TITLE: HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED…..
SCRIPTURE: ISAIAH 9:6
I am not sure about you, but I was growing tired and weary over the past 9-months hearing about Prince William and the Duchess, Kate as they waited the arrival of their first child. Maybe it is because our cultures are so different that I was just not that interested and grew annoyed by all the months of reporting that took place.
When we think about it, isn’t that why we celebrated a few weeks ago in our country on what we call – Independence Day? It is commonly known as the Fourth of July - a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
We have a different culture and I understand and respect that fact. Yet, I was still a little tired of all the news coverage. Then after all of that, after Nine months of media coverage and speculation – you mean to tell me you still don’t have a name for the child. I had a few suggestions, but that is not important. After giving birth the Royal Couple returned home and the following day made the announcement that a Name of the baby had been reached. The baby, born on Monday to Global media frenzy and Third in line to the British Throne, will be known as HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE GEORGE OF CAMBRIDGE.
Commonwealth monarchies and the United States led the international congratulations to Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate on the birth of their first baby whom they named GEORGE - A BOY DESTINED TO BECOME KING. News Papers from Scotland to the good ole' USA have plastered Prince William and Kate Middleton's and the baby All over the place. I give credit to ABC NEWS on Tuesday they aired photos of babies that parents around the nation sent in, clear indication that many of us were tired of it and felt our country should celebrate our babies born in our country on a daily basis.
The Royal Baby was given a Historically Significant name. More Kings have been named George than any other name. Over the years times have changed in many ways. In history names had a greater significance than they seem to today. In all areas of business, labor, the military nearly every person has had a Nick Name which often is closer to the real person, than their family name. Sometimes I wonder why we even name our children because they use the nickname all their lives.
• My brother Frank Jr., we call him JAY
• My grandson Bryan Jr., everyone calls him TUDA
• My baby sister Francine, mother often calls her BOO
• Mother is often call by AUNT SIS by her nieces and nephews
• Bishop Palmer refers to one his brothers by the name WOLF
• Have a Uncle Calvin we have always called him Uncle SPIKE
• Woman who waited on us at Restaurant said she was taking her family member Lumpy on vacation with her
• I am sure you have these same stories within your families as well
• Yes, names don’t have the same significance today as they did back in Antiquity
All of our family names have come from something that was important.
• Lawson – Scottish and English form of the Word or Occupation of LAW
• Weeden – Emigrated from England to Rhode Island
• Newman – Old English meaning New Comer
• McClanahan – Scottish and Irish Angelicized word meaning Son of the Saint
• Taylor – English meaning someone who sows and tailors clothing
• Palmer – English coming from Palm Tree
• Golden – Old English to Shine
• Faulkner – English word Falconer, one who trains Falcons
• Smith – Old English Word for someone who works with metal
• Howard – English Word for someone who protects the home
I did not come this morning to spend time talking about the New Princes of Cambridge or a History lesson for family names. I did not spend time preparing a message on this new Royal Addition in Britain that took way to look to select a name and all the months of speculation as to what the child would be named. I did not come to talk to you about the new Prince of Cambridge. I stopped by to talk to us this morning about the only Prince that is worth our Conversation – Love - Appreciation - Adoration – Prince of Peace. In the Bible there are 256 names given for the Lord Jesus Christ. Probably because that He is so infinitely more than any one name could ever express. I would like for you to look with me in this message at this the first name of ISAIAH 9:6, and let us see if He is worthy of this name.
We could preach a sermon or two on the phrase “his name shall be called Wonderful,” then preach several on “Counselor” and “The mighty God.” In fact, we could almost preach for years on these phrases alone. Thank God, Jesus is all of them and even more! In this message we will consider the phrase “his name shall be called Wonderful.”
Our text this morning comes from the Prophet Isaiah some 800 years before the birth of Jesus to this earth.
• But does this name fit the one born some 2,000 years ago?
