Sunday Service

Good morning.

I've got a digress just a little just for a minute or two a few years ago. We visited the Holy Land. And one of the places that was a kind of a striking place was in Bethlehem where Christ was born. There is a Constantine built Constantine's mother built a huge ice balls with call of a church storm build out of limestone with most everything there in Israel is built out of or cement one of the other and I was

and down underneath is that it was where the cave that they that they are almost certain that Jesus was born in. It's a place where the it was a it was a stable or Barn. probably how's the people that that moved at the death came there to register for the For the tax deal for the for the Roman government. So that's kind of little bit of the background. We were able to go there and walk down underneath that church and see the very spot. or Mary gave birth to the Lord Jesus Christ

reading this morning is from Isaiah chapter 9. starting with verse 6 I'll be reading for the from the New Living Translation. For a child is born unto us a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his Royal titles and wonderful counselor. Mighty God Everlasting father the Prince of Peace

He is ever-expanding peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and Justice from the Throne of his ancestor, David. The passionate commitment of Our Lord will guarantee you this.

And the Lord is better stop right there. I guess she'll be a ball for a word of Thanksgiving for God's word. Thank you for your word and how you kept us for so many years that we may read this wonderful little story of the birth of our Lord Jesus. But pray that you would continue to be with us through this service may bring honor and glory to your name in Jesus name. Amen.

Thank you, Danny.

What a great experience that must have been to see that place and I've only read about it scene pictures, but he's riding many scholars say that that was others. There's actually more evidence that that was the place he was born than there is to oppose it. And so one of the few places that they actually know yeah.

Yes, real close after that time. So tradition would have held that very good. Well, well good morning, everyone and Merry Christmas and it's good to see everybody and you always know it's Christmas right? Because it's in October decorations start coming up in and then TV start showing us all these things and you know, everybody seems to be looking for the true meaning of Christmas and I think God Hollywood's been trying for years and you know It's a Wonderful Life how many of you oldie Goldies remember when that came to the theaters for ya that Rudolph Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Scrooge. I mean all the old great movies some of the newer ones and today there is an entire network devoted. the Christmas called the Hallmark Channel I call that the dreaded Hallmark Channel's right here in my notes. It is I think punishment to all men everywhere. 4 years of ESPN inside you come in the house and you'll what what is this and it's a Christmas movie. It's the same movie. They just changed the actors in same plot. Same little town that's going to die if they don't have Christmas and

USB just different actors now that the same actors in different movies that I think it's just easier to hire them cuz they already know the lines just have to change their name and their wardrobe a little bit and here we go again. Does she know my true opinion of the Hallmark Channel?

The Justice it shows movies 24/7 about Christmas my beloved wife watches them 24/7 and then when I go into the list on my recording some oldies Christmas movies here in your chords every single one of them and I'm like you're using up my hard drive in it and she's like since when is it yours and I thought I pet while I wait just don't go there. I I kind of stopped there, you know before I say something like I thought I paid for it. Anyway, it's yeah, it's not what is the true meaning of Christmas? Perhaps a better question is who gives remaining to Christmas? Because I believe the best answer is found in the name and names mean things appearance of my generation and younger, we bought books remember we bought books about the meanings of names that our kids would have this Heritage and our oldest us aaralyn a is the means Princess Light Heather charise flowering love a Kayleigh Noelle crown of Christmas and Jessica and wealthy and Grace grateful. I'm sadly our parents did not own those books David J Foley when you look up the meaning means beloved. He'll clutching plunderer.

David's, okay, but Jay is from Jacob the heel clutching guy. You can't trust and and Foley the Gaelic is pirate or Marauder.

We're more likely Vikings that settled there in Ireland. And so I'm the Beloved Hill clutching plunderer. My wife is Dianna Rochelle, which is divine or perfect sheep plunderer.

