Title of Jesus

 

The Royal titles of the Messiah – Isaiah 9

 

“Wonderful” – the one who does wonders.

When Jesus stepped into public service for God, the people wondered at His healing power, they wondered at the authority by which He taught. The multitude wondered at His ability to feed five thousand from five loaves of bread and two fish. The disciples wondered at His ability to still the storm and walk on water. Well we might sing -‘The wonder of sunset at evening’ – the wonder of Jesus the creator!

 

  But more than all this, the wonder of Him bringing people back to God – to pick up the pieces of broken humanity and by His wonderful grace - redeeming, restoring, reconciling , rapturing them into heaven itself.

  This word is the name of the angel that ascended in the flame of the alter – Judges 13 – they said “we have seen God” (Christophany) . And so it is the greatest wonder of all, that Jesus the child born, the Son given, ascended back into heaven by virtue of the sacrifice He made in His death. Well might we join with Thomas and say of the risen Jesus – “My Lord and my God”

 

One of the greatest joys of my life is to listen to the children at school sing this beautiful chorus

      Isn’t He wonderful,

      Wonderful, wonderful ,

Isn’t Jesus my Lord wonderful

Eyes have seen, ears have heard

It’s recorded in God’s word

Isn’t Jesus my Lord Wonderful.

The Son of God

 

“To us a Son is given” Isaiah 9

The Son is given – the most disputed truth across the planet. Most people of earth are happy to celebrate the child born. Millions reject the clear statement of this ancient prophecy.

 

   Jesus Himself said “I came down from heaven” (John 6:38). He referred to God as His Father (John 8:54) The Jews tried to stone Him for this. At the Jewish trial, the High priest asked Him the question –“Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed God?” His answer was “I am, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at God’s right hand in the place of power, and coming back on the clouds of heaven.”

 

   Gabriel put it very clearly to Mary : “He will be very great, and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32)

At His baptism a voice from heaven said to Him : “You are My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Luke 3.22)

John, who knew Him better than most, wrote

“ The Father sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world.” (1 John 4:14)

 

Note please – the word son is different to child. A child has a beginning and matures in life influenced by DNA and circumstances. A son represents the father in character and function. An ambassador begins to represent the values and strength of a home country. Jesus was much more – as The Son He represented God the Father perfectly – as an image is pressed out of the reality. By learning Jesus Christ, we learn the personality, purity, passion, purposes of God.

      The prophets could only speak for God. This “Son given” spoke as God (John 3)

 

Psalm 2 presents the anticipated Messiah as God’s king, but also as “My Son”. Then the command is given : “Kiss the Son”.- this is the kiss of submission and adoration with bended knee.

What about the cross?  -   “God spared not His own Son but gave him up for us all” – Not only a lamb without spot or blemish (the child born), but the effective value of the sacrifice made was in the intrinsic worth of who He was – “the Son given”.

 

In the future:

“God has highly exalted HIM and bestowed on HIM the name which is above every name. So that at the name of Jesus , every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD to the glory of God the Father.”  (Philippians 2)

 

We do well to spend time seeking to comprehend  who HE is, the Eternal Son of the Eternal God  and take our place at His feet:

“The Son of God loved me , and gave Himself for me.”  (Galatians 2)

Who is this Child

 

“For unto us a child is born”  Isaiah 9

 

Why did the Messiah not just appear as a man? – because God chose to reveal Himself in real humanity!

Previously it was the overflowing flood

it was devastating judgements in Egypt

it was lightening and thunder with fire at Sinai

it was in the shekinah glory – tabernacle and temple.

This prophecy predicts God stepping into humanity as a child!

 

This is the Son saying “here am I send Me”

This is Him who was rich, choosing to become poor!  (2 Corinthians 8)

This is the Redeemer stepping down to ‘take part of human life’ (Hebrews 2}

But why?  - to set an example for us?? – Yes (1 Peter 2) – so that we could follow His footsteps and be wholly dependant on God the Father like He was.

                He came as the last Adam, demonstrating submission  and obedience to God ( Romans 5) , in a relationship with God intended at the beginning. (Genesis 1)

                  He came to show what true communion with God was meant be. (Mark 1:35  14:36)

         But most important – it was in His undefiled humanity that He became the redeemer, the sacrificial lamb, the one choosing to taste death for everyone . (John 1, Hebrews 2).

The baby that could have excelled in every human skill, grew up in the humblest of beginnings, content to live in despised Nazareth, at age twelve chose to submit to Joseph and Mary, (even though He knew His true identity). He laboured as the carpenter’s son to be a tradesman instead of climbing the ladder of prominence. After His baptism He chose to serve God, by serving the people in Galilee of the Gentiles. By seeking to serve, rather than rule He sympathised with the people in their need, showing the shepherd heart of God.

