“Putting the Praise in Christmas”
Preacher
Pastor John H. West

Date
December 20, 1998

Scripture Text
Isaiah 9:6

 

 There is nothing like the Christmas Season.  The shops, the stores, the sales, the smells, the food... and even the calories.  But when I think about Christmas, I think especially about the music.  Christmas carols, Handel’s Messiah, Hymns, “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing,” “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” “Silent Night.”

We need to keep singing Christmas songs even after Christmas is over.  This is a season where even those who can’t sing are allowed to sing.   Christmas may be special to some people because they get a little time off from school or from work.  They enjoy the gift giving, the special time spent with family.  

For me, Christmas is special because of Jesus.  In our text, we see the prophet Isaiah putting on his millennial glasses and peering into the future to see the plan of God.  What he saw was Jesus, God’s Son, Who had all the rights and privileges of God and yet was born in a manger.  Jesus was God Himself.  The government shall be on His shoulder, Jesus would be a leader and not a follower.  He establishes a new government, a new reign, a new era.  Jesus was not born to be a commoner but to be Lord.

Jesus is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.  These are titles or descriptions of the character of Jesus.  Isaiah is saying that Jesus (born 900 years after Isaiah died) would be an unusual Person.   Jesus would be a Special Person, just look at His name.

 

His Name is Wonderful

His Name is miraculous, marvelous, amazing.   The woman with the issue of blood would call Jesus Wonderful.  The leper who was cleansed would call Him Wonderful.  The woman at the well ran through town telling people about the Wonderful Jesus.

Do you know that Jesus is wonderful?  He put food on your table.  He healed your body.  He saved your soul.  He made a way out of no way.  God hasn’t been cheap with me, He is wonderful.

 

Counselor

Jesus is a friend, a guide, an advocate.   If you are confused, Jesus can clear it up.  He puts light in darkness.   If you are lost in the wilderness, Jesus is the good shepherd Who will leave the 99 sheep to find the one that was lost.

Jesus saith unto him, I Am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  (John 14:6)

Follow Jesus, the only way to make it to God.

Mighty God
Everlasting Father

These two combine to describe the divine compassion of our Savior.  He was tough enough to solve our problems but gentle enough to cry.  Jesus is not a weak God, He has all power in His hands.

  • He can meet your needs
  • He can solve your problems
  • He is caring
  • He is sympathetic
  • He is compassionate

Call Him.  He will answer.

 

Prince of Peace

Look at the news.  You can see that we need a Prince of Peace.  We saw bombs dropping on Baghdad.  We saw accusations fly in Congress.  Something is wrong with this.  This is not what America should be about.  That is not what God called us to be. 

It is hard to see men accusing President Clinton when they are guilty of the very same thing.  We need peace:

  • in our land
  • in our homes
  • in our marriages
  • in our careers
  • in our personal lives

We are under stress and tension.  When Jesus was on the sea and the waves got angry, the disciples had no power to change their course.  They woke Jesus up and said, “We don’t know if we will make it.”  Jesus rebuked them and said to the wind and waves, “Peace, be still.”

God can give you peace where you have no peace.  When the drugs and alcohol don’t work, when the boyfriend and girlfriend don’t work, when the television and movies don’t work, there is peace in the name of Jesus. 

It is not peace that starts on the outside first, but peace on the inside that works to the outside.

Jesus came down through 42 generations, the Son of God became man so that we might become born again.

  • As a baby, Jesus troubled the king
  • As a child, Jesus puzzled the teachers
  • As a man, Jesus walked on water

Jesus never wrote a book, but there are libraries full of books about Him.

Jesus never wrote music, but He is the subject of many songs.

Pilate found no fault in Him.  The Roman Soldiers said, “Surely this is the Son of God.”  God Himself said, “This is My Beloved Son...”

Jesus did what Macys, Sears and J.C. Penneys couldn’t do.  He did what Mom and Pop can't do.  He did what money can’t do.  While we were sinners, Christ died for us. 

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  (John 3:16)

In Jesus, we have the perfect gift.  That is the substance of our Christmas.   Not the Christmas tree, not Santa Claus... it is Jesus.