He Is Everlasting
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Title: He Is Everlasting
What this is all about: Christ is our Eternal Father Figure
What I want you to know: You are forever loved
Series: Who is Jesus #3
Text:
Pastor Mike Ellis
December 10, 2017
Introduction:
- As we quickly approach Christmas day we are going to continue in our “Who is Jesus” series based on .
- Up to this point we have looked at Jesus being the Wonderful Counselor
o We considered what the word wonderful meant, which is something extra ordinary and uncommon to the point of difficulty in understanding.
- Last week we looked at Jesus being Mighty God.
o We considered His power and strength through a view of His creation and recognized that our faith in Him is not wasted.
- Today we are going to consider the characteristic of Christ as the eternal Father, or everlasting father depending on your translation.
Read:
For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
1. Eternal or Everlasting
a. Concerning this idea of Christ as eternal or everlasting Father has accounted for a great amount of ink as well as conversation.
i. I would like to make mention here the importance of understanding that these titles found here in are that of the character of Christ.
1. We do not call Jesus as if it were His name, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, or even Prince of Peace.
2. These titles give an accurate description of the characteristics of Christ.
ii. I say all of that, to say this; Jesus is not the same person as the Father is within the holy trinity.
1. There are three distinct persons within the trinity and Christ is God the Son.
2. This characteristic title given to Christ is better understood as “Father of Eternity”.
3. The description is the same as titling George Washington with Father of this country.
a. We understand that this is a title that will never be removed.
b. The same is true with Christ as the Father of eternity.
4. The word everlasting differs slightly from that of eternal.
a. Everlasting means that there is no end, but that there was perhaps a beginning.
i. The word everlasting suggests something that is measured by time.
ii. In the case of this verses it means that there will not be an end to the dominion and peace of Christ.
b. Eternal means that there is no end, but also that there is no beginning.
i. Eternity is not measured by nor bound by any sort of time reference.
5. The point is this, both arguments can be made for translation, but this is not what I want to focus on today.
- Today I would like to focus on what a good father is.
- We will consider this through the idea of Christmas and gifts that are given.
- I do want to make mention that there is no such thing as a perfect father.
o For some, the mere mention of the word brings about negative thoughts and bad feelings.
o For others, the idea of a father might be a good one, that leaves positive thoughts and good feelings.
- I say this because it is likely that our idea of our earthly fathers, shapes the idea of our heavenly father.
- As we move forward through this sermon, it will be beneficial to remember that there are no perfect fathers and that metaphor does not do justice to Jesus.
- All that is highlighted today will not come close to giving Jesus the credit that He deserves.
- They will however, help with having an appreciation of His character.
- So, what does a good father give?
2. Fatherly Gifts
a. The gift of a Source of life
i. In order to be a father of any sort there must be a source of life given.
1. For parents, that source of life is provided at conception.
2. For Christ, that source of life was provided with creation.
ii. tells us that all things were made by Christ and for Christ.
iii. We know that Spiritual life is given through Christ
1. According to
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
2. And
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
iv. Outside of Christ there is no life.
- Consider illegal immigration for just a moment.
- This a much-debated topic within our country today.
- An illegal immigrant is one who has entered our country without proper credentials, meaning they do not have permission.
- When you have permission and the right credentials you can live life without fear, but without, life will be lived with uncertainty and great fear.
- The same is true with our spiritual life, we are aliens and strangers outside of God.
- With Christ we find acceptance and permission.
- There is no other way.
o People try to find life outside of Christ.
§ They say that they are good people, and they find peace in their comments.
· But how good is good enough?
§ Some seek a life of religion, as if religion itself gives life.
· But how much religion is enough?
§ Some seek religious rituals, as if the rituals give life.
· But how many rituals are enough?
§ Your goodness, your religion, your rituals are not and will never be enough.
§ Without Christ there is no spiritual life.
b. The Gift of A shared relationship
i. The word father is one of relation.
ii. It is described of one you are close to or have a relationship with.
iii. Within that relationship you know their name, you share companionship with them.
1. You share love with them.
2. Jesus was God’s way of showing His love to us.
- There is a story that I would like to tell you; I am not sure where it came from or who it originated with, but it is not mine.
