Jesus Is...Wonderful Counselor

Jesus Is…

Wonderful Counselor

Introduction

Names have meaning.  When someone has children, a major undertaking is the choice of the name.  Should it be a family name?  Bible name?  Research meanings and then choose? 

We take our time with this because names communicate identity.

ILL - Several years ago I had the privilege of baptizing Michelle. I met with her and her husband to talk about Christ and his power to forgive. He was already a believer, and she enthusiastically trusted in Christ. The next Sunday we got her all set up for baptism. We had a portable baptistry that was behind doors. At the right point in the service the doors opened and I introduced Michelle to hundreds of people. I had them wave to Michelle and say hi. I led her through the Great Confession and baptized Michelle into Christ. When the doors closed and I got her a towel to dry off, she and her husband were looking at each other oddly. I asked if everything was ok. She replied, “My name is Crystal.” Oh man! So I said, “When you get to Heaven tell them your reservation is under Michelle.”

The bible has rich imagery with names.  In Scripture, names = character. In the OT we have Jacob, whose name translates as Deceiver. And that is exactly what he was. Jesus translates as Savior. And that is exactly what he is. This is often why God will change someone's name when he is going to do a great work in their life.  Abram to Abraham.  Jacob to Israel.  Saul to Paul.

The Bible gives a large number of names for Jesus.  From cover to cover, Jesus is given a few dozen different names/titles that all express different facets of his identity.

For the next few weeks we are going to look at four of these titles to prepare our hearts for Christmas by preaching from one of the most famous prophecies about Jesus out of the OT in . In , God announced that the Assyrians are going to invade and obliterate Israel.  This is punishment for their sins, something God had threatened for generations.  They did not listen, nor repent, and God is good on his word.

TS - And in the midst of that dark time when this announcement hits home, there is a ray of hope in it all.

- Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. 2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. 3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. 4  For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.

5 The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire. 6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

Yes, it may be dark, and terrible things may happen, but One is coming who will bring light into the darkness, hope to the hopeless.  God promises deliverance is coming, in a person. And this Deliverer is given some titles to identify who he is and what he will do. In using these titles, Isaiah is looking forward to one who would be born to bring salvation. So we are going to spend a few weeks leading up to Christmas, seeing who Jesus is for us.

TS - Jesus is Wonderful Counselor.  Literally translated...a wonder of a counselor. I love it that this one comes first.  The others speak to his power...this one allows us to see his heart before we see his strength. Wonderful Counselor is a very personal title.  Speaking of his close relationship with his people.  By nature, counselors have to be very close to those they are counseling. So what does this mean for us today?  How is Jesus our Wonderful Counselor?

1. IN A LEGAL SENSE

As many of you know, our family had the privilege of adopting a child (pic of family).  And for the first time in my life, I had an attorney.  When I stood in that courtroom, he was my counselor.  Judges refer to attorneys as 'counselors' for a reason. Essentially he is there to represent me.  To speak in my defense.  To tell me what to do/say. To declare to all why this case should go in my favor.  The word that could sum up that legal counsel role is ADVOCATE.  Someone who stands with me and for me.

- My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.

NIV translates it as one who speaks to the Father in our defense. 

The word for Advocate in that text is a GK. word we’ve talked about before, one that I want to re-introduce you to now because we are going to come back to it in a few minutes.  Paraclete.  Lit. One who comes alongside (para - alongside, kaleo - called). One who stands with me and for me.

Jesus is our Advocate.  He stands with us and for us, in our defense.  Why?  Because in God's courtroom, we stand guilty.  There is no denial of that fact and we don't have the ability to declare, on our own, that we are not guilty.  The facts of the case against us dictate it.  We have sinned. But Jesus...stands in our defense.  Represents us before the Father, coming alongside us, to stand with us and for us.  And declares FOR US that we are indeed innocent because he has already paid the penalty in full for our sin.  And by faith in him we are indeed not guilty. This is what the Bible means when it says that we have been justified.  That is a legal term meaning 'declared innocent.'  Just-as-if-I'd never sinned. All because we have an Advocate.

- 24 But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. 25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

2. IN A PRACTICAL SENSE

When you go to a counselor (guidance counselor, pastoral counseling, biblical counselor) you are going because you need advice, direction, guidance. And counselors do that by telling us what we need to hear, not necessarily what we want to hear.  They are the ones who have some answers, who are in a position to help. Jesus is the one in a position to help.  He has the answers to be able to guide and provide direction.  And he most certainly tells us what we need to hear, not what we want to hear.

Tim Keller - “In John’s Gospel chapter 11, after Lazarus has died, he [Jesus] comes to be with Martha and Mary, the sisters. Martha says, “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died,” and Jesus rebukes her. Then Mary comes up and says, “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died,” and Jesus just weeps with her. Same words – by no means the same response. Why? Because Jesus always gives you what you need, and he knows better than you what that is. He is the Wonderful Counselor.” (King’s Cross, p. 92)

Just like Mary and Martha, when we allow Jesus to speak into our lives we get what we need.  And sometimes that is not what we want.  But Jesus knows which is better.

