All right, would you take the Word of God with me and turn to Isaiah chapter 9.
Last Sunday, you heard our Minister of Music and Youth, Jared Adams,
preach the first sermon in this series from Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6,
and that was about our wonderful counselor.
I don't have Bo in here right now to bring this up to me, so I had to go get it myself.
Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6, week 1 in this series on His Name Will Be,
an Advent series from the prophet Isaiah.
Week 1 was about He is the wonderful counselor.
And the takeaway from last Sunday, not sure why that's showing up like that, I apologize,
was that Jesus is our living hope because in our living, we can turn to our wonderful counselor.
So Jesus is our living hope because in our living, we can turn to our wonderful counselor.
And then today, we're going to move right into the next name of God that we see in this verse,
which is Mighty God, Mighty God.
So we're looking in the book of Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6.
Would you mind standing with me in honor of the Word of God if you're able to?
And let's read Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6 together.
I'm reading from the Christian Standard Bible.
For a child is born to us.
A son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called, let's read it together, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Would you bow your heads in prayer with me?
Lord, we recognize you as our Wonderful Counselor, the Mightiest of All, our God.
The Everlasting Father.
No beginning and no end.
We talked about it with the kids just a moment ago.
And our Prince of Peace.
God, we need peace right now.
We need peace in this world.
We need peace in our church.
We need peace in our hearts.
And I pray that you would reign over it and bring peace to your people this morning.
It's in your name we pray.
Amen.
I want you to draw your attention to the two words there, Mighty God.
Mighty God.
Jesus is called our Mighty God.
What an incredible thought that this little baby, born in Bethlehem, in the manger that we see.
And, you know, if you really study out how that probably went, it was probably the main room of the house down below where they kept the animals.
And the guests would be in the extra bedroom upstairs in this kind of homely inn in Bethlehem, as was very likely that Jesus was born in.
And so it's interesting to see that even though he had the humblest of beginnings, he is called the mighty, mighty God.
What an incredible entrance into this world.
What an unlikely entrance into this world.
If you followed the Christmas story at all over your life, you know that the Jewish people were not looking for a little baby to come and be their great deliverer, their Messiah.
They were looking for a powerful king, a royal ruler who would come and rescue them from Roman rule, from occupation, and give them the freedom, give them the power that they thought they deserved as God's chosen people.
But God had a different plan, didn't he?
From the very beginning, before the foundation of the world, before you or I ever existed, God had a plan.
The mighty God had a plan to humble himself and be born of the Virgin Mary, be made in the likeness of men.
Being found in fashion as a man, we read in Philippians, he did humble himself.
He became like you and like me, and he suffered all temptation, but without sin.
What an incredible moment when the mighty God stepped down from his throne, took on human flesh, becoming like Jared talked to us about last week, that he was fully God, relatable in every way with you and me.
And yet, I'm sorry, fully man, relatable in every way along with you and me.
And yet never laid down his Godhood.
He was still fully God every step of the way, as we see by him performing these miracles that no man could ever perform.
By him rising from the dead, showing power over death when he healed up Lazarus, and then also when he raised himself from the dead.
He was our mighty God, and he still is today.
So, let's look at truth number one.
Truth number one, Jesus has always been for us.
Let's look back at Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6.
A child will be born.
What are those next two words?
For us.
A son will be given to us.
And I don't want to rehash what Jared already went over last Sunday when he talked about this a little bit.
But I just want to draw your attention to a few verses in the Bible that remind us that God is for us.
He is for you.
He is for me.
He has always been for me.
He was given for us.
He was given for you.
He has always been for us.
Romans 8 and verse 31.
If God is for us, who can be against us?
Let's read those two little words together.
If God is for us, who can be against us?
And then the next Romans 8, 32, the next verse up.
Let's read those underlined words in the next few verses together when we see them on the screen.
Ready?
He did not spare even his own son, but gave him up for us all.
God is for us.
And then in 1 Corinthians 11, 24.
When he had given thanks, Jesus broke it and said, this is my body, which is for you.
Over and over again, he emphasizes that he himself was for us.
Galatians chapter 3 and verse 13.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law.
What's it talking about?
The curse of the law.
You say God's law was a curse?
Yes, it was a curse in that it revealed how sinful we were and how we could never measure up.
We could never measure up to God's law.
Romans tells us that all have come short of the glory of God.
God's glory is so great, you and I can never reach it.
We might look in the mirror and think we're pretty good.
We've done all right compared to our neighbor.
We've done all right compared to the guy we work with.
We've done all right compared to the girl who gets her haircut next to us, you know.
But no, you and I can never measure up.
We will always fall short.
And so that is the curse of the law.
God's standard is so high that you and I could never attain it.
But Christ redeemed us from that.
He bought us back from that.
He said, I know they can't reach my glory.
I know they can't measure up to my standard.
