WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.439 Open your Bibles. 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:07.719 Where? 00:00:08.540 --> 00:00:14.099 I want you to start by going to Luke chapter 1. 00:00:14.099 --> 00:00:15.620 ! 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:34.140 Luke chapter 1, there in verse 68. 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:41.939 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised 00:00:41.939 --> 00:00:48.480 up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth 00:00:48.480 --> 00:00:53.460 of His holy prophet from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand 00:00:53.460 --> 00:00:59.659 of all who hate us, to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:05.420 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham to grant us, that we being delivered from 00:01:05.420 --> 00:01:13.680 the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:14.620 all our days. 00:01:15.579 --> 00:01:20.640 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:26.359 Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness 00:01:26.359 --> 00:01:33.260 of their sins because of the tender mercies of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit 00:01:33.260 --> 00:01:39.900 us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and 00:01:39.900 --> 00:01:43.099 to guide our feet into the way of peace. 00:01:43.099 --> 00:01:56.479 I want you to stop just for a moment and think of the absolute exuberance, the overwhelming of 00:01:56.479 --> 00:02:03.119 the spirit of Zachariah, who had for a number of months been quiet. 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:07.600 He had not been able to speak. 00:02:10.140 --> 00:02:19.379 And suddenly, His tongue was loosed and He made this prophecy right at the point of John 00:02:19.379 --> 00:02:21.520 the Baptist's birth and naming. 00:02:22.900 --> 00:02:29.719 And the heart of this prophecy has its roots back in Isaiah chapter 9. 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:38.020 Here was Zachariah referencing the promise that God had made to Isaiah hundreds of years ago. 00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:44.979 And in this prophecy that Zachariah brings on that day, he is referencing the fact that 00:02:44.979 --> 00:02:52.099 God was in the process of fulfilling His promise in real time and Jesus was coming. 00:02:52.099 --> 00:03:02.500 I want you now, with that background in hand, to go back to the passage Isaiah chapter 9. 00:03:04.340 --> 00:03:11.599 And we are going to take the time this morning to look at this passage that kind of lays out for us 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:16.620 the promise of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and in particular the incarnation. 00:03:16.620 --> 00:03:22.200 And if you ever want something to kind of struggle to put your head around, I'd certainly say this. 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:28.520 The incarnation fits into that little picture of how do you process all of this wonderful information. 00:03:28.700 --> 00:03:32.879 But we're going to work at it and allow the Scripture to speak to us clearly this morning. 00:03:33.700 --> 00:03:39.879 Let me begin by having you look there at chapter 8 and verse 21 and 22. 00:03:39.879 --> 00:04:09.859 Verse 22. 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:32.040 Tomorrow we're going to celebrate Christmas. 00:04:32.040 --> 00:04:32.180 Christmas. 00:04:32.939 --> 00:04:38.260 And I don't know all of the different ways in which your families play this out. 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:40.620 Each of us have our own little dynamic. 00:04:40.819 --> 00:04:46.300 And I can tell you that it changes from year to year to a certain degree in terms of who's in town 00:04:46.300 --> 00:04:48.520 and who's not in town and how all that works together. 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:56.100 But generally, one of the things that goes along with Christmas, whether the culture and business 00:04:56.100 --> 00:04:58.900 push it or not, we're going to give gifts to one another. 00:04:58.899 --> 00:05:05.120 We're going to show our love and our interest and affection for one another by giving gifts. 00:05:06.539 --> 00:05:08.099 There's a reason for that. 00:05:08.679 --> 00:05:15.899 And it's really rooted in the fact that God gave us His Son as the gift that we desperately need because of our sin. 00:05:16.299 --> 00:05:23.779 And He solved the remedy of our broken and ruined hearts by virtue of giving us His Son and through the incarnation. 00:05:23.779 --> 00:05:26.359 And that's what this passage is all about. 00:05:27.019 --> 00:05:29.339 It's really interesting to stop just for a moment. 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:36.599 And I tell you kind of a broad picture here that Isaiah chapter 8, picking up there in verse 20 and carrying on down through 9-6, 00:05:36.600 --> 00:05:42.660 is a little bit like a rheostat, or let me use it this way, a dimmer. 00:05:43.280 --> 00:05:46.020 It starts out real dark and it ends up pretty light. 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:54.240 The passage begins by speaking about people who are in darkness and the reality of that very difficult situation 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:57.640 is then remedied by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:05:57.639 --> 00:06:07.459 And so when we work our way through this passage, the thing that I want us to begin with is recognizing that Isaiah the prophet speaks clearly to the problems of that day. 00:06:08.300 --> 00:06:14.159 I want you to understand that historically, Israel was in a very bad way. 