For Unto Us A Child Is Born

Intro

I told you all during the Church Christmas Party on the 10th that you would hear my favorite verse of prophecy when it comes to the birth of Jesus at least once more before the end of the year. And, in my last sermon of the year, I want to come through on that promise.

And, one of my favorite things to do with Scripture is take a verse and pick it apart. As we talked some about on Wednesday, God makes no mistakes and has no accidents, and this is just as true with His word. Every letter is valuable to you and I and important to know.

As we work through this verse today, I pray that you see the wonderful connections. I hope you can see how this is one of the greatest proofs that God is real and Jesus really came. How a prophecy written around 540 BC came true between 3 BC and 30 AD. How a prophecy came true over 400 years after it was written and how it reigns true still today.

Today, the goal is to see Jesus, not just His birth, but His birth prophesied and what that means for you and I.

So, today, turn with me to Isaiah 9:6 and learn with me the value of this prophecy.

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

For Unto Us

For Unto Us.

It is vital for the believer to understand distinctly why Jesus came. This prophecy clears it up.

Jesus came, simply, for US!

Like we always say, what Christ does is for our good and the glory of the Father, His incarnation is no different.

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

God revealed to Isaiah 400+ years before the virgin birth that Jesus would come unto us, to live among us, to resist sin among us, to set the example among us. He came to be the propitiation or the payment for our sin.

He came … unto us.

This too serves as a reminder that the incarnation of God was real and true! Jesus came, really and truly. He came to live among us.

Our God is not a God that stands in the heavens and watches our calamity with a smirk or even a sad frown. No, our God is a personal God who came to this earth and lived a life among us.

Have you ever seen those videos of the police officers in training being tasered? Why do they have to do that?

It is important, before carrying that device, to know what it is capable of.

No police officer can say “Man, I have no clue what you are going through” when they taser someone.

Our God is the same way. Never can God say “Child, that hurt looks pretty real, but I have no idea how to help because I have never gone through it!”

Rather, our God, because of the incarnation of Christ Jesus, can look at us and say “Oh child, I know that hurt is real, it is painful, I have gone through the same hurt, let me help.”

This is why it is important that Christ Jesus came unto us.

This is why He came, for us. For the forgiveness of our sins. For our reconciliation to the Father. To make things right between us and Him.

He came unto us … for us.

A Child

He came for us. This is why. But, who is this person?

For unto us … a Child.

It is interesting that the word for “child” used here in Hebrew is used the exact same way only two other times. Once in an Ecclesiastical prophecy and one in Jeremiah 31:20 “Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: Therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.”

Here God is showing his “tender, parental love for Israel.”

Is that not extremely fitting?

The Father’s children, Israel. The Father’s Son, Jesus.

Both cared for by God. Both important. Both chosen.

One sent to save the other.

This is who Jesus is.

John 3:16–17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

This is who Jesus is, the incarnate God, the Child sent on your behalf, the beloved Son who came to save your soul.

1 John 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

This is who Isaiah is referring to.

This is He who still waits on you. The one who, though you reject Him, still loves you.

Jesus, who left the splendors of Heaven to live among us for the salvation of our souls.

This is who came, this is why He came.

And, so many still choose to say “no” to Him. To attempt this life on their own and hope that the next one isn’t too bad.

Let me remind you, the reality of this passage is: Jesus would not have come, would not have gone through the pain and suffering that He did if the next life without Him, hell, was anything other than eternal torment.

Remember church, Jesus came so you could have forgiveness, because you need it! Jesus came to restore you to the Father, because you need it! Jesus came, the Child was born, so that you could one day be in Heaven, because you need it! But all of this takes place through repentance.

For unto you and I, Jesus was Born

Was Born

Here is the kicker church. None of this would mean a thing if Jesus did not come literally in the flesh as a child.

This is where the rubber meets the road, where the gospel touches souls, this is where heaven meets earth through the incarnation, the birth of our Lord, our God, Jesus Christ.

Read with me our passage from this morning: Isaiah 9:6–7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, To order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice From henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

Many in the world today believe one of two things: 1) Jesus was born and lived a real life. But he was merely human or they believe 2) Jesus was born and lived a real life. They even believe He was sent by God, but not God Himself.

A third, and truly rare belief, is that Jesus was not born at all and it was all a myth. This is an ignorant belief.

Because, church the reality is this morning, the prophecies are fulfilled, Jesus has come, He came as fully God and fully Man. He lived a perfect life never sinning. He went through temptation just like you and I but overcame so that we could to. He proclaimed life, he proclaimed HIs divinity which led Him to the cross.

He took the bitter cup of death and forsaking by the Father. He was buried and on the third day rose again from the grave all for the forgiveness of your sin and mine.

This is Jesus, our God, who came to this earth. This is our God who was born, incarnate, in the flesh.

This is a tenant of our faith, one you must believe in whole heartedly.

Jesus came unto us. Jesus was born to Mary. Jesus, the One True God, was born.

This is Christmas, this is why we celebrate. We don’t just celebrate the coming of the long prophesied Messiah, we celebrate the redemption of mankind, the restoration of us to Him, this is what Christmas is about. It is about a good God who loved us enough to send His son to die on your behalf.

Is this what Christmas means to you?

The declaration is this today: For unto us, a child is born!

This declaration brings hope, it brings peace, it brings love.

Leave your despair and cynicism behind which says “what good is it all anyway” and boldly come to Jesus and expect great things.

This Christmas, expect greatness. Except the goodness of a good God. For, no matter what, this Child, Jesus, is good. And, He is good to you.

SONG

Conclusion

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

This is the cry of our hearts, the declaration of our souls. For you and I, for God’s glory, a child, Jesus Messiah, was born. He came to live, to die, and rise from the dead so that your sins could be forgotten. So that your eternity could be heaven. So that your short life here could be meaningful and full of belonging with the Holy Spirit and His people.

Boldly profess this as your faith, as your life, as your all in all.

Boldly come before the throne of grace, the throne of Christ and let Him have complete rule and reign of your life.

This Christmas, come to Jesus. There is great delight in Him!

Salvation Plea

Plea to the lonely at Christmas.