WEBVTT 00:01.516 --> 00:04.856 Welcome to the Valley Baptist Church sermon podcast. 00:04.856 --> 00:06.356 We're so glad you're here, 00:06.356 --> 00:08.316 and we hope this message inspires you, 00:08.316 --> 00:09.476 builds your faith, 00:09.476 --> 00:12.476 and moves you toward a deep relationship with God. 00:12.476 --> 00:15.576 Today, you'll find great insight into the Bible 00:15.576 --> 00:18.276 and learn how you can apply it straight to your life. 00:18.276 --> 00:21.416 So welcome and enjoy the message. 00:21.416 --> 00:22.496 If you have your Bible, 00:22.496 --> 00:26.196 please open it with me to Matthew chapter one, 00:26.339 --> 00:30.559 And later in the message, we're going to look at a verse in Isaiah chapter 9. 00:30.659 --> 00:33.659 So if you want to flip there and be ready, you're welcome to do that. 00:34.019 --> 00:37.379 In a message, I'm calling the name of Jesus. 00:38.559 --> 00:40.219 You know, names are significant. 00:40.519 --> 00:43.719 Whatever name that you're given, you're kind of stuck with for life. 00:44.399 --> 00:48.639 Back in Oklahoma, where my family's from, there's some pretty funny names out there. 00:49.159 --> 00:55.639 My aunt told me one time of a lady named Ima, and her name was Hogg. 00:56.022 --> 00:57.722 I'm a hog. 00:57.722 --> 00:59.782 And her sister's name was Yura, 00:59.782 --> 01:01.982 which I think is even worse. 01:01.982 --> 01:04.662 Now, I don't know if that's apocryphal or not, 01:04.662 --> 01:07.242 but I do know that one time when I was a kid 01:07.242 --> 01:09.402 at the Tulsa Nationals at a wrestling tournament, 01:09.402 --> 01:13.082 there was a kid in the tournament named Rusty, 01:13.082 --> 01:14.902 and his last name was Nails. 01:16.782 --> 01:18.662 He always showed up late to his match, 01:18.662 --> 01:20.902 so they'd announce over the loudspeaker 01:20.902 --> 01:22.902 in this large arena, 01:22.902 --> 01:25.902 would Rusty Nails please come to the head table? 01:26.802 --> 01:30.302 I heard probably two dozen, 01:30.302 --> 01:31.762 maybe that's an exaggeration, 01:31.762 --> 01:36.342 a dozen funny names between services today. 01:36.342 --> 01:39.202 I knew this person named Penny Nickel 01:39.202 --> 01:41.682 and this person named whatever it might be. 01:41.682 --> 01:42.742 Names are funny. 01:42.742 --> 01:45.622 My great uncle, when he was born, 01:45.622 --> 01:47.762 my great grandma and grandpa Spradlin 01:49.782 --> 01:51.182 couldn't agree on his name. 01:51.182 --> 01:54.082 And so they fought about it for years, for several years. 01:54.082 --> 01:56.022 Everyone just called him Boy. 01:57.751 --> 02:02.411 Finally, he gets tired of it, he's about five years old, and he names himself Lee. 02:02.411 --> 02:03.411 True story. 02:03.411 --> 02:08.751 My dad and my son are both named after Uncle Lee, who was a preacher. 02:08.751 --> 02:11.671 Roger Lee Spradlin, Micah Lee Spradlin. 02:11.671 --> 02:18.611 A good, strong name is important because a name in many ways defines a person, or certainly 02:18.611 --> 02:21.131 it does with the Lord Jesus. 02:21.123 --> 02:25.003 who had the most famous name in all of human history. 02:25.003 --> 02:27.203 And this morning, we're gonna take a closer look 02:27.203 --> 02:30.843 at a handful of names that scripture ascribes to him. 02:30.843 --> 02:32.763 Now we know the story of his birth. 02:32.763 --> 02:34.183 Luke tells us all about it, 02:34.183 --> 02:37.023 about how a decree went out from Caesar Augustus 02:37.023 --> 02:39.523 that all the world should be registered. 02:39.523 --> 02:43.103 And so Mary and Joseph, they pack up their belongings 02:43.103 --> 02:45.223 and they head south from Nazareth. 02:45.223 --> 02:48.183 And they went to the town that Joseph was from, 02:48.183 --> 02:49.823 the town of Bethlehem. 02:49.827 --> 02:53.507 And when they arrived, we know the story, there was no room for them in the inn. 02:53.587 --> 03:00.467 And so they found their way to a stable, which was probably really just carved out of the side of a hill, a little cave. 03:01.047 --> 03:04.627 There in the stable, Mary gave birth to Jesus. 03:05.267 --> 03:09.467 They wrapped him in swaddling clothes and then they laid him in a manger. 03:10.330 --> 03:15.110 Now, that's the part of the Christmas story that's on most of our minds, and rightfully so. 03:15.190 --> 03:21.590 But this morning, I want to back up in the story just a bit to the announcement of his birth. 03:22.030 --> 03:26.930 An angel appeared to the Virgin Mary and told her that she would be with child of the Holy Spirit 03:26.930 --> 03:30.270 and that she would give birth to the Son of God. 03:31.120 --> 03:36.520 Now that created a little bit of a relationship problem, I'm sure, with her because Mary was 03:36.520 --> 03:39.300 betrothed to a man named Joseph. 03:39.300 --> 03:46.120 It was not until after Mary was already pregnant that an angel appeared to him. 03:46.120 --> 03:48.860 We read about that in verse number 18 of chapter 1. 03:48.860 --> 03:52.440 It says, Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. 03:52.450 --> 03:59.290 After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 03:59.830 --> 04:06.730 Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 04:07.350 --> 04:12.970 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 04:12.970 --> 04:21.610 Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived of her is of the Holy Spirit. 