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:21.579 The wicked king, Ahaz, had descended into the worship of the pagan god, Molech. 00:06:21.579 --> 00:06:30.899 And one of the things that characterized the worship of Molech was actually the matter of burning infants as a sacrifice to him. 00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:39.819 And in that process, the thing that characterized that infant murder was that they would worship, 00:06:40.060 --> 00:06:48.659 and their worship was just making more and more and more noise to eventually when they actually threw the child into the sacrificial altar, 00:06:48.660 --> 00:06:58.220 the screaming of God's people, not God's people, but the pagan worshipers was so loud that it drowned out the screaming of the child that was being sacrificed and burned. 00:06:58.920 --> 00:07:01.240 Wicked, wicked world that it was. 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:08.000 Furthermore, those in high office, whether you're talking about the priesthood or in politics, 00:07:08.180 --> 00:07:12.600 were just absolutely engaged in all kinds of wicked behavior across the board. 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:23.040 Demon worship, seeking of signs from the dead, had replaced a dependence in Israel on the word of God and relying upon what God had to say. 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:30.480 And so you'd have to recognize, looking back at that day, that civil government and religious leadership was absolutely morally bankrupt. 00:07:31.260 --> 00:07:32.960 Sounds a little bit like today, doesn't it? 00:07:33.520 --> 00:07:38.220 Every time you pick up the news or read the news or listen to the news, 00:07:38.220 --> 00:07:49.620 you're hearing about one scandal and one mess after another, and it wasn't any different back then in the time that Isaiah was writing about in the nation of Israel. 00:07:50.060 --> 00:07:52.420 There was no soundness anywhere. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:54.440 And so here we are. 00:07:54.780 --> 00:08:03.580 It may be Christmas Eve for us, but it deserves to be said that the nation that you and I live in is not unlike the ancient Israel. 00:08:03.579 --> 00:08:18.500 Messy, broken, corrupt, and everywhere we look, we kind of see that the spiritual tenor of our nation is not radically different from the nation of Israel back many, many years ago. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:32.639 It's interesting to recognize that the biblical stability and the foundations that Alex de Tocqueville once so respected as being cohesive in our nation and our culture are largely gone. 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:40.299 The things that held us together as a people today have dissipated and are on the margins. 00:08:40.460 --> 00:08:46.019 When you come down to the things that are at least supposedly held in common by us, it's not there anymore. 00:08:46.980 --> 00:08:52.639 And it is interesting to stop and realize that when you look over the history of God's dealing with his people, 00:08:52.639 --> 00:09:05.779 you recognize that the preface of every revelation of his gifting and his care for us has always been set against the backdrop of some very difficult times. 00:09:06.460 --> 00:09:11.759 Let me encourage you to kind of hold on to that because there are probably some of you sitting here this morning that in reality, 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:14.319 as you think about the life that you're living at the moment, 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:20.780 it seems that while you're here in this lighted room, there's a pall, there's a dark cloud over you, 00:09:20.800 --> 00:09:23.340 and you're wondering, where is God in the middle of this? 00:09:24.620 --> 00:09:31.340 A broad review of Bible prophecies and God's interaction with us would reveal that over and over again, 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:35.700 the times in which he has stepped in and showed himself so faithful and so wonderful 00:09:35.700 --> 00:09:40.000 has always been against the backdrop of really messy situations. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:45.820 Let me begin by reminding you of what happened in the garden with the fall, 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:50.620 and right after that, we have the promise of the coming someday of God's son, 00:09:50.940 --> 00:09:53.879 the provision through his son coming to the earth. 00:09:55.159 --> 00:10:00.139 The Genesis promise was given against the backdrop of sin entering the world. 00:10:01.139 --> 00:10:08.720 Interestingly enough, the imagery of the Passover and the lamb and the blood put on the doorpost and on the lentil 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:15.920 came against the backdrop of the nation of Israel suffering tremendously under the slavery that they were subjected to there in Egypt. 00:10:16.740 --> 00:10:22.639 And the images of Isaiah that we've been working our way through in our study of the cornerstone 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:27.540 and of the righteous branch that would be a blessing to the nation of Israel, 00:10:27.899 --> 00:10:33.060 those very things that were given as promises and hopes were given against the backdrop 00:10:33.060 --> 00:10:36.960 of an absolutely rotten spiritual state in the nation. 