TS - You could say, well that's great for them.  But we don't have that kind of access to Jesus.  We can't just walk up to Jesus, or wait for him to walk into our circumstances and rebuke us or cry with us.  Or can we?  According to the Bible, our access to Jesus is better.

In , Jesus takes a good amount of time and explains to his disciples that he is going to go away.  He will give his life on the cross, be raised from the dead and ascend to Heaven.  They are obviously not thrilled about that.  But again, Jesus gives what is needed.

- 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.

It is for your good that I go away.  Really?  Because the Holy Spirit will come and take up residence in the life of a Christ-follower.  You don't have to rely on his limited physical presence and hoping to be at the same place/same time.  With the Holy Spirit, God is where you are.

Multiple times in and 16, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Counselor or the Comforter or the Advocate (depending on your translation).  The Gk. word for those...paraclete.  The one who comes alongside. Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, comes alongside us to bring guidance.

TS - What is the point of all this?  Okay, so Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor legally and by giving us guidance through the Holy Spirit.  How does that make a difference in my life?

1. FOLLOW HIS COUNSEL

- 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

- 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard.

The Holy Spirit guides us by leading us to the truth of God's word.  By recalling scripture to our minds at opportune times.  By using our regular times of bible reading to speak to us in relevant ways, just in the right time.  By drawing us back to the example and teaching of Jesus to show the right way in life.

- 21 Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.

Jesus speaks to us, whispering...This is the way, walk in it.  This way, not that way.  These words, not those words.  This decision, not that one.  This opportunity, not that one.

John Ortberg - “We often want to be able to hear guidance from God about important decisions such as whom to marry or what job to take.  But we also want to reserve the right to feed our minds on whatever junk comes along.  Whatever repeatedly enters the mind occupies the mind, eventually shapes the mind, and will ultimately express itself in what you do and who you become.  The events we attend, the material we read (or don't), the music we listen to, the images we watch, the conversations we hold, the daydreams we entertain - these are shaping our minds.  And ultimately they make our minds receptive or deaf toward the still small voice of God."  (God is Closer Than You Think, p. 89-90)

So if you want to hear the guidance the Wonderful Counselor gives you, then feed your mind the right stuff...anchor yourself in God's Word regularly. 

John Stott - “The greatest single secret of spiritual development lies in personal, humble, believing, obedient response to the Word of God.”

2. FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE

Just as Jesus does this for us, coming alongside, the New Testament calls us to do the same thing for others. To, again in this instance, be Christlike. 

—This is to happen in the church, corporately.

(NIV) - Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.

'preaching' = paraclete. 

Interesting to me that one of the words used for preaching in the NT is this one.  To come alongside.  That is part of what preaching does.  We come alongside you with Scripture to say...this is what God says.  This is the way, walk in it.

—It is not just preachers that do this.  Elders are also called to do this.

- 9 He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

'Encourage' = paraclete

The role of an elder is to be one who comes alongside others with an open bible and teach sound doctrine and refute false doctrine.

—This is also to happen personally, in your life and mine.

- 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

'Comfort' = paraclete.

As Jesus 'paracletes' us in times of difficulty, we are called to 'paraclete' others during their difficult times.

—You paraclete someone when you know of someone who is hurting, or has endured a loss, and you reach out to them (card, email, call, visit) instead of awkwardly avoiding them because you don’t know what to say.

—You paraclete someone when you show “tough love” to someone who has been making foolish choices, and you choose to confront them with their sin (in love) and help them get back on the right track.

—You paraclete someone when you forgive them for wronging you. Or when you encourage them when they are down.

—You paraclete someone when you share with them the difference your faith has made in your own life. One of the roles of the Holy Spirit in paracleting us is pointing us to Jesus for salvation (). We do the same when we help others know who Jesus is and what he has done for us.

Who is the hurting person in your life? Who is the downtrodden, the wayward, the unfaithful? Who is the lost person in your life that desperately needs to hear the Good News of Jesus, without which they will endure a Christ-less eternity? As Christ-followers our role is to paraclete, to come alongside these people and Give Hope to them.

What an incredible ministry opportunity, set forth for us by our Wonderful Counselor, Jesus.  We follow the counsel he gives as he provides guidance by his Spirit and by his word.  We follow his example and Give Hope to others, as he has done for us.

Conclusion

How great it is that Jesus does this for us!  Imagine life without that great counsel.  Without his word guiding our steps.  Without his defense of us.  Without his declaration that we are forgiven because of his sacrifice.  Without that timely word from a friend.  Without that support and encouragement in troubling times.

You need Jesus to stand in your defense.