What’s in a Name? | Christmas Message

Hey there Victor, listening to the Greg Laurie part just a ministry supported by harvest partners on Greg Laurie encouraging you if you want to find out more about harvest ministries. To learn more about how to become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org so the title of my Christmas message for you is what's in a name. What's in a name, but I guess it depends on what your name is.

I heard the story of a guy who is a very unfortunate last name of on imagine the ridicule and mockery. He had to deal with when he went to school. Oh, your name is on that side, you're so we hated it so literally, he decided when he died and was buried, that they would not put his name on the tombstone so we gave specific instructions do not put my name in the tombstone I wanted blank. And so, sure enough, that's what they did and people would walk through the cemetery and he would read the names of the deceased and they came to this point. Tombstone and people were overheard to say well there's no name here that sought his gimmicks he could escape it. I want to talk to you about the most important name in all of the universe. The name that is above all names, the name of Jesus Christ's the name of Jesus Christ is so powerful that even people who say they don't believe in him use it to make a point they use it as a form of profanity.

Why do people do that because in a backhanded way. Even the nonbeliever is acknowledging there's power heard in the name of Jesus. The Bible says that the name of Jesus Christ every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord the glory of God the father, I want to talk about a very familiar passage we often read this time of year. Isaiah 96 which says in his name shall be called wonderful Counselor, mighty God, the Prince of peace, the ever lasting Bob and every one of those descriptions of the name of Jesus.

We learn something really important about this time of the year because it's so easy of the busyness of Christmas to miss point I don't want us to do that because I know I'm talking to somebody right now that is really lonely talking to someone right now that's depressed. I'm talking to somebody right now that is wondering what their life is even all about.

So you hang in there as I some encouraging things that share with you from the word of God. Let's go back to what the verse says. Isaiah 96 undo us a child is born, unto us a son is given, the real Christmas story is not just a story of a birth. It's a story of a gift. You will both heaven's perspective and Earth's perspective. Undo us a child is born.

That's all we saw Christmas God came to was born in the little manger in Bethlehem. God became a man, God put skin on, and walked among us, and we breathed our air walked in her shoes he lived our lives ultimately he would die. Our death undo once a child is born, but from heaven's perspective undo us a son was given, God gave his son to us. It's a gift Jesus summed it up perfectly when he said for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God sent his son on a rescue operation upon an earthlike because we sinned against God, you know, with the first Christmas.

Scripture is a first messianic passages in the Bible notes that Isaiah 96. No, it's not from the Christmas story of the gospel of Matthew are the gospel of Luke.

The first passage that talks about the arrival of the Messiah is in Genesis chapter 3 and chapter our first parents sinned against God and God's judgment came upon them in sin entered the world, sin wrecks everything if Adam and Eve had not sinned, we would have never grown old. If Adam and Eve would not sin. We would have never been sent for vitamin E would not said we would never die. Vitamin E would not sin. I would have hair sin affects everything and so God needed to send a solution and the solution was he would come to this earth and walk among us is a man in the die on the cross that first passages in Genesis 3 when the Lord says to Satan. There is coming one is going to crush your head, but you will bruise his heel. The Bible says he was bruised for our iniquities. Jesus died for our sin. It's the departure from heaven, and the arrival on earth. So let's break down what Isaiah 96 says about the name of Jesus, starting with this one is named is wonderful but think about God and his name shall be called wonderful. You know the root word. Wonder comes from a word that means amazing, awe-inspiring, or word we use a lot today are some people associate that with California right that's so awesome do people in California don't actually speak that way but you know we do use the word awesome. A lot will say all that's an awesome car.

Oh that that was an awesome meal or another thing is awesome. But when you really get technical. Only God is awesome because what is positive. I don't know how to respond.

I'm overwhelmed. God is awesome or God is wonderful.

You know, we have never been more advanced than we are right now.

Technologically, we spent endless hours looking at these phone strikes and tablets in and watching television screens and binge watching this and entertaining ourselves with that.

It was philosopher and author Bertrand Russell who once said, quote the two greatest sins of mankind are cause by a fear of abortion. I think it's amazing you can dig young people today they can be watching TV, playing a videogame watching Netflix or maybe you two and then say I wore all listen. God is awesome God is wonderful.

You know, we put so much focus on these presence we get under the tree but we have to think about the ultimate gift of Jesus coming to this earth because that is truly the gift that keeps on giving. As we said earlier, you're gonna forget about the gifts you're going to open under the tree this year but if you look to the Lord and let him be the wonderful, awesome God in your life. It can change everything. That's when I see God in this awesomeness.

I see everything else. As I should see it. See if you have big problems. Maybe the problem is you of a small God release your viewers bought a small review of the big God.

We are still problems with the relatively small compared to this on some wonderful God that we can know through Jesus Christ.