00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:42.680 And so as we look around this morning, I think one of the things that we need to do is not just kind of, 00:10:42.780 --> 00:10:48.360 well, Christmas is coming, but let's realize that against the backdrop of the messiness of the world we live in, 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:49.720 we can trust him. 00:10:50.019 --> 00:10:56.259 We can trust him to make and have victory over sin in his perfect time. 00:10:56.820 --> 00:11:03.560 He who brought about the birth of our Savior at the perfect time 00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:08.879 is working in our world and working in our life. 00:11:09.379 --> 00:11:13.519 And we need to remember that as we struggle from time to time. 00:11:14.219 --> 00:11:18.659 So you look here and you find in this passage kind of the opening statement is, 00:11:18.779 --> 00:11:24.219 the world's a mess back then, now, and yet we have the promise of his coming. 00:11:24.339 --> 00:11:27.079 And I want us to focus the majority of our time on that. 00:11:27.159 --> 00:11:28.839 Pick up there, if you will, in 9.6. 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:36.740 For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given. 00:11:37.060 --> 00:11:42.720 Now, Isaiah was directed to prophesy the fact that a child would come. 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:49.879 And the text makes it clear that in the incarnation, Jesus was born and took on full humanity. 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:59.820 He who created this world, the one who chose all things to be as they are and has been in complete control of all of history, 00:12:00.019 --> 00:12:06.840 is the one who also willingly came and went through the same process of being born that you and I have. 00:12:07.500 --> 00:12:10.220 I was talking with one of our men yesterday, 00:12:10.220 --> 00:12:18.920 and he was sharing that his daughter and son-in-law had gone through the birth of their seventh child at home. 00:12:19.220 --> 00:12:19.519 Okay? 00:12:19.860 --> 00:12:22.320 I got to tell you, it was a little scary for me to... 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:23.560 Where's Judith? 00:12:23.660 --> 00:12:24.420 She's out here somewhere? 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:26.340 Yeah, hi. 00:12:27.920 --> 00:12:33.320 I didn't have much to do with our births other than just kind of being a... 00:12:33.320 --> 00:12:34.800 I'll get myself in trouble. 00:12:34.899 --> 00:12:35.899 We'll stop while I'm ahead. 00:12:35.899 --> 00:12:35.939 Okay. 00:12:39.139 --> 00:12:45.179 But when you think about it, birth is a little messy and a little painful, right? 00:12:45.980 --> 00:12:52.919 I mean, if you had to choose to go through the process of coming into the world and you were in control, how would you do it? 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:56.539 I'd just arrive moderately adult, right? 00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:58.120 It's like, boom, there I am. 00:12:58.439 --> 00:13:00.799 30 and never get any older, and that'd be it. 00:13:01.460 --> 00:13:02.179 Not Jesus. 00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:03.240 He came as a child. 00:13:03.319 --> 00:13:04.100 He came as an infant. 00:13:04.100 --> 00:13:07.000 He came the same way that you and I were born. 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:16.820 And here is Isaiah telling us that our triune God chose to give us his only begotten son and to send him into this earth, to this world. 00:13:17.420 --> 00:13:21.100 So I want you to stop just for a minute as you ponder what it says here in verse 6. 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:23.360 A child is born and a son is given. 00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:28.160 And I want you to step back in your thinking to Isaiah chapter 6. 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:35.139 Here in Isaiah 9, we hear about the coming of our Savior and the incarnation. 00:13:35.740 --> 00:13:37.699 But in Isaiah 6, what do we hear? 00:13:38.439 --> 00:13:47.639 We hear of Isaiah's vision of the glory of the Lord, and we see him high and lifted up. 00:13:47.879 --> 00:13:53.059 His train filled the temple and his glory over the entire earth and his reign as well. 00:13:53.059 --> 00:14:07.239 And so here we have the same sovereign Lord of this universe willingly coming and being born in human flesh and willing to take our sins upon himself. 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:15.279 There is really no similar idea anywhere else in any other religion in this world. 00:14:16.060 --> 00:14:21.940 A couple weeks ago, I was having a conversation with a young man about the subject of faith. 00:14:21.940 --> 00:14:29.940 And interestingly, we got into the subject, not into the details of how that happened, but as we were kind of working our way through, 00:14:30.040 --> 00:14:34.920 he was talking about how most religions, all religions actually are all pretty much the same. 00:14:35.900 --> 00:14:40.200 And I said, the fact of the matter is, there is an aspect to which every religion is similar. 00:14:41.280 --> 00:14:44.280 Every religion recognizes that there's a problem with sin. 00:14:44.420 --> 00:14:44.920 Isn't that right? 00:14:44.919 --> 00:14:50.099 In fact, whether or not you believe in religion, I've had people say, well, I'm an atheist. 00:14:50.659 --> 00:14:55.219 And, oh, that's all well and good, but do you believe that there's a problem with sin? 00:14:56.620 --> 00:14:57.599 Well, not really. 00:14:57.740 --> 00:15:01.139 Okay, so if I do this to you, are you offended by it? 00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:02.879 Well, yeah. 00:15:03.179 --> 00:15:07.559 What if I lie about you and I steal from you or I harm you? 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:09.000 Is that wrong? 00:15:10.299 --> 00:15:13.000 Well, if you do it to me, it's wrong. 