 

At the appointed time, He gave His very life for peoples so undeserving.

That child born  perfect , lived a sinless life, was crucified and laid in a tomb misunderstood by all, - except by God. In God’s eyes, this child had become the Lamb of God, bearing away the sin of the world.

 

When men thought He was finished, God intervened and raised HIM from the dead, thus vindicating His claims to purity and deity. As the ascended man in heaven, He is holy, harmless and undefiled – a true man in heaven, the Saviour of all who believe in Him.

 

The WORD that became flesh had fulfilled the purpose of God so completely  that, then and now,  the promise is true:

“to as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become the children of God”. (John 1:12)

The true Identity of Jesus

 

A fisherman charged with telling the greatest message ever told.

“For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, and His coming again. We have seen the majestic splendour with our own eyes. He received honour and glory from God the Father when God’s glorious, majestic voice called down from heaven “this is My Beloved Son, I am fully pleased with Him.”

We ourselves heard the voice when we were there with Him on the holy mountain.”  2 Peter 1

 

So important:

1.  Revelation in history

2.  Multiple witnesses in real life experience

3.  Moses and Elijah although living, became insignificant

4.  The voice was not an angel, rather from God the Father

5.  Second time Jesus is proclaimed by God as “The Son”

 

   Such was the dazzle of the experience that it was the Holy Spirit who moved Simon Peter to highlight the deep significance of this time alone with Jesus the Lord . Not some philosophical brainwave, or religious trance or academic research. Rather this was God giving a brief interruption to make known the identity of Jesus and the future kingdom of glory that will yet be His.

 

    In the gospel record (Matthew 17,Mark 9, Luke 9), it is quite important to note, Jesus was talking with Moses and Elijah about His impending death!  - so essential to bring multitudes into that heavenly kingdom.

 

   This past experience gives power to present service:

1       - Who it is we serve

2       – Assurance of Divine revelation

3       – Anticipation of the eternal kingdom of glory

4       – this heavenly declaration removes the mask from the many religions that refuse to give Jesus his true identity and honour

 

The appearance  - Jesus the Holy one witnessed to by Moses and Elijah in the presence of Peter, James and John

The Voice   - the unique one revealed by God the Father, as the Beloved Son.

 

Well might Thomas say  -  “My Lord and my God”  (John 20)

Settled faith in a wonderful LORD

 

Mesage

 

Acts 16.31 “What must I do to be saved?”

My message went like this:

The desperate prison guard cried out :”What must I do to be saved?” What he meant by ‘saved’, I don’t know. He may have wanted to be saved from execution, but rather, he had been listening to Paul and Silas singing and praying!

Paul wrote a letter to the people down the road at Ephesus about the need to be ‘saved’.

Ephesians 2

1.     The problem of sins and trespasses causing disconnection from God.

2.     The pull of the course of this world taking people down the broad road.

3.     The deception of the prince satan, master of media.

4.     Peer pressure to disobey God

5.     Destruction by passion and lust

6.     Dominance of body over spirit

7.     Human anger blaming God for things going wrong

8.     Common condition of humanity – LOST

A real need to be SAVED.

 

So God interrupted the situation with mercy (withholding the punishment deserved). God’s love moved Him to graciously provide a remedy by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the Lord.

Now God only calls for faith in Him – not by works or ritual.

God establishes the connection – reconciled believers accepted into the family of God.

But more -verse 7- God promises the repentant believer a place in the future glory at the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

In summary, verse 8 –“For by grace are you saved through faith, not of your own doing. It is the gift of God, not as result of works, so that no one may boast”

 

So the wonder of it all is, that we all , like the prison guard can be ‘SAVED’

 

Faith in Jesus Christ  is a commitment that leads to action – as with the prison guard, caring for the needs of others ( he washed their wounds and gave them food), but also declared publicly his new allegiance to Jesus Christ by immersion in water (baptism)

 

The outcome – joy in the whole household as they listened  to  and believed the Word of the Lord.

 

The answer to the question was concise and true :

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and your household.”

 

Three words are needed in English to convey the meaning of believe:

1.      Believe in Jesus for who He is and what He has done.

2.     Trust Him for what He promises to do for us

3.     Faith that believes His words as God’s words

 

Faith is just believing

What God says He will do

He will never fail us,

His promises are true

If we but receive HIM

His children we become

Faith is just believing,

The wondrous work is done.

 

SAVED from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son (Colossians 1)

ten commands