In a few days, we're going to begin a new year with a lot of new faces, new voices leading our government.
But for many years, no matter who is in the White House or which party controls Congress,
most Americans are very pessimistic about our government.
It seems that the words of former President Ronald Reagan, words he said 30 years ago,
it seems that it becomes more accurate with each passing year.
You remember them.
The nine most terrifying words in the English language are,
I'm from the government and I'm here to help.
Those words are probably true about every government in the world.
But the Bible tells us about a future government that God's people will not fear.
That we will not fear.
Because it will be the government of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The future government over which Jesus will rule.
The future government over which He will preside is a part of the Christmas story that sometimes gets overlooked.
But it's a part of the angel's message to Mary.
The angel told her that she had been chosen by God to be the mother of God's Son.
Look at what was said.
The angel said,
Now that statement was really compiled from several Old Testament prophecies.
where God had promised He was going to send His Messiah.
One of the more well-known prophecies,
one that's very familiar to us at Christmas time,
is Isaiah chapter 9, verses 6 and 7.
That's sort of been our unofficial theme for Christmas this year.
I started,
I preached one message on it.
The children's choir,
we have sung about certain aspects of this.
Let's read it one more time.
Isaiah chapter 9, verses 6 and 7.
For unto 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.
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.
The baby whose birth we celebrate
this morning
is no ordinary baby.
He is King Jesus,
the Son of God,
who will one day return to this world
and rule over an eternal government,
a government that we can have
absolute confidence in
and never fear,
never distrust
because of who leads it.
Just think,
one day we can trust our government
because King Jesus
will rule over it completely.
Look at this phrase from Isaiah.
The government shall be upon His shoulder.
One commentator said
this may refer to how a king
would sometimes wear a golden chain
around his neck
that hung down
and rested on his shoulder,
symbolizing his authority.
When Jesus returns to this world,
He is not going to come
as He did the first time,
as a vulnerable baby.
He's going to come
in power,
in authority,
as the Almighty Son of God
and the sovereign ruler
of this world.
His rule will be characterized
by peace,
not war,
justice,
not favoritism,
and righteousness,
never corruption.
That leads us to another reason
why we'll be able to trust
this government,
the government of Jesus.
King Jesus will rule over it
with the highest character.
Look at the phrase again from Isaiah.
To establish it
and to uphold it
with justice
and with righteousness.
We live in a day
where the character of leaders,
it seems,
just doesn't matter.
It's been that way
for quite some time.
But deep down,
we know better.
And deep down,
we really want better.
And the day will come
when we will get better
because we're going to get
a perfect leader.
We're going to get a leader
that we can trust
because of who He is
and because of what He does.
Look back,
if you've got your Bible open,
in Isaiah,
chapter 9,
verse 6,
at the names
or the titles
that Isaiah prophesied
would be given to Jesus.
Think about what,
think about the person Jesus is
as well as
the power that He has
using these names.
As wonderful counselor,
He guides us
with perfect wisdom.
We can count on that.
As mighty God,
He protects us
with His sovereign power.
As everlasting Father,
He cares for us
with unending love.
Then as Prince of Peace,
He provides us
with peace with God
and the peace of God.
which we looked at
last night.
It will not be difficult
for us to trust
the government
of King Jesus
because we will have
absolute confidence
in Him,
in who He is,
His character,
in what He has done
and is doing
because He is
God Almighty,
God in the flesh.
One day,
we will be able
to trust our government
and never have to worry
about it changing
because King Jesus
will rule over it
forever.
Look at one more phrase.
Of the increase
of His government
and of peace,
there will be
no end.
His government
will always be growing
and expanding,
but not like
the federal government
of the United States
that's always growing,
that's always expanding
its bureaucracy.
This government,
the government
of King Jesus,
will always be in the,
be growing in the positive qualities
of this King,
growing in the positive qualities
of peace,
of justice,
of righteousness.
What Ronald Reagan
said 30 years ago,
he said it,
there was truth,
but it was intended
to be funny,
a lot of humor,
but if you stop
and think about it,
there's too much truth
in this statement.
The nine most terrifying words
in the English language
are,
I'm from the government
and I'm here to help.
But the words of Jesus,
none of them
are ever scary.
They're comforting.
For an example,
in John 10,
Jesus said,
I came that they
may have life
and have it
abundantly.
Now,
I must add
that those words
are only comforting
to those
who trust Jesus
as their Savior
and have already
submitted
to Him
as their King.
If you don't know
Jesus as your Savior
and as your King,
I want to encourage you
to turn to Him
right now.
There is no better day
than Christmas Day
for you to admit
to God
that you are in need
of the Savior
that He sent.
Turn from your sin.
Change your mind.
Stop living
for yourself.
Ask God
to help you.
Put your faith,
your confidence,
your absolute trust
in Jesus Christ
that when He died
on the cross,
He paid the penalty
for your sins.
He did everything
necessary
for you to be
forgiven by God,
to be made
a child of God.
So call upon Him
to save you.
now,
this Christmas Day.
I want to conclude
with the Christmas story
summarized in one verse.
For God so loved
the world,
He gave His only Son
that whoever believes
in Him
will not perish
but will have
eternal life.
And if you trust Him
or you will trust Him,
there's no greater
confidence,
no greater comfort
that you'll ever experience.
King Jesus,
we have confidence
in Him.
We always can.
Let's bow together
and thank Him
for that now.
Dear God,
thank you so much
for sending
your Son
into this world
to save us,
to make us
right with you,
to make us
your children.
Thank you, Father,
that through faith
in Jesus
we can be confident
that our sins
are forgiven,
that you are
our Heavenly Father,
that you will
enable us
to experience
peace with you
now
and for all
eternity.
We,
your children,
thank you
and praise you
for this
greatest
of all time
gifts.
the gift
of eternal life
in Jesus.
And Father,
we who are Christians,
we pray
right now
and ask that
you would move
in the life
of
everyone in this room
who's not a Christian
to draw them
to faith in Jesus
and that today,
Christmas Day,
2016,
will be their day
of salvation.
In Jesus' name
we pray.
Amen.