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:21.379 If I do it to you, well, you can blame it on my upbringing, you can blame it on my genetics, you can blame it on my biology, 00:15:21.539 --> 00:15:24.039 you can blame it on my chemistry, but it's not sin. 00:15:24.759 --> 00:15:25.139 Really? 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:27.919 Okay, he didn't go there, but my point is this. 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:33.000 We're actually better than we think at identifying sin in other people. 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:34.759 We're not real good in seeing it ourselves. 00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:51.720 Talking about the issue, I said every religion recognizes the problem with sin, but all come to one conclusion of how to remedy it except for faith in Christ. 00:15:52.139 --> 00:15:58.240 Every other religion proposes that the way you solve the sin problem is by doing something about it yourself. 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:04.680 And so you work at it a little bit, you try to be a little better person, you get a little better education. 00:16:04.980 --> 00:16:12.399 There are a lot of ways you can go about solving the sin problem if what the idea is is that you can kind of work your way through it. 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:19.200 Reality of it is that we cannot work our way through it because we do not have the capacity. 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:29.240 And God, recognizing that we could not solve our sin problem, sent his only begotten son to be the remedy for our sins. 00:16:30.180 --> 00:16:40.120 And as you look at Isaiah in 6, we see the Lord high and lifted up, the one that is the controller and sovereign of this universe. 00:16:40.660 --> 00:16:45.620 And then in Isaiah chapter 9, we see that he is ready and willing to come as our Savior. 00:16:45.620 --> 00:16:51.100 Now, before we go further, I'd like you to stop and think forward a little bit. 00:16:51.159 --> 00:16:55.899 And I know Pastor is going to preach Isaiah chapter 53 on Easter. 00:16:55.980 --> 00:16:56.399 Am I right? 00:16:56.539 --> 00:16:57.899 I'm telling you ahead of time, we'll get there. 00:16:57.980 --> 00:16:58.419 It's great. 00:16:58.860 --> 00:17:02.759 So in Isaiah, you see the Lord high and lifted up. 00:17:03.139 --> 00:17:09.460 In Isaiah, you see the coming of our Savior as a baby and ready to be our sacrifice. 00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:15.799 In Isaiah chapter 53, you hear about him willingly being the sacrifice for our sins. 00:17:17.340 --> 00:17:21.740 And so I want you to imagine just for a moment that here we are stuck in the middle or standing in the middle, 00:17:22.120 --> 00:17:27.240 looking at the reality of Jesus coming to this earth to be our Savior. 00:17:27.360 --> 00:17:31.000 And that's what we find here in Isaiah chapter 6 or 9. 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:39.059 Let's take a look further at what the passage tells us about the promise of his return and reign. 00:17:39.679 --> 00:17:43.220 And what we find in Isaiah chapter 9, the remainder of 6 and 7, 00:17:43.399 --> 00:17:48.339 is really pointing to the future that we look forward to in Christ's return. 00:17:49.019 --> 00:17:50.839 So here's what we find. 00:17:51.259 --> 00:17:54.359 Isaiah speaks of Christ's coming in the flesh. 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:59.960 And then he steps forward and explains what the benefit ultimately is going to be of Jesus' coming. 00:18:00.379 --> 00:18:01.779 Let me read it to you here for a moment. 00:18:01.779 --> 00:18:04.980 And the government shall be upon his shoulder. 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:12.619 And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 00:18:13.339 --> 00:18:20.440 So let's think about some of the things that come about by virtue of Jesus' coming and being our Savior. 00:18:20.579 --> 00:18:23.879 For one, he is going to govern justly. 00:18:24.740 --> 00:18:26.779 He's going to govern justly. 00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:29.420 The government will be upon his shoulders. 00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:36.339 And what it's saying is that the weight of responsibility of leadership that is for the good of the people 00:18:36.339 --> 00:18:44.099 will be on those perfect shoulders, wise, caring, loving, merciful, just. 00:18:44.099 --> 00:18:50.740 His government will be one of peace and justice and righteousness. 00:18:51.799 --> 00:18:52.819 The words are packed. 00:18:53.339 --> 00:18:56.059 And I want you to stop and think about the government that we enjoy. 00:18:56.179 --> 00:18:59.699 And I want to speak with all respect to the president that we have at the moment. 00:19:00.619 --> 00:19:05.039 I sometimes find myself just a little embarrassed by some of the tweets. 00:19:05.379 --> 00:19:06.679 Any of you struggle with that? 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:12.399 And I think to myself, oh, Lord, I want Jesus back sooner than later. 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:16.680 But lest you think I have a bias towards the present president, 00:19:17.040 --> 00:19:21.700 let me tell you that I found myself equally embarrassed by every other one that I've lived under. 00:19:23.120 --> 00:19:23.640 Why? 00:19:24.340 --> 00:19:30.200 Because they're men of like passion as I am, and they're not the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:19:31.300 --> 00:19:37.320 I look forward to the day that he will govern with absolute justice, 00:19:37.320 --> 00:19:41.420 and he will govern in a way that leaves no shadow or question. 