All right. Well, I swear from our names who is the Christ of Christmas. What is what is his name mean will seven centuries before the Angelic announcement the prophet Isaiah answer the question verse 6 and that's where I want us to look in these four names that describe to us the child that was born. Then the Sun that was given. I think of these names we can find really the true meaning of Christmas Christmas. And so before we consider the names themselves, I'd like to offer where the prayer and so would you pray with me Father in Heaven? Thank you. this day in for the special service and it's for the wonderful time when we gather with family and friends and we celebrate your goodness to us and you're good gift to us in the person of Jesus. I pray father just as you used a star to guide some wise men to the young toddler Jesus. I pray that you would allow this morning the light of your word to lead us to Faith in Jesus Christ. I pray this in Jesus name Amen in verse 6 it says For unto us a child is born to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and it says his name shall be called and then there precedes from here 8 nouns. I know in your English Bibles there perhaps rightly translated as adjectives because I was a Hebrew practice to use two names to describe or two words to describe somebody Emmanuel God With Us Isaiah's name is from two names meaning God Saves and you can go through your Old Testament see this off. And so we rightly it's we rightly divide these into wonderful counselor, Mighty God Everlasting father Prince of Peace. I appreciate Denny's translation where it said these titles and that's true. But but keep in mind also, these are eight. Now these could very easily be eight names that Jesus has he is wonderful. He's counselor. He's Mighty. He's God he Everlasting he's father. He's Prince and he's a piece. Let's look at them and we're going to consider them together. Just so that instead of an 8-point message. I'll give you a four-point a message on Christmas with the first name that we're giving here. This called this wonderful counselor apparel heroes in Hebrew and the first part of that Pele the Hebrew wonderful is really it means Supernatural or Miracle. It's it's not wonderful in that we think of something is wonderful. I bake bake some Amish sugar cookies are back and red Tupperware thing there and I thought they were wonderful and I I brought the ones I didn't eat them to share with all of you and my idea of wonderful as in a and an Amish sugar cookie and a glass of milk. That's not the same wonderful here means it causes Wonder it's it's the soup. It's above and beyond anything that that you can explain it. And when you ask what how is Christmas a miracle? Well, God became flesh and yet he was still God that really is the miracle. I mean when you looking for 642 West a child is born that speaks of his Humanity that Jesus and this is described by the Apostle Paul in the book of Philippians in Philippians chapter 2, if you like to turn with me, otherwise, I'll read it for you in verse 5 or set us have this mine in your cells, which is yours in Christ Jesus who though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God nothing to be grasped literally to be held onto but he emptied himself and says by taking the form of a servant being born verse 7 says in the likeness of men. But before he was born in the likeness of men, he was fully God that but yet this this being born this child that was born speaks to his Humanity this son that was given speaks to his his deity. And if you're and Isaiah 9 just put back over the Isaiah chapter 7 and verse 14, I got to tell you Rodger as I was studying for this lesson in studying this passage. I I fell in love again with the book of Isaiah. I can I can see why you guys have been studying now for what eight years or know, how high are you guys been in there a long time and it's just such so rich, Isaiah 7:14, therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign the hold the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel which we let her know is defined as God with us, but speaks of his ddr6 continues in the government shall be upon his shoulders. It speaks of the work and when you think of it in those terms, here's a tiny baby. That would bear the weight that this government is the government of the of the world. The universe is upon his shoulder. This tiny baby would bear the weight of all of humanity and my friends that is in my opinion the greatest wonder where the greatest Miracle is that this child would be the supernatural solution to my sin.

Does Bible tells me his wages of sin is death? Bible also says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. fireworks all of humanity stands guilty before God and that's why in Matthew chapter 1 in this Angelic announcement to Joseph. When he was assuring this righteous young man that how would you feel if your fiance was all said and found to be with child in and she says God did it and how would you react? What a remarkable man he is. That's why I believe this angel speaks directly to him verse 21. She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus. In what Jesus name means? He will save his people from their sins. So when we speak of Jesus as being the Wonder the miracle of Christmas. The he shall save his people from their sins can become you shall save me from my sins. natural wonder must be honest, how many of you have ever looked in the mirror or when you're praying and you thought God how can you do this? How can you forgive me? How can you love me? How can you call me your son? When I don't represent you well all the time. In fact, sometimes I don't represent you at all. I have moments Lord, but most of those moments are from you and it's just incomprehensible The Wonder of Christmas He's a wonder the miracle but is also a counselor. Taylor yo s that's the when is combined with wonderful it conveys the idea of Jesus as this exceptional or distinguished this miraculous counselor. Anybody in the room made a confident capable compassionate counselor? Any of us need some wisdom from above is it with as much is it worth? the fact Isaiah chapter 2

Wolverton his Writings on this see he has this quote. He said the people will gladly listen to him as the authoritative one. That's wonderful counselor in the Kingdom many people. He writes will be anxious to hear the Messiah teach God's ways and again and Isaiah chapter 2. This was something that that the people were anticipating through the prophet Isaiah invers 3 of chapter 2A many people shall come and say come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the god of Jacob that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. Proud of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. You understand that the jesuses council. He has some good things to say to us. He he he wants and by the way, what was prophesied of Jesus was certainly true go to Luke Chapter 2 is not that even though that's the passage that the chapter that can change the birth of Christ. Let's let's look at Jesus when he was a young boy now and he's in the temple and Luke Chapter 2 beginning and verse 46 member they came down for the deceased and they went back home his parents traveled and and they left they left they left their kid behind. So you've ever done that I left your kid at a rest stop or whatever. You can just say why I'm just like, you know, Joseph and Mary, I mean, hey worked out for Jesus right and Hunter and by the way, I've never done that.

