HE WILL BE CALLED MIGHTY GOD
Isaiah 9:6
We have at our disposal, at any given moment, tremendous power available to us. With the flip of a switch, we activate the power of electricity and a light goes on. With the turn of a key, we activate the power of a car. Through the years, mankind has been able to use various kinds of power...man power, then horsepower, then steam power, and now even atomic power. We have all benefited from the use of these powers, but there is one basic power that is needed more than ever today. And that power is spiritual power.
With all the demands and pressures of life, we desperately need spiritual power. And the source of that power is none other than Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate this time of year.
Isaiah 9:6 tells us that one of the names he will be called is...
"Mighty God." (Read Isaiah 9:6)
I. JESUS CHRIST IS GOD
How do we know? What proof is offered for us? Not everyone agrees with us on this point. But it is a critical point. Many in the world would not agree with us on this point. The Russian writer Leo Tolstoy represents what some would say about Jesus when he writes, "I believe Christ was a man like ourselves; to look upon him as God would seem to me the greatest of sacrileges."
Isn’t that sad?
But, this is a critical point, a point that divides Christianity from all other religions, the Mormons being one of them. This is just one of many issues that separate us from what they teach.
And yet, what does the evidence say?
A. Jesus Christ Claimed To Be God
John 10:30 "I and the Father are one." (NIV)
How did the people who first heard these words respond to what Christ said? Oh, they understood what Jesus was saying, all right! They understood that He was claiming to be God. How do I know? Because they responded by picking up stones to stone Him! The very next verse tells us this:
John 10:31 "Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him." (KJV)
Near the close of Christ’s public ministry, just before going to the cross, we read these words:
John 12:44-45 "But Jesus shouted out ’The one who believes in me does not believe in me, but in the one who sent me, and the one who sees me sees the one who sent me.’" (NET)
John 14:9 "Jesus replied, ’Philip, don’t you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking to see him?’"(NLT)
In very plain and simple terms,
JESUS CHRIST CLAIMED TO BE GOD!
B. Those Who Knew Him Claimed He Was God
The apostle John, one of those in the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples opens his gospel this way:
John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."(KJV)
Later on, John records these words from Thomas, the doubting disciple:
John 20:28 "Thomas answered and said to Him (Jesus), ’My Lord and my God!’" (NASBU)
And Jesus didn’t stop him or correct him!
John writes in 1 John 5:20 "And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we are in God because we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life." (NLT)
Of those who opposed the idea that Jesus was God in human form, one who opposed that view more strongly than perhaps anyone was the man Saul of Tarsus. Yes, when this man Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, Saul radically changed his mind, and for the rest of his life, was convinced of the deity of Jesus Christ.
One example from his letter to the Romans:
Romans 9:5 "Their ancestors (the Jews) were great people of God, and Christ Himself was a Jew as far as his human nature is concerned. And He is God, who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen." (NLT)
Other biblical writers claimed Jesus was God.
Titus 2:13 "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ." (KJV)
Hebrews 1:8 "But to his Son He (God the Father) says,
"Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
Your royal power is expressed in righteousness." (NLT)
That is one amazing verse! The fact is clear; the evidence shows JESUS CHRIST IS GOD!
He claimed to be God, those who knew Him claimed He was God... and we also see next that...
C. His Names Affirm His Deity
Jesus name means "Jehovah is salvation."
How about the name "Emmanuel" given to Him? What does that mean? Emmanuel = "God with us"
In fulfillment of, and quoting Isaiah 7:14 we read these words in Matthew 1:23
"BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US." (NASBU)
JESUS CHRIST IS GOD! He is "Emmanuel" (God with us)
And since He is God,
He deserves our faith
He deserves our love
He deserves our obedience
He deserves our service
He deserves our worship! Amen?
To reject Jesus Christ, is to reject God Himself,
And to reject God Himself, is to reject life itself.
John 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on Him." (NIV)
I’m sorry, but you cannot just ignore Jesus Christ!
You cannot, and must not try to avoid Him and who He claimed to be!
You must face the facts and decide!
Examine the evidence!
Jesus Himself claimed to be God, those who knew Him claimed He was God... and now, What do you say?
(Transition)
Jesus Christ not only is God, He is the Mighty God!
II. JESUS CHRIST IS THE MIGHTY GOD
Now, how is this? How is Jesus Christ the Mighty God?
A. In Creation
We see the mighty power of Jesus Christ in the creation of the universe.
John 1:3 "All things were created by Him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created." (NET)
Obviously, then, Jesus Christ Himself was not created since He created everything that has been created.
Hebrews 1:1-3 "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high..." (NASBU)
Colossians 1:15-20 "He (Jesus Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross." (NIV)
Isn’t that beautiful? Wow, that passage of Scripture is just loaded with some very important truths!