04:22.623 --> 04:25.783 Now, a lot is made of Mary in the Christmas story, 04:25.783 --> 04:26.923 and rightfully so. 04:27.023 --> 04:29.123 I mean, God said that all generations 04:29.123 --> 04:31.563 shall call her blessed, and we do. 04:32.263 --> 04:36.143 But Joseph, the adopted father of our Lord, 04:36.203 --> 04:38.863 is also a very significant person in this story. 04:39.383 --> 04:42.203 In fact, he's called here the son of David, 04:42.363 --> 04:44.123 meaning he's of royal blood. 04:44.123 --> 04:46.423 And when Joseph named Jesus, 04:46.583 --> 04:49.303 he legally was claiming him as his own. 04:50.112 --> 04:52.732 Now, let's put ourselves in Joseph's shoes for just a moment. 04:52.892 --> 05:00.932 Joseph, he was betrothed to Mary, which in Judaism was a step between engagement and marriage. 05:01.352 --> 05:06.652 Betrothal lasted about one year and actually required a legal divorce in order to separate. 05:07.672 --> 05:11.052 And so while Mary and Joseph are betrothed to one another, 05:11.512 --> 05:16.472 before they came together and were intimate, Mary gets pregnant. 05:16.960 --> 05:24.260 Now, we don't have all the details about how Joseph found out about her pregnancy, but can you imagine how devastating it must have been? 05:24.620 --> 05:29.840 I mean, he knew he had not been with Mary. He knew the baby was not his. And yet she shows up pregnant. 05:30.520 --> 05:38.360 I'm sure he's crushed. He experienced all kinds of emotions of betrayal and disgust and devastation. 05:38.358 --> 05:44.558 I imagine that Mary tried to tell him about the story of an angel appearing and saying, 05:44.558 --> 05:47.438 hey, don't worry, Joseph, I'm having the Son of God. 05:47.438 --> 05:50.558 I'm sure that went over real well. 05:50.558 --> 05:53.478 Joseph doesn't believe her, and I mean, who would? 05:53.478 --> 05:56.958 And so Joseph decides, the Scriptures say, to put her away secretly. 05:56.958 --> 05:59.918 That means to divorce her quietly. 05:59.918 --> 06:05.098 Now he could have made her a public example of adultery, and legally she could have been 06:05.098 --> 06:06.098 stoned. 06:06.098 --> 06:07.478 But clearly, no. 06:07.552 --> 06:09.692 Joseph loved Mary. 06:09.992 --> 06:12.592 And the Bible says that he was a just man, 06:12.712 --> 06:16.312 which means Joseph understood something about the grace of God. 06:16.951 --> 06:19.651 So one night, as Joseph went to bed, 06:19.651 --> 06:22.791 it says that he was thinking about these things. 06:22.791 --> 06:23.690 I'm sure he was. 06:23.691 --> 06:25.551 I mean, I'm sure it consumed him. 06:25.551 --> 06:27.191 Anytime you've been betrayed by someone 06:27.191 --> 06:28.331 or you've been hurt by someone, 06:28.331 --> 06:31.631 and a relationship is broken, it can consume you. 06:31.631 --> 06:33.911 And so he's consumed by these thoughts. 06:33.911 --> 06:36.751 And why would she do this to me? 06:36.751 --> 06:38.551 What am I gonna tell my parents? 06:38.551 --> 06:40.091 What's gonna happen? 06:40.373 --> 06:41.373 to Mary. 06:41.373 --> 06:44.033 And while he's thinking about all of these different things, 06:44.033 --> 06:46.313 he falls asleep eventually. 06:46.313 --> 06:48.253 And an angel appears to him in a dream 06:48.253 --> 06:51.873 and says that Mary is pregnant with a child that's 06:51.873 --> 06:52.953 from the Holy Spirit. 06:52.953 --> 06:54.973 And the angel continues in verse 21. 06:56.050 --> 07:03.890 He says, and she will bring forth a son, and you, Joseph, shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 07:04.330 --> 07:10.410 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, that is the prophet Isaiah. 07:11.930 --> 07:21.030 Behold, saying, Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is translated God with us. 07:21.550 --> 07:25.490 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. 07:25.490 --> 07:30.950 And he took to him his wife, and he did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn son. 07:31.270 --> 07:33.870 And he called his name Jesus. 07:35.048 --> 07:45.628 Now, for the rest and remainder of the message, I want to focus on the name that Joseph was instructed to give Jesus. 07:46.568 --> 07:53.448 And then I'm going to flip over to Isaiah chapter 9, and we're going to look at some more names that belong to our Lord. 07:53.448 --> 08:00.768 First of all, though, the angel says, "'You shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.'" 08:00.850 --> 08:06.210 You see, the name Jesus, Joshua in Hebrew, Yeshua, it literally means Savior. 08:06.870 --> 08:10.410 So we see here that Jesus, his name is Savior. 08:10.910 --> 08:13.670 Now we're going to see Jesus has a lot of wonderful names. 08:13.730 --> 08:15.070 We're not even going to cover all of them. 08:15.070 --> 08:18.830 But out of them all, I think my favorite is Savior. 08:19.510 --> 08:20.629 Why? 08:20.630 --> 08:22.250 Because it's very personal to me. 08:22.990 --> 08:24.550 Jesus saved me. 08:25.083 --> 08:33.663 As a little boy, my sister had been killed by a car, had been hit by a car, and I was terrified of dying. 08:34.063 --> 08:39.163 And Jesus reached down and he touched my life and he saved me from that tear of fear of dying. 08:39.323 --> 08:40.403 He saved me from my sin. 08:40.463 --> 08:41.603 I've never gotten over it. 08:42.183 --> 08:46.163 Jesus said, I came in to seek and to save that which is lost. 08:46.243 --> 08:47.422 Well, what's lost? 08:47.423 --> 08:49.763 Everyone's lost who does not know Christ as Savior. 