For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 ESV
When you hold a newborn child, you are flooded with emotions: love, joy, wonder, awe, nervousness, and concern. As parents, if you haven't felt it already, you experience the weight of responsibility. Your mind leaps ahead to what kind of child this will be. In the babe, you see all their potential to accomplish everything they want and perhaps things you have not.
Imagine Mary holding Jesus; Joseph looking on. They must have experienced those same emotions. But it had been predicted long ago, not who this child could be but who he was, the Son of the Most High. Yes, he was Jesus, Son of the virgin Mary, adopted Son of Joseph the Carpenter from the little village of Nazareth, but this baby was so much more; he was; "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace," the long-awaited Messiah promised by Isaiah.
What do these titles mean? Jesus the Son is God, one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He has known the counsels of the Father from the beginning and gives wise counsel to men through the Holy Spirit that is always for our welfare. Jesus is God, the mighty One, and the work of the Mediator is so powerful that only the mighty God could have accomplished it. Jesus reconciles us to God as the Prince of Peace and is the Giver of peace in our hearts and consciences. When his kingdom is fully established, there will be no more war among men.
Father God, we give thanks for the gift of your Son sent to us. Jesus came, not in the form of a full-grown man, but as a fragile infant born. As Jesus grew, he experienced the same joys and anguishes as us, yet was divine. Through his ministry, Jesus showed us the way of healing, the mending of the fractured relationship between God and man. To atone for our sins, he willingly bore them on the cross. In conquering death, Jesus gave us the hope of life eternal with you. Returning to you, he became our intercessor. It all began with that babe in the manager. Please help us as we share the true meaning of Christmas, not only this day but throughout the year. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
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