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:48.980 I want you to recognize the four little words that are used to describe our Savior there in Isaiah chapter 9. 00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:52.140 Picking up there in the latter part of 6, it says, 00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:55.160 He will be called Wonderful Counselor. 00:19:56.360 --> 00:19:57.740 Wonderful Counselor. 00:19:58.680 --> 00:20:01.740 If you were to ask a person, what is it that you really need? 00:20:01.740 --> 00:20:07.319 I've bumped into people that say, well, what I need is a million dollars. 00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:11.720 And people would say, well, I just need a little more money. 00:20:11.819 --> 00:20:12.519 I need this. 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:13.059 I need that. 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:15.940 The truth of the matter is, is that's not the primary need we have. 00:20:16.140 --> 00:20:17.480 We need direction. 00:20:17.740 --> 00:20:18.519 We need counsel. 00:20:18.779 --> 00:20:20.259 We need to know what to do. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:20.799 Isn't that right? 00:20:21.700 --> 00:20:23.279 Tell me what to do. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:27.500 And when we think about the Lord Jesus as the Wonderful Counselor, 00:20:27.740 --> 00:20:30.700 I want you to recognize that in saying this about him, 00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:36.940 the Scripture is confessing that he alone is the one that we can absolutely rely on 00:20:36.940 --> 00:20:38.759 to give us the counsel that we need. 00:20:39.879 --> 00:20:46.240 He is the one that you can trust to give you counsel for the decisions of your life, 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:48.139 for the direction of what you should do, 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:52.079 for handling the challenges, dealing with your own heart. 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:57.679 And by the way, in that he is the Wonderful Counselor, 00:20:58.019 --> 00:21:05.639 we can understand his counsel already by virtue of the word that he has given us. 00:21:06.919 --> 00:21:14.980 His wonderful counsel that we have received and that we will receive is given to us in the word. 00:21:16.039 --> 00:21:17.759 You're there in Isaiah chapter 8, 00:21:17.859 --> 00:21:21.480 but I want you to put your finger just for a moment on Isaiah chapter 8 verse 20. 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:23.019 Let me read it to you carefully. 00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:26.599 And I would ask that you underline it. 00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:32.059 Before we actually get there, in James chapter 1 it says, 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:33.759 If any man lacks wisdom, let him what? 00:21:34.819 --> 00:21:35.920 Ask of God. 00:21:36.819 --> 00:21:40.579 Hey, I'm not sure should I buy the red car or the blue car. 00:21:42.180 --> 00:21:43.200 Give me a break. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:48.080 If you lack wisdom, ask of God. 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:55.360 And asking of God invariably should direct us back to the scriptures themselves. 00:21:57.120 --> 00:22:01.640 So we read in Isaiah chapter 8 verse 20, and I'm curious whether you have this underlined. 00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:03.799 It is worth underlining in your Bible. 00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:10.859 To the teaching and to the testimony, if they will not speak according to this word, 00:22:11.059 --> 00:22:13.220 it is because they have no dawn. 00:22:13.940 --> 00:22:16.139 They're not on page. 00:22:16.779 --> 00:22:18.139 They're not clear. 00:22:18.140 --> 00:22:27.640 And so one of the ways in which you can know whether or not the counsel you're receiving reflects the wonderful counselor 00:22:27.640 --> 00:22:34.400 is by taking what you hear and stacking it up against the word of God itself. 00:22:34.780 --> 00:22:35.120 Right? 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:36.560 Right? 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:50.399 Sadly, sadly, there are people that live their lives without much attention at all, 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:54.220 professing believers to what the scripture has to say. 00:22:55.399 --> 00:22:59.460 Whether it has to do with their marriage, whether it has to do with their jobs, 00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:05.799 whether it has to deal with solving interpersonal relationships within the body of Christ, 00:23:05.799 --> 00:23:12.419 within the family, it's like, I'd rather consult a psychologist than the Bible. 00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:13.559 Really? 00:23:14.940 --> 00:23:19.000 Here we are professing that we are blessed to have the wonderful counselor, 00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:22.460 and we can rely upon his word to give us counsel. 00:23:23.220 --> 00:23:26.579 So, he is the wonderful counselor. 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:31.720 The second word that is used here is that he will be also known as the mighty God. 00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:34.279 Good counsel is valuable. 00:23:35.799 --> 00:23:41.500 And one of the things that I can tell you as a pastor now of many years 00:23:41.500 --> 00:23:45.220 is that on occasion when Pastor Saul and I were working together, 00:23:45.299 --> 00:23:48.279 and I see this also happening with Pastor Shearer and I, 00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:51.539 sometimes people would not like what Pastor Saul had to say. 00:23:52.879 --> 00:23:53.259 You know. