Message for THE LORDS DAY MORNING, December 9, 2012 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

Christian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolina

by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister

The Christ of Christmas

Isaiah 9:6,7 (NKJV)

Please open your Bibles to the Book of Isaiah chapter nine.

I want to take you back in time 800 years before the angels
announced to the shepherds that a Savior had been born
that night in the city of David.

Imagine if you will the prophet Isaiah sitting at a little table

with the light of a flickering oil lamp dancing across an
opened goat-skin parchment unrolled on the table before
him.

Isaiah picks up a stylus or a quill.dips it in bottle of

crude ink made of burnt oil and tree gum. And he begins
to write the words we now read in VERSES 6,7.

Isaiah 9:6,7 (NEW KING JAMES VERSION)

6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will
be upon His shoulder. and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end,

upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it
with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

P RAY E R
 INTRODUCTION

In 1741 a devout Christian composer by the name of George

Frideric Handel composed a three-part oratorio which has
become a Christmas classic. We have come to know it as
Handels Messiah.

The scripture we just read from Isaiah 9:6, 7 is actually

part of the lyrics of the Messiah. In fact much of this
oratorio is taken directly from the King James Version
of the Bible.

PART 1 of the Messiah deals with Isaiahs prophecy of a

a coming Savior.

PART 2 deals with the passion of Christ on the cross.

PART 3 deals with the promise of eternal life.

But the portion of the Messiah we are most familiar with is

the beautiful Hallelujah Chorus.

Mona was telling us in choir practice a few weeks ago

that legend has it that King George II was so moved by
the words and music of the Hallelujah Chorus he rose
to his feet, requiring that all of his subjects follow suit.

And since that time it has become a tradition for the audience
to rise to its feet during the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus.

(NOTE: By the way, a portion of the Hallelujah Chorus is the

final song in the Christmas cantata our choir will be
performing the Sunday before Christmas. So when
you hear the choir start into the Hallelujah Chorus
everyone please rise to your feet! )
When Isaiah wrote the prophecy of verses 6 and 7, little did
he realize they would one day become lyrics in one of the
most powerful songs ever written. And furthermore, Isaiah
probably didnt fully realize just how great and awesome
Jesus Christ would truly be.

In verse 6, Isaiah gives us FIVE DISTINCT NAMES to describe

Jesus Christ, THE MAN and HIS MINISTRY.

For the remainder of the message I would like for us to

take the time to look at each of these special names more
closely.

**************************

First of all, Isaiah tells us.

I. His Name Will Be Called WONDERFUL

1. In this world we frequently give names and titles to

people which they do not deserve.

Illustration: Recently on 2012 Soul-Train Awards, comedian

actor, Jamie Foxx, drew thunderous applause from the audience
when he said in his acceptance speech, I would like to thank
the Almighty, our Lord and Savior, Barack Obama.

How blasphemous can man be to attribute such an exclusive

title given only to Jesus Christ to a sinful, mortal man such
as Barack Obama?

2. Isaiah said of Jesus, His name will be called

WONDERFUL!

The word Isaiah used for wonderful in this

verse means miraculous or marvelous.
 (A) Jesus Christ is WONDERFUL for all He has done!

-His incarnate birth to the virgin Mary was

WONDERFUL!

-His perfect, sinless life was WONDERFUL!

-His substitutionary death on the cross was

WONDERFUL!

-His victorious resurrection was WONDERFUL!

-His glorious ascension to His heavenly Father

was WONDERFUL!

(B) Jesus Christ is WONDERFUL for all He is doing!

-He is WONDERFUL in that He now sits at the

right hands of His heavenly Father.

-He is WONDERFUL in that He now serves as our

Great High Priest.

-He is WONDERFUL in that He now serves as our

ADVOCATE before His heavenly Father when Satan
accuses us before God.

(C) And Jesus Christ is WONDERFUL for all He will do!

-His return will be WONDERFUL!

-His resurrection of the dead will be WONDERFUL!
-His presentation of His bride will be WONDERFUL!
-His eternal reign as King of kings and Lord of lords
will be wonderful!

3. Examine everything Christ is and everything He has ever

done since before creation and you will discover there has
never been a time when Christ was anything but wonderful!
 4. What does this mean to you and me personally?

-When you and I were lost, CHRIST gave us His WONDERFUL

SALVATION!

-When you and I sin, CHRIST gives us His WONDERFUL

FORGIVENESS!

-When we have not been faithful, CHRIST has given us His

WONDERFUL FAITHFULNESS!

-When we have been sad or lonely or brokenhearted or

grief-stricken, CHRIST has given us His WONDERFUL
COMFORT!

AND HIS NAME WILL BE CALLED WONDERFUL!

**********************************************************************

Secondly, Isaiah tells us..

II. His Name Will Be Called COUNSELOR

1. There are many who wear the name counselor in this

world.

-There are drug and alcohol abuse counselors.

-There are marriage counselors.
-There are crisis counselors.
-There are mental health counselors.
-There are grief counselors.

