12-01-2024 His Name is Wonderful
Text: Isaiah 9:6
With Thanksgiving now over, the Christmas season is in full swing. Although when you look around the stores and watch TV, the season began in October. But ready or not, everyone is now caught up in Christmas full time. This is the time when Christians are eagerly anticipating the celebration of the birth of Jesus. When we think back to the time when Jesus was born, the only ones eagerly anticipating it were Mary, Joseph, and Mary’s cousin Elizabeth. The Israelites were waiting for the time when God would send them a new ruler that would remove the Romans from their daily lives. But as usual, God had other plans.
Our text this morning comes from Isaiah 9:6 where the prophet wrote: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the Government shall be upon His shoulder; and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” Isaiah wrote this about 760 years before the birth of Jesus and as it is written, one might understand why the people thought as they did. But that shows how far removed and out of touch they were with God.
When Isaiah prophesied about the birth of Jesus, he wrote about His birth, life, the coming eternal Kingdom. This morning and through this Christmas season, we’re going to take a look at each of the names Isaiah gave to Jesus in our text in order to learn more about the nature of our Savior and Lord. We begin with: “…and His Name shall be called Wonderful….”
Jesus was Wonderful in so many ways. Isaiah wrote in chapter 7, verse 14 how a virgin would conceive and bear a son and call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God with Us.’ The prophecy describes the miracle of this birth, which was confirmed by Luke chapter 1, verses 26 through 38 when the angel Gabriel visited the virgin Mary to inform her of what was to unfold in her life. There were also many other miracles around Jesus’ birth that included the angel visiting Zacheriah, the priest, to tell him that his wife Elizabeth would soon have a son. Elizabeth, who was Mary’s cousin, was well past childbearing age, yet she did conceive and gave birth to a son we know as John the Baptist. The angel appeared to Joseph, Mary’s fiancé to explain to him what was going to happen and that he should not be afraid or concerned about marrying Mary. And we can’t forget the host of angels who appeared to the shepherds in the field. They announced the birth of the child and sent them to see the baby in the manger. Micah 5:2 confirms Isaiah’s prophecy about the coming of Immanuel being born in Bethlehem. It was Roman taxes that sent Mary and Joseph to that little town where Jesus was born. And finally, there was the visit by the wise man who came to see the young child as told to us in Matthew chapter 2. We don’t have to try to explain the miracles of Christmas. It’s not necessary because our faith tells us that with God, all things are possible. And when we study our Bible, we’re shown how all that happened concerning this miraculous birth was foretold and in God’s time, actually happened.
Jesus was Wonderful in how He lived His earthly life. Keep in mind that Jesus left the glory and splendor of Heaven to come to this world to live as we live. In doing so, He taught us how we should live and what is most important in life. The birth of this baby in the manger was a wonderful miracle. But God’s work didn’t end there.
That baby grew into the man in order to carry out all of God’s great plan. Today we worship the sinless Savior who still meets people who are in crises. Isaiah 32:2 tells us that this same Jesus born in a manger in Bethlehem is, for all who will believe, like a hiding place from the wind. He is like a cover from the tempest. He is like rivers of water in dry places, and He is like the shadow of a great rock in a tired land. Even today, He will meet each one of us in our current crisis or situation and will bring us through it every time if we put our complete faith and trust in Him.
Jesus was Wonderful in His death which Isaiah describes in chapter 53, verses 3-6. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that because sin had entered the world, we were destined to die. But because the sinless Jesus willingly died carrying our sins with Him on the Cross, He became our substitute and can now take away our sin if we let Him into our hearts and put our complete faith and trust in Him.
But it doesn’t end there. Isaiah tells us in chapter 53 that Jesus will be Wonderful in His coming Kingdom. He is the one who died, rose, ascended into Heaven, and will come again. When He returns, the promise He made to His mother Mary will be fulfilled because He shall reign for ever and ever because His Kingdom will have no end.
Everyone who walks this earth can be part of that Kingdom and come to know our Wonderful Lord and Savior. It doesn’t take much to accept Him by faith, learn all about God’ plan by studying the Bible, or for us to trust and believe that the time will come when all who have accepted Jesus will live forever in the Kingdom that is coming. Yes, it is an act of faith to take that step. But when we study the Bible and learn that the Old Testament describes how the birth of Jesus would happen and then see in the New Testament that it took place exactly as it was told of so long before, that gives us reason to accept that the promise of God is true. Everyone who take the leap of faith will find that Jesus indeed is Wonderful.
This life is never going to be easy in the world as it is. But we are promised help each and every day until such time as we leave and become part of the eternal Kingdom that Jesus will lead. That is the gift of the Christmas season that is the most valuable: how a child from God came to live as a man in order to die as the substitute for the sins for all who chose to accept Him into their heart and life as He lived. If you don’t know the Wonderful Jesus, don’t wait any longer. Ask Him into your heart now and let Him show you all that He has done and will do for you. If you have accepted Him, please don’t be afraid to share His message to those that are hurting and in need of the love and grace that only He can give them.
Until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.