Sermon Tone Analysis

We’re seeing the Lord through the eyes of Isaiah.

We’re seeing the Lord who fulfills the predictions of the prophets concerning the Messiah, who would establish a kingdom that would last forever.

In our quest we find priceless jewels of faith in the blessed chest of Holy Scriptures.

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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Today we look at the Name of this child who is born, this son who is given.

Wonderful

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago the favorite Christmas verse of Chuck Swindoll is Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Not only does it remind us that Jesus is God’s gift of a Savior to mankind, it also describes Jesus as “unspeakable.”

No words can adequately portray the wonder of God.

His triune nature.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is clearly taught in His own Word, yet the concept is beyond our abilities to fully comprehend.

We recognize it throughout Scripture, beginning in Genesis, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (), and through Revelation.

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

The Father and Son reign while the Spirit draws believers to God.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.

And let him that heareth say, Come.

And let him that is athirst come.

And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Another great wonder of God is His eternity past.

He has always been.

Try to fully grasp that truth.

At no point in the past did He not exist.

He existed before time and His creation.

He has always been complete in Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Lord God lacked nothing.

He did not create the universe because He was lonely, as a one person god might.

He didn’t have to create us and all that is around us.

Yet this eternal God in His good pleasure predetermined to glorify the Son, demonstrate His perfect will, and the Son determined to glorify the Father in this creation.

This eternal God determined the end before the beginning.

That’s wonderful!

Perhaps the greatest wonder of God is that He would love a lost sinner like me, a being created by Him, so much that instead of erasing and starting over as He could easily and righteously done, He chose to die in order that I might live.

That’s a wonder I hope I never get over!

The greatest orators in preaching history have never been able to adequately describe such wonder by their words.

The deepest theologians in Christian history have never plumbed the depths of such wonder by their concepts and mental capacities.

We call such wonder grace and love, but words fail to capture such wonder of God.

Today, as we observe the Lord’s Supper, we remember the name Wonderful as we reflect on Christ’s suffering and death for us.

His Name is Wonderful!

Counselor

His Name also includes Counselor.

Jesus is the answer to the problems of your life.

We have His Word to guide us, to counsel us in the ways of wisdom and righteousness.

His name is Counselor because He has been through sorrow and abuse, shame, and hate.

He can relate to our difficulties because He lived through difficulties Himself.

Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

Jesus knows your sorrows and your joys.

We can trust His counsel in our difficulties.

After the Last Supper and shortly before the cross, Jesus gave this counsel to His disciples, Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

He promised the Holy Spirit and the peace of God.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

As we observe the Lord’s Supper, we reflect on the counsel of Jesus.

Even as He faced death on the cross, He guided His disciples in promises of peace and the presence of God.

We remember Him as Counselor.

The Mighty God

We also remember Jesus as the Almighty God.

A common Christmas passage comes from In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.

We also remember Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.

Christ is the Mighty God.

The angel told Mary, “For with God, nothing is impossible.”

In this Lord’s Supper as we remember both the birth and sacrifice of Jesus, let us remember that His Name includes the Mighty God.

The Everlasting Father

Jesus Christ is the everlasting Father or Father of everlasting.

He is not our Heavenly Father, but He is one in essence with the Father.

describe Christ the Lord as the “Ancient of Days.”

The devil is called the “Father of lies” because deceit begins with him.

Christ is called the Father of everlasting because everlasting life begins by faith in Him.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

The life Jesus offers through faith in Him is everlasting life. .

Jesus is the Source of everlasting life.

We remember that He gave His life so that we might have life.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Jesus Christ is the Father of everlasting.

We remember His Name includes Everlasting Father.

The Prince of Peace

Lastly, His Name includes Prince of peace.

Jesus did not come the first time to end all wars between men.

He did come to bring peace between man and God and to bring the peace of God to our hearts.

He brought a sword—the Word of God, so that by hearing the Word, we might believe and have peace with God.

I just read part of .

It continues, And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Prince of peace.

He is our Peace.

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

Men might make peace treaties between one another, but there is only One who can make peace between our soul and God.

Only the Lord Jesus Christ has made that peace.

Men might make peace treaties between one another, but there is only One who can make peace between our soul and God.

Only the Lord Jesus Christ has made that peace.

I hope you now see that the Name declared in Isaiah for the child who would be born and the Son who would be given not only applies to His birth, but also His suffering and death for us.