“HE WILL BE CALLED...COUNSELOR”
Isaiah 9:6
Where do you go when you need help?
Where do you go when you need direction....guidance?
Where you go tells something about you.
Some people go to their horoscope....hair dresser...
self-help books...bar tender...psychologist...pastor...counselor.
The ultimate and best counselor is Jesus Christ. That is one of the names given Him in Isaiah 9:6.
The first question we want to look at this morning is:
I. WHY DO WE NEED CHRIST’S COUNSEL?
Because...
A. Our hearts are basically selfish and sinful
Our hearts are basically selfish and sinful. Our motives are mixed. Jeremiah says it well when he says in Jeremiah 17:9
“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?”
It’s easy for us to say to ourselves, “Well, if I know my heart...”
But when it really comes down to it, we really do not know our
hearts.
When the disciple Peter looked into his heart he thought he saw courage and stability. But when Jesus looked into that same heart he saw someone who would deny Him three times.
Proverbs 20:5
“Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart...” (Msg)
We need Christ’s counsel because our hearts are selfish and sinful.
We also need Christ’s counsel because...
B. Our minds are limited
Our hearts are not only selfish, but our minds are severely limited. Isaiah 55:8 "’For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.”
After conversion, our minds have to be transformed, so that we might be able to “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.” (NLT)
Our minds are really amazing things, aren’t they? It’s amazing the amount of knowledge we can understand. But, you know what, they are limited.
1 Corinthians 13:12”For now we see in a mirror dimly,
but then face to face; now I know in part,
but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”
Added to our internal deficiencies (our selfish hearts, our limited minds) are:
C. External problems
External problems... the pressures of this world and the devil’s devices. Psalm 1:1
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked...”
Romans 12:2
“And do not be conformed to this world...”
We are surrounded by ungodly thinking and anti-God thinking.
And if we are not careful, it will influence us in the decisions we make.
Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers according to...
2 Corinthians 4:4
“Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don’t understand the message we preach about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” (NLT)
Satan also tries to deceive the minds of believers according to...
2 Corinthians 11:3
“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
Satan is portrayed as a roaring lion in Scripture.
1 Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
No matter how you look at it, we desperately need God’s counsel. And the way God gives us counsel is one of His most gracious works.
James 1:5 “If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you.
He will not resent your asking.”(NLT)
Isn’t that great? It’s there for our asking.
You need wisdom? You need advice? You need counsel?
Ask Jesus!
And we desperately need His counsel.
But, why should we go to Jesus? How is He qualified to be our counselor?
II. HOW IS JESUS CHRIST QUALIFIED TO BE OUR COUNSELOR?
Not everyone is qualified to give counsel. It’s against the law to advertise your services as a counselor unless you have the necessary credentials. Just because you have an interest in people, and love to give advice to others does not qualify you with the necessary credentials to be a counselor. It takes a certain amount of education, some practical experience under the guidance of a trained counselor. But even then, not everyone who even goes through all that, is really a qualified counselor.
Is Jesus Christ qualified to be our counselor? Yes, He is! How so?
A. He is eternal God
He is eternal God in whom “...all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form...” Colossians 2:9
Just think, Jesus was there, part of the eternal counsel of creation itself!
In Him, Paul also tells us in Colossians 2:3....
“...in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
There in nothing that He doesn’t know!
But there’s something else that makes Him a qualified counselor...
B. He is man
Because He was born into this world (what we are celebrating this time of year), He grew up, He worked, He suffered, He died.
And He is able to enter into the experiences that trouble you.
Hebrews 2:17-18
“For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Just think, He loved us so much that He became one of us. I read something this last week, C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity writes: “If you want to get the hang of it (the incarnation) think how you would like to become a slug or a crab.”
Boy, that puts it in a different perspective, doesn’t it?
Consider another fact that qualifies Jesus Christ to be our counselor...
C. He loves us
Professional counselors are taught not to get emotionally involved with their patients. The danger is that their emotional involvement might hinder them from doing their best.
But Jesus always speaks the truth in love.
Scriptures tell us that God is love.
1 John 4:16 “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” (NLT)
Some people hold back the truth because they think that is one way to show love. Others tell the truth, but have no love. The amazing thing about Jesus Christ is that He is able to blend both truth and love, and this makes him an effective Counselor.