Yes, I've never done that. I'm pretty sure we all we did we lost Sarah one time. I forgot about that and she wanted up. Well, yeah. Sorry Sarah is there a call was pretty traumatic for her wait, we were clueless that she was even gone as she had wandered off all in the puppy or something got lost in a strange neighborhood and we were just having coffee and tea with some friends and we knocked on the door and says this is is this your little girl and Sarah should have been more like Jesus. We should have found you. We should have found you after three days in the temple. It says verse 46 after 3 days. They found him in the temple sitting among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions. Verse 47 and all who heard him. We're amazed at his understanding and his answers. Look over now. He's an adult and Matthew chapter 7. He's just finished what would become known as The Sermon on the Mount? Matthew chapter 7 verse 28 doesn't when Jesus finish these sayings the crowds were astonished at his teaching he was teaching them as one of out of 40 and not as their scribes. My friends will Jesus is the wonderful counselor. What is he counseled us to do while you're there in The Sermon on the Mount we can spend all day here, but let's look at chapter 16 verse 33. He says seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you first. Listen the First Council Jace would give to a side Blade is to prioritize God to put him first make him first in John Chapter 14 verse 1. He says let not your hearts be troubled believe in God believe also in me. My father's house are many rooms were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you. So believe that the paradise God to trust in God verse 6. Thomas. He said I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. And then back the Matthew chapter 11. What if he wants us to prioritize God he wants us to believe her to trust God, but then he wants is not Justa to have a bleed for a faith that keeps her distance from him that that yeah, we're believing in him, but he's up in heaven and I'm here and you know, I just hope he lets me into heaven and I like him. He's a good guy know he wants you more than just a trust and believe for salvation no stroke verse 28 of chapter 11. He wants you to come to me. He says come to me all who labor and are heavy laden. He wants she wants those are working hard and not making any Headway just come to me. Your burdens come to me and I will give you rest. He says take my yoke upon you and learn from me rhyme gentle lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. So prioritize got to trust God to follow Jesus. Let's look at the second name back and Isaiah 9:6 the second title is mighty God elgibbor actually in the Hebrew. It's reversed its God, Mighty God. Mighty. And what if the first is the miracle of Christmas, this is the essence of Christmas. Jesus humble beginning in Bethlehem to his Bitter End and Calvary all through his life and Ministry Jesus claim to be Jesus proved to be he was declared by God to be God manifested In the Flesh are manifest In the Flesh Matthew chapter 1 Matthew chapter 1 and verse 23 the spoken up by the prophet Isaiah actually Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel which means God With Us is very name means that he is God and he had to be God. He had to be gone to offer the substitution for Sim because only a perfect sacrifice would satisfy God's righteous to man. It only God could be perfect. He had to be gone in order to give hold for that's that's stronger than just human effort or give it your best shot. Perhaps the most reason that it was important for Jesus to be God. I should have had you hold your place in John 14. It was so that we would know God. Then we would know God and in John chapter 14. Jesus says these things to the to Thomas. He said I am the way the truth and the life were six or seven if you had known me he says what do you think you would have known my father also from now on you do know him and have seen him Philip said to him Lord show us the father and it's enough for us. Jesus said I've been with you so long and you still do not know me fill up whoever has seen me has seen the father. How can you say show us the father? Jesus was God so that we would know who God is he he came to show us the very Heart Of God so that when we look at Jesus we see God. Gary Smith rights nor the person ever has had God's name by the way, this Mighty God that's only used of God in the Old Testament, by the way. Here is no other person ever has God's name and God has never called Moses Abraham or David Jeremiah. So it must be something very special about this sign that caused him to have God's name. He is the Mighty God the L. Give or God Mighty third title Everlasting father. I'll be in Hebrew. I'll be on its in this presents for us and this this third title the Everlasting father. How wait a minute 6 that twice a child is born in the sun is getting how can you be son and the father at the same time? That's the Paradox the child who was born is also the Everlasting father will let's let's consider the name separate for just a moment the fact that he's Everlasting gives us a clue as to how he can be the sun and the father it's because he was Everlasting. Everlasting is it let's look it was just and Isaiah Isaiah 26 verse for Isaiah 26 and verse 4 Where we read these words trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock that's too generally of him, but it's also true specifically go to all the way. I said 57, Isaiah 57 and verse 15 Isaiah 57 in verse 15

