December 8, 2002
Morning Service
Text: Isaiah 9:1-7
Subject: The Names of Jesus
Title: What’s in a Name?
What’s in a name? When you hear a name spoken you immediately get a picture of that person in your mind. Or you might just think about that person?s personality. When I hear the name Casey I might think of someone who is soft spoken. If I hear the name Gene I might picture an industrious person. When I hear the name Imogene I might just laugh - thinking about all the cheerful banter that goes on between us.
There was a time back in the 70’s when the Haight - Ashbury district of San Francisco became high rent territory, that the hippies moved down the coast to Santa Cruz. Many of them got married, had children, not necessarily in that order. But they didn’t name their children Melissa or Brett. The people in the area grew accustomed to hearing names like Moonbeam, Earth, Love, Precious Promise, even Time Warp or Spring Fever.
That’s when the kindergarten teachers first met little "Fruit Stand". Every fall the parents would pack up their kids and put them on the bus to send them to school for the first time. Each child had a clip on nametag. Fruit stand was no different. Sure it was an odd name but the teachers tried not to make a big deal of it.
"Would you like to play with the blocks Fruit stand?" or "Fruit Stand, how about a snack?" By the end of the day the name didn?t seem much odder than Heather of Sun Ray.
At the end of the day the teachers took the kids out to the buses. "Fruit stand, which one is your bus?"
He didn’t answer. That wasn’t strange. Kids with those funny names often were shy about it when they saw kids with normal names. They learned to adjust. Besides it didn’t matter. The teachers had instructed the parents to write the names of the school bus stops on the reverse of the nametag. The teacher just reached over to fruit stand and turned the tag over and there, neatly printed was the name, "Anthony".
Today, our passage in Isaiah speaks of the coming Messiah. In the passage we see how He would come, the type of ministry He would have, and the names that He would be known as. These names give us a really good understanding of the true nature of the Messiah.
What’s in a name? Today we see that the name Jesus = The Lord saves.
Let us read Isaiah 9:1-7 and be amazed at the prophecies about our savior that were written over 700 years before His birth. Let us be in awe of God’s love for us, His plans for us, and His promise for us. Today we want to focus on the names of Jesus, but I also want you to listen to the promises as I read through the passage. Remember, the baby is a king.
I. He is Wonderful Counselor. Some translations separate these two words. Wonderful/Counselor. That doesn’t change the meaning. Wonderful specifically deals with the supernatural abilities of the savior.
Wonderful in the Hebrew is "pele" and is used only of God, and it means, "To accomplish things that are too hard, hidden, things too high, to do or show marvelous works, miracles; to perform, to be, or to make great, wondrous things." John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else?" Luke 7:21-23, "At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So He replied to the messengers, ’Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
These are not things that man can perform.These are things done with supernatural power. We couldn’t even begin to think up the things that God can do. I Cor. 2:9, "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." Ephesians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever." God confirms His word with signs and wonders following.
He is "Counselor." Who is the Counselor? John 14:15-16, "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth." Another _ (Greek_ allos) - means one who is exactly like something else. Jesus is saying that He and the Holy Spirit are exactly alike. The Counselor is the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, One who walks alongside of you, who guides you, who teaches you. Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor (supernatural, wonder working, beyond our imagination, above what we can even think, guide, teacher, intercessor)
II. He is Mighty God. The Messiah would be one who was an exact representation of the living God. John 1:1;14, "In the beginning was the word, and the Word was with God and the word was God... And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father." Colossians 2:9, "For in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form." Jesus’ own words, "if you have seen me you have seen the Father" Colossians 1:15-16, "He 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 mighty. The Hebrew word translated "mighty" has a fuller meaning. "Champion, chief, one who excels, (excellent) giant, man, mighty, strong, valiant." So Jesus the Messiah is the champion God, the chief God, the excellent God, giant God, man-God, mighty, strong, and valiant God. We know that this Messiah would be called mighty God. The same phrase is used in Isaiah 10:21 to speak of God the Father. "A remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. This is a clear statement of Jesus’ deity. He is the God of power. From Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." To Revelation 19:1, "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: ’hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God", and everywhere in between God’s power is displayed not only through the wondrous acts He has done but in the power he has given those who love Him through the Holy Spirit. God’s power through Jesus Christ the Messiah continues to be displayed in His people who believe.
III. The Messiah is the Everlasting Father. Again when studying the Hebrew words in conjunction with one another we get the meaning that Jesus is the principal of eternity. He is the source of eternity. He is not the Father, but He is God. He prayed to the Father. He spoke about the Father. Jesus understood the concept of separate but equal / one God in three Persons. The word father reveals the Messiah as a compassionate caring father who loves, protects and supplies the needs of His children. Psalm 103:13, "as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him." Did Jesus have compassion for people? Matt. 14:14, "He was moved with compassion toward them." Matt. 20:34, "So Jesus had compassion on them?" Mark 8:2, "I have compassion on the multitude." Luke 7:13, "the Lord saw her and had compassion on her." Get the picture? Now, putting all this together we come away with the thought that Jesus 1)is God, but not the Father. 2) Is eternal - the Alpha and Omega. 3)Is loving and compassionate like a father to His children.
IV. He is the Prince of peace. Prince denotes royal blood. He is the King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, (Lord) meaning God. Jesus brought the peace of proper relationship between God and lost mankind. Romans 5:1, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Jeremiah 33:6, "Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security."
The world defines peace as an absence of conflict or war. The Hebrew word for peace, "Shalom" means, "Harmony, wholeness, well-being and success."
Jesus came to bring "shalom" to those who trust in Him.
When Micah prophesied about the coming Messiah, he wrote, "He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the lord His God. And they will live securely for then His greatness will reach the ends of the earth. And He will be their peace." (Micah 5:4-5) And at the birth of Jesus, "Suddenly, a great company of the heavenly hosts appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ’Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." These are the people who have accepted the restorative work of Christ on a cross. "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith - and this not of yourselves - it is the gift of God - not of works lest anyone should boast."
Conclusion
This Gift of God, that tiny baby that was born in a manger so many years ago, was the greatest gift that we have ever received. What’s in a name? That baby Jesus - the Lord saves - was born the prince of peace. He was and is the Everlasting Father. He is the Mighty God. And He is Wonderful Counselor. What’s in a name? Only everything that we needed to be brought back into relationship with a loving compassionate and Sovereign God.
What’s in a name?
A salvation that lasts forever.
A love that can never be understood.
A life that is forever changed.
Power that is word changing.
A message that is eternal.
A gift that is waiting for the world to open.
"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."
Happy birthday, Jesus!