2. When Isaiah says of Jesus, His Name will be called

COUNSELOR he does not mean that Jesus is just
one among many counselors, but rather that Jesus
is the superior counselor above all.
 3. We have all had experience with people who tried
to give us counsel about something they knew
nothing about.

*Like the single person who tried to give you marriage

counseling.

*Or like the childless couple counseling their friends

on how they ought to be raising their children.

*Or like the person who has never experienced a loss

in their life counseling a grieving person its time to
get over it and move on with your life.

4. What makes Jesus counsel superior to all others

is that He understands everything about us, For
we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize
with our weaknesses, but One who was tempted in all
manners such as we are, and yet was without sin.

5. Think of all the times when Jesus has counseled you

..guided youinstructed you..helped you
and led you when faced with some of lifes greatest
challenges. HE HAS BEEN YOUR COUNSELOR
EVER SINCE THE DAY YOU ACCEPTED HIM AS
YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR!

Are you weary, are you heavy hearted? Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you grieving over joys departed? Tell it to Jesus alone.

Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow? Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow? Tell it to Jesus alone.

Are you troubled at the thought of dying? Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
For Christs coming kingdom are you sighing? Tell it to Jesus alone.

Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus, He is a Friend thats well known.

Youve no other such a friend or brother, Tell it to Jesus alone.

HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL!

COUNSELOR!
Thirdly, Isaiah tells us.

III. His Name Will Be Called MIGHTY GOD

1. Notice Isaiah doesnt say Jesus would be called a god,
but rather He will be called MIGHTY GOD!

2. The truth that JESUS IS GOD is one that is echoed

throughout the Bible.

MATTHEW 1:23 Behold the virgin shall be with child, and

bear a Son, and they shall call His name
Immanuel, which is translated, GOD WITH
US.

JOHN 1:1 In the beginning was the WORD and the WORD
was with GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD!

I JOHN 5:7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven;
the Father, the Word (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit;
THESE THREE ARE ONE!

3. While Christmastime is the time when we celebrate the

night God became man and dwelled among us, we
must never forget there has never been a time when
Christ has not existed.

Colossians 1:15-17 (NKJV)

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all

creation.

16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and
that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or
dominions or principalities or powers. All things were
created through Him and for Him.

17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL!
COUNSELOR!
MIGHTY GOD!

******************************
Fourthly, Isaiah tells us..

IV. His Name Will Be Called EVERLASTING

FATHER

1. In these two verses of scripture, Isaiah is giving us

the complex nature of our Lord Jesus Christ as a
mystery none of us can fully understand or appreciate.

In these verses Isaiah is telling us Jesus is both a child

and a Counselor. He is both A Prince and a King. And
He is both A Son and the Everlasting Father.

These arent contradictions or paradoxes. He is

declaring the great mystery of Christs godliness.

2. How can Jesus be both the Son and the Everlasting

Father?

Jesus explained it this way to His disciples in John 14:7-9:

7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father

also; and from now on you know Him and have seen
Him.

8 Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is

sufficient for us.

9 Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and yet
you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has
seen the Father; so how can you say, Show us the
Father?
 ILLUSTRATION: Let me illustrate in a way you can understand.
Last week at Brad Gardners funeral someone can up to me
and said, Seeing you standing up there today was like seeing
your father.

What that person was saying was that my appearance, my facial

expressions and my mannerisms reminded them of my father,
whom they knew before his death twenty years ago.

When Jesus came to earth to be born of a virgin, everything about His

nature, His character, His Holiness and His righteousness revealed
the very nature of the Everlasting Father.

********************************************************************************

HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED..

WONDERFUL!

COUNSELOR!

MIGHTY GOD!

EVERLASTING FATHER!

And finally, Isaiah tells us..

V. His Name Will Be Called PRINCE OF PEACE

1. What would you give for peace? I mean, real, lasting

peace with God, peace in your heart and soul, peace
in your home, and peace in the world?

How much is a peace like that worth?

 2. All of us look for a place of peace at times. A place
far away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
A place far away from the sound of a ringing telephone
or the noise of a television.

-Some search for peace in a deer stand out in the

woods or in a fishing boat on a lazy river.

-Some search for peace by curling up on the couch

with a good book in front of a crackling fireplace.

-Some search for peace in a hot bubble bath with

soft music playing in the background.

3. While these places may provide us with some

temporary peace and quiet, true lasting peace
cannot be found in a place, but only in the
PERSON OF CHRIST, THE PRINCE OF PEACE.

4. Only Christ can bring peace to a LOST SOUL.

a TROUBLED-SOULa WEARY SOUL..
a GRIEVING SOUL..A HURTING SOUL..
a BURDENED SOUL..A GUILT-RIDDEN SOUL.

5. Do you know THE PRINCE OF PEACE today?

CONCLUSION

Brothers and sisters, this is our Savior! This is the Christ

of Christmas. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is
given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And
His name will be called
called WONDERFUL.COUNSELOR.MIGHTY
GOD.EVERLASTING FATHER..and THE PRINCE OF PEACE.

And He shall reign FOREVER and EVER..Hallelujah!

EVER..Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!