I know they're imperfect people, but I love them anyway.
And I want to purchase them back to be my possession.
So he redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse.
Ready?
For us.
And then Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 2.
We're instructed to walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.
A fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.
That's how God sees us now.
As this beautiful offering.
You and me.
Messy us.
With all of our problems.
All of our baggage.
All of our insecurities.
All of our fears.
All of the hurt that we've been through.
All the hurt we've caused.
God wants us.
Gave himself up for us.
And now he says, walk in my love.
I introduced you to love.
Now go without love.
Walk with it.
And I will see that as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to me.
That's what he wants from us.
Say, man, I could never repay what Jesus did on the cross for me.
Yes, but he's telling you what he wants.
So give him what he wants.
Titus 2.14 reminds us again.
I'm telling you, it's all throughout the scriptures.
He gave himself for what?
For us.
To redeem us.
From all lawlessness.
To cleanse for himself.
A people.
For his own possession.
See, I didn't make that up.
God told us.
He wants us to be his possession.
He said, when I bought you with my blood.
I paid for you.
I paid your debt.
I paid for your sins.
And now I want you as my possession.
I'm going to cleanse you.
From all unrighteousness.
I'm going to help you be eager.
To do good works.
It's part of this redemption process.
It's a lifelong conforming.
Into his image.
We are bought.
We are sealed.
We are secure.
And now God's going to conform us.
Into something that looks like his people.
That looks like his possession.
And then finally in Romans 5.8.
Four of the greatest words in the Bible.
God shows his love for us.
In that while we were still sinners.
Let's say these next four words together.
Christ died for us.
Thank God he died for us.
Thank God he was born for us.
But thank God he died for us.
And I think Christmas and Easter are inextricably linked.
You can't separate those two.
And I'm glad that usually in churches across our world.
Across this country.
Especially Christmas and Easter are the two highest attended church services.
In the calendar of the year.
And I'm so glad because those are the days.
If you're going to come.
Come on those days.
Because those are the days when we highlight.
Especially.
The fact that Jesus came for us.
That he died for us.
And that he rose.
From the dead.
For us.
He was God.
He was already ruler over it all.
He never stopped being God.
He never stopped being ruler over it all.
But he willingly.
Laid himself down.
Put himself on the line.
For us.
Now.
Let's pivot here for just a moment.
Just letting you take that in for a second.
You didn't think you were going to get hit with Marvel superheroes this morning, did you?
Look, the point is.
In society.
We have always been drawn to heroes.
Now maybe the DC comics is more your thing.
And I can't help you.
Okay.
Because Marvel is where it's at.
Listen.
You can probably find good and bad in the Marvel universe and the DC universe.
Personally, I like Iron Man.
And who do I like?
My kids aren't down here to tell me who I like.
It's all right.
But we are drawn to heroes.
We are always drawn to heroes.
The thing is about these heroes on the screen.
Number one, they're fictional.
They don't really exist.
So we've conjured them up to help give us this idea of something greater than we are.
Something we can rely on.
And it's fun.
It's exciting.
But it's always going to fall short.
It's always going to leave us empty.
They're never going to ultimately fulfill.
You see people who kind of get a little too far deep into that world.
And they struggle sometimes with social connections and seemingly a grasp on reality because they've gone so deep into this world of superheroes.
And maybe there's a reason behind that.
That there's hurt or unmet expectations in real life for them.
But we are always drawn to heroes.
The children of Israel always wanted a hero.
They wanted a king.
They wanted a powerful warrior.
A great leader to lead them out of their oppression.
Out of their discomfort.
Out of their problems into something better.
We're never like that, are we?
We never want somebody to rescue us, right?
We never want somebody to change our circumstances.
To get us out of something negative into something better.
Of course we do.
We're always drawn to heroes.
You know God knows that.
I think he put that within us.
Do you know why?
Because the interesting thing.
In Isaiah chapter 6 and verse 9.
Jesus is prophesied about here.
A child will be born.
A son will be given.
We know now who that child was.
His name was Jesus.
Emmanuel.
God with us.
And then go down to where it says he will be named Mighty God.
Do you know what that translates to in the Hebrew?
Now I'm not a Hebrew scholar.
I took some biblical languages in college and seminary.
But I'm by no means a biblical scholar.
There are those people out there in the world.
But thankfully they've written a lot of stuff.
And I've been able to read it.
So that's helpful.
What that translates to is El Gabor.
El Gabor.
Do you know what El Gabor means?
It's very small.
You probably can't read it on the screen.
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords.
The great, the mighty, and the awesome God.
This is in Deuteronomy chapter 10 and verse 17.
We see it again talking about God himself.
Jehovah.
He is called the mighty God.
Gabor means hero, champion, or warrior.
El is the shortened form of the word Elohim, which is God.
Jesus is our hero God.
He is called our hero.