08:51.509 --> 08:57.269 Now, the very concept of being saved implies that there's danger, doesn't it? 08:57.429 --> 09:01.749 When someone's drowning and they're rescued and someone jumps in and they save that person, 09:01.849 --> 09:04.149 what they've done is they've saved them from danger. 09:04.249 --> 09:08.029 So what's the dangerous predicament that Jesus saves us from? 09:08.689 --> 09:10.109 He saves us from our sin. 09:10.865 --> 09:12.385 The Bible says, for all have sinned. 09:12.785 --> 09:17.805 Every one of us has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 09:18.045 --> 09:19.144 And here's the problem. 09:19.145 --> 09:21.465 Sin distorts and destroys all that's good. 09:22.441 --> 09:24.121 God created the world good. 09:24.721 --> 09:29.701 It is full of love, joy, peace, kindness, all those wonderful things, but sin wrecked it. 09:30.041 --> 09:35.461 So then now we experience pain and misery, loss, loneliness, death. 09:36.201 --> 09:38.541 Jesus came to save us from all of that. 09:38.941 --> 09:42.621 You see, because of our sin, mankind is headed towards a Christless eternity. 09:42.621 --> 09:48.521 But the story of the Bible is that God sent his only begotten son into the world to save the world 09:48.521 --> 09:52.281 and everyone in the world who will call upon him in faith. 09:53.440 --> 09:57.900 Speaking of Jesus, the Apostle Peter said in Acts 4, verse 12, 09:57.980 --> 09:58.299 he says, 09:58.300 --> 09:59.940 Nor is there salvation in any other, 10:00.620 --> 10:03.320 for there's no other name under heaven given among men 10:03.320 --> 10:06.060 by which we must be saved. 10:06.700 --> 10:10.880 The name of Jesus is powerful to save. 10:11.400 --> 10:14.800 Now, all week long, there's been this old song going through my mind 10:14.800 --> 10:16.140 as I'm preparing this message. 10:16.740 --> 10:21.960 Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there's just something about that name. 10:22.364 --> 10:25.284 It's a name that soldiers call out when they're on the battlefield. 10:25.564 --> 10:28.544 It's a name that the dying whisper upon their deathbed. 10:28.744 --> 10:32.104 The name of Jesus is powerful to save. 10:32.764 --> 10:39.764 Now, Matthew points out that all of this was done to fulfill what the prophet Isaiah had said in Isaiah chapter 7, 10:39.764 --> 10:47.584 that a virgin shall bear a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is translated God with us. 10:47.724 --> 10:52.044 We say here that Jesus, his name also is Emmanuel. 10:53.271 --> 10:57.731 No, the name of Jesus reveals the purpose of Jesus, that he came to save us. 10:58.131 --> 11:02.671 The name Emmanuel reveals the nature of Jesus, that he's God with us. 11:03.134 --> 11:09.094 If you want to know what God's like, you just look to the life of Jesus, because Jesus is God who is with us. 11:09.654 --> 11:15.474 Sometimes people, they think about God as some distant force who's uninterested in our lives. 11:15.574 --> 11:18.214 But that's not the God of the universe, not at all. 11:18.214 --> 11:22.434 The God of the universe, yes, he's transcendent. 11:22.754 --> 11:25.934 Yes, he's otherworldly, but he's also eminent. 11:25.932 --> 11:29.772 And he's near and he's close to the brokenhearted. 11:29.812 --> 11:31.012 He is close to us. 11:31.032 --> 11:32.232 He loves us. 11:32.272 --> 11:34.832 He cares for us. 11:34.872 --> 11:36.672 Cares for the brokenhearted. 11:36.712 --> 11:38.812 And that's not just theological talk. 11:38.852 --> 11:41.012 The eternal Son of God, he stepped out of heaven and he 11:41.052 --> 11:42.812 came to dwell among us. 11:42.852 --> 11:46.992 And through the virgin birth, God took on human flesh. 11:47.532 --> 11:51.992 Now, when the Son of God did that, it's not that he lost his divine nature. 11:52.112 --> 11:54.552 It's not that his divine nature was diminished in any way. 11:54.832 --> 11:57.652 It's just that he added his human nature. 11:57.652 --> 12:03.072 So that now he is both 100% God and 100% man simultaneously. 12:03.632 --> 12:07.132 Jesus is Emmanuel, which is God with us. 12:07.647 --> 12:13.567 Now, Isaiah continued his prophecy in Isaiah chapter 9, verse number 6. 12:14.147 --> 12:14.406 It says, 12:14.407 --> 12:27.707 It says, 12:27.712 --> 12:32.112 Prince of Peace, of the increase of his government and peace. 12:32.492 --> 12:34.372 There will be no end. 12:34.972 --> 12:39.912 Now, this is a prophecy from Isaiah about the coming Messiah, who we know to be Jesus. 12:40.332 --> 12:43.572 And he's given four or five names here, depending on how you read it. 12:43.632 --> 12:46.372 I read it as four. So that's what we're going with today. All right. 12:46.912 --> 12:51.112 His name, we see, is also called Wonderful Counselor. 12:51.674 --> 12:54.454 In John chapter 1, it says, in the beginning was the word. 12:54.554 --> 12:57.874 Now, that word, word, is logos in Greek. 12:58.034 --> 12:59.414 It means logic or reason. 12:59.514 --> 13:04.474 So in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. 13:04.474 --> 13:10.834 You see, Jesus in flesh is the full embodiment of logic, truth, reason, and wisdom, 13:11.414 --> 13:16.194 which means he's a wonderful counselor, isn't he? 13:16.193 --> 13:19.013 If you have a problem, I'm telling you, Jesus is the answer. 13:19.233 --> 13:22.053 If you have problems, Jesus has all the answer. 