Sermon Tone Analysis

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.