This is why the psalmist said all magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together with those wise men came to bring their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the child Jesus what they say is that we have come to worship his name shall be called wonderful, take a moment to contemplate the fact that this wonderful awe-inspiring God loves you and cares about you and the rate plans for your life, where my favorite passages is Jeremiah 2911 where the Lord says I know the thoughts of the think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

I just blows my mind that God would even think about me if God said, I know the singular thought I had about you for a fleeting second, I would be happy with that that the good God Almighty. The awesome creator had a fleeting thought about me without someone got says he says I know the thoughts borrow more than one. I know the thoughts that I think toward you, so that there are multiple thoughts. Many thoughts or how many thoughts are they let me illustrate.

God says his thoughts toward us are more than the sin the sea of love, thoughts I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord. Wait for the good thoughts is Eli thinking bad things about me know he says thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hopeless and the best whatever you're going through right now God's.this God. Sin control and he's awesome and he's bigger than any problem you're facing, and you shall call his name wonderful and his name shall be called wonderful that takes care of the dullness of life in his name shall be called counselor's name shall be called wonderful Counselor, the mighty God of the Prince of peace, the everlasting father. He's our counselor that takes care of the decisions of life in our face of all kinds of decisions that we have to make each and every day, even though at Taco Bell lately.

What's with all the options on the menu to get all these new things.

Crunch Igor Dedo cheesy whatever's and always default back to other taco and a bean burrito but were those are not important decisions is big decisions like will Michael and Mary. What career paths that I follow what ministry should I pursue what it which are, they do with this other area of my life is a missed counselor. The music God has planned for your life and he wants to reveal his will to you.

Romans 12 one. Says Paul speaking are urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God present yourself to God as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable. Don't be conformed to this world would be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Listen, and then you will know what is the good and perfect will of God. I love that he puts in good God's will is good I know doesn't seem that with time. I know there are things that happened that don't seem that. I think when we get to heaven one day look back and see that maybe some of the things we thought were bad were actually good but having said that he has a plan for your life and how do we discover it by opening the word of God opening the Bible, because it will show you God's plan purpose for you. People go to so many crazy places to get direction today though the go to Google Google you know how what is the meaning of life. Or they go to Siri on the phone.

Let's just do a test and see what Siri has to say about the meaning of life. They Siri what is the meaning of life time. Okay she can answer that now but give her time to write a very long plane which nothing happened 12.

Listen, you open up the Bible and defined it with the meaning of life is all tell you what it is right now the meaning of life is have a relationship with the God created you and to bring glory to his name.

You can spend your whole life missing that simple truth, but his name shall be called wonderful agenda takes care of the dullness of life counselor that takes care the decisions of life God wants to guide and direct you residency in those commercials, but wait there's more. So let's go back to Isaiah 9 review his name shall be called wonderful that takes care of the dullness of life.

His name shall be called counselor that takes care of the decisions of life and then there were says he is the mighty God that takes care of the challenges of life. He is the mighty God that DB born in the manger was God incarnate, that's hard to wrap your mind around his neck fully God and fully met. Here's an example of the deity and humanity of Jesus on display. The going across the Sea of Galilee and a great storm comes and Jesus is asleep in the boat. What could be more human than being tired of being sleepy. Yes, Jesus got sleepy. Jesus got hungry just like you do. Bible says he was in all points tested as we are yet without sin, so that was his humanist could be.

But then they say Jesus were going to drown. He comes up on the deck of the boat and he turns toward the store and says peace be still, and the word that is usurper still is aware, they can be translated, muzzled, like you're talking to a wild dog peacefully muzzled.

The storm is swirling about just stopped.

What could be more divine than that is a mighty God walking among us, and it also reminds us that you have all the power we need to live this Christian life. Sometimes he rose it so hard to be a Christian. I would beg to differ.

It's not hard to be a Christian. It's impossible without the help of God. I can't do this without God's help, nor can you apart for me Jesus said you can do nothing. But then the apostle Paul wrote I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Jesus said all power on heaven and earth is been given to me. Therefore go to all the world and preach the gospel the power that he has can flow in your life and it can help you overpower any addiction, it can help you overpower any challenge that you're facing whatever you're facing. He's the mighty God within the goes on the say is the everlasting father, I love that everlasting father. I watched TV special last night about fathers and it just reminded me of how important the father risen the life the child.

Maybe I'm talking to somebody now that that doesn't have a father in their life. I never had a dad growing up, my mom was married and divorced seven times.

I remember one Christmas that's pretty depressing, but I was a little boy actually got what I wanted, which was a bicycle and my mom was passed out from a night of drinking.