13:22.393 --> 13:27.993 There is not a problem that you're facing in life that Jesus is not the ultimate answer to. 13:28.733 --> 13:35.073 Sometimes we're sort of at a loss in life and we think, well, man, if I just could have someone to give me some good advice, then I'd be okay. 13:35.213 --> 13:38.733 Listen, Jesus is the most wonderful counselor our world has ever known. 13:38.733 --> 13:42.573 His wisdom is infinite and it knows no bounds. 13:42.772 --> 13:48.052 In John chapter 7, after Jesus had grown up and begun his public ministry, 13:48.952 --> 13:53.612 the Pharisees and the chief priests sent some officers to arrest Jesus. 13:53.992 --> 13:56.772 And eventually those officers come back to them empty handed. 13:56.892 --> 13:58.252 And so the Pharisees, they're upset. 13:58.652 --> 13:59.672 They want to know why. 13:59.772 --> 14:01.132 Why haven't you arrested Jesus? 14:01.252 --> 14:06.052 And the officers said, no man ever spoke like this man. 14:06.633 --> 14:07.793 In other words, this man's different. 14:08.093 --> 14:11.113 The things that he is saying are so wonderfully profound. 14:11.353 --> 14:12.433 We can't arrest him. 14:12.853 --> 14:19.173 You see, the crowds were astonished at the teaching of our Lord as he taught as one who has authority, which he did. 14:19.333 --> 14:20.352 And he does. 14:20.353 --> 14:23.493 He is our wonderful counselor. 14:24.593 --> 14:27.653 Or at least he's my wonderful counselor. 14:27.653 --> 14:31.473 Let me ask you, is he your counselor? 14:31.473 --> 14:32.805 No. 14:32.806 --> 14:34.586 Who do you get your advice from? 14:35.166 --> 14:38.026 Who directs and guides your life down the path? 14:38.106 --> 14:39.226 What path are you following? 14:39.466 --> 14:42.046 Maybe you get your advice from the news. 14:42.686 --> 14:43.886 Maybe you get it from pop culture. 14:43.986 --> 14:47.586 Maybe you get it from social media or YouTube or your friends at school, 14:47.746 --> 14:50.646 young people, or your friends at work, or maybe some people in the neighborhood. 14:50.866 --> 14:52.746 Where do you get your advice and your direction? 14:53.146 --> 14:56.726 I would recommend that you get your advice from the one who made you, 14:56.726 --> 14:58.926 the one who knows you intimately, 14:59.106 --> 15:02.306 the one who knows the beginning from the end in his name. 15:02.303 --> 15:04.103 is Jesus. 15:04.103 --> 15:09.143 I'm learning more and more that every obstacle I face in life, 15:09.143 --> 15:13.023 every disappointment and letdown that I experience, 15:13.023 --> 15:15.023 I'm learning that it's an opportunity for me 15:15.023 --> 15:17.283 to come to my wonderful counselor 15:17.283 --> 15:19.063 and ask him what to do. 15:19.063 --> 15:21.283 Lord, what do I do here? 15:21.283 --> 15:25.443 Lord, now that this wasn't in my plan, what would I do? 15:25.443 --> 15:27.043 How do you want to get? 15:27.043 --> 15:28.703 Lord, teach me. 15:28.703 --> 15:29.783 Where are you guiding me? 15:29.783 --> 15:31.303 Where are you leading me? 15:31.987 --> 15:34.227 Would you counsel me, Lord? 15:34.227 --> 15:37.367 Isaiah also said that the child, 15:37.367 --> 15:40.687 his name shall be called Mighty God. 15:40.687 --> 15:45.687 See, Jesus was and he is Almighty God. 15:45.827 --> 15:49.827 Jesus is not just the Son of God, he is God the Son. 15:50.707 --> 15:53.807 Now, there are many so-called Christian skeptics 15:53.807 --> 15:55.407 who deny the deity of Christ, 15:55.407 --> 15:58.127 but they are ignoring the scriptures when they do so, 15:58.127 --> 16:01.107 where Jesus clearly claimed to be divine. 16:01.636 --> 16:04.676 I mean, we know that Jesus claimed to be God when he forgave sins, 16:04.716 --> 16:06.956 because no one can forgive sins but God. 16:07.216 --> 16:11.676 One day Jesus was in a house, and the house was packed out with people. 16:11.796 --> 16:14.596 In fact, it was so full that it was spilling out of the house. 16:14.896 --> 16:17.996 And there were a few guys who brought their friend to Jesus who was paralyzed. 16:18.196 --> 16:19.286 He couldn't walk. 16:19.287 --> 16:23.307 And they wanted to get them to Jesus because they'd known and seen and heard about all the miracles. 16:23.667 --> 16:24.927 And so they couldn't press through the crowd. 16:25.007 --> 16:28.007 So they went up on the roof and they lifted their friend up on the roof. 16:28.127 --> 16:29.587 They tore a hole in the ceiling. 16:29.687 --> 16:32.287 They left, let their friend down to see Jesus. 16:33.067 --> 16:34.547 Jesus looked at the paralyzed man. 16:34.587 --> 16:38.087 He said, because of their faith, your sins are forgiven. 16:38.087 --> 16:44.707 And the religious leaders were outraged by that because no one could forgive sins but God alone. 16:45.147 --> 16:47.587 Jesus knew knowing what they were thinking. 16:47.587 --> 16:51.027 He says, so that you know that I have power to forgive sins. 16:51.147 --> 16:52.567 He looked at the paralyzed man. 16:52.607 --> 16:55.807 He said, get up, take up your bed and walk. 16:55.807 --> 16:57.106 Go home. 16:57.107 --> 16:58.086 And what did the man do? 16:58.087 --> 17:02.807 He got up and he walked out of the house and the crowd was absolutely amazed 17:02.807 --> 17:07.107 that Jesus has the power to forgive sins and to heal the lame. 17:07.827 --> 17:11.927 Jesus also claimed to be God when he received worship from people. 17:12.387 --> 17:14.927 No one should be worshiped except for God, right? 17:15.329 --> 17:18.989 After Jesus was raised from the dead, one of his disciples by the name of Thomas 17:18.989 --> 17:23.109 was not with the rest of the group of disciples when Jesus first appeared. 