As our Counselor Jesus also...
D. He encourages us
I’m thinking here of Christ’s words to His disciples in John 14:1...
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
Why wouldn’t their hearts be troubled? I mean, Jesus had just told them that Peter would deny Him, and that one of them was in fact a traitor! On top of that, He had told them that He was leaving them to go back to the Father.
The disciples hearts were troubled, and deeply so.
So what does Christ do? He encourages them! He prepares them for what is ahead of them. He tells them about heaven. He tells them about the Holy Spirit, the “Comforter,” the “Encourager” (that’s what the word “comfort” really means)
John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—
This Comforter, this Encourager, this Counselor would be another one of the exact same kind as Jesus. Isn’t that great?
Jesus is the perfect counselor. A good counselor doesn’t protect us from the problems of life. Instead, a good counselor prepares us for life’s problems and helps us face them honestly and courageously.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
As our refuge, He hides us.
As our strength, He helps us.
And we never leave our Counselor.
But as He sends us out, He sends us out with the strength we need to do what He tells us to do.
Look at another aspect of Christ that makes Him qualified to be our Counselor...
E. He is patient with us
As you read through the 4 Gospels, are you not impressed as I am with our Lord’s patience with His disciples?
He answers their questions.
He endures their ignorance.
He puts up with their selfishness.
All the time trying to teach them and prepare them for their life’s mission.
Even the best counselor loses his patience once in awhile.
But not Christ. I think of Christ’s words to His disciples in
John 16:12 "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
He knows the right time, and the right circumstances for sharing a new truth or reminding us of an old truth.
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
And yet another thing that makes Christ qualified to be our Counselor:
F. He knows our hearts
John 2:24-25 (From “The Message”)
“But Jesus didn’t entrust his life to them. He knew them inside and out, knew how untrustworthy they were. 25He didn’t need any help in seeing right through them.” (Msg)
In the letters to churches in Revelation, listen to these words of Christ in Revelation 2:23 ”And all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.”
Jesus Christ knows the human heart!
He knows your heart!
He knows my heart!
And He is able to help us understand ourselves.
What a Wonderful Counselor! Amen?
One final characteristic I would like to add that shows the greatness of Jesus Christ our Counselor...
G. He prays for us
John 17:20
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message...” He prays for us constantly.
Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
What other counselor can say that? What other counselor can not only always be with you, but also always prays for you?
Wow, what a Wonderful Counselor!
His counsel is available to us NOW, at any moment. It’s part of what He does for us as His ministry as our High Priest.
How does He counsel us, though? That’s what we want to look at next.
III. HOW DOES CHRIST COUNSEL US?
He counsels us...
A. Through His Word
Look with me in the book of Psalms, in Psalm 119. Look at the wisdom and counsel God gives us through His Word...
Psalm 119:24
“Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.”
Psalm 119:98-100
“Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me. 99I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. 100I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.”
We can learn from the Word what other people have to learn the hard way, in the difficult “school of hard knocks.”
Listen, there is no need for the Christian to “learn the hard way” by suffering from the bitter consequences of sin. We can learn from the Word, avoid sin, and be the wiser for it.
So Christ counsels us through His Word.
He also counsels us...
B. Through His Spirit
In the passage Marj read for us earlier in the service...
Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him--
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD--
The Spirit of God teaches us from the Word of God. He also teaches us in the everyday experiences of life as He directs us and guides us.
Acts 16:6-7
“Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.”
How the Holy Spirit directed Paul and his companions, we don’t know. But we do know that He directs us, we can be sure of that.
Christ also counsels us...
C. Through circumstances
Psalm 32:8
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”
Now tell me, what human counselor can say that?
What human counselor can keep his eye on his client like that?
In quoting Psalm 34, Peter writes these words in 1 Peter 3:12...
1 Peter 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer...”
Isn’t that beautiful? I love the way that is written... it really speaks to me. God is always attentive to my prayer.
The whole point here is that we learn that very often the things that happen often point the way to the will of God. Caution: don’t rely on circumstances alone to determine the will of God for your life!
Christ uses varies ways and means to counsel and direct us. Circumstances is just one way. Another way is...
