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. - Isaiah 9:6 TO USWe're right in the midst of the season of giving, and it can be easy to get wrapped up in finding the perfect gift for everyone (pun intended)! You're looking for something of value to show them how much they mean to you, all the while eagerly envisioning the joy on their face when they open your present. But any gift you get for someone you love pales in comparison to the gift God gave us 2,000 years ago. HIS SON! YOUR SAVIOR! ETERNAL LIFE! No other gift demonstrates as much love as His, given for all of us! For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16 A Child Is BornOne of the biggest surprises about the Messiah was that He was born as a baby and didn't come to Earth as the King everyone expected. He was born in a stable, not a palace. His birth was proclaimed to lowly shepherds, not to those of high esteem. He was fully human, while still being fully God. On that wonderful night 2,000 years ago, a CHILD was born. An incredible child. A child who would grow up to instruct crowds, perform miracles, and eventually die on the cross and be raised from the dead! And the reason why is just as incredible: Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. - Hebrews 2:14-15; 17 A son is givenA son is given. God's own son! Knowing full well that He was going to be crucified for our sins, God sent His son to us in order to save us. That's how much He loves us! But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. - Galatians 4:4-7 Because of the gift of His son, we are no longer enslaved by death. We are invited to an eternal life in Heaven as God's children! wonderful counselorThe first name that Isaiah uses in this verse to describe Jesus is, Wonderful Counselor. YEARS before Jesus was born, Isaiah predicted this aspect of His character. I absolutely love knowing that Jesus is my counselor. An advisor; a teacher. And you know what? He's pretty good at it! Wonderful, even! The kind of wonderful that only God can accomplish. And the written accounts of His life give us excellent guidance when it comes to living a life in service to God. What a Wonderful Counselor we have! mighty godIn Isaiah's prophesy about Jesus, He said that the coming Messiah will be called Mighty God. And He is mighty. Jesus performed many miracles during His time on Earth. Fed thousands with only a minuscule amount of food, walked on water, healed the sick, and even brought a man back from the dead! His might and power is quite evident. Also evident is that while He is the Son of God, Jesus is God. Our wonderful, powerful, and mighty God! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. - John 1:1-3;14 Everlasting fatherWhen we think of the Trinity, we typically think of God as the Father, Jesus as the Son, and the Holy Spirit as a whole different thing. But part of the character of Jesus that Isaiah described is that He is the Everlasting Father. Jesus is the Everlasting Father. Because while the three are separate, they are also one. Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. - John 14:5-11 prince of peaceWe live in a chaotic and violent world. From the stress of busy schedules, to the divisive political climate, to the wars we see glimpses of in the news, we could all use some peace. And Jesus has given us the gift of peace in a world torn apart by sin. He is the Prince of Peace!
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33
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