17:23.189 --> 17:24.669 So he started doubting the resurrection. 17:24.829 --> 17:25.829 He said, I've got to see it. 17:26.489 --> 17:29.209 And so eventually Jesus appears to him, and he shows, 17:29.509 --> 17:33.489 and Thomas sees the scars in his hand and the scars in his side, 17:33.489 --> 17:38.129 and Thomas touches the scar, and he says, my Lord and my God, 17:38.269 --> 17:40.649 and Jesus received his worship. 17:41.889 --> 17:42.801 Now. 17:42.802 --> 17:48.282 We also know that Jesus claimed to be God by claiming the very name of God. 17:48.842 --> 17:53.802 One day as Jesus was teaching, the Jews were challenging him. 17:54.262 --> 17:56.882 It's kind of a back and forth in the midst of that back and forth. 17:57.022 --> 18:02.122 Jesus said to them, most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. 18:02.122 --> 18:03.169 I am. 18:03.170 --> 18:04.329 I am. 18:04.330 --> 18:04.969 And what did they do? 18:04.970 --> 18:08.790 They picked up stones to try to stone him, and he had to escape and get away. 18:08.890 --> 18:09.489 Why? 18:09.490 --> 18:14.510 Because it was clear Jesus was claiming to be the great I am, God in flesh. 18:14.510 --> 18:15.336 Right? 18:15.337 --> 18:19.137 Now, many people will still try to explain all of that away, 18:19.337 --> 18:23.177 describing Jesus as merely a great man. 18:23.417 --> 18:24.757 I love what Dr. W.A. 18:24.757 --> 18:30.937 Crystal said concerning those who compare other great men to the greatness of Jesus. 18:30.937 --> 18:36.397 He said to compare the greatest men on earth like Alexander or Caesar or Shakespeare 18:37.057 --> 18:43.297 is like comparing a grain of dust to the whole universe, like comparing a molehill to Mount Everest. 18:43.838 --> 18:49.878 Others have said, well, he's not really divine, but he was a great moral teacher. 18:50.378 --> 18:53.578 I love what C.S. Lewis responded to in that line of thinking. 18:53.578 --> 18:59.158 He said, I'm trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about him. 18:59.418 --> 19:04.778 I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. 19:05.793 --> 19:08.593 That is the one thing we must not say. 19:09.173 --> 19:14.913 A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things that Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. 19:15.273 --> 19:19.513 He would either be a lunatic on the level of a man who says he was a poached egg, 19:20.053 --> 19:21.673 or else he would be the devil of hell. 19:22.280 --> 19:23.520 You must make your choice. 19:24.100 --> 19:29.840 Either this man was and is the son of God, or else he's a madman or something worse. 19:30.160 --> 19:31.640 You can shut him up for a fool. 19:31.960 --> 19:33.820 You can spit at him and kill him as a demon. 19:34.080 --> 19:37.680 Or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. 19:38.320 --> 19:43.580 But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about him being a great human teacher. 19:43.580 --> 19:47.140 He has not left that open to us. 19:47.137 --> 19:48.777 See, Jesus is the Son of God. 19:49.417 --> 19:50.797 Jesus made the mute to speak. 19:51.037 --> 19:52.057 He made the blind to see. 19:52.137 --> 19:53.457 He made the lame to walk again. 19:53.637 --> 19:54.736 He accepted worship. 19:54.737 --> 19:55.716 He forgave sins. 19:55.717 --> 19:58.517 He claimed to be the great I Am, and then He rose from the dead, 19:58.697 --> 20:01.477 proving that all He said of Himself is true. 20:02.037 --> 20:05.177 Jesus is Almighty God. 20:05.177 --> 20:12.597 Isaiah also says that the child born shall be called Everlasting Father. 20:13.765 --> 20:15.765 Don't get confused by that. 20:16.565 --> 20:19.045 Isaiah is not confusing the Trinity here. 20:19.605 --> 20:22.985 See, Scripture teaches concerning God that God is one, 20:23.385 --> 20:25.645 but it also teaches that God is Trinity. 20:26.545 --> 20:30.865 The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. 20:30.865 --> 20:34.625 But Scripture teaches as well that the Father is not the Son, 20:35.245 --> 20:38.365 and the Son is not the Father, and the same with the Holy Spirit. 20:39.297 --> 20:43.137 So the question is, what is the prophet Isaiah, 20:43.137 --> 20:45.957 what does he mean when he calls the coming Son of God 20:45.957 --> 20:49.057 the everlasting Father? 20:49.057 --> 20:50.377 I think we need to understand 20:50.377 --> 20:53.397 how the Jews often used the word Father. 20:53.759 --> 20:58.599 For them, Father describes the originator of something. 20:58.599 --> 21:03.179 That's why Jesus called Satan the father of lies. 21:03.179 --> 21:06.279 He's the originator of lies. 21:06.279 --> 21:08.759 So what I think Isaiah is really saying is that 21:08.759 --> 21:11.759 Jesus is the father of everlasting. 21:11.900 --> 21:13.400 That's an appropriate translation. 21:13.880 --> 21:17.580 He's the originator of everlasting life. 21:18.220 --> 21:22.320 You see, from his very nature, he's eternal and everlasting. 21:22.740 --> 21:26.700 And the message of the Bible is that because of our sin, his earning of death, 21:26.920 --> 21:31.480 God sent his son Jesus, and he came into this world to pay for the penalty of sin 21:31.480 --> 21:33.900 so that he could share his everlasting life. 21:34.343 --> 21:39.303 1 John 5, verse 11 says, 21:39.303 --> 21:44.863 And this is the testimony that God has given us eternal, everlasting life. 21:45.243 --> 21:47.643 And this life is in His Son. 21:48.323 --> 21:50.463 He who has the Son has life. 21:50.863 --> 21:54.203 He who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 21:54.963 --> 21:58.423 Jesus is the originator and the giver of everlasting life. 21:58.603 --> 22:01.243 He's the Father of everlasting life. 22:02.440 --> 22:11.300 Now, the last name that Isaiah ascribes to Jesus is that he is the prince of peace. 