WILL GOD BE TRUE?
A COMMUNITY OF EXPECTATION
Isaiah 9.1-7
S: Community
C: Expectation of Community
Th: Advent
Pr: THE MESSIAH REALIZES OUR GREATEST NEEDS.
?: How?
KW: Predicted and Fulfilled Names
TS: We will find in our study of Isaiah 9 four predicted and fulfilled names of Jesus that show how He met our needs.
Type: Propositional
The ____ name is…
I. WONDERFUL COUNSELOR
II. MIGHTY GOD
III. EVERLASTING FATHER
IV. PRINCE OF PEACE
PA: How is the change to be observed?
• Trust Jesus
• Come under His care
• Receive His peace (salvation)
Version: ESV
RMBC 26 November 06 AM
INTRODUCTION:
Do you look forward to the future?
ILL Future
A certain family had experienced a new baby. When their daughter was born, the new dad rushed to send an e-mail to their friend Steve in Florida. But in his haste, the new dad made a mistake in the address, and the announcement went to someone in San Diego.
The next day they received a reply: "I’m not Steve, but congratulations on the birth of your daughter. My baby daughter is almost 16 years old and she just wrecked my car. Best wishes."
Well, there was a glimpse into the future…
This is the time of the year that we begin to look forward to the experience of the Christmas season, and especially Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
We are filled with expectation and hope, as we look forward to the times ahead of us.
TRANSITION:
ILL Time
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way . . .”
So begins Charles Dicken’s classic work, A Tale of Two Cities. The French revolution had brought the worst of times and the best of times to both France and England. Dicken’s words were truly descriptive of the mood of the world.
At the time of the writing of the New Testament, in some ways it seemed to be the best of times.
The pax romana, or peace of Rome, pervaded that part of the world and there was a measure of political stability.
Roman law brought order.
Progress and commerce came to Israel with the building of Roman roads.
Best of all, even though it was a political maneuver, Herod had rebuilt the temple for the Jews.
But…
1. Israel was looking forward to better times.
Because it felt like the worst of times.
There was both despair and hope residing in the hearts of the people of Israel.
Sometimes both emotional extremes made their home in the hearts of the people at the same time.
The Romans were occupying Israel.
Cruel soldiers walked the streets and the taxes of Rome kept the people in poverty.
A mood of despair had settled among many of the people, for not many years before they had experienced victory over their enemy, the Syrians, which they celebrate to this day in the holiday called Hanukkah.
But now they were again subservient to a foreign power.
When the Romans came to power, the Jewish rulers first tried compromise.
When that didn’t work, they tried to assassinate Herod the Great, ruler of Palestine, only to find their revolt crushed by Rome.
The Maccabees, or Hasmonaeans, who had liberated Judah from the Syrians had been looked to as modern messiahs, but when Herod killed their last leader, deep despair settled on the people.
The people of God were holding on to the dream of a homeland which was free, independent and centered on God’s law.
They saw a united Israel which would freely and fully worship God.
They were living with that hope because…
2. Isaiah prophesies that a great king is on the way (cf. 7.14, 11.1).
Before we study today’s passage, we should note that Isaiah has already described this king’s miraculous birth – born of a virgin.
He was also described by His name of Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”
Then in the Scripture text that was read just a few minutes ago, we were to note that this king was of the Davidic line, that His origin is in Jesse, the father of David.
When we add today’s study, we are going to see that there are incredibly high expectations for this anointed one, this king, the Messiah.
How the people longed for His arrival!
They were right to do so.
They were a community of expectation.
For as we study the passage, we discover that…
3. THE MESSIAH REALIZES OUR GREATEST NEEDS.
Of course, today we understand who the Messiah is.
As we begin the preparation for Christmas Day, we celebrate the fact the Messiah has come in the person and name of Jesus.
So, today…
4. We will find in our study of Isaiah 9 four predicted and fulfilled names of Jesus that show how He met our needs.
ILL Time
When we were in Hawaii this past summer, I discovered that they telecasted the baseball games a few hours later after the game had taken place. I figured this out because we had internet access while we were there, so I already knew what the final score was. So if I liked the result of the game, I didn’t mind it when the team I was rooting for made a bad play or an error. In my head I would think, “It’s not a problem. It’s OK. In the end, we will win.”
In the same way…
5. Isaiah predicts the future as if it already happened.
It is like he casts himself forward in time, and then he looks back at the mighty acts of God.
He sees them in action.
He sees the Messiah.
So what he says is certain.
It is already done.
This hope is a present reality according to the eyes and mind of Isaiah.
