last fill-in-the-blank says this today.

This Christmas, I need wisdom in ______________.

Now that blank is unlike most blanks here at Family Church!

That blank has NO correct answer!

I want you to really think about where you need Jesus to help you this season….

Let me give you some examples….

And maybe you will see an area or two that seem to resonate with where you’re lacking wisdom…

If so write it down and commit to praying for wisdom from now until Christmas morning!!!

Maybe you need wisdom in:

1. Decision making - we live in a land of many options, and it is often difficult to discern God’s plan over a good plan. You may be making some key decisions right now and in need of wonderful counsel.

Maybe you need wisdom in:

2. Finances - budgeting, controlling spending, making wise investments, etc.

Maybe you need wisdom in:

3. Parenting - strong-willed child, rebellious teen, giving adequate time, learning how to connect, how to care but not smoother, how to be a parent first and not a friend.

Maybe you need wisdom in:

4. Marriage - I need God’s wisdom in helping me love my wife the way she deserves, or in helping me honor my husband in a way that supports and motivates him, or wisdom in learning to let go of hurts and forgive, etc.

Maybe you need wisdom in:

5. Business management - who to partner with, who to hire, what area to invest into, how to expand my company, how to maximize profits, etc.

Maybe you need wisdom in:

6. Speech - knowing when to speak and when to shut it, what to say or not say, how to speak in love, learning how words have power over your life and those around you.

Maybe you need wisdom in:

7. Time management - setting up parameters to ensure you maximize your time and don’t waste it, avoid giving too much time to the wrong things or not enough time to the right things, exam time and need wisdom in studying.

Maybe you need wisdom in:

8. Relationships - getting out of a bad one or trusting God for a good one, what does God value in who I date? Not settling for 2nd best, what friends should I associate with or avoid? What type of friend should I be and how to I become that?

Maybe you need wisdom in:

9. Perspective - seeing things the way they really are and not just in the way we choose to perceive them. We take in a lot of information, maybe you need wisdom in filtering the information and getting to the proper conclusion (politics, people, situations, even your own self-evaluation, etc) you may need wisdom in how you perceive things.

Maybe you need wisdom in:

10. Faith - understanding Who God is and how to apply the Bible in your daily living. Understanding the difficult passages of Scripture or those confusing (what some call contradicting) passages. Developing an accurate theology. Maybe just learning how to confidently share your faith.

These are just some areas where this Christmas, the King can enter into your life and provide you His Wisdom - His Wonderful Counsel.

Again, we have to take the knowledge we glean and apply it

Life Application: The Wonderful Counselor provides us wisdom when we ask for it through prayer, acquire it through the Bible, and apply it through our actions and attitudes. Seek to do that in a great measure as we near Christmas.

Where are you asking God for wisdom?

Where are you inviting the Wonderful Counselor to suggest next steps and guidance in your life?

Here would be a suggestion…..

Scripture says there is “wisdom in a multitude of counsel.”

Take your wisdom need, or needs, to a trusted Christian friend.

Go over your lists together.

Ask them to hold you accountable for the next 29 days.

Invite them to share their honest insights into your life and pray together over your commitments

Let’s Pray…..

Capital Camp Update!

Offering!