When he gave this word back in the Old Testament to the prophet Isaiah and he wrote it down.
He said, call me the wonderful counselor and then call me their hero.
Because they need a hero.
Because they're yearning for a hero.
And they will never find a hero like me.
Jesus is our hero.
Deuteronomy, we read it just a moment ago from the slide 10 and verse 17.
But we can read on to the next few verses.
The Lord your God is the God of gods.
The Lord of all lords.
Many might call themselves God.
Many might call themselves Lord.
But he is the only one who deserves the title.
Let's capitalize it.
He is the God of gods.
The Lord of lords.
He is the great God.
The mighty and awesome God.
The hero, isn't he?
Who shows no partiality.
Cannot be bribed.
You can't get this hero to go and do the wrong thing.
You can't get them to fight for the wrong side.
Again, if you go down at least the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Then you'll find the superheroes sometimes making mistakes.
You'll find them sometimes doing things that they shouldn't be doing.
You'll find them sometimes confused and being drawn off sides.
But that will never happen to our God.
He shows no partiality.
He cannot be bribed.
He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice.
Our God, our hero is flawless.
He is without mistake.
He will always fight for the oppressed.
He will always help those who are helpless.
He shows love to the foreigners living among you.
Uh-oh.
We don't like that part, do we?
He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.
He's their hero too.
In verse 19, so you too must show love to foreigners.
I didn't write it, y'all.
It's in the book.
For you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.
Do you remember that they were once foreigners?
Guess what, folks?
We're foreigners too.
Do you know why?
Because this world is not our home.
We're just passing through.
Our allegiance is to a land beyond the skies.
Our allegiance is to a home far away.
Our allegiance is to the promised land in heaven someday.
So we are foreigners and travelers in this world, Paul writes in the New Testament.
You must fear the Lord your God and worship him and cling to him.
Your oaths must be in his name alone.
Don't swear by anybody else.
Swear by the power of your God, your hero.
He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise.
The one who has done these mighty miracles that you've seen with your own eyes.
You've seen it, church.
Church, you've seen God working, doing mighty miracles.
He is worthy of your praise.
Jesus is called our hero.
And that's truth number two this morning.
Jesus is our mighty hero.
Would you go to the book of Philippians with me?
Philippians chapter one.
I'm reading from the Christian Standard Bible.
It should be very similar to what you see in front of you.
Philippians chapter one and verse nine.
I don't have the words on the screen.
Just got the reference there.
I wanted us to every once in a while go ahead and turn the pages and get used to doing that.
Philippians chapter one and verse nine.
I pray this.
That your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment.
So that you may approve the things that are superior.
And you may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ.
Verse 11.
Filled with the fruit of righteousness.
That comes through Jesus Christ.
To the glory and praise of who?
Of God.
Stick with me here.
Go down to verse 20.
Remember that.
In verses nine through 11.
Paul writes to the church at Philippi.
And we can take that as instruction for ourselves today.
He says.
I pray that your love will grow.
That you'll grow in knowledge.
Every kind of discernment.
So that you approve the things that are superior.
You're pure.
You're blameless.
Filled with the fruit of righteousness.
So then God gets the glory.
And now in verse 20.
My eager expectation.
And my hope.
For you.
Is that I will not be ashamed about anything.
But that now as always.
He's given us a picture into the way Paul's mind works.
Paul's heart works.
This heart that God transformed.
Do you know the story of Paul?
So many of you do.
But if you don't.
That's okay.
He was out there killing Christians.
He was empowered by the government.
To go out and arrest.
And throw into prison.
And sometimes sentence to death.
Christians.
Because it was illegal.
Followers of Jesus.
So he was out there wreaking havoc.
On people like you and me.
And God stopped him in his tracks.
God opened his eyes.
And said Saul.
Saul.
Why do you keep resisting me?
And Paul stopped resisting.
Paul had a dramatic conversion.
Where he changed his mind.
God cleansed his heart.
And he became the most passionate follower of Jesus.
That we get to read about in the scriptures.
What an incredible transformation happened.
In the life of Paul.
And now he's giving us a peek.
Inside his mind.
And inside his heart.
To what made him tick.
Verse 20.
My eager expectation and my hope.
Is that I will not be ashamed about anything.
You know why?
Because he had done a lot of things to be ashamed of.
He had done a lot of things to be ashamed of.
You know what the interesting thing is?
So have you.
So have I.
We have done so much.
Whether anybody knows about it or not.
We have done so much to be ashamed of.
And Paul resonates with us.
And he says.
I don't want to be ashamed about anything.
So my hope.
Is that now as always.
With all courage.
Because y'all it takes courage.
This life ain't easy.
Christ will be highly honored.
In my body.
Whether by life.
Or by death.
Young people.
Would you pay attention to that phrase real quick?
Christ would be highly honored.
In my body.
Whether by life.