22:12.640 --> 22:17.200 Oh, what a name, the prince of peace. 22:17.880 --> 22:19.440 Everyone wants peace, don't they? 22:19.680 --> 22:20.760 I mean, all of us. 22:21.813 --> 22:22.973 Come on, just give me some peace. 22:23.053 --> 22:24.653 We want peace, right? 22:25.013 --> 22:26.593 There's a lot that people will go through. 22:26.693 --> 22:28.813 There's a lot that people do in order to get peace. 22:28.913 --> 22:34.173 Some will work tirelessly at work trying to have success in their career in order to have peace. 22:34.733 --> 22:44.373 Some seek peace through relationships or with other people, with money, with sex, with alcohol, with drugs, with entertainment. 22:45.453 --> 22:47.573 Some seek peace through rest. 22:47.573 --> 22:49.149 A lot of people. 22:49.150 --> 22:54.230 Think, well, if I could just get some more vacation, if I could just retire, then I could get some peace. 22:55.170 --> 23:00.310 Listen, vacation and retirement might be able to buy you some rest, but it can never buy you peace. 23:00.890 --> 23:02.910 Peace is not something that we work for. 23:03.290 --> 23:04.530 It's not something we earn. 23:04.770 --> 23:05.990 It's not something we buy. 23:05.990 --> 23:08.790 It's something we receive from God. 23:09.570 --> 23:12.250 And the name of the gift is Jesus. 23:13.150 --> 23:14.270 He's the Prince of Peace. 23:15.053 --> 23:20.873 Now, there's two aspects of peace that Jesus can bring into your life today if you'll receive it. 23:21.113 --> 23:23.473 First of all is peace with God. 23:24.153 --> 23:26.953 And then there's a peace from God. 23:28.064 --> 23:33.224 The most important peace that you possibly can experience in life is peace with God. 23:34.004 --> 23:41.684 You see, our sin, it drives a wedge between us and God so that there's a separation between us and God. 23:41.744 --> 23:43.844 We do not experience this peace. 23:44.324 --> 23:50.884 The peace that we crave and desire and long for, it eludes us because when we sin instead of peace, we get shame. 23:51.520 --> 23:52.880 and we get guilt. 23:52.880 --> 23:54.500 But did you know the story of the Bible 23:54.500 --> 23:57.020 is that the Prince of Peace came into this world 23:57.020 --> 23:59.600 paying for our sins so that he could remove 23:59.600 --> 24:03.600 our shame and our guilt and replace it with his peace. 24:03.600 --> 24:06.880 Romans chapter five, verse number one says, 24:06.880 --> 24:09.800 "'Therefore, having been justified by faith, 24:09.800 --> 24:14.020 "'we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 24:14.020 --> 24:16.740 "'through whom also we have access by faith 24:16.740 --> 24:18.900 "'into this grace in which we stand 24:18.900 --> 24:21.380 "'and rejoice in the hope of the glory 24:23.144 --> 24:26.904 Paul is saying, here's how you can have peace with God. 24:27.484 --> 24:29.604 It's through Jesus. 24:29.764 --> 24:34.664 It's the gift of God's grace that is received by faith in Christ. 24:35.164 --> 24:36.824 Now, that's peace with God. 24:37.144 --> 24:40.124 But there's also a peace that comes from God. 24:40.124 --> 24:45.404 It's a peace that comes from being in a right relationship with him. 24:45.844 --> 24:50.684 It's an inner peace that's not determined by any of the circumstances of our life. 24:51.865 --> 24:55.545 When my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer and died, 24:56.305 --> 25:00.225 I can tell you I hurt and I grieved and I mourned, 25:00.285 --> 25:04.265 but I can tell you right now there's not a time that I remember that I lacked peace. 25:05.956 --> 25:10.216 And that may not make sense to many of you that have never experienced that before. 25:10.316 --> 25:15.476 But once God gives you his son Jesus to reside in your life, once he gives you his peace, 25:15.576 --> 25:18.376 you realize peace is available no matter what you're going through. 25:19.176 --> 25:23.956 Peace is available no matter how people hurt you or wrong you or what you are grieving. 25:23.956 --> 25:26.976 Peace is available because it's not about circumstances. 25:27.236 --> 25:29.976 It's about the gift of God that he gives into our life. 25:30.556 --> 25:33.022 His name is Jesus. 25:33.023 --> 25:35.603 John chapter 14, Jesus said, 25:35.603 --> 25:40.503 peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. 25:41.063 --> 25:43.883 Not as the world gives do I give to you. 25:44.263 --> 25:48.443 Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 25:49.823 --> 25:52.903 Now there's a third kind of peace that Jesus brings. 25:52.903 --> 25:57.743 And I actually think it's the main point of Isaiah chapter nine contextually 25:57.863 --> 25:59.783 with this title Prince of Peace. 26:00.631 --> 26:05.091 And that is that someday Jesus will bring world peace. 26:05.851 --> 26:11.091 When Jesus returns for a second time and he ushers in his kingdom in full upon the earth, 26:11.151 --> 26:16.851 the government will be upon his shoulders and he will be called Prince of Peace. 26:17.971 --> 26:19.510 Jesus. 26:19.511 --> 26:25.371 There's no other name in all the world that compares with the name of Jesus. 26:27.108 --> 26:28.807 His name is Savior. 26:28.808 --> 26:30.368 His name is Emmanuel. 