verse 14 says and it should be said buildup buildup prepare the way remove every obstruction from my people's way. Is that remind you of somebody over this guy came in the wilderness name John or what? He said what he was and why he was there to make straight the pasta to clear the instructions to remove every struction obstruction for my people's way verse 15 for that says the one who is high and lifted up who inhabits eternity. His name is Holy. I dwell in the high and holy place. And also with him is with him who is a contrite and lowly Spirit to receive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. My friends. Inhabits eternity. That's why it says of one of the back to jlx Moyer. I don't know if I pulled him yet go to Hebrews chapter 13. He believes that this name here and Isaiah 6 describes the relationship that Jesus has with his disciples and with his subjects that the Hebrews 13:8 and it's familiar passage says Jesus Christ is the same win yesterday today and forever. And more your rights that because he never changes is ever faithful. So use that Everlasting but he's also the father go to Isaiah 64 Isaiah 64 a by the way. I'm God has not called father very often in the Old Testament certainly not as often as he is in the new Under the New Covenant. That's the that's the title when Jesus taught his disciples to pray. He said this is how you should pray our what our father that wants us, in the Old Testament not quite so, but how many times does God have to say something before? It's true? Well, not that many but one of them isn't Isaiah 64 verse 8 by the way, a couple of them ran in the book of Isaiah says but now oh Lord, you are our father and here's the here's the description the picture that he is as we are the clay and you are our Potter where the work of your hand. It's it's the acknowledgement of God is the Creator God is the shape or he is the maker he is one of Jeremiah You knit me in my inmost being when I was in my mother's womb. It's it's this God this far this Creator and so a man becomes a father when he went when he procreates life is through all of us today young man becomes a father when he creates a child in the same way. Just as your father your Earthly fathers gave you life. Jesus is the Everlasting father because he himself is eternal and he gives life he gives life John chapter 10 and always seem to be stuck in John and Isaiah what but they're just good books. All right, my father verse 29 is giving them to me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand first 30 I and the father are one. Look ahead and again to John 14, we've read almost all of it as read in a couple more versus Philip said Lord show us the father and it's enough for us what he say who ever seen me has seen the father. How can you say a show us the father? You don't know believe that I am in the father and the father is in me. My friends Jesus is the Everlasting father. He's the wonderful counselor the Mighty God the Everlasting father one more. He is the Prince of Peace. He is the in Hebrew SAR shalom shalom. When you see Prince we tend to think of you know, the young guy this going to inherit the crown, right and usually he's not worth much until he inherits a crown right you just going to wait around for Dad to die. Okay, that's that's not the picture here. Yes, a prince is a male member of the royal family, but it's better to understand in their understanding and that was a prince was a person in authority. He was more thinking terms better of a ruler or an administrator. You say while you're making this up. Look up in verse 6. What does it say about the government the government? Shall what be upon his shoulder? What is says in verse 7 of the increase of his government and a piece? There will be no wind. Listen this and I was Jesus is the one who rules with the authority of the king and in his Reign and then his rule he comes to bring peace shalom. Wellness holness satisfaction the word means in Hebrew means so much more than our English. We just mean peace is we're not fighting at the moment, you know, and I are at peace one another but he pulled a gun on me the other day. I have one of your pistol and making it even stolen it. So are we okay peace Hebrew Shalom was Wellness. It was holness. It was such a blessing to say peace to someone you're saying you want the absolute best of God for you and that's what Jesus comes to bring. and by the way If you look up in verse 5, you can see kind of the glimmerings are the prophecies the predictions of the kind of piece that this Prince is going to bring this rule of this administrator. This one whom the government is on his shoulder this one whom the increase of his government and a piece there is going to be no end that one of the results and said every boot of the trampling warrior in battle to limit and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. all of our armaments a weapon I'll be burned. I know that strikes at the very heart of many of you men in this room. The one day your gun safe is going to be used for kindling. I know you don't want to think about it. Take a deep breath.

There's going to be no more. Listen, you said well, I am not going to shoot anybody, but I still need it to go hunting while I'm glad you thought that let's dispense that right away. He Isaiah chapter 11 verse 6 Say well, I got to have it for the Predators. Well verse 6 the wolf shall dwell with the lamb. Isaiah 11:6 by the way That's not how it is today, right? Today if we were right this would say the wolf is dining with the lamb. And the lamb is kind of the main course. You understand me. You got that part of right? The leopard shall lie down with the young goat. And the calf and The Lion and the fattened calf well together. Any well how peaceful is that will look what it says and a little child shall lead them. You know, I barely let little kids be around my dog who I think is pretty safe.