Or by death.
Older folks.
Young at heart.
Would you pay attention to that as well?
Christ would be highly honored.
In my body.
Whether by life.
Or by death.
That's what being a sold out.
Follower of Jesus.
Looks like.
Doesn't mean he was perfect.
Doesn't mean that Christ was always honored.
In his body.
In his life.
But that was his goal.
That was his hope.
That was his prayer.
And that was what he committed his life.
To see come.
To reality.
And God gave it to him.
God was honored in his body.
In his life.
And in his death.
So here's truth number three.
The hero.
Gets the glory.
The hero.
Gets the glory.
If Jesus is our hero.
Then he gets the glory.
But he's got to be the hero.
Because if he's not.
Somebody else will get the glory.
It might be you.
It might be somebody else.
It might be something else.
Somebody gets the glory.
In your life.
Is it.
Your mighty.
Hero.
Jesus.
There's a song that I love.
Called.
We need a miracle.
And I wanted to share one part of it with you this morning.
This is one of my favorite parts of it.
It says.
In the waiting.
You get the glory.
God.
In the healing.
You get the glory.
In the breaking.
You ever been broken?
God gets the glory.
And in the breakthrough.
God gets the glory.
In the healing.
In the waiting.
In the breaking.
And in the breakthrough.
In all these stages of life.
The mighty hero.
Is to get the glory.
So.
Our takeaway is very simple this morning.
Who gets the glory in your life?
Who's the hero of your story?
Is it you?
Or does our hero God.
Get to be mighty God.
In your life.
Does our mighty hero.
Get the glory.
In your story.
Would you bow your heads with me in prayer?
Just ask that.
In this moment.
Everyone would remain still if possible.
God.
This church has been around a long time.
It's had its doors open a long time.
It's got people here.
Who have been faithfully attending this church.
For decade after decade.
We've got people here.
Who you have brought in recently.
To worship with us.
To be a part of what you're doing.
Here in Henrietta.
God.
There's been some glory God.
We've seen this house full.
We've seen these waters moving with baptisms.
We've seen.
We've heard stories of life change.
That you have been working.
God.
You are the hero.
God.
You are the hero.
And I pray.
That you would get the glory for it.
That no one else would try to steal the glory from you.
No one else would try to steal the spotlight.
No one else would try to steal the attention.
That you would get the glory.
For what's done in your church.
God.
I want to take that down one step more.
Into our individual lives and families.
That you would get the glory.
For what is done.
In every heart.
That you would get the glory.
For the transformation that happens.
That you would get the glory.
For the breakthrough.
But God.
That you would also get the glory.
For the breaking.
For the struggle.
For the hard times.
Knowing.
That you are working all things.
Behind our scenes.
We just finished the story of Joseph.
And we saw so much.
That in the waiting time.
In the breaking time.
Joseph still gave you the glory.
In the humble beginnings of Jesus our Emmanuel.
Our deliverer.
Come to earth.
He got the glory.
From you.
He was humbled.
He was broken.
But in the last scene.
That we get to see.
He is reestablished.
At your right hand.
Receiving all honor.
And all glory.
From you.
And God.
Someday.
Every knee will bow.
And every tongue.
Will give.
The mighty hero.
The glory.
Let us do it now.
The beginning of our Christmas season.
Let us purpose in our hearts.
To not be the heroes of our story.
But to let our mighty God.
Get the glory.
From our story.
Would you.
Bow with me in prayer.
God.
Please work in our hearts.
Please move in us today.
If there's somebody here today.
Who doesn't know you as their savior.
As the forgiver of their sins.
The savior.
Savior of their souls.
I pray that.
Today would be the day.
That they turn from sin.
And turn to Jesus.
Church.
If that's you.
If there's someone here today.
Maybe you've been with us for a long time.
Maybe you're new.
But whatever it is.
If you would just slip your hand up now.
And say.
I need that.
I need to turn from sin.
And turn to Jesus.
I need to make him.
My savior today.
Would you slip your hand up.
And I'll pray for you.
If that's you.
Slip your hand up.
And I'll pray for you.
Thank you.
Maybe there's somebody.
Who says.
God's working on me.
About something else.
I could just use some prayer.
Would you slip your hand up.
And I'll pray for you.
God's working on me.
The spirit is talking to me.
Thank you.
You can put your hands down.
God.
Work right now.
In the hearts of your people.
Let your holy spirit take over.
And show them exactly.
What you have for them.
Bring them the peace.
The comfort.
That only the hero can bring.
May you get all the glory from it.
It's in Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Church.
Would you stand to your feet.
Jared's going to lead us.
In a song.
If you'd like to pray with me.
I'll be right down front.
You can meet me.
I'll pray with you here.
If you'd like to just sit.
And pray in your seat.
Or kneel.
At your place.
Use this time.
As a moment of prayer.
Amen.