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:55.659 And they would come to me. 00:23:55.660 --> 00:24:01.080 Or sometimes they wouldn't like what I had to say, and they would go to pastor. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:05.420 And the stunning thing is that we both read the same book. 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:08.519 And we both believed its sufficiency. 00:24:09.620 --> 00:24:11.660 And we irritated them both times. 00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:14.900 It's like, that's just what Pastor Saul said. 00:24:15.420 --> 00:24:15.800 Really? 00:24:16.360 --> 00:24:17.680 He must read the same book. 00:24:18.279 --> 00:24:19.820 Pastor, we've had that experience already. 00:24:19.819 --> 00:24:24.159 Oh, I better go check with Pastor Knoyer because I didn't like what Pastor Shearer said. 00:24:24.220 --> 00:24:24.399 Really? 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:25.419 Oh, okay. 00:24:25.679 --> 00:24:27.879 Well, I better go check with Pastor Shearer because I didn't like it. 00:24:28.379 --> 00:24:29.879 Hey, we read the same book. 00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:37.599 Good counsel only is valuable to a certain point, particularly when it comes from a person, 00:24:37.679 --> 00:24:41.599 because the person can give you good counsel but can't help you get there. 00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:47.299 I like the fact that not only is he the wonderful counselor, but he's the mighty God. 00:24:47.379 --> 00:24:48.240 Now, what do I mean by that? 00:24:48.359 --> 00:24:49.619 He can get us there. 00:24:50.539 --> 00:24:51.519 I like that. 00:24:53.339 --> 00:24:56.079 Well, Tim, you have a problem with your anger. 00:24:57.480 --> 00:24:57.879 Yeah, I know. 00:25:01.699 --> 00:25:02.679 That's not my phone. 00:25:04.699 --> 00:25:05.099 Okay. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:08.079 Tim, you have a problem with your anger. 00:25:09.299 --> 00:25:10.199 Yeah, I do. 00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:12.240 But I can't help it. 00:25:12.680 --> 00:25:17.160 My dad was an angry man, and I grew up in an angry environment, and you don't know my biology, 00:25:17.460 --> 00:25:17.840 and blah, blah, blah. 00:25:18.140 --> 00:25:18.480 Really? 00:25:20.340 --> 00:25:20.680 Really? 00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:23.500 Here's the beauty of my Savior. 00:25:24.180 --> 00:25:27.779 Not only can he save me, but he can help me change. 00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:32.400 I want you to turn in your Bibles just for a moment to what our mighty God does to help us 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:33.559 with this little problem we have. 00:25:33.900 --> 00:25:36.279 Turn to Philippians 2, verse 12 and 13. 00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:44.339 One of the unbelievable blessings of being a believer, listen carefully, is you are not stuck being who you are. 00:25:44.339 --> 00:25:51.559 Philippians 2. 00:25:51.559 --> 00:25:51.559 00:25:51.559 --> 00:25:59.879 My pages are not sticking together. 00:25:59.980 --> 00:26:00.899 It's just taking me time. 00:26:01.740 --> 00:26:02.619 Okay, here we go. 00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:04.059 Philippians 2, verse 12. 00:26:04.059 --> 00:26:16.119 You know what? 00:26:16.119 --> 00:26:18.480 Get to work. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:21.000 You know what? 00:26:21.319 --> 00:26:25.460 As I get older, I probably am getting a little impatient with people who tell me, well, that's just the way I am. 00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:27.339 You know. 00:26:28.539 --> 00:26:33.660 If you're an unregenerate person, all I can do is encourage you to know Jesus. 00:26:33.779 --> 00:26:40.140 But when you're a believer and you tell me, well, that's just the way I am, I'm less patient than I used to be. 00:26:40.839 --> 00:26:41.759 It's like, really? 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:46.420 You mean the Savior who saved you just can't help you much? 00:26:47.339 --> 00:26:48.920 Philippians 2, verse 12. 00:26:49.940 --> 00:26:51.640 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:53.879 Here's the really, really, really good part. 00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:54.779 You can underline this one. 00:26:55.379 --> 00:26:57.680 For it is God who works in you both to will. 00:26:57.759 --> 00:27:02.500 How many of you would like to really have the will to lose more weight? 00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:04.799 I'm just trying out. 00:27:05.339 --> 00:27:07.559 A little practical application here. 00:27:08.039 --> 00:27:08.200 Okay. 00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:15.340 He will give you the will, I think that's what it's saying, and to work for his good pleasure. 00:27:16.840 --> 00:27:18.080 Get to work. 00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:20.700 And how am I going to get to work? 00:27:20.920 --> 00:27:25.220 It's because God is working in me to help me change. 00:27:25.980 --> 00:27:29.039 How does that relate to Isaiah chapter 6 or 9? 00:27:29.660 --> 00:27:30.600 Here's what it says. 00:27:31.160 --> 00:27:32.539 He's going to be the wonderful counselor. 00:27:33.160 --> 00:27:35.259 He's going to be the mighty God. 00:27:35.420 --> 00:27:36.400 He's going to help you. 00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:38.620 I love that fact. 00:27:40.160 --> 00:27:55.960 And here, as we think about our Lord Jesus Christ, Isaiah wants us to understand that the one who is coming that will be our Savior and is our Savior is not only the one who gives us wise counsel that matches up with the word of God, 00:27:56.040 --> 00:28:01.759 but also is actively engaged in helping us change to be like Jesus. 