• Was the prophet correct in calling one of His names as "Wonderful?”
• Let us examine this name given Him to see if He fits this name
Jesus was Wonderful in His Birth. When we consider Prince William and Kate, they ensured their new child, the New Prince was birthed in the same hospital that PRINCESS DIANA delivered her two boys. There was a sense of history here that went back about 30 years. The hospital and birth took place at the LINDO WING OF ST MARY’S HOSPITAL, PADDINGTON. A few other Royals had been birthed there as well. The Announcement to the World was made by the Queen and reported on various Medias.
The Announcement That Jesus was Born was Wonderful. No TV Cameras required. No Social Media Necessary. No announcement from the Royal Palace. An angel came down to announce it! God did not rely on the staff of the Royal Family, not required. After the Heavenly Announcement was made to the World, God dispatched His Heavenly Choir. Furthermore, His conception was Wonderful. Mary was questioning how it could be possible that a virgin could conceive and bear a son. The angel replied, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” Gabriel told Mary don’t worry about selected a name, won’t need to debate about it for Nine Months. HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED EMMANUEL – GOD WITH US.
Normally a prince would be born in the finest of Hospitals.
• A Prince is customarily Born in a place of luxury
• A Prince is born into pomp and comfort
• A Prince of this world would have had the best of everything
• A Prince comes into the world with both parents
• A Prince comes into the world in the Arms of the Parents and Cameras Flashing
But this is not how God chose to come into the world. He chose the worst of conditions in which to condescend for the salvation of mankind.
• Jesus had earthly parents
• He was virgin born
• The Holy Spirit brought about the miraculous birth of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ
• He was born in the poorest section of the area, Bethlehem of Judea
• No Cameras were there
• No Paparazzi
• No crowds watched for His arrival, even the shepherds had to be told to go and see Him
• The Creator becoming a man, the God man
• To provide for us the sacrifice, the only sacrifice that could take away sins. His own blood
• He was and is wonderful in his Birth
We must admit that the Character of many of the Royal Family members we have witnessed in the last few generations left much to be desired.
• Prince Harry is considered to be a Bad Boy, likes to Party
• Been called in by the his Grandmother the Queen on a few occasions
• Prince Harry is considered to be the Royal Bad Boy
• We know that Prince Charles had some bad behavior as well
• This is why Princess Dianna seemed so sad in midst of living a Royal life
Jesus was wonderful in His character. His character was wonderful.
• No one has ever approached perfection as did Jesus Christ
• It is wonderful that the greatest character ever produced should have come from Nazareth
• He cane to bless - not curse
• He came to heal - not to kill
• He came to lift up the fallen - not to cast them down
• He came to reveal the Father’s love
• He came to give rest to the weary
Jesus was Wonderful in His Life. When we consider the lives of those around us, we quickly note that even our lives are filled with selfish gain. I must admit that I am not a fan of Catholicism or the Ascension of the Popes. But I must admit that this new Pope Francis, I like his approach to ministry. He does not worship at the altar of greed like so many before him and those we see in Christianity today. Pope Francis is restoring what a Pope really is:
• Shunned papal limousine on night of election
• Refused to have his hotel bill paid for, paid it himself
• Vatican states he will not use prepared remarks at Mass – speaks from his heart
• In Rio De Janero visited the poorest of the Poor
• He refuses the Papal Throne
• Refuses to live in the plush Papal Residence
• Lives in a small one bedroom apartment
• Will not ride in the Limousines and Mercedes
• Travels using Public Transportation
• Most of us in our lowly positions in life don’t do what he has done thus far in his leadership
• In our ministries we have – JETS, HELICOPTERS, MANSIONS, POOLS, BENTLY, PRESIDENTIAL SUITES WHEN WE DO REVIVALS, ROLEX
Yes, the Life of Jesus was wonderful. Even the enemies of Christ could not find any fault in Him. Only that He claimed God for his Father, and that He would do good on the Sabbath day. There was not the slightest evidence that He was selfish or self centered. He was always helping others, and not once did He do anything for Himself. He would not even turn stone into bread, though He certainly could have when He was hungry after a forty day fast in the wilderness.