OUR STUDY:
Let’s hear, then the beginning of this text…
(1) But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
Before we go any further in the text, we must note of the time in which Isaiah is writing.
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is beginning to suffer the effects of the dreadful empire of Assyria.
The northern regions were first hit and deported, the areas of Zebulun and Naphtali, also known as Galilee.
Isaiah is looking into the certainty of the future and sees that this important event concerning the Messiah is going to happen in Galilee.
And here is what it is…
(2) The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. (3) You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. (4) For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. (5) For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
This is the language of redemption.
It is language that is reminiscent of the exodus when God released the Hebrews from their Egyptian oppressors.
This is the language of freedom.
And here is out the freedom will come…
(6) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Let’s consider those four celebrated names now, because they communicate and describe the great gift, this child that is born to us…
I. The first name is WONDERFUL COUNSELOR.
1. The Messiah will guide righteously.
Isaiah saw that the Messiah was going to be perfect in accomplishing the purposes that He has set for the world.
His plans, His designs, His decrees are performed without error and they are completely blamelessly.
He can do so because He is wonderful – a person of wonders.
In other words…
2. The Messiah will be incomprehensible.
He will be marvelous.
He will be extraordinary.
The word here speaks of the miraculous, which certainly includes the supernatural.
He will be beyond a normal person’s understanding.
Altogether, the Messiah will give counsel and direction that will never go wrong.
Why?
Because of the second name…
II. The second name is MIGHTY GOD.
1. The Messiah will be God in the flesh.
He will not be just like God.
He will be God.
He will be God in human form.
The word used for God here is “El”, which has a root meaning of power.
This is why mighty is such an appropriate description, for…
2. The Messiah will be a warrior.
He will have the strength and vitality of a successful warrior.
He will be the Divine Hero.
He will be able to overcome the effects of nature, because, in essence, it is a spiritual battle that is being fought.
The war is not over land, but the souls of humanity.
Now we come to…
III. The third name is EVERLASTING FATHER.
Because He is a father…
1. The Messiah will be compassionate.
He will be a different kind of leader, because he will give fatherly care.
In the same way that parents act on their children’s behalf, this will be how He will operate.
He will always be looking out for the best interests of His people.
But the news is even greater, for…
2. The Messiah will not end.
He rules over a kingdom that will not only be long lasting, it will be a kingdom that never ends.
Correspondingly, the next name helps us…
IV. The fourth name is PRINCE OF PEACE.
1. The Messiah will have dominion.
In I Samuel 8, there is a description of how the kings of Israel would act toward the people.
The king would take the best of what the people possessed, their food, their livestock, their children and their servants, for the use of himself and the government.
But the government of the Prince of Peace will be quite different.
This ruler will not burden His people.
Instead, He will break the yoke off their backs and free them from oppression.
So, there will be no more tyrannical dictators.
There will be no more political parties.
And, the best news of all, there will be no political advertisements.
Instead, there will be noble leadership.
He will fulfill His desire to restore and perpetuate peace.
This being so…
2. The Messiah’s reign will never have conflict.
There will be no more war.
There will be no more quarrels.
There will be no more controversies.
Strife will be absent.
There will only be wholeness and completeness, a state where joy is the order of every day.
APPLICATION:
ILL Value
In It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It, Robert Fulghum tells a story involving his daughter, Molly. One day, as Fulghum was ready to leave for work, Molly handed him two brown paper sacks. In one was his lunch. What was in the other was a mystery. When Fulghum asked Molly what was in the mystery bag, she said, "Just some stuff — take it with you." At lunchtime, Fulghum tore open the mystery bag, dumping the contents onto his desk. The contents consisted of: two hair ribbons, three small stones, a plastic dinosaur, a pencil stub, a tiny seashell, two animal crackers, a marble, a used lipstick, a small doll, two chocolate kisses, and thirteen pennies.
Later in the day, when Fulghum was cleaning off his desk before going home, he wiped the contents of Molly’s bag into the wastebasket. As he said, "There wasn’t anything in there I needed." That evening Molly asked where her bag was. He told her he had left it at his office, and asked, "Why?"
Molly said, "Those are my things in the sack, Daddy, the ones I really like — I thought you might like to play with them, but now I want them back. You didn’t lose the bag did you, Daddy?"
"Those are my things in the sack, Daddy, the ones I really like." To Fulghum the hair ribbons, small stones, pencil stub, a used lipstick and all the rest did not seem like much. To Molly, they were her most priceless treasures. The things she loved the most. But Fulghum did not have the sight to see their true value.
Christmas time will be quickly upon us.
Will we value what is important this Christmas?
