Advent . Wonderful Counsellor . Episode 3
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2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us, a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almightywill accomplish this.
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Isaiah 9 begins with a vision of a New Day Dawning
“ 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned.
Even though the world is a very dark place (spiritually), the people needed to know that darkness will not have the last word! Isaiah 9:6 ‘a child is born’ and he will repel the darkness. The deep darkness when Jesus entered the world is still deep darkness today, spiritually, poverty and financial darkness, of sexual immorality, the darkness of conflict, violence and injustice, the darkness of sickness, the darkness of family and relational problems. Yes, on your street and in the world.
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2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us, a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
It’s hard to believe that the reading from Isaiah 9 was written 750 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Isaiah 9:6 — ‘Unto us a child is born’ — this is a birth announcement, 750 years before the birth!
Let me give you an example to show how crazy this is. In the year 1210 (at the signing of the Magna Carta), a word goes out that a baby will be born in your town – who will be called… let’s say, your name. Why would they need to know that in 1210? Why did they need to know 750BC that a baby ‘light of the world’ would be born - 750 years later? That he would be ‘Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ It caused me to wonder what type of counsellors they were consulting way back then? And I find in Isaiah 8:20 they had been turning to mediums and spiritualists — consulting the dead on behalf of the living. It is the sort of things we see on TV and zodiac signs we read in the papers today. Could it be that they needed to know 750 years before Christ’s birth because it was a dark time in Israel’s history? — enter the light of the world.
Let me talk about this Jesus born in Bethlehem who shall be known as Wonderful Counsellor.
He is God who equips us through life, God who guides, God counsels us.
— We can ask and pray and seek Him about anything and everything: decisions in your life, family, work: Wonderful Counsellor.
This child born is also to be known as Mighty God.
Not mighty person, not a special prophet, not a real good or special person He is mighty God —this child born is Jesus. This would have sounded like blasphemy to Isaiah’s listeners. A baby who is Mighty God. But Hark, when the angels announced the birth to the shepherds, they said he would be called Emmanuel in other words: ‘God with us’ – Mighty God
This baby Jesus is also known as Everlasting Father.
That’s weird, a baby called everlasting father? How many of us have lost a father? There’s something about losing a dad. Yet, this Jesus can be an everlasting father to you (Psalm 68:5 ‘A father to the fatherless). A father you will never lose. Who is present with you always, loving you, fathering you with a perfect love — Everlasting Father.
Prince of Peace, what a fantastic title – the peace prince!
Do you watch the news these days and wish there could be peace? Ulster, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Israel, peace in Jerusalem.
Do you ever feel that there is so much turmoil in your life? Problems with finance, family matters, illness and you feel wound up like a coiled spring. Maybe you’ve lost your peace – let me introduce you to the Peace Prince, Jesus Christ, who can speak Shalom into your life and get your peace back and transform your personal turmoil.
Some of us will reflect on this year as a dark year. Sometimes we seem to go through periods of deep darkness, and you need to hear that darkness will not have the last word.
That’s why the world was told 750 years before the first Christmas. That a baby would be born, described as the ‘Light of the World.’ Darkness did not have the final say for them nor for you.
This Advent, look to the one who we sing about; Once in Royal David’s city, away in a manger on a silent night, a baby was born in Bethlehem. His mum named him Jesus, and he is God. If you don’t know him, let me introduce you to him. Because he is a Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Peace Prince – he is Jesus Christ.
This sermon was first preached by Kelvin Burke at Niton Methodist Church in Advent 2010