Series: Knowing God [#16]
PELE YOETZ- MY WONDERFUL COUNSELOR
Isaiah 9:6
Introduction:
Every year after Thanksgiving, people begin to prepare for Christmas. You begin to see Christmas lights, Christmas trees, and Christmas decorations, (other places besides stores, who have had Christmas decorations out since Halloween). Many pastors begin Advent sermon series. As we continue to study the names of God from the Old Testament, I would like us to begin studying those names that refer to Jesus- The Son of God. This morning, we are going to look at the name Pele Yoetz, which means Wonderful Counselor.
Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
The name Pele Yoetz tells us…
1. That God correctly identifies my problems.
There’s nothing worse than being counseled by someone who hasn’t been in your situation. My brother was the best husband and father ever before he was married and had children. I have had many people counsel me on how to be a better pastor; but they have never been a pastor. Jesus knows what is wrong in your life. That’s why you should go to Him in all things.
Hebrews 2:17-18 (NIV)
“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. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV)
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
We can go to Jesus for help because he knows what the problem is.
The name Pele Yoetz tells us…
2. That God knows how to help you.
Knowing what is wrong isn’t enough. This is a problem with many counselors today. They can listen to you and identify what is wrong with you; but then they just send you on your way. When I first started preaching, Boyd Davis said to me, “Make sure that once you get done telling us what is wrong with us that you will tell us how to fix it”. Jesus knows how to help us.
The Word of God is full of answers to our problems. God uses teachers and preachers to give us answers to our problems. God uses our circumstances to give us answers to our problems. God uses other believers to give us answers to our problems. Now you may be thinking, “That is the ways God answers prayers”. If so, then you are correct. “You have not because you ask not.”
The name Pele Yoetz tells us…
3. That God has changed many lives.
I remember Karen telling me a couple of years ago about something she saw on the news that was very disturbing to me- Companies are now putting in their user agreements that if you leave negative feedback that they can sue you. The reason that they are doing this is because some company’s business is being hurt because people are leaving negative feedback which is causing other people not to use their company. So why do companies ask us to leave feedback if we can’t tell the truth? The whole purpose for taking people’s feedback is to improve so that customers will be pleased and therefore let others know. Good companies are rewarded for doing a good job.
Basically, I’m talking about someone’s “track record”- How they have done in the past. Well, how’s Jesus’ “track record”? We can look through the Bible and see over and over again the lives that Jesus changed. Hopefully you can look around this room and see lives that have been changed by Jesus. Let me sum this up- “If Jesus can change my life, He can change anybody”.
Conclusion:
Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor. Jesus will change your life if you will let Him.
