Mighty God And Everlasting Father Series

OPEN: Steve Harvey – "Introducing Jesus"

(found on godtube at this address: http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=905620397b19c9d24978)

APPLY: When I first heard about this video I didn’t know what to expect. A comedian introducing Jesus??? I thoroughly expected him to get the audience to laugh AT Jesus. But instead of laughing at Jesus, here’s a famous comedian praising Jesus in a public performance.

Now, just as matter of full disclosure, I looked up some of Mr. Harvey’s other performances on the internet, and he probably isn’t what we’d call a Godly man. But at this point in his career, Steve Harvey stood up for Jesus, and publicly worshiped God. In fact, he finished his act in a way that brought the entire audience on its feet in applause of Christ.

The folks in his audience hadn’t come to hear a sermon.

And many of them may not have been Christian.

But there was something in what this man said that spoke to them.

There was something about the message of Jesus that made them cheer.

About 700 years before Jesus was born another speaker - the prophet Isaiah - “introduced Jesus” in much the same way.

There was something in Isaiah’s words that spoke to his people.

There was something in the message of this Child that was to be Born, this Son that was given, that gave Israel a reason to cheer.

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Many in Isaiah’s audience were not Godly people.

In fact, the nation of Israel had messed up so badly, that God was bringing the nation of Assyria down upon them to punish them.

They were walking in darkness - in the shadow of death - because they’d abandoned God.

And it was to this audience (who walked in darkness) that God gave the guarantee

* of a great light

* a child of hope and promise

* a future for their people that would be a wonderful counselor, a Mighty God, an Everlasting Father, and a prince of peace.

Last week, we addressed Jesus as the “Wonderful Counselor”.

Today we’re looking at the Bible’s claim that He is "the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father."

The first thing that came into my mind as I read this part of Isaiah’s description of Jesus (and the first thing that comes into the minds of many Christians) is that these titles tell us that Jesus was divine.

That He was God.

He wasn’t just a wonderful counselor.

He wasn’t just a great teacher.

He wasn’t just a good example.

He IS the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father.

A couple of chapters before what we read this morning, in Isaiah 9 we read this: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14b

Commenting on that prophecy, Matthew he quotes Isaiah 7 about the virgin bearing a son, and then he explains: “…they will call him Immanuel — which means, ‘GOD WITH US.’” Matthew 1:23

Isaiah’s message was plain:

A virgin was to give birth to a son, and He would be known as “God with us”. And this child that was to be born - this Son that was to be given would be called “the Mighty God, the everlasting Father.

The New Testament reinforces this:

When the angel appeared to Mary and told her that she was to be the mother of the Messiah: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the SON OF GOD.” Luke 1:35

And the Apostle John introduced Jesus this way:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD." John 1:1

That’s what Steve Harvey was referring to when he declared:

“Jesus was the King of all Kings, Ruler of the universe.

The Alpha and Omega. The Beginning and the end.

The bright and the morning star.”

There’s no mistaking what Mr. Harvey… or what the Scriptures are trying to say:

Jesus was God who became flesh and dwelt among us.

Why is that important?

Why should it matter to me that Jesus was God?

Well 1st, it’s important because the only individual who could get us into Heaven was God

The repeated message through out Scripture is this:

No one is going to get into heaven because they’re nice people.

You can give time, money, housing, clothing, even blood to help people.

You can be as nice as you can possibly be – but you’ll still not make it into heaven just because you’ve been a “good” person.