26:30.988 --> 26:37.548 His name is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. 26:38.728 --> 26:43.868 Let me ask you, is he your peace today? 26:45.868 --> 26:49.088 Have you personalized the message of God? 26:49.868 --> 26:51.188 And here's the message of God. 26:53.905 --> 26:59.145 It's the gospel that God sent his son in the world to save sinners. 27:00.525 --> 27:03.125 See, Jesus isn't going to force this peace upon you. 27:04.045 --> 27:08.865 He only gives it to those who humble themselves and receive him by faith. 27:08.865 --> 27:12.205 That's the moment that peace can come to your life when you believe. 27:13.625 --> 27:17.185 Philippians chapter 2, verse number 9 says, 27:17.345 --> 27:20.145 Therefore God has highly exalted him, that's Jesus. 27:21.007 --> 27:23.507 And he's given him a name which is above every name, 27:24.267 --> 27:27.107 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 27:27.467 --> 27:30.347 of those in heaven, of those on the earth, and those under the earth, 27:30.467 --> 27:33.727 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, 27:33.947 --> 27:36.127 to the glory of God the Father. 27:37.427 --> 27:40.487 Now I praise God for the Christmas story that the Son of God 27:40.487 --> 27:43.207 became a little baby born in Bethlehem. 27:43.207 --> 27:46.567 I praise God for the cross that Jesus died for our sins, 27:46.667 --> 27:48.987 but let me share some good news with you. 27:49.593 --> 27:52.213 Jesus is no longer on the cross. 27:52.213 --> 27:53.833 He's no longer in the grave. 27:53.833 --> 27:56.673 He's been exalted to the right hand of the throne of God, 27:56.673 --> 27:59.793 and he's been given a name that is above every name. 27:59.793 --> 28:02.653 And someday, all of us will come before him. 28:02.653 --> 28:06.873 All of humanity, every angelic creature in heaven, 28:06.873 --> 28:08.533 on the earth, and under the earth. 28:08.533 --> 28:10.393 I think that means the devil and the demons. 28:10.393 --> 28:11.873 They're all gonna come before him. 28:11.873 --> 28:14.113 They're gonna bow before his throne. 28:14.113 --> 28:17.613 And at the name of Jesus, we'll all bow. 28:17.605 --> 28:23.245 and will confess his name, that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 28:27.905 --> 28:32.545 So, let's personalize this today, okay? 28:35.545 --> 28:40.385 That means that someday you're going to bow. 28:42.952 --> 28:45.752 If you've never given your life to Jesus 28:45.752 --> 28:47.712 and you have never bowed before Him, 28:47.712 --> 28:49.712 you've never confessed His name, 28:49.712 --> 28:52.092 you've never called upon Him as Savior, 28:53.272 --> 28:55.932 please know someday you will. 28:57.152 --> 28:58.352 And here's the question. 28:59.532 --> 29:04.532 Are you gonna bow to Him willingly by faith 29:05.672 --> 29:07.632 and allow Him to be your Savior? 29:08.332 --> 29:14.932 and to receive his life and his grace and his love and his goodness and his peace and his joy? 29:16.612 --> 29:20.232 Or are you going to reject that? 29:23.272 --> 29:29.992 And instead, someday you're going to be forced to bow before the king and receive his judgment. 29:30.992 --> 29:32.072 That's the question. 29:34.352 --> 29:35.592 In the name of Jesus. 29:37.070 --> 29:38.650 There's nothing like it in all the world. 29:39.590 --> 29:42.530 It's a name that divides the lost from the saved, 29:42.730 --> 29:44.230 the hopeful from the hopeless, 29:44.510 --> 29:46.150 the miserable from the joyful. 29:46.310 --> 29:47.610 It's a name that saves. 29:47.710 --> 29:52.350 You'll just call upon it today if you call on Jesus. 29:53.330 --> 29:55.150 Let's bow together in an attitude of prayer, 29:55.550 --> 29:56.950 both here and at Olive Drive. 29:56.950 --> 29:59.750 This is a holy moment in the life of our church. 30:00.870 --> 30:03.810 This is a moment that we've set aside as a church family 30:03.810 --> 30:05.790 to do business with God. 30:08.727 --> 30:12.767 God tells us not to be hearers of the word only, but to be doers. 30:13.127 --> 30:18.027 In other words, he wants us always to respond with faith, love, and obedience. 30:20.807 --> 30:22.467 So this is our time to do that. 30:26.412 --> 30:29.072 In just a moment, I'm going to pray. 30:29.532 --> 30:32.752 And when I pray, we're going to stand together and we're going to sing a song. 30:33.372 --> 30:39.112 And there's going to be pastors and other leaders all across the front of our worship center here at Olive Drive. 30:40.790 --> 30:44.310 And we're going to ask you, as God leads, 30:44.310 --> 30:46.130 to step out from wherever you're at 30:46.130 --> 30:48.130 and to walk down one of these aisles, 30:48.130 --> 30:50.810 to walk down one of these staircases, 30:50.810 --> 30:52.450 say, I want to give my life to Christ. 30:52.450 --> 30:55.470 I want to receive God's grace today. 30:55.470 --> 30:57.370 I want to receive Jesus. 30:59.750 --> 31:02.650 These leaders will know exactly how to help you. 31:03.550 --> 31:04.389 You see, the Bible says, 31:04.390 --> 31:05.590 for God so loved the world 31:05.590 --> 31:08.210 that he gave his only begotten son 31:08.870 --> 31:13.950 That whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. 31:20.170 --> 31:22.190 Sometimes we overcomplicate it. 31:23.618 --> 31:24.738 We think, well, you know what? 31:24.738 --> 31:27.618 I've got to do this and I've got to do that. 31:27.618 --> 31:29.058 Then I'm going to give my life to Jesus. 