00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:07.019 Third, he will be the everlasting Father. 00:28:09.019 --> 00:28:18.200 And I have to tell you that probably a little hard for us to kind of think through this, but because we think about God being our Father, and here is Jesus being called our Father. 00:28:18.519 --> 00:28:19.160 What's the deal? 00:28:19.160 --> 00:28:40.540 Probably the best way to frame that is to understand that here is this statement about our Lord Jesus Christ that is communicating the idea that he is really the one who is behind our existence and behind our salvation. 00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:49.039 He is the one who is the creator and sustainer of who we are, and we owe our being and our life to him. 00:28:50.420 --> 00:28:50.960 That's it. 00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:52.339 The Father relationship. 00:28:52.339 --> 00:29:03.559 And again, you look at that passage that we just referenced earlier in Philippians 2, verse 12, and he's at work helping us be different than we would be. 00:29:05.659 --> 00:29:10.939 One other thing that we find here in this passage in Isaiah, and I want you to look at that, he will be the prince of peace. 00:29:12.619 --> 00:29:20.000 Isaiah 9, verse 7, he will be the prince of peace. 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:23.259 Kind of a sobering thought when you stop and really think about it. 00:29:23.319 --> 00:29:33.180 I remember reading on the Internet yesterday of, I forget where the Marine General was, and we have a tendency to kind of believe the Marines are serious people about warfare. 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:39.799 And this Marine General was kind of making the comment at one of the bases about there's a war coming. 00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:42.259 How many of you like the idea of that? 00:29:43.059 --> 00:29:46.420 I mean, it's fine to watch on the History Channel, but to be really involved in one? 00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:47.339 No, it's not. 00:29:47.339 --> 00:29:54.859 And if you're a student of history, you'll really know that there really have not been very many times of peace. 00:29:55.839 --> 00:30:10.079 The fact of the matter is, if you kind of chronicle all the warfare that takes place in the world, you recognize that what we would perceive as peace tends to be just little respites where, because of exhaustion or victory for a temporary period of time, 00:30:10.079 --> 00:30:15.519 people kind of sit back and they don't go at it, but sooner or later, guess what happens? 00:30:16.839 --> 00:30:17.779 There you are again. 00:30:17.939 --> 00:30:18.179 Why? 00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:26.859 Because of the depraved and hardened hearts of mankind, there will be no peace until Christ comes back. 00:30:26.859 --> 00:30:37.759 And here, Isaiah refers to the fact that the day is coming when Jesus will be the one who brings about lasting peace, 00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:42.619 and he will cause warfare to cease forever. 00:30:43.979 --> 00:30:44.899 Why is that? 00:30:44.900 --> 00:30:49.200 Can you stop and think just for a moment? 00:30:50.420 --> 00:31:01.480 Can you stop and think about how radically our community and our economy would be changed if sin were completely removed? 00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:05.700 We'd have lots of people looking for new jobs. 00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:09.460 Poor John Higgins. 00:31:10.360 --> 00:31:13.579 Probably have to figure out something else besides being a police officer. 00:31:14.299 --> 00:31:14.900 Poor Greg. 00:31:15.140 --> 00:31:18.120 You know, it's like, I can't be an officer anymore? 00:31:18.620 --> 00:31:23.660 You know, it's like, my son, Seth, can't be a soldier anymore? 00:31:24.140 --> 00:31:27.279 How many of you would mind having a change of plans like that, right? 00:31:27.579 --> 00:31:29.620 The Lord come back and solve the problem for us. 00:31:30.039 --> 00:31:31.200 And here's what it says. 00:31:31.200 --> 00:31:34.100 It says, when he comes, he is going to be the prince of peace. 00:31:35.860 --> 00:31:39.080 So let me ask you this, as we kind of push this forward. 00:31:40.700 --> 00:31:45.779 Isaiah tells us that Jesus would come. 00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:47.880 And you and I know that he did. 00:31:48.580 --> 00:31:50.279 Tomorrow we're going to celebrate that fact. 00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:57.539 The passage that we're looking at in particular here in 6 and 7 00:31:57.539 --> 00:32:01.359 is really talking about the fact of his incarnation, 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:05.539 but then the predominant focus is on the fact he's coming back again. 00:32:06.539 --> 00:32:11.680 And so two things in relationship to that that I want to press together and then leave with you. 00:32:11.960 --> 00:32:16.700 Number one, those of us who know Christ, it says in 1 John, 00:32:16.700 --> 00:32:19.600 they that have this hope in them, 00:32:19.600 --> 00:32:23.000 they that have this hope in them purify themselves even as he is pure. 00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:31.700 The anticipation of Jesus coming back is something that makes a difference in the life of the believer. 00:32:31.819 --> 00:32:32.279 Isn't that right? 