1. Ornithology Class
A student decided to take a course in Ornithology. He had no idea what the course was about but thought it would impress his parents. He also heard the old professor who taught the course was easy. He was surprised when he got into the class and found that it was on the study of birds. Instead of the old, easy professor, they had a young professor who had just gotten his PhD and was going to impress everyone with his knowledge. It turned out to be the hardest course he had ever taken. The final exam was the last straw. All it had was pictures of 25 pairs of bird legs from the knees down which the students had to identify. He stood up and said, "I quit. This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. I can't take it anymore." He proceeded to walk out when the young PhD walked up to him and said, "Young man, what is your name?" The young student reached down, pulled up his pants legs to his knees and said, "You tell me," and walked out.
2. God wants us to clearly see Jesus, his great gift to us
3. Names are significant in the Bible
a. Adam -- from the dust
b. Abraham -- Father of generations
c. Isaac -- Laughter
d. Rachel dying in childbirth called her son, Benoni -- Son of my Sorrow (Jacob changed to Benjamin -- Son of my Right Hand)
e. Jesus -- Salvation -- pictured 700 years before his birth in Isaiah 9.6-7
4. His Birth describes his Humanity; the Gift of Jesus describes his Divinity
5. Today we will consider Jesus as the Wonderful-Counselor
a. Could be Wonderful Counselor
b. Could be Wonderful and Counselor
1) In his Wonder he takes care of the Dullness of Life -- "If you want to walk on water, you must get out of the boat" -- Philip Yancey
2) His Counseling takes care of the Decisions of Life
I. The Unique Presentation of God's Son
A. Notice the Progression of His Appearance
A Child -- a Son -- not just any son, a Prince -- not just any prince, a son of David -- not just any son of David, the Son of God -- King of Kings and Lord of Lords
B. Notice the Purpose of His Appearance -- to establish government/dominion/kingdom -- Colossians 1.12-14
1. Savior? Yes!
2. LORD? Maybe; when convenient; NO!
II. The Unique Phenomenon of God's Son
A. He is Wonderful
1. Descriptions: Wonder, Marvel at the Extraordinary; the hard to understand; As God's acts of judgment and redemption
O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it. Psalm 139.1-6
2. We lack wonder today.
a. We live in a mechanical world -- the one question we ask is, "Does it work?"
b. We live in a Microwave world and ask, "How soon?"
c. We live in a commercial world and ask, "Does it pay off?"
d. We live in a busy world and ask, "Can I take the time?"
e. We live in an artificial world and ask, "Is there a substitute, another way to do it?"
f. It is hard for us to take the time to meditate on the wonder of God and his Son
3. Jesus' Purpose -- John 10.10
a. Emerson -- We are always getting ready to live but never living.
b. [One day Johnny's mother got concerned. Johnny was home but she did not hear any noise -- that was unlike him. She began searching the house for him and found him sitting in the living room. "What are you doing, Johnny?" "Nothing, Mom, I am just living."
c. The example of the Wedding in Cana -- John 2
1) Regular wedding until Jesus came
2) He took the ordinary (servants and water) and made the extraordinary (special wine)
3) Jesus elevates and lifts whatever he touches -- called disciples (ordinary men) and elevated them, even better fishermen -- other side; peace be still;
d. Wonder in his DBR
B. He is Our Counselor
1. Descriptions: To advise, consult, give counsel, purpose; devise, plan
2. We need Counsel -- deceptive hearts; don't know ourselves -- Jeremiah 17.9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
3. He is qualified to give counsel
a. As God -- smarter than we are
b. As man, he has walked in our steps -- without sin
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4.15-16
God became like man so man could become like God
c. He Loves us -- sympathy and empathy -- O Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
d. He IN-Courages Us -- John 14.1-6
e. He is Patient with Us (more than we are with ourselves)
f. He instructs Us -- Psalm 119.24
24 Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors. Psalm 119.24
1. The descriptive names of Jesus are important.
2. Child who takes anger away
Gordon McDonald tells a story about meeting a Nigerian woman who is a physician at a great teaching hospital in the United States. She introduced herself using an American name. 'What's your African name?' I asked. She immediately gave it to me, several syllables long with a musical sound to it. 'What does the name mean?' I wondered. She answered, 'It means "Child who takes the anger away."'
When I inquired as to why she would have been given this name, she said, 'My parents had been forbidden by their parents to marry. But they loved each other so much that they defied the family opinions and married anyway. For several years they were ostracized from both their families. Then my mother became pregnant with me. And when the grandparents held me in their arms for the first time, the walls of hostility came down. I became the one who swept the anger away. And that's the name my mother and father gave me.'" McDonald concluded, "It occurred to me that her name would be a suitable one for Jesus."
3. When we embrace Jesus, the child born to the world; the son given to us; the prince of the King; the Son of God. We lose our anger towards God and one another.