What a mystery it is! The Creator becomes a creature!
The One who fills all, who created all,
becomes an infant in a cattle stall!
Jesus Christ, the Mighty God!
But Christ not only reveals His power in creation, He also reveals His power...
B. In History
The Bethlehem promise tells us this: Remember, this was written hundreds of years before Jesus Christ was born...
Micah 5:2
"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity." (NASBU)
The entire Old Testament points to Jesus Christ!
"HISTORY IS HIS STORY!"
There’s a passage of Scripture I would like us to turn to...
John 8:31-59 (Read it from NIV, commenting on key verses)
So what is meant by verse 56? I believe that Genesis 22 lies behind Christ’s words here. (Read Genesis 22:1-14)
So can you see what Christ meant when He said in John 8:56
"Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."
No wonder Jesus could teach the disciples on the road to Emmaus!
Listen to what Luke 24:27 says:
"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself."
But Jesus Christ is not only Mighty God in His birth and in history, He is also Mighty God...
C. In His Birth
Isn’t it amazing that a babe in a manger should be called mighty?!
Not only mighty, but the Mighty God!!!
Yet, even as a baby, Jesus Christ revealed His power. His birth affected the sky as that star appeared. The star affected the Magi (the wisemen) so that they left their homes and made the long trip to Bethlehem. Their announcement shook King Herod.
Jesus Christ’s birth brought angels from heaven to announce His birth! And the glory of the Lord appeared to mankind.
Talk about a baby announcement!!! Can you top that?!
You can read all about it in Luke 2:1-20, which I suspect many of you, like me, have memorized at one time.
Yes, even in His birth, Jesus revealed His power!
But, how about His life...
D. In His Life
Think with me of how He revealed Himself as the Mighty God by His life...by the miracles that He performed. He proved He was the Mighty God by His life. But like today, many people didn’t believe Him, even when He proved who He was by His miracles.
Listen to these words from Matthew 12:22-26...
Matthew 12:22-26 "Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. All the people were astonished and said, ’Could this be the Son of David?’ But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, ’It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.’ Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, ’Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, He is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?’"
So even though He showed His power in His life, people still didn’t believe in Him.
But the greatest act of power that Jesus performed involved His death and resurrection.
E. In His Death and Resurrection
Did you notice in the Scripture passage read for us earlier that the Apostle Paul is praying for the Ephesians? His pray for them (and for us) is that they might know something. Do you see what it is? Let’s turn there and look at it more closely... Ephesians 1:18-23
"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."
God raised Jesus from the dead! But not only that, Jesus raised Himself from the dead!
John 10:17-18
"The Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may have it back again. 18No one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For my Father has given me this command." (NLT)
Wow, talk about power! Jesus Christ had the power to give His life and He had the power to raise Himself from the dead!
Why is it that so many people picture Jesus as something less than a man? So many picture Jesus as some sort of weak, wishy-washy person. Jesus was meek, but meekness is not weakness!
What does it mean to be meek?
Meek = "power under control"
Jesus was humble and lowly of heart, but He was able to get angry (without sinning). Just think of how angry He got when He made a whip of cords and threw out the money changers in the temple.
I suppose there are some people who look at His arrest and crucifixion as a sign of weakness. But as you study the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, you will find that Jesus is in total control of the whole situation. In a very real sense, He revealed His mighty power in giving Himself willingly to die in our place.
Jesus Christ is God!!!
Jesus Christ is the Mighty God!!!
"O.K., that’s great, I believe that," you say, "But what difference does that make to me today?" you ask.
I’m glad you asked! I’ll tell you what difference it makes:
Jesus Christ, the Mighty God, allows His mighty power to be available to us today!
III. HIS POWER IS AVAILABLE TO US
Did you notice in Ephesians 1:19 the words... Ephesians 1:19
"I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe Him."
Isn’t that amazing?
In a parallel passage in Colossians 1:9-12, listen to the universals in this prayer of Paul’s...
Colossians 1:9-12 "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."
Think of it! We can be strengthened with all power!
And this power is according to His glorious might!
We have no problem believing that Jesus Christ is almighty, but to believe that that the almighty power of God is available to us through Jesus Christ---THAT is more difficult to believe.
Far too many of us are like the woman who lived in a remote valley in the country of Wales. When electricity was first made available to the rural area, one of the first customers was a young woman with a large family. She went to a great deal of trouble to have electrical power installed in her home. However, the electric company soon noticed that the woman was using a very small amount of electricity each month and, suspecting a problem with the installed equipment, sent a repairman to check the meter.