When escaping from His enemies, He stopped to help a blind man who had been in that condition since birth, doing so at the risk of his life.
• He never sought His own in any way, but always helping others
• He had compassion over Jerusalem as He wept over the people there
• His first miracle was to save a peasant woman from humiliation at a wedding
• Raised the daughter of one that cried unto Him for help
• He cleansed ten lepers, and had only one to return to thank Him
Jesus was Wonderful in what he taught. His teachings were wonderful in what He taught as well as in the way He taught it. He taught that He was greater than Moses. Think of the audacity of that statement, to claim to be greater than Moses, to the Jews who regarded Moses as almost divine. He declared that He fulfilled the prophecies and the Law of Moses. His only effort to prove that claim was to point out the works that He did.
Jesus taught that all men would be lost unless they believed in Him, and I have yet to see anyone get salvation in any other way. You can try:
• Buddha
• Muhammad
• Inclusion
• At the End you will find You Must Come In At the Door
• There have been many who have tried to obtain salvation by their works, but the Bible tells us that only in the Name of Jesus Christ is there salvation for the lost sinner
Jesus was Wonderful in His Trial, Suffering and Death. Jesus often told those about Him how He would die. It was wonderful that he would be betrayed into the hands of those who hated him, by one of His disciples, and wonderful that He should be sold for such a small price. Only thirty pieces of silver, the price that was paid for many a slave in that day.
The publicity of His death was also wonderful. It is doubtful that any other death had ever witnessed such a crowd of people till that day. Hundreds of thousands of people were in Jerusalem to attend the Passover feast, and they saw Him crucified that day. They experienced the darkness as it covered earth for three hours, they felt the earthquake that shook the land, they saw as the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom to show forth the holy of Holies, an place where only the high priest had entered, and then only once a year, on the great day of atonement.
I am so glad that was not the end of the Wonder. Jesus was Wonderful in His Resurrection. Jesus often told His disciples of the coming resurrection, but also telling them of His coming resurrection, three days later. Yet none of His disciples were at the tomb on that third day, only the women came, and then only to prepare His body more full for the grave. This shows how fully they abandoned all hope when they saw Him dead. Some even left the city and were on the road to Emmaus when He appeared to them after his resurrection. I am so glad that He Got Up. He has made a way for you and for me.
The Hebrew word translated “WONDERFUL” literally means, “BEYOND COMPREHENSION”. It is the same word used when The Angel of the Lord met MANOAH, Samson’s father, to confirm that his wife was miraculously pregnant with Samson. And Manoah asked, “What is your name – that we might honor you when your word comes true?” The angel – a theophany (appearance of God in the Old Covenant) – said, “Why do you ask my name?
• It is Beyond Understanding
• It is Wonderful
• It is Full of Wonder
--In Great Britain they are referred to as Commoners if you not born into Royal Family
-I am so Glad we are not Commoners
-Bible says we are a Royal Priesthood
-We are Born Again into His Family
-HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED
-Advocate
-Alpha and Omega
-Beginning and the end
-Bread of Life
-Bright Morning Star
-Carpenter
-Chief cornerstone
-Good shepherd
-Christ
-Deliverer
-Door of the sheep
-Faithful witness
-Great High Priest
-Image of the invisible God
-Head of the Church
-Immanuel
-Judge of the living and the dead
-King of Kings
-Lord of Lords
-Lamb of God
-Light of the world
-Living bread
-Messiah
-Rabbi
-Master
-Mediator of a better covenant
-Savior
-Son of God
-Way, truth, and life
THAT’S WHY HIS NAME IS WONDERFUL
-I don’t know who He is to you but to me
-All in All
--My Everything
-Friend
-Confidant
-Healer