00:32:32.279 --> 00:32:35.299 Hey, it's going to be all right. 00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:37.559 I know Jesus is coming back. 00:32:37.940 --> 00:32:41.799 I want to live with my eye on his return. 00:32:41.799 --> 00:32:49.159 I want to have an ambition and an interest in his supremacy, not my own. 00:32:51.159 --> 00:32:56.460 On the other hand, if you are here today and do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, 00:32:56.599 --> 00:33:00.740 let me tell you, the reality of the matter is this, is he is coming back. 00:33:02.059 --> 00:33:08.220 And when he comes, the reason that peace will come to the entire world 00:33:08.220 --> 00:33:15.839 is he is going to throw Satan and his followers into eternity in hell and suffering forever. 00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:18.259 There will be punishment for sin. 00:33:19.420 --> 00:33:22.819 And here I have the privilege of announcing to you 00:33:22.819 --> 00:33:28.039 that you have a window of opportunity of coming with a contrite and broken heart 00:33:28.039 --> 00:33:32.779 and saying, I know my life is a mess and I need Jesus 00:33:32.779 --> 00:33:37.480 and I want him to forgive me and to save me before it's too late. 00:33:38.220 --> 00:33:44.720 There may be a small percentage of you here today 00:33:44.720 --> 00:33:47.579 that haven't finished your Christmas shopping. 00:33:51.539 --> 00:33:54.400 This morning as Judith and I were having coffee, she said to me, 00:33:54.460 --> 00:33:55.839 oh, hey, look at this. 00:33:57.559 --> 00:34:00.539 She did mention the store and I'm not going to mention it. 00:34:00.600 --> 00:34:02.319 It wasn't Meyer, just in case you're wondering. 00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:04.819 But she says, look at this. 00:34:05.259 --> 00:34:09.440 You can order from blah, blah, and you can go pick it up today 00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:11.460 and have it in time for Christmas. 00:34:17.699 --> 00:34:25.440 Not having presents for Christmas is no biggie 00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:30.800 in comparison to not having come to grips with the reality 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:33.800 that you stand condemned before a holy God 00:34:33.800 --> 00:34:39.500 and have no hope of salvation apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:34:41.420 --> 00:34:42.539 The day is coming. 00:34:43.880 --> 00:34:45.099 Jesus is coming back. 00:34:45.099 --> 00:34:50.860 And so when we look at this passage that reminds us, first of all, 00:34:51.099 --> 00:34:52.839 of a promise made that's been fulfilled, 00:34:53.599 --> 00:34:57.279 this passage also reminds us of a promise made 00:34:57.279 --> 00:35:00.880 that may even take place today. 00:35:04.599 --> 00:35:08.420 Waleed Bitar, who is our missionary in Ottawa, 00:35:08.420 --> 00:35:10.980 he called me the other day, 00:35:11.240 --> 00:35:18.000 and you who know Waleed know that pretty much every time he talks, 00:35:18.200 --> 00:35:19.360 he says, he didn't come. 00:35:20.260 --> 00:35:23.700 I can't do it with that Lebanese accent that he did, 00:35:23.740 --> 00:35:25.159 but it blows me up every time. 00:35:25.680 --> 00:35:27.280 You're right, Waleed, but maybe tomorrow. 00:35:28.840 --> 00:35:31.159 The fact of the matter is, is Jesus is coming back. 00:35:32.720 --> 00:35:37.780 And it should be something that causes each of us here who know Christ 00:35:37.780 --> 00:35:44.500 to anticipate and live in the shadow of that expectation. 00:35:45.540 --> 00:35:46.600 He's coming back. 00:35:47.200 --> 00:35:48.200 He's coming back. 00:35:48.820 --> 00:35:49.840 He's coming back. 00:35:51.080 --> 00:35:54.640 On the other hand, there are those that are here today that don't know Christ. 00:35:55.860 --> 00:35:59.160 And I don't want you to walk out of here thinking that I'm indifferent 00:35:59.160 --> 00:36:05.100 to your unregenerate and hopeless heart. 00:36:05.099 --> 00:36:11.099 And it is in Christ's stead that I plead with you to be reconciled to him 00:36:11.099 --> 00:36:15.619 who died and rose again 00:36:15.619 --> 00:36:19.420 and is the only hope of salvation that we have. 00:36:20.839 --> 00:36:22.460 And that's the Christmas message. 00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:25.259 Let's close in prayer. 00:36:25.260 --> 00:36:37.620 Father God, I am overwhelmed when I stop and think 00:36:37.620 --> 00:36:42.260 that tomorrow we're going to celebrate 00:36:42.260 --> 00:36:47.220 the reminder that you sent your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:36:47.219 --> 00:36:51.399 Lord of glory, to take on human flesh, 00:36:53.219 --> 00:36:59.259 that he could justly die for our sins 00:36:59.259 --> 00:37:04.879 and satisfy the penalty that we have incurred. 00:37:04.880 --> 00:37:10.740 And I'm thankful for the privilege of being able to preach on Christmas Eve 00:37:10.740 --> 00:37:14.200 of the fact that you, having provided your Son, 00:37:16.200 --> 00:37:19.380 have offered to all who will confess their sins 00:37:19.380 --> 00:37:23.980 and believe in Jesus complete forgiveness and salvation. 00:37:23.980 --> 00:37:29.159 And I would pray that this morning, as we close off our service with singing, 00:37:29.740 --> 00:37:34.780 that we who are believers would have our hearts lifted up to say thank you 00:37:34.780 --> 00:37:39.320 and that those that are here that do not know Christ 00:37:39.320 --> 00:37:43.119 would be drawn to the cross to repentance and faith. 00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:45.599 We ask this in Jesus' name. 00:37:46.139 --> 00:37:46.420 Amen. 00:37:46.420 --> 00:37:46.539 Amen. 00:37:46.539 --> 00:37:46.599 Amen. 00:37:53.980 --> 00:37:54.980 Amen.