Jesus, our Everlasting Father

Advent 2021  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Isaiah 9:2 (CEB)
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light.
On those living in a pitch-dark land,
light has dawned.
Isaiah 9:3 CEB
3 You have made the nation great; you have increased its joy. They rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest, as those who divide plunder rejoice.
Isaiah 9:4 CEB
4 As on the day of Midian, you’ve shattered the yoke that burdened them, the staff on their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.
Isaiah 9:5 CEB
5 Because every boot of the thundering warriors, and every garment rolled in blood will be burned, fuel for the fire.
Isaiah 9:6 CEB
6 A child is born to us, a son is given to us, and authority will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:7 CEB
7 There will be vast authority and endless peace for David’s throne and for his kingdom, establishing and sustaining it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of the Lord of heavenly forces will do this.
Isaiah 9:8 ESV
8 The Lord has sent a word against Jacob, and it will fall on Israel;
We have a few Christmas traditions. One of them is to get together and watch
Best Christmas Pageant Ever
The church’s annual christmas pageant get’s hijacked by a family of kids who have never been in a Christmas pageant, and don’t even know the story of Christmas:
The Herdman kids
So the lady who is directing the pageant, much against her will, due to an unfortunate series of events, has to teach the Christmas story to the Herdman kids while directing the pageant.
And things get a little chaotic
At one point when things are just about out of control, Emma Jean Herdman, who ends up playing Mary, throws the baby doll down into the manger and says,
“Boy, she didn’t even get to name her own baby. If I were Mary, I’d have named him Bill.”
And Ralph Herdman (Joseph) says, “You mean the angel just comes up and says ‘Name Him Jesus’”
“Yes! Yes!” Says the frustrated play director.
And then Alice Wendelken, the perfect girl who always plays Mary, pipes up and says, “I know what the angel said. She said his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace”
And Emma Jean Herdman says, “Boy, He’d never got out of first grade if he had to write all that down!”
I like this story because it sort of takes the Christmas story and strips away some of the “perfection” that is always associated with it and makes it real and down to earth.
But Emma Jean is right to be amazed at such a name!
This is a name that never was, and never will be given to another!
By now, it is obvious to King Ahaz and to all those hearing this prophecy, that Isaiah is not talking about a regular man. He is talking about God Himself
This child will be called EVERLASTING FATHER
The focus of this name is FATHER
Jesus is Father
We may run into some confusion here because of our belief in The Trinity
God The Father
God The Son
God The Holy Spirit
We believe that God is one, but has 3 distinct persons with distinct roles. But they are all completely united
It’s impossible to describe fully and understand. But we believe it to be true
I believe that this prophecy is talking about God The Son
If that’s the case, and if The Son does not exercise the role of The Father, how is it that God says this child will be called everlasting Father?
The Father of a Nation
In the past, rulers have been thought of as Fathers of their nation
In many cases, Father of the Country, is a title bestowed in honor on a leader who has done great things for their country
George Washington—USA
Mahatma Gandhi—India
In other cases, dictators have tried to coerce their people into calling them “Father”.
Story of kids asking me what a dictator is
This is not the kind of Father that this child will be
In the OT, it was God’s heart to be the Father of the Nation of Israel
When God sent Moses to Pharaoh, God instructed Moses to say, “Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, let my son go that he may serve me. If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son”
There are a number of places in Deuteronomy where God describes his relationship with Israel as a Father caring for his son
One reason why Israel’s demand to have a king was so painful to God was that they were rejecting him as God AND as Father
But God is telling the nation of Israel, that there is coming a messenger who will be called everlasting Father.
And this child will be father of a nation with a government unlike any other before or since
What will this nation be like?
It will have one Ruler
Verse 6. The government will be upon HIS shoulders
Of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end
His authority will continue to grow. The peace that He brings will never end
There will be Peace: Isaiah 9:4–5 (ESV)4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
also, Isaiah 2:4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
This nation will have no need of an army or instruments of warfare
We have yet to see a time or a nation when the instruments of warfare have been burned and done away with
From ancient times until now, nations and tribes have kept their weapons at the ready
But in this nation, there will be peace. There will be no need for weapons or for an army to be at the ready
We will be talking more about this next Sunday
It will be characterized by righteousness and perfect justice. Verse 7
This One ruler will not be a dictator or a despot or a tyrant
I long for a government like this
Where I can look to my ruler and know that He is a righteous man
Where I don’t have to worry about whether or not justice is going to be carried out.
