Christmas-Week 1-'Wonderful Counselor'

Isaiah 9:6–7 NIV

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. 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.

This tells of an amazing time where someone special will be born, and they will be able to bring

True justice and righteousness - all completely by the power of God

It says, he will have the greatest kingdom.

No end to peace.

Bring true justice (that means, every single wrong will be righted)

but also true righteousness (actual, real goodness - not the fake, manufactured kind that we see so often).

But Isaiah is clear - it’s the passion of God himself that’s going to bring about all of this.

It won’t be an effort from us.

It’s all God and his passion.

Starting off -

The child is Jesus

Luke 2:10–11 NIV

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

The Gospels are really clear - Jesus fulfilled this prophecy.

Lots of other prophecies in the OT that get fulfilled in Jesus.

There’s 4 big terms that Isaiah uses here. We’ll go through them 1 by 1.

‘Wonderful Counselor’

Now, there’s a bit to unpack this term.

Original language. This word that we translate ‘counselor’, hebrew is ‘Yo-ets’. the sense was legal.

Law counsel, someone there to give you advice as to what to do, and there to defend you and help you navigate the courts

Picture, you’re being brought to the courts to face charges. Your lawyer is there to help you navigate it. They are your ‘yo-ets’.

Some translations say ‘Advocate’, which is a good way of looking at it.

Other places it’s used in the bible, a lot of the time it’s talking about advisers to a king.

Used in Proverbs 15:22 “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”

The idea of God helping us through our emotions is very real and relevant - but there’s a context here we need to acknowledge.

So, if we approach this word from the legal standpoint we’re meant to take it in - we need to understand a few things.

We are all born into sin

This is the big problem. The problem is out there - but it’s in here (heart) first.

Romans 3:23 NIV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

But this isn’t just an issue of, we messed some stuff up.

The bible teaches that sin - not just a large quantity, but any quantity - means death for us.

death - both literal and spiritual.

Sin means this thing we call ‘Spiritual death’. Separation from God.

But Sin also introduced literal death into the mix.

we are born separated from God. And that is the root cause of all death, destruction, and wrong in the universe.

So if God WANTS to deal with sin and evil in the world, that involves dealing with us.

Often our perspective on righting wrongs involves other people. ‘God will punish....that guy’.

But we’re the wrongs here. Every single one of us.

So we’re facing this situation, where we’re the one on trial, and we deserve the charges that have been brought against us.

And this is where Jesus showed us the true meaning of this phrase, ‘wonderful counselor’.

He wasn’t the law advocate trying to get the innocent person off the hook. He was representing the guilty.

Romans 5:7–8 NIV

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Imagine this - the judge pronounces the death penalty. Then elects to die himself instead.

Jesus took our punishment and cancelled our charges through the cross

Colossians 2:13–15 NIV

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Our debt have been forgiven.

Sidebar - i’ve heard people say, why not just forget? Here’s the thing - God is justice. He IS righteousness. You can’t create a good world and turn a blind eye to evil.

So there needed to be a charge, needed to be a punishment. But God showed his great love - in that he paid it.

Not only that - Jesus is so powerful, that he made a public spectacle of the power of sin and death.

The image to anyone in the roman world would’ve been obvious. Victorious king would parade captured kings and soldiers around to show off their victory.

This is good enough news, but it’s not the end of this conversation. This prophesy - Jesus applies it both to himself, and someone else.

The Holy Spirit continues to walk with us every single day to guide us

John 14:15–17 NIV

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Later, he explains it, and ends with a promise.

John 14:26–27 NIV

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Jesus also uses this term counselor, advocate, to refer to the Holy Spirit coming in his name after he returns to heaven.

So he says, the wonderful counselor is also the Holy Spirit.

And I could talk for weeks about what the Bible teaches about the holy spirit in our lives. But coles notes - he’s here to help us do all the things we can’t do on our own.

Now, Jesus qualifies this.

We need to accept Jesus and the Spirit

Jesus says, ‘if you love me - keep my commands. And then i’ll ask the father to send you the Spirit of truth’.

Acts 2:38 NIV

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus says - i’ve given you this gift, just receive it.

And when you receive it - I’ll send the Holy Spirit to keep the work moving.

And this is a powerful combination. And Jesus ended the scripture earlier with a promise.

We don’t have to let our hearts be troubled, or be afraid

Because if we’re honest with ourselves, that’s what we’re really going for in life, isn’t it?

There’s wealth, fame, security, property, good relationships, whatever. They’re all good in their ways.

But the real trouble is…trouble. The real poison is fear.

and the real solution is peace.

Jesus offers this to you freely

Romans 6:23 NIV

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We can walk into that promise of peace, and life, and eternity TODAY.