31:29.058 --> 31:30.378 My life's just not ready. 31:30.378 --> 31:31.858 I'm a mess. 31:31.858 --> 31:33.438 I've got all this sin. 31:33.438 --> 31:35.578 I can't possibly give my life to Jesus today. 31:35.578 --> 31:36.437 No, no, no. 31:36.438 --> 31:39.178 You can only give your life to Jesus as a mess. 31:41.378 --> 31:42.618 Because you can't do it. 31:43.838 --> 31:45.618 Even if you start cleaning up your life, 31:45.618 --> 31:47.258 you just replace one sin for another. 31:47.258 --> 31:48.758 That'll be self-righteousness. 31:50.478 --> 31:53.278 The only way you can come to God 31:53.622 --> 31:55.601 He's as you are. 31:55.602 --> 32:00.002 In fact, that's a prerequisite that you recognize you are a sinful person 32:00.002 --> 32:02.002 and that you need him. 32:03.142 --> 32:06.862 So I want to invite you to come as you are, warts and all, failures and all, 32:06.862 --> 32:15.922 and ask him to save you, to receive him by faith, to go all in for Jesus. 32:17.722 --> 32:18.781 The Bible says, 32:18.782 --> 32:22.662 Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 32:23.930 --> 32:30.470 Maybe you've given your heart and life to Jesus, but you've never gone public through baptism. 32:32.310 --> 32:36.870 You can come forward, let one of these leaders know that you'd like to be baptized. 32:37.010 --> 32:43.350 We'd love to talk with you about baptism, what it is, what it's not, why it's important. 32:45.631 --> 32:47.651 Maybe you say, I want to join this faith family. 32:48.231 --> 32:53.171 I want to be connected in an official way so this is home, this is family, 32:54.111 --> 32:58.471 so I can serve among the family. 32:59.431 --> 33:00.491 You come let us know. 33:00.571 --> 33:04.331 Or maybe it's not any of those things. 33:04.611 --> 33:05.791 Maybe you just need prayer. 33:06.411 --> 33:07.711 Say, I need someone to pray for me. 33:09.290 --> 33:11.170 We'd love to pray for you. 33:11.170 --> 33:13.090 Or maybe you don't need to talk with anyone at all. 33:13.090 --> 33:16.810 You need to go past the pastor straight to the master. 33:17.750 --> 33:21.010 Let these steps serve as an altar between you and the Lord. 33:21.010 --> 33:25.290 And you just come before the wonderful counselor 33:26.290 --> 33:27.790 and you ask him to help you. 33:28.890 --> 33:30.810 You ask him to save you. 33:30.810 --> 33:33.430 You ask him, you give him whatever weighing on you, 33:33.430 --> 33:38.070 whatever's burdening you, whatever's troubling you, 33:39.968 --> 33:43.928 You take it to him and you asked our wonderful counselor for his help. 33:44.588 --> 33:48.248 And he will meet you here. Let's pray. Father, 33:48.948 --> 33:52.528 we thank you so much 33:53.788 --> 33:57.988 for the gift of your son, that while we were still sinners, 33:58.008 --> 34:00.688 you sent your son on a rescue mission. 34:02.468 --> 34:06.368 He's born of a virgin. He lived a perfect life. 34:10.107 --> 34:19.807 The Spirit of God testified of his divine nature through the miracles and the power and the resurrection of his life. 34:22.127 --> 34:29.347 Thank you for loving us so much that you saved us. 34:32.956 --> 34:36.596 Lord, I pray for those that have not yet experienced the grace of God in their life. 34:36.656 --> 34:39.716 They don't know your love like some of us know your love. 34:40.776 --> 34:44.376 They don't know your peace like they can. 34:46.116 --> 34:52.816 Lord, would you do something that's spiritual, something that goes beyond the physical realm? 34:56.648 --> 34:58.728 something that goes beyond my audible voice, 34:58.908 --> 35:02.628 something that goes beyond the words written in your scriptures, Lord, 35:02.688 --> 35:08.108 would you bring these words to light and to life spiritually in the minds, 35:08.728 --> 35:10.268 in the hearts of those listening? 35:11.448 --> 35:16.448 Would you touch people at a deep place of their being, their souls? 35:18.417 --> 35:20.877 Please open eyes and soften hearts. 35:21.477 --> 35:26.897 Give people the courage that it's going to take to step out and come and give their life to you. 35:27.037 --> 35:29.697 We want to help them, Lord. 35:31.817 --> 35:33.857 Would you guide us? Would you direct us? 35:33.937 --> 35:36.417 Would you go beyond what we're able to do? 35:37.017 --> 35:40.457 We give this time to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 35:41.603 --> 35:43.043 Thanks for listening today. 35:43.043 --> 35:44.703 We hope you enjoyed this message. 35:44.703 --> 35:46.783 And if you did, we would be so grateful 35:46.783 --> 35:48.483 if you left us a review. 35:48.483 --> 35:50.923 Also, go ahead and subscribe to the podcast 35:50.923 --> 35:52.223 if you would like to be notified 35:52.223 --> 35:54.103 when a new sermon is released. 35:54.103 --> 35:55.763 If you feel the Lord calling you 35:55.763 --> 35:57.383 to take the next step in faith 35:57.383 --> 36:01.703 through salvation, service, or giving, don't wait. 36:01.702 --> 36:04.802 reach out to us by texting podcast to 88988. 36:05.162 --> 36:07.422 That's podcast to 88988 36:07.422 --> 36:10.382 or connect with us on one of our social media platforms. 36:11.042 --> 36:14.142 You can also visit our website, valleybaptist.org 36:14.142 --> 36:16.142 to find even more great resources. 36:16.702 --> 36:18.482 No matter where you are in your journey, 36:19.062 --> 36:20.301 know that we love you. 36:20.302 --> 36:21.442 We're praying for you 36:21.442 --> 36:24.462 and we can't wait to see what God will do in your life.