Will we be a community full of expectation?
Let me encourage you to not lose the Child (God’s most precious treasure) during the hustle and bustle of this time.
These words that we have studied were written by Isaiah the prophet 740 years before the first Christmas.
By that time, many had given up the careful watch for the Messiah.
The people wanted Him, as a way to relieve the stress of Rome, but they were so focused on a military leader that they missed the child who would conquer by dying.
But God would be true to His Word.
And if will not give up our careful watch, we will see that in every way, Jesus, that child that is given to us, fulfills these names.
He is the Wonderful Counselor, for…
1. Jesus is trustworthy and wise (Hebrews 4.15-16).
The author of Hebrews has written…
For we do not have a high priest [meaning Jesus] who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 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.
Jesus understands our situation.
Since He came to earth, there can be no doubt He can relate to His creation and their experiences within it.
So we need to listen, and take His marvelous counsel.
He leads us out of darkness.
He takes us out of our confusion and into the light.
He takes us out of our danger and into the safety of His arms.
Jesus is also the Mighty God.
Many were expecting a great king from God.
But few understood the real power struggle at hand was not simply political, but spiritual.
The great need of humanity is not solved by who’s ruling over people, but what’s ruling within people.
This is why…
2. Jesus is our powerful Savior (Ephesians 3.20a).
As the apostle Paul would write…
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think…
Jesus is able to do more for us than we could ever dream.
In Jesus, God came to defeat far more than a particular government, but the power of evil itself.
That power is observed in our ultimate enemy – eternal death.
Jesus, though, not only suffered death on the cross on our behalf, but He absolutely removed the power of death when He raised from the dead.
He did this for us because He is the Everlasting Father.
You see…
3. Jesus takes care of us (John 14.2-3).
He does this for us now, and all eternity, as John writes…
In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
We can trust Jesus.
We can cast all our care on Him.
We can give Him all our anxieties and worries.
Why?
Because He cares for us.
He is the Eternal Protector of our lives.
Once we are His, we are always His.
Finally, Jesus is the Prince of Peace, for…
4. Jesus removes the barriers (Romans 5.1).
Paul writes…
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Without Jesus, we are left to live a life characterized by restlessness and misery.
But we do not have to choose life without Him.
That which has separated us from Him, our sin, has been removed.
Its punishment has been paid on the cross.
We are now free.
We are redeemed.
And now, we freely follow our generous ruler, who is watching out for our best.
Isaiah saw how God would accomplish this.
It was the zeal of the Lord.
You see, God is excited to accomplish this in our lives.
When it is all said and done, He see that this is going to be great.
The gift of this Son is awesome.
ILL Gift
There was a teacher for children on a simple village island. One day, she received a special shell which surprised her because she knew it couldn’t be found on their side of the island. She asked the little boy, “How did you get this? I know that it can only be found on the other side of island. That is far!”
The little boy who gave it replied in broken English, “Long walk part of gift.”
God, in the form of Jesus, came as the Messiah, from the glory of heaven, as a baby, born to the virgin Mary.
That, long walk, so to speak, was also a part of this awesome gift.
It would be good, then, to do what one does with a gift.
Receive it.
For Further Study: Matthew 9.36; Luke 1.31-33; John 3.16; I Corinthians 15:57; Colossians 1.12-14; Revelation 17.14
BENEDICTION:
Let us be a community that expects God to work this Christmas season…for God is true to His Word, ready to move in and through us.
And as we find Jesus, this Son that is given to us, let us be ready to receive Him as our Lord and Savior.
Finally, let us be ready and expecting to see Him in a new light and in a new way, and be ready to respond in worship and in mission, truly showing that we are a people with purpose.
Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to the good news and message of Jesus, to the only wise God, be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ. Amen.
RESOURCES:
Sermoncentral
Bailey, Brad The Great Gift of Christmas
Boman, Chuck Mighty God and Everlasting Father
Buchanan, Rodney The Best of Times in the Worst of Times
Fuller, Tom Christ-mis Assumptions
La Croix, Brian Jesus Was Not an Afterthought
Nowak, William Hope that Does Not Disappoint
Rogers, Matthew Great Expectations
Books
Barnes, Albert. Notes on the Old Testament: Isaiah, London: Blackie & Son, 1851 (from Barnes’ Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005 by Biblesoft, Inc.).
Calvin, John. Commentary on the Prophet Isaiah (from Calvin’s Commentaries, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005 by Biblesoft, Inc.).
Kac, Arthur W. The Messianic Hope: A Divine Solution for the Human Problem. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1975.
Motyer, J. A. The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