After a close inspection, the worker found that the equipment was installed properly. Confused, he knocked on the front door to give his report to the lady of the house. "We’ve inspected the meter which seems to be working properly. The only thing I can figure out is that you are not using the power that is available to you. Don’t you use any electricity?" the repairman asked. "Oh yes," she said. "We turn it on every night to see how to light our lamps, and then we switch it off again."
God’s power---ALL of His power---is available to us! If we would but grab hold of that fact alone, it could revolutionize our lives. Instead, our hearts are filled with doubt instead of faith.
We live life under our influence and with our strength alone. We see only man-powered religious activities, when all along what God wants us to experience a holy, on-the-road-to-Damascus experience with Him!
Miracles should be a daily occurrence. If we truly know and abide in Him, "God things" should be the norm.
Ministry done in our own human power is consuming and futile.
Psalm 127:1 "Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it." I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to labor in vain. I want the Lord to build our house! I want the Lord to build our church! Amen?
Ministry done in God’s power is truly powerful and life changing. God has provided all we need. We just need to tap into His power. He has provided salvation for us and also the power to live the life to which He has called us.
I’m not sure how you view salvation, but I can tell you on the authority of God’s Word: Salvation is not something that God begins and we finish. Salvation is God’s work from start to finish!
Philippians 1:6 "...being confident of this, that He (God) who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (NIV)
I know what some of you might be thinking now, "But, wait a minute, doesn’t it say somewhere that I need to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling? What about that?"
Good question! That verse comes from the same book, in the very next chapter of Philippians in Philippians 2:12... "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling..." (NIV)
But there is no period there. The next verse goes on to say this:
Philippians 2:13 "...For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases Him." (NLT)
So, you see, it is still God doing the work in and through you.
Do you remember the last words of Jesus Christ on the cross? "It is finished!"
Jesus Christ provides a complete salvation! He did not just make the down payment expecting us to keep up the installment payments! No! IT IS FINISHED!
What does this mean for every believer? It means that we can claim from God everything that we need. Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not teaching or preaching a "name it and claim it gospel." No! But I can say on the authority of God’s Word that we can claim everything from God that we need.
Philippians 4:19
"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
God supplies all our needs, but for what purpose?
I can’t help but notice after reading in Colossians 1:11-12 that the purpose of God’s power in our lives is not that we would gain material or physical things. The almighty power of God is available to us through Jesus Christ so that we might develop character and godliness to the glory of God. Colossians 1:11-12 "...being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that (here’s the purpose) you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."(NIV)
It takes spiritual power to produce this kind of fruit in our lives!
Paul himself is a good example of what the power of God can do in a life.
Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 12:7-10...
Paul had a thorn in the flesh. What it was, we don’t know, but we do know that it was bad enough for him to pray 3 times that God might take it away. And Paul prays a logical prayer, doesn’t he?
I mean, Paul was an important man who had a great work to do for God. Surely God wouldn’t want anything to hinder his ministry.
But notice Paul’s growth of spiritual understanding here:
(1) Paul tries to escape the thorn. But God didn’t remove it.
(2) Paul tries to endure the thorn. But even that was not the level that glorified God the most. After all, anyone, even unbelievers, can courageously endure pain. God’s grace moved Paul to a higher level (see vv. 9-10).
(3) Paul learns to embrace it (v. 10)
Did he learn to enjoy it in some sort of sick masochistic way? No!
He had learned that if that is what it takes to have God’s power shown in his life, he will gladly put up with any difficulty.
You see, IT’S THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGS THE POWER OF GOD TO OUR LIVES!
And God’s grace is channeled to our lives through God’s Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
John 1:16 "From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another." (NIV) "grace upon grace" (NASB)
It’s through grace that God does in and through us that which we cannot do for ourselves.
Grace is not simply something added to our strength, because we really have no real strength on our own.
Grace turns our weakness into power...for the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 12:10 "...For when I am weak, then I am strong."
You want to know why many people don’t experience God’s power?
The reason why many people do not experience God’s power in their lives is because they are too strong in themselves!
God waits until we are weak so that He can share His power with us.
And God is, today, right now, looking for believing people who will show forth His almighty power in this world.
2 Chronicles 16:9
"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."
God is looking for individuals who are trusting Him completely!
GOD DOES NOT TRUST HIS POWER TO THOSE WHO WILL NOT TRUST HIM COMPLETELY!
Whatever your burden,
Whatever your battle,
Whatever your struggle is today,
God has the power to meet it!
God has the power to solve it!
God has the power to use it for your good and His glory!
Jesus Christ is the Mighty God, and His power is available to you today.
I urge you,
Admit your weakness,
Yield yourself to Him by faith,
And, by faith, receive His power in your life.