When will kid come to my house I assert my alpha male dominance over my pets. Is if they make a false move towards one of those little kids y'all females going to jump right in the middle of a name and they know that they're aware of it, by the way. I don't even trust pets around little kids Mo babies. Can you imagine your child wanders out in? There's a wolf and a leopard and a lion. He's walking over and grab in the lion by the main and dragging around. How comfortable would you be with that? I said you I went to wise Wilderness Safari place is one time when we were going to pick some little lion cubs to take to a local church camp to let the kids pet him. And it always in the guy said to me said we're going to go into the lions pin or know where they call it pot or whatever. They're their domain and he said he okay. Oh that was Montana Water right out the window down and I was looking around like where the lines he goes. What watch Formula see him and then sure enough. I looked over and there was a lioness looking at me. I've never had such a primal gripping of fear in my life as I did when I was looking in the eyes of that lion and I could not get that window rolled. It was a hand-crank in when I'm over there. And I mean I was the perfect prey because when the Lions saw me my eyes and my pupils dilated and adrenaline kicked in and she's thinking all I get a chase him down and then eat them, you know that scared the Daylights out of me. I'd there in the power that they have is just phenomenal. You see a leopard grab a crocodile out of a river of you seen the videos. They grabbed a crocodile pulling up on the bank and go die on crocodile. And I'm right here. That's what is going to be led around by her little kids. The cow and the Bear show Grey's we're not going to talk about my fear of bears which is long-standing and well-known.

And let's go camping. It'll be fun.

For who? You know, you're laughing at me cuz I'm I just can barely sleep when I'm out in the woods with the Bears. I don't know why I'm just scared to death of them and then Dave bracket goes to sleep in a hammock. You'll sleep much more comfortable and you're laying in the hammock and I feel like a big bear burrito. No. That's where he goes to sleep. He tells me a story of a friend of his it was out sleeping and they wrapped up in one of those sleeping bags that are kind of mummified and he zipped it all the way up in just his face was sticking out just laying on the ground right in the middle of the night. Something licked his face big dumb guy said he had a knife and go in with them and they scream like a little girl with me the trees kind of do this little bit just whatever physics reason and then the Wind Blows the trees and I feel myself going up and I'm thinking

That says their young shall lie down together. The lion shall eat straw like the ox the nursing chow-chow play over the whole of the kobra and the wind chow chow put his hand on the app adders Den. They shall not hurt or destroy all my Mountain Raleigh or should be full knowledge of the Lord is the water covers the sea. That's the rain. That's the piece that's coming. And yeah that's future in that you might be thinking that's all well and good for the future. But what about right now? Is there peace for me here? And now the answer to that is yes. what it says in Isaiah chapter 1 Isaiah chapter 1 verse 18 when asked the question. Is that kind of Peace available today, please? The answer is absolutely yes. Yes. Yes. Yes because God says to the mouth of the prophet Isaiah come now, let us reason together says the Lord. Though your sins are like Scarlet. It should be white as snow though. They are red like Crimson. It should be like wool turn with me if you will to one more passage, and we're done Romans chapter 5. one of my favorite passages therefore since we have been justified by faith. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Roy's folks God's not mad at you anymore. Awards through when you place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, the hostility is ended and we don't just have an absence of conflict. We have the Shalom. Peace of God the wellness the God wants his very best for you verse 2 through him. We have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand and we rejoice in Hope of the glory of God. You literally stand in Grace. That's why the end of chapter 5 says the law came in to increase the trespass where sin increased Grace abounded all the more grace. My friends is always greater than all of our sin. And that's what Christmas is about. Song about wise man is not about main jurors. It's not about donkeys and Mary Jo's their part of the Christmas story, but the real reason behind all of that is the words the four titles the the god that Jesus Christ was wonderful. He's our counselor. He's Mighty. He's God is Everlasting. He's our father is our Prince of Peace.

And the absolute best Christmas present you could possibly receive this year. Is to know the peace that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Would you pray with me?

father thank you for this message of Christmas.

Thank you for what you've done. Thank you for this.

child was born The son he was given.

Thank you for Jesus. Emmanuel God With Us I pray for the person here. Was never receive Christ is our Lord and savior. I pray father that they would trust in Jesus this day. Ironworks not a goodness not and going to church and I and reading Bible down and doing all these the father. They would just trust completely and simply in Jesus Christ Alone. I believe he was who you said he was. But they would believe that he died on the cross for their sin pay their sin debt. And stands waiting like that father was waiting for that prodigal son to come home that bother you or they're waiting for us to come home. I pray that we would. may we trust in Jesus this day I pray this in Jesus name and all God's people said amen