D. Through Christian fellowship
Jesus Christ, the perfect Counselor, will often use other people, other believers, to help direct us.
Proverbs 27:9 “The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.” (NLT)
This is just one of the blessings we enjoy of Christian fellowship. And as we will be finding out in our upcoming 40 Days of Purpose is one of our purposes in life... fellowship. We were formed for God’s family.
One of the many reasons we come to church in the local gathering of believers is to encourage one another, to admonish one another. We are able to help each other together to determine God’s will and purposes for us.
Later on in Proverbs 27 we find this verse in verse 17...
Proverbs 27:17
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
Another reason why we not only need each other in a large group setting like this, but even more so, we need to interact with one another in smaller group settings. So that we can become that iron to each other, sharpening and encouraging each other.
We must be careful, however, that we listen to wise counselors.
We must use discernment!
I think of the illustration of King Rehoboam who listened to the counsel of his fellow young friends. The result for him and his kingdom was tragic.
Let’s read about it in 1 Kings 12:1-15
Isn’t that tragic? The lesson? Listen to wise counselors!
So, we have seen that Jesus Christ counsels us through His Word, through His Spirit, through circumstances, through Christian fellowship.
But the question now we must ask ourselves is: “What will we do with His counsel?
APPLICATION:
First of all, and most important...
1) We must be willing to do what He says
John 7:17
"If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.”
Listen, God does not give His counsel
to the curious or the careless.
Rather, He reveals His will to the concerned and the consecrated.
Some of us take the attitude, “I’ll ask God what He wants me to do, and if I like it OK, then maybe I’ll do it.”
Unless we have a serious desire to really know and to do the will of God, I don’t believe He will reveal His will to us.
Sad to say, too many people want spiritual counsel without the desire to seek and know the mind and will of God. Too many of us want a pre-packaged plan. Too many of us are unwilling to discipline ourselves in Bible study and prayer to diligently seek the wisdom of God.
We expect to find nuggets of truth just lying there on the surface of life, unwilling to dig deep for the hidden treasures of God’s truth.
What do we do with Christ’s counsel? Not only must we be willing to do what He says, but...
2) We must wait for His counsel
Desire God’s counsel! Seek it! Wait for it!
This unwillingness to wait on the Lord is what led Israel into disobedience time after time.
Psalm 106:13
“Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done!
They wouldn’t wait for his counsel!”
In the school of life, our Counselor waits to give us His counsel until we are ready for the answer.
John 16:12 "I still have many things to tell you,
but you can’t handle them now.”
Is God delaying in giving you an answer?
In many situations, God’s delays are preparation for God’s blessings.
If you don’t know what God wants you to do about a particular situation, WAIT, and keep doing the last thing He told you to do.
Dr. Edman, former president of Wheaton College,
“Never doubt in the dark, what God has shown you in the light.”
What else must we do with Christ’s counsel?
3) We must accept His counsel
It’s easy to argue with it.
It’s easy to ask God to somehow revise it.
Instead, we should rather just simply accept it.
Listen, God’s will is not given to us for our approval.
It’s given to us for our acceptance.
There is no “money-back guarantee” with it if we are not completely satisfied. The question is not if we are satisfied.
The question is, “Is HE satisfied?”
Finally, we must not only be willing to do what He says, not only wait for His counsel, not only accept His counsel, but...
4) We must obey His counsel
John 13:17
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
The blessing of God does not come in the discovery of His will, but in the doing of His will!
Jesus Christ, our Counselor, knows the many decisions we must make. And He knows how important these decisions are to us.
Listen, God is eternally wrapped up in your life. He has a tremendous investment in you and in your future.
He wants to be your Counselor and show you His will.
He doesn’t want to just counsel you in the emergencies of life.
He doesn’t want to just counsel you in the “big” things of life.
He wants to counsel you every day!
As you seek God’s counsel, you get to know Him better.
And as you get to know Him better, you understand His will better.
God’s counsel just can’t be separated from His character.
His Person and His plan must go together.
In the same way that two people that love each other want to involve each other in the plans and activities of their lives, so it is in your relationship with Christ. He wants to have a part in every area of your life. And as you get to know Him more and more, as you face the decisions of life, you don’t need to be afraid when you know Jesus... because He is a Wonderful Counselor!