- I will tell it from the perspective of the first person, but it is not mine.
o Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience.
o I had cut back on nonessential obligations -- extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending.
o Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas.
o My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year.
o It was an exciting season for a six-year-old.
o For weeks, he’d been memorizing songs for his school’s "Winter Pageant."
o I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d be working the night of the production.
o Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher.
o She assured me there’d be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation.
o All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then.
o Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.
o So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down.
o Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats.
o As I waited, the students were led into the room.
o Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor.
o Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.
o Because the public-school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as Christmas," I didn’t expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment - songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer.
o So, when my son’s class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.
o Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads.
o Those in the front row-center stage -- held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song.
o As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter C.
o Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love."
o The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down -- totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W."
o The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one’s mistake.
o But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W."
o Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together.
o A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen.
o In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities.
o For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:
o "C H R I S T W A S L O V E"
- Jesus was the perfect expression of God’s love.
- He extended God’s hand in an effort to establish a relationship.
- Jesus used a metaphor that describes this relationship.
- In Jesus used the metaphor of the sheep and the shepherd.
-
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.
- Isaiah referred to Jesus as father.
- In so doing he added another descriptive word.
- He called Jesus the “Everlasting Father.”
- Earthly fathers will not live forever.
- They are human.
- However, Jesus will be a Father that lasts forever.
- Your relationship with him will be a never-ending relationship.
- This relationship has everlasting consequences.
- says
For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Before we leave this idea of the relationship, I think it is important to mention an important truth.
- A relationship always requires two.
- One person does not make a relationship.
- God has showed us how He loves us.
- We must be willing to return His love.
- Do you invest in your relationship with God?
- Do you spend time listening to Him?
- Do you spend time talking to Him?
c. The Gift of Providence
i. When we think of someone providing for us we often cringe.
1. Some of you may disagree but as we move through this I think you might change your mind.
2. The idea of providence goes against our natural grain.
a. It is all good if we are the one that does the providing because we are the one that is in control.
b. It reminds us that we are independent.
c. But when we are being provided for we are reminded that we are dependent.
d. Our sin nature rebels against being dependent.
e. And sin leaves us with the choice to live apart from God, to choose to do our own thing and go our own way.
ii. If Jesus is our provider, what does He provide.
1. Wisdom and knowledge
a. Through the Bible we can learn the ways that God wants us to live.
b. We can learn His will for our lives.
c. We can know Him.
2. Direction
a.
Your word is a lamp for my feet
and a light on my path.
b. Much like a GPS, God can and does direct our path, but we must choose to listen.
d. The Gift of Encouragement
i. Everyone needs encouragement.
1. When Michael Jordan was playing basketball, he was asked in an interview why he liked his father to be in the stands, his reply was “when he’s there, I know I have at least one fan.”
ii. This encouragement should however only be that in which we are encouraged to do the best that we can, never for mediocracy, remember that we are to be Holy as He is Holy.
iii. Jesus would never ask of us, what He does not equip us for.
iv. When we are encouraged, we all find a greater focus in that area.
v. When we are encouraged enough, we might even believe it.
1. There is this story of a dad that took his little two-year-old daughter out on a regular basis for some one on one time.
2. There was time when they were at breakfast the dad devoted some special time affirming her.
3. His daughter wanted more and more, and she said, “longer daddy longer”
4. After four times of her repeating this she was content to finish their breakfast.
5. A few days later the little girl ran up to her mom telling her that she was a really special daughter, because her dad had told her so.
vi. Jesus was that same encouraging word from God.
1. He was God’s way of saying that we are special and that He loves us.
e. The Gift of Security and Protection
i. There is not much of a greater feeling than that of being safe.
ii. In a world that can be dark and scary we as Christians can find security and protection in Christ.
iii.
Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—they comfort me.
iv. Going back to we can find security in our great shepherd.
My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
- We can find security and protection in His eternal and everlasting love for us.
3. Unending Love
a.
“This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
b. This is a love the is eternal
c. This is an assuring love
i. Assurance about life issues
ii. Assurance about death issues
iii. Assurance about fear issues
iv. Assurance about your soul
v. Assurance about eternal life
Conclusion:
- What is your relationship with the eternal father?
- Are you secure and protected?
- Are you encouraged by Him?
- Have you found that unending love, that peace that can only come from Him?
- There is no greater gift than that of eternal life with Him, and it is right before you now.
- He is the Eternal Father.