There was no dad anywhere to be found, and we are one of those whites trees is artificial Jesus white that one of those little color wheels that slowly turn so the color wheel is turning on the white fake Christmas tree. The room smells of this tobacco and booze and even as a young kid I looked at all of this makes it it's got a get better on the gondola go a lot better for me when at the age of 17, I heard who Jesus was a made a commitment to follow him and finally I found the father I've been searching for. No, not an earthly father of father in heaven and we all can have this relationship with God the father, you know, after Jesus rose again from the dead. He appeared to Mary Magdalene and she grabbed hold of them and he says don't cling to be Mary Frye am going to ascend to my father and your father to my God and your God. Do you realize how revolutionary of a statement that was for Jesus not only to say God was his father, but he said to Mary, a disciple and he's your father. See because of what Christ did on the cross for us. We can now go directly to God the father and he's the everlasting father, you shall call his name wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the ever lasting father so Isaiah 96. You should call gives name wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the Prince of peace that takes care of the disturbances of life. Life is filled with disturbances is meant all men look at our world right now. Look at the turmoil. Look at the violence that we see in the streets of America.

I can't remember a time when we have seen more violent crime than we're seeing right now conflicts around the world that then there's a turmoil. Maybe in your home or maybe in your neighborhood or in your family, and we need peace.

Do you remember the message of the Angels to the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night diesels appeared to the shepherds and they say glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men, so we think of that angelic statement and we look around our world. I'm going okay hours the piece I deceived turmoil of war and conflict.

Well, if you translate that more accurately, it explains itself.

It would better be translated this week. Glory to God in the highest peace on earth among men with whom God is well leaked.

See when you are walking with God in your life is what lazy began. You have these it's a personal piece. The Bible describes it as a peace that passes all human understanding before you can have the peace of God, you have to be at peace with God. The word stop fighting with God. You're watching this right now you're filled with turmoil and in worrying and anguish and in panic and I want to encourage you to turn your panic prayer and turn your worry in the worship because here's what Philippians says don't worry about anything, pray about everything in the peace of God that passes all human understanding, will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus, and the word that is usurper keeping guard.

It and it sort of the idea of a like a Roman guard being mounted in front of your heart like protecting you.

God's peace will keep you in your times of turmoil shall call his name wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the Prince of peace. And then it says and the government will be upon his shoulder that day is coming in the future. One day Christ will return to this earth and establish his kingdom and rule as King of Kings and Lord of lords. But before the government would be upon his shoulder the cross would be on his shoulder and friends. That's really what Christmas is all about.

It's about the baby born in the manger went to the cross to die for our sins. You see red is the color of Christmas though because Santa wears red or because we rub our packages and read red is the color of Christmas because red is the color of the blood that flowed from the veins of Jesus as it was nailed to the cross for our sins so I know we don't think about the sweet little baby being crucified but he was born to die, that we might live. CS Lewis said the son of God became a man, that men might become sons of God.

This is what it was all about. It was Jesus being sent on a rescue operation for us, the Prince of peace, who would take the cross upon his soul so they bring this message to an end. I want to make sure that you have peace with God. I want to make sure that this is the best Christmas of your life. So let's come back to the idea of a get. Remember I told you was the gift of the son of God came coming down from heaven of this earth. God offers a gift to you.

It's called the gift of eternal life LOL the Bible describes it as the indescribable get what is it it's a gift that God gives you where you know that when you die you will go to heaven.

Is there any more important thing to know then where you will spend the afterlife listen. You decide in this life will you will spend the afterlife to God offers this gift, you know, if you ever notice how men and women open gifts differently.

Don't you give a gift to a man with a cardio will take the card will open it so read it and then he'll tear the paper way to get at the gift he gave him the let's get real.

The only reason he's reading the card as a see if there's money or a gift certificate inside and he really could care less what the card says he just wants to get to what's inside of the box or you give a gift to a lady with her card. She will read it.

She might be visibly moved by which you wrote to her and then chill very politely nicely open the gifted seat of the ribbon.

I want to save this for later, but I don't care how you open this gift that God is offering you just receive it and open the Bible says, for as many as received him, he gave them the power to become sons of God hears the big message of Chris you're separated from God because of your sin. Christ was born in the manger above the No one had died on the cross for your sin and rose again from the dead, and he is alive and easier. Right now the standing at the door of your life, and he is knocking, and he is saying if you hear his voice and open the door people commit Jesus Christ to come into your life right now.

Forgive you of your sent still feel that void in your life you been trying to fill with things with relationships with accomplishments, maybe even with religion, which are longing for is a relationship with God himself. I love the little Christmas him. We sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing. It says let every heart prepare him room of heaven and nature sing when you open your heart and make room for Jesus is just a prayer away say what I wanted him to pray a simple prayer, and ask that if you want your sin forgiven, if you want to find the meaning and purpose of your life if you want to know is certainty that when you die you will go to heaven.

I want you to pray this prayer after me you can print out loud. You can pray it in the quietness of your heart, but pray it. God will hear you just pray these words of the Lord Jesus.

I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior was born in the manger died on the cross and rose again from the dead of coming to my life.

I turned from that sin.

Now I choose to follow you from this moment in Jesus name I pray in men. Everybody thinks you're listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it. Just go to a harvest.org and find out how to know God personally go to harvest.org and click on know God