With our earthly governments, we don’t have faith that perfect justice will always be carried out.
I just read a news story about a man who was released after spending 43 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.
I have a feeling that there are more people who are in his situation and may never have their case reviewed, and may never get out of prison.
In this government, there will be perfect justice.
This child will be the Father of an incredible nation
We see this fulfilled in Jesus
Jesus is such a ruler. Ephesians 1:19-23 talks about God’s great power and might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Again, this is a prophecy which tells us that we are living in the “already, but not yet”
We worship Jesus as Lord and as King and as Sovereign.
But we look around us and see the pain and brokenness that we live in, and our hearts long for more.
We long for that day when His rule will be absolute and the kingdom that Isaiah talks about will be complete.
This child will display the Father heart of God
We see this manifested in Jesus
What do you think of when you think of a Father? What do you think of when you consider a GOOD father?
I think of strength. A leader. A servant. Tenderness. One who cares for the hearts of his wife and children. One who trains. One who disciplines
We see all of this in Jesus.
We see him leading his disciples, teaching them, setting the example. Showing them how God wants them to live
We see Him serving. Washing disciples’ feet. providing food to hungry multitudes, healing the sick
We see His tenderness, taking children in his arms, raising an adultress from the ground and extending grace, bending down to put mud on the eyes of a destitute blind man
We see him caring for the hearts of people, talking to them about what is in their hearts, caring for them on the heart level
We see Him disciplining. Being firm with the religious leaders. Not mincing words when direct talk was needed.
If there is anyone that I as a Father or us as Fathers should choose to emulate as an example, it is Jesus.
He was the perfect manifestation of God’s Father heart toward his people
Jesus is Everlasting
What a comfort to know that Jesus, our Father, is everlasting!
From eternity past, to eternity future. Without beginning and without end
In our pea-sized brains, this concept of eternity is impossible to comprehend.
I remember as a kid trying to think about what it must be like to live in heaven and never die. I would think about it for a bit and then it would be like my brain would short-circuit and I would have to stop.
What would it be like to have an everlasting Father one which will never leave or die or change.
The problem of fatherlessness is one of the biggest problems of our society
men leaving their families, their wives their kids
men having children with multiple women,
children growing up having never known their fathers
In 2020, according the national census bureau, approximately 18.3 million children , or 1 out of 4 children in America are living without a dad in the home
biological dad, step dad, or adoptive dad
And the societal problems that stem from this are deep and troublesome.
There many more households who have a father present physically but who is checked out emotionally
who brings home the paycheck but doesn’t care for the hearts of his wife and children
Or perhaps is abusive, verbally or physically
Our society, our country needs a father who will never forsake them.
If only they would turn to Jesus, the Everlasting Father
He is a Father who always was and always will be
John says “in the beginning was the Word”
When time began as we know it, Jesus was already there
“The word was with God”
At the beginning, as we know it, Jesus already was with God
He was not created
From eternity past, Jesus WAS
That’s impossible for us to understand
And Jesus always will be. He is unchanging
Hebrews13:8 says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
He will never change. What does this mean for us?
it means that who Jesus was yesterday, he is today, and will continue to be forever
He will continue to do what He has done in the past.
He is sovereign, and He acts according to His own will, but we have no reason or need to doubt His character and His love for His people
Has He provided for you yesterday? He will provide again in the future
Has he taught you and instructed you in the past? He will continue to do that
Has He comforted you in the past? He will comfort you in the future
Has he disciplined you in the past? He will in the future!
He is the Father who will never walk out on His people
Never divorce His bride
Will never leave His children destitute and begging for bread.
You can count on that!
Jesus shows to us the Father heart of our God.
God has given to Him all power and dominion and authority, and has put all things under His feet
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