Awaiting Our Future Gifts
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[Ill. a gift that is back-ordered or never received.]
We all know that Christmas is far more than giving and receiving. It is hard not to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas but we here today understand something of the true meaning of Christmas:
Jesus was God in human flesh.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, God stepped out of eternity and entered time.
Jesus was a great teacher, healer, and miracle worker.
Jesus came to the earth to die for our sins on the cross.
Jesus rose again from the dead and ascended to heaven to make intercession for His own people and to prepare a place for us there.
All of this and more is the true meaning of Christmas, and that the real gift of Christmas in Jesus Christ Himself
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
But the prophet Isaiah points out that some of the great gifts of Christmas have not been delivered yet. They will not come through the post office, ups, or Fed Ex but they will be delivered by the power and authority of our sovereign God. They have been promised and they will come in His perfect time. These gifts are worth waiting for.
1. His Arrival is a Gift, v. 6a
1. His Arrival is a Gift, v. 6a
Isaiah 9:6-7 make some great claims concerning the Lord jesus Christ and a few were fulfilled when Jesus came the first time.
“For a child will be born to us . . .” This phrase identifies Him as a man. Mary precious baby born 2,000 years ago was fully human and experienced pain, sorrow, loss, grief, hunger, thirst, weariness, and suffering. Remember, through the incarnation of the virgin birth, God Almighty became fully man.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
“a son will be given us . . . This phrase identifies Him as God. God the Son came as a helpless infant, but that infant was God! He was given so that we might be redeemed from our sins and born again into the family of God.
The Bibe is clear that God in human flesh is an absolutely indispensible foundational truth of our faith. Without God being a man, the death and resurrection of the Christ means nothing. With it, His sacrifice means everything. It means the sinless innocent died for the guilty, and that sinners can be saved, if they will come to Jesus Christ by faith.
Yet, the truths that the prophet Isaiah mentions after these first two phrases are gifts from God that have not been delivered yet. They will be though, because Jesus is coming again! That is His promise!
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.
These and other verses make it clear that Jesus is coming. and when He does, all the remaining gifts will be brought forth.
2. His Acknowledged Titles are a Gift, verse 6b.
2. His Acknowledged Titles are a Gift, verse 6b.
HisC
When Christ comes, Isaiah tells us He will be given many titles.
A. He is “Wonderful Counselor.”
A. He is “Wonderful Counselor.”
The term “wonderful” points out the truth that there is nothing common about Jesus. He is so far beyond our level of comprehension that we can never figure Him out, yet He can be known by a little child! He is wonderful in all His words, His works, and His ways. and as Counselor, he is the leader and guiding force in our lives.
The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He delights in his way.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
B. He is “Mighty God.”
B. He is “Mighty God.”
He is our ‘Hero,’ the One who is “strong, mighty, and invincible.” Why is He our hero? He has defeated all our enemies:
Death — 1 Cor. 15:55
Sin — Rom. 6:14
Satan — Gen. 3:15
The Grave — Matt. 28:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:20
Hell — John 10:28
C. He is “Everlasting Father.”
C. He is “Everlasting Father.”
He is everlasting; i.e. He is the great “I AM!” He is also our father—the word meaning producer, generator — he is our source, bringing us into being and sustaining our lives by His power, As our Father:
He loves us — Rom.8:38-39
He supports us — Ps. 18:35
He sustains us — 2 Tim. 1:12
He comforts us — John 14:16-18
He provides for us — Phil. 4:19
D. He is “Prince of Peace.”
D. He is “Prince of Peace.”
He will rule His kingdom in peace because He is the creator and provider of peace. And those those who know Him know all about peace
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Today the world pays Him mere lip service, or worse. But when He comes, He will give the world the gift of His sovereign rule. The world will acknowledge Him to be all that He is, and will bow at His feet and acknowledge Him to be the Lord of all.
For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
That is a gift the world needs today and it is one the world will enjoy when He comes.
3. His kingly reign is a gift, vs. 6-7.
3. His kingly reign is a gift, vs. 6-7.
The prophet Isaiah tells us that “the government will rest on His shoulders” and that “there will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and uphold it . . .” When Jesus comes back, He will come as a King to rule. This is the clear teaching of the Scriptures;
And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.
And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
The disciples were taught to pray for His kingdom.
“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
When He comes, He will establish an eternal kingdom.
All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, And Your godly ones shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom And talk of Your power;
To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land.
“In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The Lord our righteousness.’
“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
When the Lord Jesus rules in righteousness, power and glory, the whole world will be transformed by His power. What a world that will be ! Yet even though we all know that He is King today, the world does not acknowledge Him as King. His rule in the world today is in the arena of redeemed hearts. We who know Him must yield the throne of our heart to Him and His sovereign rule. Is Jesus Christ the absolute, sovereign ruler of your heart and life? He should be — if He isn’t, you need to enthrone Him there today.
The Lord Jesus’ reign as King will be a great gift to this world because of the truth found in verse 7:
4. His perfect justice and judgment are a gift, v. 7.
4. His perfect justice and judgment are a gift, v. 7.
Isaiah also tell us that the coming King will rule with “justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore.” It is obvious to us that this gift has yet to be delivered.
In Washington there is no peace. Our leaders cannot even get along long enough to transact the business that is in the best interests of the people of this nation whom they are supposed to serve. There is no peace in this world. We have an abundance of war, racial tension,crime and turmoil everywhere we turn.
But when the angels announced the birth of Jesus, they rejoiced that this child would bring peace to the world (Luke 2:14) . We have yet to see perfect justice, peace, and judgment delivered here on the earth but these things — and more — are coming! They will arrive when Jesus comes to rule on earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. It will be a world . . .
where there is no war, no poverty, no inequity, no injustice, no religious or racial differences.
in which every citizen worships God Almighty and bows to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
in which every ruling handed down from the throne is perfect and in the best interests of both God and men.
that is marked by perfection, peace, and the very presence of God.
in which there is no sickness, no dwarfed bodies or minds, and where death is rare.
where righteousness, holiness, and peace are part of ordinary life for all.
That is the world Christ will create when He returns. When Jesus comes, He will give the world everything it would have had if sin had not entered in and destroyed everything! This is the future Christmas gift that will be given to all who eagerly await His return.
These gifts of Christmas will be delivered! When the Lord Jesus returns in power and glory, He will give the world everything we have been waiting for! Christmas will be complete!
How will this happen? Isaiah says, “The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.” The word “zeal” refers to “an enthusiastic diligence.” In other words, the Lord will not quit until He has accomplished all these things. He will not rest until every promised future gift of Christmas has been delivered!